We want to make the kitchen, living room, hallway, and the master bedroom hardwood floor, and prefer dark colors. But the living room has an Austin Stone fireplace, stained mantle and bookcase (built-in). Or should I paint the bookcase and kitchen cabinet white?
Wood shelves feel oh-so appropriate in a farmhouse-style kitchen like this. They also help add visual interest to the white subway tile wall. Blue and white can read as cold, so in this child’s bedroom a small weathered wood table helps to add character and warmth. Draw inspiration from the lush view with mid-toned wood walls and simple white linens, which don’t steal the spotlight.
If you’re changing the color, I don’t think it matters so much. Since it’s a floating floor, there’s no technical advantage to either way. From an aesthetics point of view, it’s generally better to have the wood go in the longest direction.
I actually think that gray is a good solution as it looks different enough from the brown. Also, either now or later, you could refinish your Bruce floors to a darker/cooler toned brown (e.g. ebony/dark walnut blend) so it goes even better with the gray. I have a condo that overlooks the bay and gets tons and tons of light, almost too much. I had to tone down the walls, doors and casework just to not have to wear sunglasses indoors during the summer.
Interior trimming is traditionally painted white because white is a neutral color that also brightens the room. So, if you’re going to work with dark trimming instead, things may seem tricky. It’s important to maintain a balanced relationship between your interior trim, flooring, and walls. We have carefully researched circular wooden picnic tables what color flooring will best complement dark trim. I also look back at old, historic homes and see a plethora (yep, plethora!) of darker hardwood floors that have stood the test of time. Someone will inevitably drop something on your hardwood floors—whether they’re light or dark—and they will dent.
While this blog post refers to the wood trims of the ’70s & ’80s, the colour ideas are also FAB for older homes with dark trim work. Finally, if you feel a little bolder and want some colour in your life, choose something that will contrast with the wood, but stick to a natural vibe. Muted tones found in nature like mossy green, sage, cool blue-grey and seafoam green work well.
If you are staining your floors dark, you may want to consider adding an extra coat of polyurethane so that they last longer. Thankfully, when it comes to hardwood floors, there is no one-size-fits-all. Some people prefer light woods and some people prefer dark woods.
