Light-colored furniture can help a small room feel bigger and more airy because it doesn't stand out in the way that dark furniture does. It brings more light into the space. But furniture in light tones may not work as well in a large room, because the space may feel too open.
While most traditionalists prefer the aforementioned darker brown hues, lighter colors of wood furniture are what's most appealing to those who prefer a more modern vibe and brighter décor colors. If you're looking to create a clean, bright look to a living area or bedroom, Natural Maple is the way to go.
'What's old is new again,' agrees Etsy's 2023 collections curator, Martha Stewart, adding that 'brown furniture is alive and well'. But while dark wood appears to be on the up, Etsy has observed a 24 per cent decrease in searches for Scandinavian decor, raw or light wood (14 per cent) and beige decor (29 per cent).
Shades of Light
Light wood finishes are trending all over the place and look exceptional when teamed up with darker colors like black and navy. We love the stylish golden wood finish on this table by Tiffany Duckenfield who paired it the stark black chairs giving it a sleek modern sophisticated look.
Along with mid-century-inspired curved furniture, the brown tones of this period are also poised to make a major comeback in 2023. This natural color—particularly its darker varieties—creates a sense of earthy stability, says Claire Druga, an interior designer based in New York City.
If you want timeless furniture, go for a timeless color. Yes, a color! A blue, yellow, or black sofa will be a lot more timeless than the popular gray. The gray sofas of today are just the brown leather sofas of 10 years ago.
While darker stains feel more traditional, lighter woods definitely have a more modern feel. It's clear that natural woods are becoming the new neutral in interior design, and this design trend isn't going anywhere as people embrace cozier spaces.
One of the main details that a furniture maker needs to consider is the type of wood they use. The type of wood can affect the style, value, and even the quality of the furniture! One of the most beautiful colors of wood is dark wood. Unfortunately, dark wood is considered to be a luxury.
Dark wood tones have nearly been forgotten over the last decade as light wood tones took over homes. Dark wood exudes a rich look and feel and has many benefits over light wood tones. We're expecting dark wood tones to make a comeback as more traditional designs begin to pop back up.
Blue comes into color trends every year, just taking a slightly different form. It's such a grounding, a familiar color that there's so surprise we are drawn to it year after year, and this year it's deep blues that are looking to be the most on-trend.
1. Lighter, Brighter Wood Finishes. Wood flooring with character-rich, lighter stains shows no sign of waning in popularity, says Margaret Donaldson, founder of Margaret Donaldson Interiors. “Homeowners are primarily using white oak, but walnut is starting to surface more, especially with lighter finishes,” she says.
'A light-toned sofa in neutral colors, such as beige, cream, light gray, or white, can create a sense of openness in any room. These soft hues reflect the natural and artificial light that enters the room, making the space look brighter, airier, and more spacious.
Although it's true that dark wood has a heavier visual look, that mostly just means it's bolder and more imposing, not that it actually makes the space look smaller. The key is you have to do it right. If you have too much dark going on in a space, yes, it will make the room look smaller.
So if you are a new furniture painter, why not try a more simple color, like gray, blue, green, or even cream? All of those colors paint so much easier–they cover better than white and don't show off dirt and dust like black.
Whatever vibe you're going for, your wood color plays a huge role in getting you there. Generally speaking, lighter colors work best for modern designs while darker colors complement traditional and rustic atmospheres.
One way to style your dark wood furniture is to contrast it with light colours. This doesn't have to be a stark black-and-white contrast, but making use of lighter-coloured neutrals is a good way to go. Warm neutrals such as soft greys, stone and beige variants will pair very nicely with dark wood.
Classic medium-toned browns such as cherrywood, mahogany, oak, maple, walnut, birch wood, and hickory are all timeless colors that never go out of style.
Having some matching furniture is not a bad thing. But you probably don't want your loveseat, couch, coffee table, and side table to all match. Some of them can match to keep a cohesive look, but if everything is the exact same…you're going to end up with a cookie-cutter look that lacks personality.
The answer is yes and no because it all boils down to your personal preferences! Mixing and matching different styles and pieces of furniture can create a more personalized and unique feel, while opting for living room sets create a cohesive look.
According to designer Kate Marker, gray isn't going anywhere, as colors rarely do. While warm whites and soft beiges are definitely replacing the crisp whites and grays, she knows from experience that no color is truly 'out. '
The consensus is that grey is out and warm neutrals will continue to dominate in 2023.