Dark wood furniture is rich, striking and full of character and is sure to enhance any interior design aesthetic when used with careful consideration. It’s important to make sure it lives up to its full potential when placed in your home so, in this blog, we will be going through some tips on how to style dark wood furniture.
Set dark furniture against a clean backdrop
The reason people can be cautious when styling dark wood furniture is that it has such an eye-catching and distinctive appearance that can dominate a room in some situations, especially if there are too many other elements vying for attention.
To avoid clashing, we recommend setting dark furniture against a clean backdrop such as white walls and a lighter floor. You can use colour too, just try not to make the backdrop for the furniture too busy as it will diminish its effect.
Combine the dark furniture with pops of colour
Colour is not the enemy of dark wood furniture. It can actually prevent dark rooms from looking too moody, it just needs to be used thoughtfully. Depending on how dark your furniture is, you may consider a semi-monochromatic look, playing the dark wood against lighter neutral tones which then gives you plenty of freedom to add an accent of any colour you want through furnishings, artwork, ornaments or even a painted statement wall.
Mahogany furniture, for example, has quite a few different colours it can pair well with. Cool blues contrast very nicely, while warmer tones like orange and red complement the hints of flame in the wood. Mid greens and grey greens can also work very well.
Take advantage of alcoves, corners, and nooks
If you’re struggling to find a clean, open space to place your dark wood furniture, then consider going in the opposite direction. If you can make use of an alcove or corner, then you don’t need to worry so much about blending the piece in or creating a ‘blank canvas’ to set it against. Alcoves and angular settings will naturally frame the furniture without it looking incongruous or too dominating.
Match the furniture with other dark tones
Another tip for styling dark wood furniture is to match it with other dark tones throughout the room to create a theme. This doesn’t mean filling the room with other large furniture pieces; just creating an accent with smaller units such as shelves, ornaments and picture frames will provide a sense of cohesion.
These other dark tones don’t need to match exactly if you are playing them against lighter colours in the room. Mahogany furniture, for example, will match well with a range of black and brown furnishings, as well as other dark woods.
Or go eclectic
If these design tips don’t sound like your style, then why not throw the rules out the window and go for a full-blown eclectic aesthetic? After all, the most important element in home design is your own personal taste and preferences.
Deliberately eclectic styles allow you to work with plenty of colour, but you also have room for some unity. You could consider having all your furniture made from natural materials, for example, or tie the room together with some matching rugs or throws.
That concludes our guide on how to style dark wood furniture but, as mentioned earlier, your personal taste is the most important factor when decorating your home, so go with what feels right for you. The wonderful character of mahogany furniture and other dark woods means you should be able to find a place for it anywhere with a little creativity.
If you’re looking for some dark wood furniture to enhance your home, you can start by browsing our range of mahogany furniture.
