3 Irrefutable Rules for Mixing and Matching Wood Furniture

Gone are the days when interior design demanded all the wood furniture in a room matched perfectly. Matching furniture sets still work well for formal interiors, but it’s definitely not a requirement. Perhaps you’re trying to update your home without replacing all the furniture, or you inherited a dining set that doesn’t match the color of your wood floor, or maybe you just like the relaxed feel of an eclectically decorated room. Whatever the case, there’s no need to avoid using different woods if you keep a few guidelines in mind.

Pair Similar Undertones

The first thing to look for when trying to match wood is the undertone. You can pair dark and light woods without trouble, but they’ll look best if you match the undertone. Some woods have a warm undertone, some look cool and gray, others are pale blond. Try to keep the different woods in your home in a similar color family.

If you have a pale gray weathered wood floor, you might consider getting a dining table made of pine, alder, or maple that is stained ebony. The dark finish will form a nice contrast with the paler gray floor without clashing. For rooms where you already have warm tones, try woods finished with a walnut stain or choose red oak. If you’re looking for a pale color, go with unstained alder, maple, or hickory. Check out all Rustic + Moderns custom wood options by clicking here.

Balance Different Woods

If you’re using two different wood tones in the room, try to make one more prominent than the other. Designer Sarah Langtry recommends keeping about 80% of the wood in the room one color and then using an accent for the other 20%. For example, if you have wood floors use the same wood type and/or finish on a few other major furniture pieces and then use a lighter or darker accent in two or three places throughout the room.

You can use more than two types of wood in the room, but try not to overdo it – three different wood tones is just about all a single room can handle without looking too busy and mismatched. Paying attention to the undertones will help you avoid this problem – even if the woods don’t match exactly, they’ll still look good together if the undertones are the same.

Pay Attention To Texture

Decorating with different types of wood furniture doesn’t just mean choosing different stains or woods. It can also refer to the texture of the wood. Wood can be smooth or rough, weathered or polished, knotty or clear. Mixing the different types of wood used in your decorating can make for an interesting contrast.

If you have smooth wood floors, you might shake things up by ordering one of our pine or alder tables with hand-scraped distress. Or you might choose a modern desk with a smooth table top to pair with knotty pine floors. If, on the other hand, you want to minimize the differences between your different wood types and finishes, choose woods with similar grain and texture to create a sense of unity in the design.

When it comes to wood there are many stunning options to choose from.  As long as you stick to these 3 rules, you’ll be well on your way to a beautiful stylish space.  If you’re having trouble deciding, schedule an appointment to visit our design center.  We’ll help you design a custom piece of quality furniture that will last.