“Walnut has a warm undertone; it deepens and becomes richer and darker within the first year,” notes Laura. Walnut is becoming a top choice for several reasons. “So many people love the modern look but don't want it to appear cold.
It is very dark brown in color with black undertones. It is really a classic wood color – if you think of dark, expensive wood surfaces, this is a color that might come to mind. What is this? Dark Walnut goes onto projects VERY thick and dark.
Is dark walnut stain cool or warm? Because of the purple-ish and black undertones, Dark Walnut falls within the cool color group. Also, it's important to note that the undertones and tints will vary depending on the type of wood you use.
American Walnut embodies the richness of chocolate mixed with slight undertones of red wine. A modern twist on classic shades, this boldly confident color brings a sense of rich luxury. American Walnut vividly transforms and highlights wood with depth and artful sophistication.
Dark finishes, such as mahogany, walnut, or cherry, stand out in sharp relief against light colors, such as a pale green or blue or a hue from the sunny side of the color wheel.
Neutrally toned woods like Walnut are the most versatile. Walnut has soft purple undertones that work with warm and cool-toned wood alike. Feel free to mix dark and light woods of varying finishes and grain sizes so long as the undertones are consistent.
Other species of oak, such as American White Oak, have a light-to-tan brown colour with a straight grain. Walnut, on the other hand, can have a characteristically sleek cream-to-chocolate brown colour — often with an alluring tinge of purple.
“Walnut has a warm undertone; it deepens and becomes richer and darker within the first year,” notes Laura. Walnut is becoming a top choice for several reasons. “So many people love the modern look but don't want it to appear cold.
'Dark woods such as walnut or mahogany work fantastically well with green, from fresher hues such as Boxington for a contrasting feel, to sumptuous rich greens such as Puck for an elegant interior,' says Ruth Mottershead.
You might pair Cordovan Brown with Blank Canvas—a soft, warm white—which Behr chose as its 2023 Color of the Year for interiors. The paint firm PPG also chose a deep brown stain as its 2023 Stain Color of the Year: Chestnut Brown. The rich brown tones may be part of the resurgence of 1970s design styles.
Walnut wood offers rich, brown colors that range from light to dark brown. The sapwood (outer part of the tree log) is pale yellow to white and the heartwood (center of the tree log) has brown shades that vary from light brown to dark chocolate brown with some dark brown streaks.
Reminiscent of dark cocoa and coffee beans, Dark Walnut embraces the shadowy hues of black and brown. Woodgrain appears etched with charcoal, creating a sultry dance where light and dark meet. The darkness of this shade draws your eye out and makes spaces seem more expansive.
Dark Walnut, Provincial, and Jacobean are popular wood floor stain colors that work great across many styles. If you're still not sure which color to choose, mix custom colors and apply them to samples, so you can test them in your space.
Walnut wood can change color depending on the way it's dried or its age. The heartwood usually is a dark brown color and the sapwood is a light yellow color. When the wood is left out in the elements, such as the sun, the lighter wood will turn darker and the darker wood will turn lighter.
The Colors of Walnut Wood
The heartwood of the tree is the innermost part of the tree. In a walnut tree, the heartwood gets down to the nitty gritty with rich colors that include a range of dark browns and light browns with some purplish hues, grays, reddish rays, and dark streaks included.
Both beautiful woods, walnut and brown maple make stunning wood furniture. Walnut has some darker colors, but still looks beautiful au natural with an oiled finish.
Oak has a light to middle brown colour with some reddish hues, complimented by a straight and tight grain pattern. Walnut can range anywhere from a light brown to a deep, dark chocolate hue. Though its grain is very open and more coarse than maple, walnut still has a beautiful, uniform surface.
Typically, walnuts are lighter and slightly larger than pecans. When removed from their shells, they have a golden color. Walnuts are also softer; grinding or crumbling them is easy. Pecans are usually darker, while walnuts are stubbier and have two hemispheres with a brain-like shape.
Dark Walnut is a stain by Minwax. It is very dark brown in color and has a lot of black undertones. Dark Walnut used to be our go to stain color.
Walnut is versatile because it's so neutral, in which case the undertone could swing either way depending on the stain and the woods you pair it with. If your dominate wood tone is warm, stick with warm woods.
But mixing warm and cool (cherry and poplar, for example) can create a messy vibe. If you're a fan of warm tones but want to add more texture and depth, look for woods with a neutral tone, such as walnut or birch. These are highly versatile in that you can mix them into a room that has warm or cool undertones.
Warm tones will appear as yellow, orange, or red. You'll find them in most unstained woods like walnut, white oak, red oak, and maple. Cool tones will appear as having a grayish cast to them. Woods with charcoal, bark, and sand stains will have cool tones.
After all, they're both materials that are popularly used for hardwood flooring. That being said, oak is a slightly stronger hardwood product than walnut. Oak is one of the stronger and more durable natural wood options available for kitchen cabinets. It holds up well resisting significant dents or dings.
Harder woods like White Oak will be more resistant to dents, dings, and scratches while softer woods like Walnut will tend to show wear more easily.
Tung oil varnish is a highly popular oil-based finish for walnut that offers excellent durability and water resistance, while simultaneously enhancing the natural beauty of the wood without significantly altering its hue. This type is chosen by many as the best oil finish for walnut.