Mixing Wood Tones According To An Interior Designer
One of the most challenging obstacles for so many people is mixing wood tones.
A lot like knowing which colors to use in your home, which metal finishes to consider or what upholstery fabrics make sense for your family, mixing wood tones throughout your home can be an overwhelming + painfully frustrating challenge.
What wood tones are ok to mix? Where in your home does it make sense to mix them?
Friend… mixing wood tones is such a subtle nuance that when it’s done right you barely even recognize it…
You’re in the midst of trying to design a space on your own + you’re asking yourself questions like which wood tones do I even like? How many different wood tones should I have? Is it ok to repeat them throughout my house, and if so, how many times?
Creating a home with everything you need + nothing more® –– is all about knowing how to layer in the livable come-hither luxuries + the subtle details that make your home feel like a place you never want to leave.
Whether you’re choosing new furniture, remodeling your home, or starting a custom new build — understanding how an interior designer thinks about mixing wood tones will make sure your final design selections are absolutely stu-n-n-i-n-g.
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When Are You Mixing Wood Tones?
Well my friend, look around at your home. Likely, there’s a lot of wood tones already present. Things like coffee tables, side tables, dining room tables + chairs to your kitchen cabinetry, hardwood floors + architectural beams overhead.
All this wood can create a sense of apprehension or hesitancy in knowing when to choose a wood tone that matches what you already have + when to veer in another direction.
To be fair, there’s no perfect formula or magic set of design rules. Certainly, there are guidelines that can be followed but then again — knowing them only takes you so far :)
So… let’s dive in + really look at what some of these guidelines are, shall we?
Why You Don’t Want To Use The Same Wood Tones Throughout Your Room
Design is about conversation — no I don’t mean just the conversation you have in any given room (or don’t have *wink*). What I mean is that you want your home to narrate a conversation that tells a story about you + the things you value.
My guess is that likely, you’re multidimensional + you enjoy more than one thing.
Might watching the same episode of a Netflix series night after night get a little stale after a while? Of course it would, because a lot like Bill Murry in the movie Groundhog Day, it’s got the same storyline + the characters are struggling with the exact same challenges they had last night + the night before.
That’s exactly what makes TV shows binge-worthy + so infatuating to watch because the moment you get all caught up on Mel + Jack’s story (excuse the Virgin River reference) you have to know what happens next.
So, by now you’re like… “Sherri, how does this relate to wood tones!”
Well, I always land the flights that I take you on so here we go.
You see, if you use the exact same wood tone throughout the room, a space will undoubtedly feel boring (like the same episode on repeat).
But, when you layer in multiple wood tones to a space — the room comes to life. Literally :)
It feels lived-in because it’s perfectly imperfect! It feels like nature… cohesive yet dimensional.
Now… don’t get me wrong here boo! Simply mixing wood tones doesn’t guarantee a homerun (sidenote: I’m killin’ it with the analogies + idioms right now *wink*) but it’s a place to start.
So, what else do you need to know about mixing wood tones from an interior designers perspective?
Design Considerations For Mixing Wood Tones
Alas my dear… we’re ready for a few design considerations for mixing wood tones.
And at Elegant Simplicity, we’re not really fans of “design rules” or “organizing rules” to live by. Truth be told, we don’t really care to think inside the box… we’d rather erase it but that doesn’t excuse the fact that everything successful in life is systematized.
Select Dominant Wood Tones
Before you go jumping right into selecting pieces for a room, like furniture + accessories, you want to consider your dominant wood tone.
Will it be a focal point or a complimentary piece to the room? Will this wood tone appear in flooring, millwork, or perhaps built-in cabinetry?
And don’t worry, if you’re designing a room without wood flooring or wood cabinetry + there’s also no wood tones in the millwork — well, then your dominant wood tone is likely to appear in the largest piece of wood furniture.
Designer Tip: You don’t have to drive yourself mad when selecting wood tones. Choosing a dominant wood tone is merely about ensuring cohesion throughout the rest of the room (or home).
In fact, it’s a starting point for building the rest of the room + making decisions when incorporating complimentary wood tones to the space (more on that later).
Accepting A Dominant Wood Tones
From time-to-time, you’ll be forced to accept a dominant wood tone that’s already in place. Whether it be hardwood floors that are staying put, wood beams or cabinetry that’s not being replaced.
What you learn when you “accept” a dominant wood tone isn’t that you’re tied to it, forever. It’s that while it might be overpowering, right now, it’s perfectly fine once the room (or home) has other wood tones incorporated into it.
Keeping An Eye For Undertones
Are you ready to get granular, boo?
This doesn’t have to be difficult but most people don’t do this + it’s a fairly crucial aspect to mixing wood tones well throughout your home.
With your dominant wood tone selected, take a peek deeper at it + identify what undertones you want to put + incorporate into your design. And honestly, it’s here where a lot of people make mistakes or get tripped up.
The key to mixing woods in your home is ensuring the undertones of the different woods you’re using remain consistent.
Warm Undertones In Wood
Let’s say your dominant wood tone has a lot of warm undertones in it… this is a fancy way of saying you see yellow, orange and reds when you look at it. Well, if this is the case, then you want to design around woods with other warm undertones.
These are woods like: White Oak, Cherry, Hickory, Mahogany, Maple Wood + for the most part they all work extremely well together.
Cool Undertones In Wood
Let’s say though that your dominant wood tone has cool undertones… it’s more along the colorway of gray, black, blue + maybe even a bit green. Well then, selecting other woods that have these undertones will make the room feel cohesive.
These are often woods like: Ash, Maple, Poplar and Pine.
Designer Tip: Having samples of woods together, right next to one another, will absolutely help you to see the undertones.
Neutral Undertones In Wood
Neutral undertones? Yep! Walnut is a fantastic choice for a lot of reasons… First, it’s gorgeous but because it has a slight purple undertone to it — walnut can work best with both warm or cool undertones.
To Compliment Wood Tones or To Contrast — Your Choice
Really the choice to compliment the wood tones you have with similar “looking” wood tones or to contrast them with either much lighter or darker wood tones becomes both preference + a specific design decision you make on a room-by-room basis.
But a simple and really easy to follow process looks like this: if your dominant wood tone is say a warm dark wood tone then choose a complimentary warm wood tone that’s medium + a contrasting wood tone that’s warm but very light.
Simply having a dark, medium + light wood tone is a great way to get you headed in the right direction with a subtle design aesthetic. And the medium wood tone really acts as a bridge of sorts between the two contrasting wood tones.
Designer Tip: We prefer to sometimes (not always) avoid the middle ground. In other words, keep the wood tone contrast bold by eliminating the middle ground and having only a dark wood + a light wood tone. This is a very intentional look that creates a stark contrast in the space + draws your attention.
And remember the best possible decision is if you’re leaning warm — choose all warm wood tones + vise versa if you’re leaning cool. Toying with contrasting wood tones (light + dark but still all warm/cold) creates dimension, cohesion + continuity.
Speaking of continuity...
Repetition + Subtle Balance Throughout The Room
Honestly, have you ever been in a room + thought to yourself, “WOW, this place feels really good.” If you have then you probably remember looking around + wondering to yourself, “why?”
The reality is… that it was likely the repetition of specific elements throughout the space. Once you have brought in a wood tone to a room — now what you want to do is repeat that wood tone throughout the space.
And this is the subtle balance that you’re seeking. If you can do it 2-3 times then you’re golden. If you only do it once but it’s significant, great.
Let’s say for instance you have a walnut coffee table that you absolutely love. Now, consider how you might be able to pull the various wood tones that your eye can see in wood decor on a bookshelf or built in, in another piece of furniture in the room or even in a picture frame on the wall.
Well, there you have it… everything you need to know about mixing wood tones like an interior designer! And while it might feel a bit overwhelming, when it comes to creating a home that each design consideration we’ve outlined above I promise you it’s going to make your home feel truly unique.
And don’t forget, if you’re in the preliminary planning stages of your next project, let’s chat.
P.S. If you loved this article then you’re going to really enjoy the 4 Days To A More Beautiful + Functional Home.