Furniture to Match Light Pine Flooring

Contrasting Wood Tones

• If your pine flooring is very light, add contrast to the room to make the furniture stand out for a better visual effect. Dark woods such as cherry, mahogany, ebony and walnut repeat the woody atmosphere without disappearing into the overall look of the pine floor. Integrate these woods with the color of the pine floor with area rugs that contain colors of all the woods used.

Richly Colored Upholstery

• Pine flooring needs some “pop” to keep it from becoming boring. Add furniture pieces upholstered in rich, jewel tones like burgundy red, royal blue or forest green to add contrast to the room and provide a more luxurious feeling. Use color to either tone down or enhance the hue of the pine flooring. If the pine color has a yellow or reddish cast, use yellowish-greens or brick red to enhance the warm tones. Or you may prefer to tone down the warmth of the wood by using blue tones on walls and upholstery, or even try a muted rose or chalky sage color.

Light Furniture

• If the look of dark furniture is not your style, go the opposite way and take advantage of the light tones of your flooring to take it to the other extreme. Use cream-colored French provincial furniture or distressed cream-colored antiques and decorate with white or off-white upholstery and draperies to fill your home with light. Highlight with just a few darker tones in the same color family to give the room a monochromatic look. Repeat this theme in upholstery and accessories to give your room a fresh and contemporary look.

Colors to Avoid

• Light pine comes in a range of tones from cream to pale reddish-brown. Avoid using large amounts of the same hue as your flooring. Flooring can dominate the room, so use other complementary or contrasting colors to relieve the overall effect. Pick wood tones noticeably lighter or darker than the flooring. Textiles should also add color to the room for more interest.