How to Match Wood Flooring with Wall Colors

wood flooring

Room design plans encompass multiple facets. First, you have the furniture, accessories, and colors that must all work together in ways that make sense for the space and your design preferences.

One of the most challenging aspects of modern home design is to match the color of wood flooring with the wall colors.

Since wood products are typically provided in darker earth colors like tan, brown, or amber, creating a match with the walls can make a room seem smaller and more compressed. Dark-on-dark designs require ample natural light to feel open.

That’s why it is often better to create contrasts between your wood floors and walls instead of matching. 

What Are the Best Wall And Floor Color Combinations? 

1. Best Options for Light Hardwood

If your hardwood floors have lighter tones to them, you’ll have a more natural ambiance that delivers a feeling of extra space. In addition, they’ll conceal some dirt while simplifying the cleaning process.

Homes with this flooring should have light and neutral tones for the trim and walls. 

It’s usually better to keep everything the same color on the walls, although you could do an off-white wall with bright white trim. If you want something a little darker, consider tackling a light gray.

2. Best Options for Red Hardwood

When your home has cherry or another hardwood with red tones, you’ll need a wall color that complements the floor visually. It’s typically better to stick with a version of white that you prefer. 

Green is a nice contrast color to cherry, but it can also make it feel like the room is decorated for the holidays all year. If you want some paint on the walls, try a light blue for a contemporary look.

Another option here would be to use patterned wallpaper.

3. Best Options for Dark Hardwood

Before you proceed with dark hardwood floors, it’s helpful to consider where your light sources originate. If you don’t have enough natural sunlight coming into the space, it might be better to refinish the floor to lighten it.

You’ll need to consider the stain undertones for the hardwood floor before starting the refinishing work. If it is very dark, a natural cream or eggshell white looks excellent to give a contrasting look. 

When the flooring undertones are a bit lighter, you have the option to coordinate the gray undertones with a lighter shade of the same tone on the wall. 

4. Best Options for Working with Oak

The challenge with an oak floor is that it can come with numerous color tones. In addition, the shading can have multiple hues on the same plank, which looks great when looking at the materials. 

It’s not always helpful to match the wood flooring with wall colors. 

Here are some thoughts to consider if you’re trying to manage an oak wood floor with your decorating or renovating work.

  • Red oak wood floors have warmer tones, which means you can enjoy some yellow or apricot colors with your walls to increase the coziness. Even red and orange paint are options here.
  • White oak wood floors tend to provide a bleached feeling when installed in homes, which means you’ll want to tone down that visual element. Consider opting for a dark gray or charcoal color for the walls. 
  • Yellow oak wood floors deliver tones that feel a lot like pine once installed. Almost any color works with this choice, although you might want to avoid anything yellowish on the walls. The monotone look with sunlight coming into the space can feel a bit overwhelming. 

A Final Thought About Matching Wood Flooring to Wall Colors

The benefit of a wood floor is that you can reduce its impact on a room by investing in an area rug. For example, if you have a formal dining room or a living space that feels too dark, you can lighten things up by getting a white, off-white, or light gray rug for that space.

Don’t settle for the cheap rugs you can find online. You’ll need something that can stand up to the wear and tear of high traffic, which means a commercial-grade product is your best choice.

You don’t need rug pads to keep the product still when placing furniture on top of the rug. However, don’t forget to clean it periodically by giving it a professional rinse.

When you follow these ideas, you’ll find a combination of flooring and walls that works for every room. If you need help with refinishing or renovation, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team with any questions you might have!

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