That's most likely why many people choose to decorate their homes with oak furniture. Most of these furniture designs will be called modern oak and oak furniture designs for older homes will usually be called antique oak.
There are about 295 different types of oak worldwide, but only 50 of those are available in the United States. The reasoning is that a lot of the other oaks are not that easy to handle and shape thus making it too much trouble and too expensive to use here in the states.
What determines whether or not a certain piece of Oakwood can go in which home really is dependent on the homeowner I have seen people mismatch certain styles and items of furniture, but the usual case is what I mentioned before and that is the age and style of the home. Some people may want the mantle piece to be made from oak and stained or painted depending on the design of the home and fireplace.
For most modern homes the oak furniture is probably going to be more design furniture. The oak furniture usually has to match the feel and age of the home. That's how oak can make a difference in a home.
