Dark floors can read glamorous, or elegant, or even cozy, but sometimes finding the right paint tone to match them isn't easy. Go for an equally moody color and do you risk the scheme feeling too claustrophobic? Go for a light tone, on the other hand, and are you creating a stark, unsavory contrast?
There's a method to this color selection to making dark floors work, and making them feel modern. These might not be your classic paint colors that go with natural wood, depending on the shade of wood you're working with, but they'll each create a good partnership between walls and flooring.
From dark gray, blue, and green to everything in between, here's a look at beautiful pairings for a wonderfully warm, embracing home.
What wall colors go with dark wood flooring?
Think of the mood you want to create before choosing the colors to match with your dark wood flooring. Also, keep in mind that the wall is the first surface you see as you enter the room, and then the eyes travel down to the floor. So choose a color that doesn't invoke shock or feel 'off' the moment you enter the room.
We asked experts on the best tones to match wood flooring, and other than the usual white, they also recommended deeper tones of dark gray, purple and black.
"The contrast draws attention to the flooring and makes furniture pieces pop," says Alexis Pew, of Philadelphia-based design firm Kaminski + Pew. "For a moodier, softer feel, we recommend a deeper color or neutral shade in a similar value to the flooring."
These are the specific colors our design writers, and interior designers, recommend.
1. Dark Gray
Whether you're working with brown-toned or gray-toned floors, wood is inherently a color that goes with dark gray to create a moody, relaxed interior. A dark gray palette adds depth to the room and imbues elegance.
Designer's top tips for picking the right gray? Match it to the undertone. Earthier, red-woods look great with cooler grays, and blue-toned dark woods go well with warmer grays. "You have liberty as long as other elements in the design account for each other," says designer Susannah Holmberg. "That way a bold pairing won’t feel random or jarring, but part of a larger scheme. You need to ensure that the pairing speaks the language of the larger whole."
2. White
White is an easy win for a wall color to match with dark wood floors. This timeless color easily adapts to any style of interior, color scheme and wood floor color, creating a timeless interior that'll never feel dated. Choosing this living room or bedroom color can also introduce some light into the room with a dark floor, creating balance. This bedroom is a perfect example of how the combination works well.
"In this space, we used dark wood flooring as a way to ground the scheme and the neutral walls helped create an airy vibe plus made the ceiling look taller," shares Lisa Staton, founder of Lisa Staton Design.
"Though contrast with dark wood floors can be appealing, watch out for whites that are too stark," adds Bethany Adams, an interior designer in Louisville, Kentucky. "Benjamin Moore's Simply White and White Dove are better choices with dark floors, for example: they seem like totally neutral whites in a space but actually have beautiful undertones that keep the walls from feeling like a hospital room."
3. Deep blue
For a moody, tranquil look, dark browns, grays and black work as colors that go with blue, meaning they work well with your floors, too. Blue is a wonderful, watery color with natural appeal. You could consider adding other wall colors for dark wood floors like beige or pink to tone down the room's darkness in case the colors feel too overwhelming.
Lisa Staton used this color, again, to create a dramatic blue dining room. "We wanted the dining room to almost feel like its own place of destination, even though it is easily connected to both the kitchen and the living room," shares Lisa. "Enveloping it in one color of paint in a rich blue, and then having the floors in the entire house on the deep brown side was a way to ground the interior."
4. Green
If you want to uplift your living room color scheme and make it feel more cheerful, consider a light, fresh green. The color will create a wonderful indoor-outdoor feel while maintaining a modern vibe indoors. Also, it's a great contrast tone to dark woods and helps create a striking interior. And, of course, green and brown are a classic tone from nature.
In terms of tone, think more dramatic mid-to-dark tones to match with dark floors, over soft pastels. "I'd say anything saturated would look eye-catching with dark wood floors," says Michelle Gage, founder of Michelle Gage Interiors. "Think rich jewel tones. Those always work well."
5. Light blue
Lighter blues (think pale blue, sky blue, or baby blue) can strike a similar but softer effect to white when paired with dark wood flooring — offering more of a contrast than darker blue, but also drawing on the undertones that make blue so complementary to deeper woods. In this scheme by architecture and interior design studio Hendricks Churchill, warm, red-toned flooring (red is a great color to pair with light blue) is tempered by a cooler blue-gray wall color – and a warm white accent chair softens the scheme further.
6. Pink
Spaces with classic architectural detail like paneling or beading might benefit from a color pairing that draws on a more traditional feel — which is where pink comes in. "We love a soft muted blush pink or mauve to create a warm, intimate environment with dark flooring," says Alexis Pew.
The deep pink in the bedroom above is warm, vibrant and fun — but you can get a similar feel with something a little more subtle if you don't want to stray too far from neutrals. "If you'd rather have a warm, cozy feeling in your home, opt for a soft beige with a hint of pink for something that's a little out of the ordinary,"says Bethany Adams."Savory Cream by Benjamin Moore brings gorgeous soft light to a space, without the saccharine look of other pinks."
And don't forget to add in an accent color that goes with pink, like the emerald green chair above, to complete the scheme.
7. Purple
Want to consider some unique wall colors for dark wood floors? Think purple! It's sometimes tricky to think of colors that go with purple, but this surprisingly versatile shade can strike an easy balance between the warmth of a wood floor and cooler tones elsewhere in a room. Used across walls, it can make a space feel cocooning — but for a cool, contemporary use of the color, apply it to skirting, doors, and other woodwork to create a colorful buffer between floor and walls.
"When we stained the wood floors dark, we wanted to bring lightness into the space with the wallpaper and the paint," says Rozit Arditi, founder of Arditi Design. "The purple in the trim picks up the warmth of the dark brown tones of the wood floor but ties it nicely with the color variation in the blue-grey grasscloth wallpaper.’
8. Light green
Green is a natural pairing with most wood tones, thanks to both elements' association with, well, nature — and as the above scheme from Little Greene shows, it can create light, airy, and comfortable spaces when used in a lighter shade.
"I like to balance dark wood floor tones with lighter, cool walls for a look that's fresh and sophisticated," says Bethany Adams. "Watch out for red undertones and if they're present balance them out with a hint of green on the walls. Titanium by Benjamin Moore is one of my go-to colors that has just a touch of green, but depending on the light can read as a neutral grey."
Don't discount deeper greens, however, which have beneficial properties of their own when paired with darker flooring. "I like forest or hunter greens with dark wood flooring to create a warm, cozy space," says Cindy Eyl, founder of Arlington, Virginia-based interior design practice Jefferson Street Studio.
9. Coral
This one's a bit of a wild card — but a pop of color in the form of brighter oranges, blues, or pinks can make for great wall colors for dark wood floors, thanks to the juxtaposition they create. Of course, it means your flooring takes more of a supporting role in the scheme — but these color pairings can make for a space that has plenty of depth and interest.
"I love the contrast of dark floors with bright preppy colors like fuchsia, coral, and cobalt," says Ashley Macuga, the New Orleans-based principal interior designer at Collected Interiors. "Something is striking about the deep saturation of colors playing off one another — the floor acting as a canvas for the other colors to shine a little brighter."
10. Greige
One step up from neutrals like white and beige, grey and greige tones evoke something of a moodier feel, but without the commitment to boldness that darker shades bring. "Grey tones with dark floors create an earthy moodiness that we love," says Susannah Holmberg. Used together, this pairing is also a great backdrop to introduce a different color that goes with gray as an accent.
In this library by Jefferson Street Designs, the space was designed to be cozy and warm, but still with the whimsy and color present in the rest of the home. "Using dark floors, especially with warm undertones, automatically helps create that cozy feel," says Cindy Eyl. "The whimsy came from the Katie Ridder fabric, which included light blue and rich red tones. We chose a warm textured wallpaper to match the warmth of the dark wood floors, and selected the paint color last making sure it blended with the wallpaper and complemented the wood floors."
11. Burgundy
Instead of disguising or contrasting dark wood flooring with deep red undertones, celebrate the depth of color by pairing it with a similar deep red shade of paint. This is a look that works particularly well in kitchens, like the space above by Malibu, California-based designer Sarah Solis, because the richness of the pairing can be balanced out by other elements.
In this space, for example, the kitchen island is painted in a deep burgundy that gives it the impression of merging into the floor — but soft white wall units, and a veined marble countertop, help to balance the space with lighter tones, while a beige rug and rattan pendant lights ground the scheme.
"When you use burgundy in a woody room, it’s ideal to balance it with something lighter so the space doesn’t feel heavy," says Mary Patton of Mary Patton Design. "White is a little too stark — I would, instead, go with cream or a pale blue or blush."
12. Yellow
Fun and vibrant, yellow is a great pairing with dark wood flooring – whether you opt for something bright and light, like the window nook above, or a richer tone of mustard or ochre. Flooring with darker brown or grey undertones in particular are great colors that go with yellow.
Lighter yellows are great for smaller surfaces, furniture, or accessories, but it's the richer tones that the experts turn to when it comes to painting entire walls. "Ochre is surprisingly versatile, and is an unexpected pop against dark tones," says Susannah Holmberg. Likewise, Rozit Arditi prefers to opt for something moodier: "I love decorating with jewel tones and mustard for warm cozy spaces," she says.
13. Black
Anyone who wants to use black walls in their space should look to dark wood flooring as a natural pairing for the shade. "Black goes with everything, but I actually tend to prefer black with dark woods," says Susannah. "Light woods and black can read a little cheap, if not done right."
Use black with dark wood flooring for a cozy, cocooning scheme that's best suited to bedrooms or living rooms. It's also a great option if you're looking to mix different woods in your scheme, acting as a neutral backdrop that won't interfere with the undertones of furniture and accessories. And, likewise, it's a great way to introduce an accent color that goes with black, adding another layer to a scheme.
What color compliments dark wood?
Dark wood can double as a wonderful neutral upon which you can build any color scheme. While almost all tones go with dark wood, for a more upbeat and cheery interior, it would be best to choose nature-inspired tones such as green or blue that go with the natural wood. Also, pastels look lovely as the wood colors help tone down the sweetness of pastels.
What colors help brighten a room with dark hardwood floors?
Look to the sunny side of the color wheel — choose yellows, pinks and creams. You could also bring in brighter jewel tones such as gold and silver to add a sparkle to a dark wood interior.
What wall colors go not go with dark wood floors?
A color scheme in a personal choice and in saying so, almost all tones can pair well with dark wood floors. However there are certain tones of colors that experts warn against: mainly fluorescents. These stark colors splashed across walls can actually create a discordant interior and make it hard to live in a room with such a color scheme.
