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.
Dark Walnut stains look great with other dark colors, like plums, blues, greens, and dark reds. Alternatively, lighter colors like off-white, light grays, and other neutral shades can pleasantly contrast the eyes.
Use Contrast to Call Attention
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. In the same way, light wood shows up boldly against dark or strong color on the walls.
Combining mixed wood types – such as oak, walnut, ash – has become increasingly popular over the last few years thanks to the laid-back, 'lived-in' trend sweeping the interior world. Contrasting woods create interest, insight personality and add depth to any living space – exuberating a warm and sleek aesthetic.
'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.
“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.
Choose natural materials for the rest of the space, eg canvas and gauze curtains. Grey color goes well with walnut cabinetry, provided the room is adequately illuminated.
This is called the heartwood, and it may also have lighter browns, purples, grays, or reddish tints. The outermost portion of the tree known as the sapwood because it carries the trees nutrients is typically a pale blonde color, though it can also be yellow-gray as well.
It works well with traditional style but slowly it has made its way into a more modern feel as well. This is a wood that while rising in popularity has always remained among the top choices of wood species.
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.
Complementary Colors
Walnut cabinets are brown. Hence, you should consider the paint colors placed opposite brown. The tones have different shades of green and blue, such as light blue, aquamarine, teal, turquoise, and soft gray. With darker wood cabinets, you can go with shades of green for walls.
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.
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.
While mixing wood tones is perfectly acceptable—and in fact, we encourage it—it always helps to pick a dominant wood tone as a starting point to help you choose other pieces to bring in the room. If you have wood floors, your work here is done — those are your dominant wood tone.
Mixing light and dark wood, combining different pieces, and playing with furniture can make a room uniquely your own. It gives your house that bespoke feeling that feels like home. Your bedroom should be your sanctuary from the world, but it should also be a place where you feel at home and most like yourself.
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.
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 sapwood of the walnut tree is a light yellow color, almost white, while the heartwood colors range from light to dark brown, with dark brown shades featuring purple or red tones.
If you're working with walnut, let the wood's natural grain shine through and pair with barely-there White 01 or Beige 01.
Wood furniture with cool undertones (such as ash, maple, poplar and pine), stick with silver metals. Neutrally toned woods like walnut are the most versatile, so you can mix and match warm and cool metals.
Notoriously cold concrete and warm wood are a natural match, especially when paired with white walls. Layer multiple wood tones for visual interest. White oak floors, walnut cabinets and white Caesarstone play off each other nicely in this streamlined kitchen. Create a Zen feeling with natural materials.
If your dominate wood tone is warm, stick with warm woods. If your big piece is cool in tone — embrace it, and look for other pieces with blue/gray undertones. There's no need to carry a wood swatch around.
Go high-contrast
Rather than layering wood pieces with a *very* similar finish (we see this “safe” approach all the time), do the polar opposite and embrace high-contrast wood tones. We're talking black stained chairs against a driftwood-hued table, or a rich ebony coffee table paired with sand-toned side tables.
Most definitely these hardwoods can go together, in things like cutting boards or other woodworking projects. However! When you are talking about things like fine furniture or flooring, be cautious because mahogany has a red undertone whereas walnut has a purple undertone.