Redecorating for the new wood furniture purchases is not necessary. However, if you plan to change your wall color palette after buying new wood furniture, finding the right color can be a challenge. The real wood pieces often had tones and hues that go unnoticed until a conflicting or complimentary color is nearby.

Wood pieces also change color a bit. Called a patina, the color tends to deepen with age. This can further disrupt your color scheme. Fortunately, there are some key things that you should know when trying to match wall color to the uniqueness of real wood pieces.

Three Tips for Wood Color Matching

Try some contrast

The best way to compliment your wood piece is to contrast the wood’s hue with the wall color. Cherry wood pieces like the Brookline Corner Cabinet and Bay Hill Dining Nook are dark hued pieces. To compliment or enhance these pieces, light wall colors are appropriate. Try the light color of your choice. Whatever it is, the light wall hue will sharply contrast with the cherry wood, making a bold statement in the dining room area.

Do the same with light wood pieces like the Alpine Hutch in Sawn White Oak will contrast nicely with darker wall colors. The lighter piece will still be the standout.

Look At the Tone

Another way to color-match the wood and the walls is to think of color combinations. Woods have orange, yellow, brown and even red tones that can be enhanced with the right color.

• The orange in the cherry and maple furniture (depending on the stain) is best enhanced using yellows, soft orange colors and even vibrant blues if you like the contrast.
• Yellow in the oaks and honey stained pieces is enhanced by soft greens like mint, yellows and pale green.
• Bring out the red in mahogany stained pieces and cherry with rich green and red or bluish green colors.
• Let the browns rule out with khaki, taupe, grayish tans and pale brown colors.

Consider Patina

Older pieces have a richer color that you must consider when choosing your paint color. The reds and orange in the cherry and red oak woods will deepen. The honey and yellow in lighter woods like white oak will become more golden, toasty. Try to choose colors on the wheel that will match these dominant hues and the walls will only enhance the piece as it ages.

Don’t forget to do the research before settling on a paint color. Snap a picture of your pieces and take with you paint shopping. Test the color on the wall before buying a batch. When you are finished, the new piece should look like it was made for the room.

Tags: Alpine Hutch, Bay Hill Dining Nook, Brookline Corner Cabinet, Cherry Wood, Color, patina, Tone

This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 27th, 2010 at 10:00 am and is filed under Amish Furniture Styles, Design Style. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.