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Wooden Tables On Wooden Floors – A Detailed Guide

by | Last updated Feb 9, 2023 | How To | 0 comments

Picking wood types that go together can seem tricky; you don’t want the wood tones to be too similar as this can make the space look flat and boring, but you also don’t want too many completely different wood finishes as the space will look too busy. You want to keep the pairing just right to ensure optimum Feng Shui.   

With so many different wood options available, some people may find it easier to try and match their wood furniture and flooring perfectly, but there are some foolproof ways of incorporating different woods into the home together. We’ve pulled together a detailed guide on how to match wood furniture with your wood flooring.

Contents

Analyze Your Floor Characteristics

Wood flooring is not only super durable, it’s beautiful and provides a classy touch for any home. It also works with all styles of decorating, from traditional and modern, which is why this flooring is so highly sought after.

Hardwood flooring is available in several types of woods including oak, cherry and walnut (to name a few), and can be sanded and stained to suit your taste. Before shopping for new wood furniture, get a close look at your wood flooring to learn more about it. Look at things like the colouring, how dark or light the flooring appears, the grain patterns and any other unique characteristics. This will help you pick wood furniture that complements the floor perfectly. 

If you have a sample of your flooring, take it with you when you look at furniture to see how well it works with different pieces. You can also take an up close photo of your flooring to refer back to when you’re out shopping.

Understand Your Undertone and Mass Tone

When it comes to finding furniture that matches your wood floor, or vice versa, a great place to start is looking at the undertone and mass tone of the wood. 

Colours contain two elements, the mass tone and the undertone. The mass tone is what is most apparent at first glance, whilst the undertone becomes more apparent upon closer inspection. Many people don’t realise that wood can have undertones or subtle colouring, which can affect the look of the piece. However, matching the undertones to your wood is vital for creating a cohesive look in the home. 

Undertones can be warm, cool or neutral in appearance – warm tones in wood tend to appear yellow, orange or red, whilst wood that takes on a grey colour has cool undertones. Neutral undertones give wood a beige appearance, without any distinct colouring. 

When it comes to pairing different woods together, matching those with the same undertone is key. By establishing the undertones in your wood flooring, it will allow you to find colours that compliment your interiors perfectly. 

How to match wood tables to wood floors - Warm Tones

WARM TONES

How to match wood tables to wood floors - Neutral Tones

NEUTRAL TONES

Liberon Wax Polish Paste Black Bison

COOL TONES

Don’t Go Against The Grain

All wood flooring will contain a unique wood grain, which will largely depend on the grade of the wood used to make the floor you’ve opted for. All the grain will run in the same direction throughout the room, which is an important factor when looking for accompanying furniture. 

Ensuring that the furniture you choose has a similar grain pattern to your flooring, especially if you decide on different wood types, is a great way to guarantee it all integrates together seamlessly. 

Grain is most commonly described as open or closed. Open grain patterns occur in wood with large pores, such as pine, elm, ash and oak and often have a coarse appearance. Closed grain wood has a smaller pore that minimises the appearance of lines and markings and includes maple, birch, alder, cherry and hickory wood. You don’t have to match the grains exactly when looking for furniture that matches your floor, however, if you have too many pieces with prominent grains, they will compete against each other rather than create a harmonious look. 

Finding a unifying trait doesn’t have to stop at the grain – there may be another unifying trait that the different woods have in common that you can use instead. You could pick two types of wood with rustic tones – they might look completely different, but they have that common trait to unify them and make your interior flow effortlessly. 

Use A Visual Separator

Once you begin to install furniture in your room with wood flooring, it might seem like all the wood starts merging together. Consider using a visual separator between your floor and your furniture, for example, a carpet, rug or non-wood pieces of furniture. This will create a buffer to divide the two kinds of wood and help your eyes appreciate the beauty of both separately. 

Cushions and throw pillows on furniture, or plants, flowers and candles can all help break up a large area of wood. You can also work in other material types in the room to tone down the wood look, such as a metal lamp or glass accent pieces such as mirrors.

How To Match Wood Tables to Wood Floors Use A Visual Separator

Image by @realantiquewood Table via Pinterest

Beware of Matching Wood Tones

Once you have the wood flooring you want, it might seem like an easy option to simply try to match the wood perfectly when picking your furniture. However, matching all the wood in the room can make the space seem flat and boring. 

Matching your furniture can feel like you’re trying too hard to make the space look perfect, and, when the wood is all the same colour, it does tend to lose its charm. By mixing different finishes, you add visual interest and depth to space, which allows the uniqueness of the wood pieces to come through. 

That’s not to say you should never try to match your wood pieces. If you don’t feel confident in picking wood furniture to match your flooring and want a perfect match, try to create balance in the room. Instead of clumping all pieces of one colour together, distribute throughout the room and add flair with smaller decor features such as throws, cushions and other soft furnishings. 

Rustic Vintage Dining Table

Image by Grain & Frame

 

Dark Wood Furniture with Dark Wood Floors

Matching dark wood flooring with dark wood furniture is a great way to create a dramatic effect in the home. However, if you want a more relaxed, informal space, consider choosing lighter furniture to help make the room feel lighter and airy. 

You could also consider creating a break between the dark wood floor and furniture by adding a light coloured rug on the floor and keeping the walls and furnishings neutral.

How To Match Wood Tables to Wood Floors Dark Wood Furniture With Dark Wood Floors

Image by @boutiquesrugs.com via Pinterest

Light Wood Furniture With Light Wood Floors

Light wood furniture with light wood floors is a great option for those looking for a light and airy space. Light wood floors are often neutral in tone, but some types of light wood have warm undertones. It’s important that you remember to check for a strong yellow or red undertone as this can affect how it looks with wood furniture pieces. 

If you want to use light furniture with light flooring, choose wood pieces a few shades darker than a very light floor. This is to avoid the room looking too neutral, with no character. You can then add a host of accessories in different materials and colours to contrast with the light wood.

White Oak Dining Table with White Square Frame

Image by Grain & Frame

👉 “Considering A New Dining Table?

Our stunning dining tables are handmade with love and come in a wide range of styles; from contemporary to rustic and farmhouse styles.

Dark Wood With Light Wood

Contrast is one of the core rules of any style or decor, so the easiest way to match furniture and floors is to go with dark furniture on light floors or light furniture on dark floors.  Dark wood flooring can make lighter wood furniture really stand out, whilst light wood flooring provides the perfect balance for darker furniture pieces. 

In fact, when you try to match wood shades in the home, if it isn’t a perfect match it just looks like you’ve unintentionally failed. However, when you go with one light and one dark option, it’s evident that you weren’t trying to match the wood finishes. 

Live Edge Black Oak Dining Table with Black A-Frame Dark Table Light Floor

Image by Grain & Frame

Wood Furniture on a Wood Deck

Wood matching isn’t only an indoor issue. 

Generally, unless you remodel your garden, decking isn’t changed for many years whilst garden furniture is replaced every couple of years. Naturally, over time sunlight, the weather and other outdoor elements can take a toll on your deck so it will be very difficult to match the wood perfectly, especially if your wood furniture is brand new. That’s why your wood furniture should either be darker or lighter wood than the decking. 

You can then use decorative elements to add contrast and colour, with soft furnishings such as throws, pillows and an area rug as well as plants and lanterns. 

How To Match Wood Tables to Wood Floors Wood Furniture on a Wood Deck

Image by @ibs-health.com via Pinterest

Consider Other Colors in the Room

The colours you use for the walls, window coverings, decorations, rugs and accent pieces all play a vital role in how the wood pieces work together. 

When people have a wood floor or decide to install one, in their home, it can be tempting to buy lots of wood furniture to match. If you use several different wood finishes in one space, a great way to break this up is by introducing a neutral colour scheme to break up the heavy wood tones. 

Equally, if you have lots of light wood pieces, a dark contrasting feature colour on the walls such as navy blue, is a great way to add depth and character to your space. You can then introduce soft furnishings in your feature colour, to bring the whole look together. 

How To Match Wood Tables to Wood Floors Consider Other Colors in the Room

Image by @StephHenderson via Pinterest

Other FAQs

What is the best thing to put under furniture on hardwood floors?

The most popular thing to put under furniture when you have hardwood floors is felt. You can purchase felt pads to put underneath the feet of your furniture to prevent any damage to the floor, especially for items that may be moved regularly such as chairs. 

Does wood furniture need to match wood floors?

No, wood furniture does not need to match wood floors. Mixing different woods is perfectly acceptable in the home, however, always make sure the undertones of the wood you’re using are the same. The idea is to use contrasting wood pieces that work in harmony together, rather than looking completely mismatched.

Can you put furniture on hardwood floors?

Yes, you can absolutely put furniture on hardwood floors. To ensure you keep your floors in great condition, consider using felt floor covers on the feet of your furniture or rugs to avoid any scratches or damage to the floor.

Considering A New Dining Table?

Our stunning dining tables are handmade with love here in the UK and come in a wide range of styles; from contemporary to rustic and farmhouse styles. We're certain you'll find one that looks great in your home.

Just give them a view at the very least 🙂

Solid Oak Dining Table with Black Square Frame Legs and Benches

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