If you want a jet black no grain look there is nothing better than quarter sawn Wenge. I call it poor mans ebony. I wouldn't be afraid to use Wenge at all, just choose it carefully.
Yes, if you don't use pristine pieces, especially the flat sawn, Wenge does splinter. But the benefits outweigh the drawbacks if that is the look you are going for. I never use nor care for the flat sawn Wenge, but tight grain Quarter Sawn Wenge I use everyday. I don't like the cathedral grain on Wenge and over time those large arch grains can turn light. Now if that's the look called for go for it.
It is harder and harder to get really dark walnut. So I use walnut for figure only now. As regular old plain Walnut is general brown, even ugly, these days and turns grey over time. So either choose highly figured or quarter Sawn walnut (if you can find it) and as dark as you can find. I spend so much time choosing Walnut now, 25 years ago it was all good. Now it takes me hours to sort through. And avoid the steamed Walnut, it looks weird to me. If you want a blacker color as an accent, especially for less wide surfaces or smaller parts and want it to really pop against a lighter wood I highly suggest Wenge. If you want figured iridescent look then go Figured Walnut.
And remember for "use" furniture Wenge is way harder than Oak and Walnut is as soft as Cherry. Walnut and Cherry are nice and some of my favorites, but I expect down the lines there will be dents, etc. Cherry and Walnut are great for cabinet faces, small boxes drawer faces etc and furniture not abused. A LOT of cherry cabinets have that worn look and its perfect for that as its going to happen anyhow. I do use cherry and walnut for floor inlays, but I always warn the client if there is a rock in a shoe and it's dragged across or the cherry or walnut or if a person wears thin, hard, high heels these woods are going to get dented, 100%.
