Using our guide to matching furniture with hardwood flooring helps when designing a room for comfort, beauty, and durability. Hardwood floors coordinate with many options, which is wonderful and makes them the perfect choice. Still, with so many options, it makes the decision process a bit overwhelming. Let’s get started so you can find the perfect hardwood floor and furniture combination for your home.
Add Some Contrast
The first thing on our list in our guide to matching furniture with hardwood flooring is to consider a contrast between flooring and furniture.
Contrast adds interest and depth to a room. Dark floors with dark furniture create nothing that draws attention to the eyes. The floor and furniture both go unnoticed. However, a dark hardwood floor with a white couch is appealing to our eyes and allows both the floor and the couch to shine.
As with all decorating rules—there are no rules. There are exceptions to contrast, such as an all-white room with light floors and light furniture. In that case, the lack of contrast serves a purpose, and splashes of color may be added in other ways. Still, if you aren’t sure what to do, contrast the floor and furniture.
Protect the Floors
Hardwood floors are durable, but of course, not impossible to scratch. When choosing furniture, consider how it will treat your wood floors.
If rugs aren’t used, your furniture will slide around pretty easily. Check out your local home improvement store or ask the furniture store for furniture coasters and pads to protect your floors. Both types easily attach to the bottom of the feet of your furniture to help prevent too much sliding, and more importantly, prevent scratches on the floor.
Add Texture and Warmth
Adding texture to a room simply means making sure there are different types of surfaces and materials, rather than everything looking the same. If you look around a room and notice everything is a bit sterile or not cozy, texture is often the answer. Here’s what you can do to add some texture when choosing furniture to go with your hardwood floors:
- Add throw blankets and throw pillows to furniture with no patterns.
- Place a colorful rug under a solid-color neutral couch to give it some life.
- Use a coffee table made of rough wood in a living room with contemporary lines, for a great amount of texture.
- Choose fabric with texture for your furniture so that not everything in the room is smooth.
Think of texture as a way to add warmth to a room or make it feel welcoming and cozy.
Lighten or Darken the Room
We all have our own preference as to what makes a room warm and welcoming to us. For some, it’s as much white and lightness as possible, and for others, it’s room-darkening blinds and dark cherry floors. According to your own taste, find ways to lighten or darken the room when choosing furniture to complement your hardwood floors.
Dark brown leather couches on a mahogany floor beckon a fireplace and hot chocolate. Whitewashed floors with a light, floral-patterned slipcover couch are perfect for the beach house or a cottage-style home anywhere you live. Use your floor and furniture combination to achieve the light or dark feel you prefer.
Make Use of Rugs
Rugs can completely change a room. They’re an excellent option for hardwood floors and help furniture stay put and avoid scratching the floors. If you choose neutral furniture with your neutral floor, consider a vibrant rug to add a splash of color and interest to the room. Also, make sure to follow maintenance instructions for each type of rug, and also to rotate your rugs on a regular basis to keep your flooring looking beautiful. Rugs are a simple and fun way to change a room without having to do much.
Formal or Informal?
What kind of feeling do you want to give to others as they walk in the room? There’s no right or wrong answer—sometimes, our homes have a mix. Maybe mix and match a formal dining room and an informal living room. Or, you may want the whole house to scream, “Come on in and put your feet up!”, meaning very informal.
Either way, your floor and furniture combination should reflect the room’s intended style. Once you know what kind of colors and textures you want, it’s time to decide on the style. The wonderful thing about hardwood floors is they go well with absolutely everything.
If seeking a formal look, choose furniture with exposed wooden legs and classic patterns. Formal cushions are often firm, allowing for upright seating.
For informal furniture, slipcovers offer a relaxed feel, and they come off easily for washing. Cushions designed to use with slipcovers are usually overstuffed with deeper seating, and softer than formal furniture. If you want an informal vibe in your house, you need furniture that beckons friends and family to sit and possibly nap the day away.
It’s Your Home
Remember, no matter how much advice you seek, in the end, you have to live with your flooring and furniture combinations. It’s true—you can’t go wrong with wood. It simply always works. However, furniture is another story. Consider your lifestyle, your near and distant future, the style of your home, and what you envision plopping onto after a long day of work. Always make your house your home.
Enjoy the process of matching furniture with your hardwood floors. Wood floors are like an artist’s canvas, just waiting to create the room of your dreams. Keep in mind your style, add some texture, stick with a budget, and protect your floors with rugs and pads on the furniture’s feet.
At From the Forest, we are proud to offer only the highest quality hardwood floors, sourced from a unique variety of wood species and made in the USA. As you browse our convenient online store, you’ll notice everything from engineered hickory flooring to American black walnut, and everything in between. We strive to create excellent wood flooring so you can design a beautiful home. Contact From the Forest for all your flooring questions, and shop online for the perfect hardwood floor.
