Light colors go very well with dark flooring. Pale, cool blue walls work especially well in a dining room, if you're looking for a lively pop of color. Calming blue and blue gray shades can bring contrast to the dark wood to brighten your space.
If you have a dark brown sofa or other furniture, the best way to complement them is with mid-tone walls. Think warm golden yellow, soft medium blues, restful grayish-greens, creamy tans or soothing greys.
What colours go with dark oak furniture? Oak usually comes in a light, yellowy-gold colour, so dark oak furniture can call for a slightly different approach. Because of the rich colour of dark oak, it can look good to offset it with either airy or bold blues and greens.
Pale blues and greens can add a fresh and calming vibe to a room with dark floors. These colours bring in a touch of nature and create a relaxing atmosphere. They give a natural feel to the room which balances the heavier tone of dark timber floors.
Do grey and brown go together? Of course, they do! It's one of the classic combos. Grey is neutral, steady, elegant, and sophisticated.
Brighten up a dark brown couch.
First, paint walls a pale neutral, then choose artwork, accessories, and accent furniture in lighter or colorful hues to balance the darkness of the furniture. Light gray walls, white trim, and cream-colored accents keep the couch from feeling too heavy.
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.
Lay a brightly patterned runner across a wood dresser or table. Opt for bold bedding or wall art in a bedroom outfitted with wood furniture. Table lamps, vases, and planters in a rainbow of colors can also help cheer up dark wood furniture.
With dark wood cabinets, white and light paint colours look fantastic. Choose countertops in white, brown, black, or grey. Dark oak cabinets look great with off-white walls, maple or oak floors, and stainless steel hardware. Choose a dark oak kitchen table and stainless steel appliances as a finishing touch.
Dark hardwood floors are timeless and classic, as long as you pair them with the right wall color. The best wall paint colors for dark wood floors are crisp whites and lighter neutral shades. Our favorite pick includes Sherwin's Agreeable Gray.
Neutrals infused with earthy tones like green and brown work beautifully here. However, avoid overloading your interiors with too much walnut furniture, especially if it has a dark hardwood floor. Break things up with a neutral area rug or think about neutral upholstery.
Shades like dark teal can work incredibly well alongside dark and light oak alike. Adding richer shades to your colour scheme is a particularly good idea if you want to bring out the warm undertones of oak furniture. However, you don't need to be too daring with colour choices.
Play with Textures: Introduce different textures to add visual interest and depth to your bedroom. Consider using a variety of fabrics such as plush throws, textured rugs, and velvet pillows. These elements will help soften the look of the dark wood furniture while creating a cozy and inviting ambiance.
My first tip for working with dark wood furniture is to use tones (paint, bedding, pillows, artwork, curtains, etc.) that compliment the wood tone – usually warm, neutral colors. In this design, I painted the walls BM Revere Pewter – a warm gray.
The only effective way to lighten the color of wood after it has been stripped of all surface coatings is to use a wood bleach. Sanding does help to lighten wood in many cases, but this only applies to surface soil or grime, and even then only if the discoloration has not penetrated very deeply.
Lightly sand the paneling with 100-grit sandpaper to remove any gloss. Use a damp cloth to wipe any sanding dust off the walls. Prime the walls with a quality primer and allow to dry. Apply two topcoats of wall paint.
Greens, grays, whites and beiges are no-brainers. Warmer colors, like orange, brown, rust and red, work too, but the deeper tones of these colors work best.
Popular Gray and Greige Paint Colors for Dark Wood Floors
My two personal favorites are Sherwin Williams Repose Gray and Sherwin William Agreeable Gray, but Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter has been a popular choice in the past, too.
For light and dark shades of wood, you can choose beige, tan or ivory colors for both paint and decor. For paint as well as decor accents, green is a wonderful choice to complement wood furniture, particularly wood furniture in red, brown, or blonde hues.
7. Complement brown with yellow and gold tones. 'Mix dark browns with golden yellows and warm oranges for a totally unique yet regal look' says interior designer, Dan Mancinetti. Just like orange and red, yellow can add a wonderful warmth to a brown scheme.
Seriously — brown, no matter the shade, is considered a neutral, meaning it not only pairs well with other neutrals and earth tones, such as black, cream, white, and olive green, but works to balance out brighter statement colors, too.