I'm refinishing an old bookshelf and stuck between walnut and espresso stains. Walnut seems warmer, kinda cozy, but espresso has that sleek, modern vibe I like too. Room has mostly neutral colors, nothing flashy. Anyone tried either? Curious how they hold up over time or if one shows dust or scratches more than the other. Can't decide, driving myself nuts here, lol.
I've used walnut stain on a couple pieces around my house—definitely holds up well over time, scratches blend in pretty naturally. Espresso looks great too, but I've noticed darker finishes tend to show dust quicker. Are you planning to add any hardware or decorative accents later on? That might help sway your decision...
Walnut's definitely forgiving—I had a walnut-stained coffee table that survived my kids' Lego wars and still looked decent. Espresso is sleek but yeah, dust city. If you're adding brass or gold hardware later though, espresso can really pop... something to think about.
Had espresso shelves in my old place, and yeah, dust magnets for sure... but paired with brass hardware, they looked sharp enough that I didn't mind the extra dusting. Still, walnut's probably easier if life's busy. Either way, can't really go wrong.
