This past weekend, my clients in Stowe received their new Cherry and Maple Pickwell Sideboard to accompany their 5 year old custom, handmade Dining Room Table and Chairs. They were quite surprised to see the difference in the color of the new piece - although beautiful, it looked almost anemic next to the deep, lusterous aged wood of the dining table and chairs. I assured them the natural wood of the new sideboard would age rapidly, and ultimately "catch up" with the gorgeous color of the older pieces. Cherry ages quickly in the first 6 months, and then tends to slow down, although it is impossible to guarantee the new cherry sidebaord will look EXACTLY like the older dining table and chairs - each piece of wood has its own unique grain and characteristics. As stated in Popular Woodworking: "While all wood is in some measure chromophoric (meaning it changes when exposed to light), cherry has a more immediate and noticeable reaction to ultraviolet (UV) light than do most other domestic hardwoods."