How To Use Multiple Wood Pieces In One Space
Mixing Wood Tones Effortlessly
From wood floors to the frames in your gallery wall, it can be difficult to choose wood pieces for your space that will complement or stand out from other wood tones. In today's blog post we'll discuss ways that you can mix wood tones for a naturally elegant look, or a more modern rustic accessible look.
The key to mixing woods is keeping the undertones consistent. Woods with warm undertones will look yellow or red - think Cherry, Mahogany, and Hickory. These woods will work well together, even if they vary in darkness and grain. Cool-toned woods will look a little bit grey, like Ash, Maple, Poplar, or Pine. Neutrally toned woods are the most versatile. Walnut has soft purple undertones that work with warm and cool-toned wood alike. Feel free to mix dark and light woods of varying finishes and grain size so long as the undertones are consistent. are the most versatile. Walnut has soft purple undertones that work with warm and cool-toned wood alike.
Exotic woods follow this same pattern. For more information on each wood tone, we recommend reading our exotic wood blog series found on the first few pages of our blog, Woodtalk. You'll find that Tigerwood is best known for its beautiful deep reddish/orange background and dark vein stripes, grain. Sapucacia wood, from the Jicaro Tree is a "yellow to pink" light brown, Jatoba wood has a darker reddish-brown heartwood, and much more! If you have a tone in mind after reading this article, that you feel would work well for additional furniture in a space, feel free to contact us with the tone, and we can match your want with the right type of wood.
Spread Finishes Throughout The Room & Mix Grain Patterns
If you pile all your darker wood pieces on one side of a room, that side will feel heavy, leaving the room off-kilter. Rather, space lighter and darker pieces throughout the room to add visual interest and balance. Many rooms have permanent wood components, whether wood floors, siding, or exposed beams. You can play off the character of the room by adding in furniture, frames, and other wood elements to create balance.
Consciously or not, we register wood grain just as much as color. Generally, large wood grains suggest a more casual, rustic look. Fine wood grains are more formal. While mixing wood grains can keep a room from feeling too contrived, tune in to the mood of the room.
Mix Old And New
More than likely, the furniture in your home has been collected over time - a dresser inherited, a nightstand picked up at a flea market, a couch splurged on. The best rooms feel natural, as though they’ve evolved through the years.
When you pick up furniture here and there, however, the woods will almost definitely not match. We recommend embracing these differences and upping the contrast. Mixing a variety of finishes will look like a deliberate (and chic) design choice. Depending on how you style your pieces, the end result can be modern, rustic, or a happy medium between the two. (There's a reason why modern rustic is such a popular design trend!)
Shop Our Online Selection
We have a variety of crosscuts and live edge slabs sourced from a sustainable forestry program in Costa Rica, as well as locally sources reclaimed wood. These stunning wood pieces can be turned into a number of furniture options. Check out our blog posts on using live edge slabs and crosscuts in your home, or browse our selection of pre-made furniture. Our custom coffee tables, live edge dining tables, console tables, and shelves make a perfect addition to any room. Wood tones are a great way to add a touch of nature, a focal point, or conversation starter to a space.
Interested in adding a custom table or custom wood coutnertop to your home, but not sure where to start? Feel free to contact us with your ideas and we'll point you in the right direction, as well as give you a free quote for the project.
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