Mixing wood tones in your home is the secret to creating a layered and intentional designer look. If your home has a single wood tone throughout, you can risk the space looking flat. On the other hand, incorporating different wood tones and finishes offers depth and creates a visually interesting and collected environment. However, knowing which tones work with each other can feel complicated. While there isn’t a magic formula to mix and match wood finishes, there are a few tips to keep in mind as you begin layering in these different tones. Read on to gain insight into mixing wood tones throughout the home.
Pick A Dominant Wood Tone
Choosing a dominant wood tone will provide a base on which to layer different wood tones and other colours. Selecting the primary tone will ensure everything feels cohesive and complements each other. Depending on the room type, it’s likely the dominant wood tone will be in a larger surface area such as the floors or cabinets. If it’s a room without wood tones, such as a carpeted living room, the dominant tone should be reserved for the largest piece of furniture, such as an entertainment centre.
Match The Undertones
Once you’ve selected your dominant wood tone, you can choose other wood tones to layer into the space. Making sure the wood undertones are in the same family will help ensure a cohesive look and feel. For example, if your dominant wood is warm, it’s best to select accent woods with warm undertones. The same holds for cooler wood tones.
Use Each Wood At Least Twice
Now that you know the undertones in your dominant wood surface area, you can begin layering in the other complementary woods. To create a cohesive look that offers depth and interest, use each wood at least twice so it looks intentionally layered. Also, space out the different wood tones to avoid grouping similar items together to create balance. For example, if all your light-toned woods are grouped on one side of the room and all your dark-toned woods are on another side, the room can look unbalanced. To avoid this, you can hang some wood picture frames on different ends of the room or pair dining chairs in a different wood tone than the dining table.
Contrast Flooring and Furniture
If you have wood flooring and wood furniture, consider selecting different colour woods with the same undertones. Selecting different tones will create visual interest and break up the monotony of having the same wood tone layered on top of each other. To make it easy, select three wood tones in a space: light, medium and dark.
Soften With Space with A Rug
Adding a rug to the space will help soften the various wood tones and be the unifying element. If there is a lot of wood in the room, an area rug can offer a visual break. In addition, the softness of a rug can help tie the furniture to the wood floor. When selecting a rug, be sure that it’s large enough to anchor the furniture pieces. You can accomplish this by making sure the legs of the furniture can fit on the rug surface.
Incorporate An Accent Colour
As the finishing touch, bring in one or two accent colours to tie the space together. You can use this colour throughout the room, selecting throw pillows, lampshades, upholstery, cushions and more. Also, if you feel like you have too many wood furniture pieces in a room, you can incorporate painted wood pieces or metallic pieces to accent the rest of the space.
If you’re ready to start layering in different wood tones to your space, identifying the dominant tone and undertones are the keys to ensuring you’re on the right path to creating a layered and collected space. By following our helpful tips and tricks, you can create a professionally designed space – without hiring a designer.
