The Art of Mixing Wood

This is a never-ending hot topic! With no exaggeration, this is a subject that is brought up or discussed in every single project and therefore why I am here to walk you through the ins and outs of mixing wood in your space. A lot of the time I hear “Can I mix woods?” or “I think I should match my cabinets to my flooring to be safe”. The truth is, there’s not necessarily a right or wrong answer but I like to think of it as an art!

Choose a Dominant Wood Tone

Start by understanding what your dominant wood tone is. Think of your space as a blank canvas and start by choosing your main wood feature for the space. If you have wood floors then easy, that becomes your dominant wood tone! If you don’t have hardwoods, it might be your kitchen cabinetry, island, or even a large piece of furniture anchored in the room. By picking a dominant wood tone in your space, it really helps sets the tone (pun intended!) and becomes a good guideline for the rest of the design elements and furnishings in your space.

Understand Your Wood Tone(s)

Remember learning about undertones in art class? Well, the same rule applies with wood. Your dominant wood will either have a cool or warm undertone. Once you’ve identified this, you can start bringing in more of the same tones but perhaps with different values. Think of value as an intensity of light, medium, or dark. For example, if your hardwoods are warm, you will want to bring in other warm woods such as white oak or walnut which will blend seamlessly together in your space. If your dominant tone is cool, you’ll want to consider stained woods with blue/gray undertones.

Compliment and/or Mix Your Tones

Consider how you want your space to feel. Are you wanting a simplified or calming look? You might want to consider complimenting your tones throughout your home. Simply bring in other wood tones as close to the dominant finish as possible. If you become overwhelmed and are struggling to tie in wood tones together, focus on selecting similar wood grains for cohesion in your space. Avoid combining two wood species with prominent wood grains if you’re mixing different species of wood because they will compete with each other. Rather, select woods with subtle wood grains or choose one dominant grain with the other grains remaining subtle.

If you’re wanting to achieve more contrast, try curating light, medium and dark tones. I am a big fan of choosing high contrast wood tones in my spaces as it creates a beautifully layered look and adds boldness into a home. Introducing furniture and decor is also a great way to add contrasting tones. For example, if you have light oak floors, you might want to pair it with a dark wood furniture piece.

Create Cohesion

Balancing woods throughout your home is just as important as understanding and selecting your wood tones. My biggest piece of advice is always try to keep cohesion in your home by repeating the same wood tones from room to room. This will make for a very connected and intentional space and you’ll get the designer look you’re longing for!