A very frequent question we hear at the store is whether to match wood and stain exactly with a pre-existing group of furniture or to mix things up in décor. This can be a stressful situation to resolve on any furniture purchase, especially if you’re moving into a new place with different color flooring or cabinets unlike the ones you just left. Certainly there are lots of opinions out there with regard to interior decorating. What follows are a few comments from both sides of the aisle.
Matching furniture can affect the mood of your room – and that is what we are talking about here: the mood you want to set in the ambiance of your room. And yes, I suggest we all think from room to room, and not as a whole house in uniform. (Your bedroom does not have to look in any way like your dining room.) The choice is either for harmony or for an eclectic feel.
Sleek and modern homes are certainly more likely to have a lot of matching color and texture. If you have a formal dining area, then matching woods is a great choice. With a matching suite, adding color and texture through accessories – pillows and throw blankets, candles and artwork is a great way to make a personal touch and create the right mood.
Woods are mixed successfully all the time in modern interior home design. If you want to have some variety in your collection, you’ll have a more casual look, some expression of your personality and household, and perhaps a warmer feeling overall. If you want contrast, it ought to be thought through or you might look like everything came together at a garage sale, so make contrasts significant enough to notice. Again, planning ahead is core to the success of a cohesive room design.
If there are several pieces in a visual field – like if you have an open floor plan between the dining room and living room, then go for a contrast if you aren’t into finding an exact match. Contrasts between color texture, size and value (light and dark) all combine for a room with harmony. The key is to repeat the various tones and patterns throughout the space so that there is a sense of cohesiveness. Try mixing some colors and textures in the dining room and then mimicking that combination in the living room.
Whichever choice is right for you, we know we can help with some fine products. Our main wood finisher at Lakeside Furniture in Goshen IN is very talented at matching stains with some existing piece in your collection. We have plenty of fabric choices for upholstery, and you can always submit your own fabric if you choose to, so that the design is just right.
Perhaps you’ve found this helpful. We would love to have your comments and feedback here on the blog page. Lastly, it’s important to remember that the point of a nice room is to be hospitable; to focus on the people gathered in the space. So relax and have fun dreaming and then making your vision a reality. ~Josh
There is a nice list of guidelines at Apartment Therapy Chicago here