Oak and walnut are two popular quality wood that pair well together. Oak has a light color and a prominent grain pattern, while walnut has a darker, richer tone. When these two woods are combined, they create a striking contrast that adds depth and complexity to any piece of furniture or flooring.
When it comes to contrasting our woods, we tend to keep it bold to avoid competing visual points. For example, if we have a light oak piece or finish we want to contrast, we'll likely pair it with a dark wood like walnut or stained maple.
If you want your oak woodwork be part of your colour palette, then stick to earthy tones. Oak sits perfectly next to stone greys, terracotta, and creams. This can then be accented with golds or coppers. Then add some colour to the room with big green leafy plants like a Rubber tree or a Ficus.
Earthy, natural tones
Greens like sage or olive help to create a calm feel, perfect for a living room or study. Richer earthy tones like tan, rust, terracotta, or burnt orange create a warm feel, which can be great as an accent colour to match your oak dining table.
In truth, there aren't many colours that don't match well with oak. While oak pairs the best with natural tones; deeper blues, greens, reds and also neutrals, brighter colours aren't off the map. Cherries, lime greens and autumnal oranges do well to highlight the natural lustre of oak.
Golden Oak – A Popular Color Choice for Cedar, Garapa, Oak, and Teak Wood. Golden Oak is not just a color; it's a statement. This warm, inviting hue can transform any piece of wood into a striking design element, imbuing spaces with a sense of warmth and natural elegance.
Imagine walls and homewares in coffee, cocoa, and caramel tones perfectly complementing our darker wooden cabinetry collections such as Oliver, Madison, Detroit, and Islington. This cosy, indulgent aesthetic seamlessly combines with lighter oak furniture, creating an intriguing contrast.
If both oak and maple have a similar stain or finish, they can complement each other more effectively. Consider the existing colors in your decor, such as wall colors, flooring, and other furnishings. Find a Unifying Element: Look for a unifying element in your design.
The key to mixing woods is keeping the undertones consistent. Woods with warm undertones will look yellow or red — think Cherry, Mahogany, and Hickory. These work well together, even if they vary in tone and grain. Cool-toned woods like Ash, Maple, Poplar, and Pine will look a little bit gray.
Sometimes, oak and hickory are used together to achieve a more balanced flavor.
If the primary wood tone is golden oak, you can choose deep mahogany to create contrast and light birch to brighten the room.
Best Oak Stain: Natural Oak Finish
Natural finish preserves and celebrates the natural look of the wood. So, if anyone ever asks, you'll know the answer. What is the best stain for oak? Natural finish is the best and most popular stain for oak wood.
The lighter oak provides a beautiful backdrop, allowing the rich tones of the walnut to really shine. This combination works particularly well in spaces that get plenty of natural light.
It's fine – and here's why: they all have warm undertones that play nicely off of one another.
While you may not think you'd couple red oak with a reddish-brown wood (cherry), most find the union heavenly.
In the same way that you would mix warm and cool colors to create a balanced color palette, you can do the same with wood tones. Warm wood tones like oak, cherry, and walnut pair well with cool wood tones like ash, maple, and birch.
Match Wood Undertones and Mix Accordingly
Just like you were taught way back in art class, there are different undertones that you can work with: warm, cool, or neutral. A rule of thumb when working with undertones is to stay within the warm tones OR stay within the cool tones when mixing different woods.
Beige, tan and ivory work great with light and dark shades of wood. Notice the wood floors are a contrasting colour to the trim. The contrast is nice with the trim, while the darker colours are highlighted again in the rug. Cream is also a beautiful choice, but be careful not to confuse cream with yellow.
Colours like cherry red, ochre yellow, lime green or rusty orange will bring out those warm hues in oak for a zesty palette that warms up a space. With cooler brights like vivid blue, deep teal or raspberry reds, oak will add warmth to these spaces, balancing out the cooler palette and grounding the overall look.
Which types of wood mix well together? Maple is a very versatile wood, and works well with both cherry and walnut. Cherry or oak also work very well with walnut.
Mango wood, renowned for its multicolored grains, is currently a favored species for furniture and accessories, beautifully complementing Spotted Gum and Tasmanian Oak floors, especially the darker variants.
Contrasting mahogany with lighter wood prevents the aesthetic from being overwhelming, especially when using woods such as pine or golden oak for flooring or other furniture around the room.
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.
Color Combination: Crisp Whites, Cool Greys, and Black
They help achieve a clean and balanced palette that emphasizes simplicity and form. The contrast between dark walnut's organic warmth and these cooler tones creates a refined, uncluttered look that embodies modern minimalism.