Dark or Light wooden floor

9 years ago

last modified: 9 years ago

We have just moved into a Victorian house, with minimal furniture and therefore a blank canvas for decoration. I have lots of dilemma.

1. We need to install wooden floors for the whole of the ground floor - hallway, living room and dining room. The lounge is painted grey (French Grey from Little Greene), with white wood trim, and white shutters. The dining room is red in all 4 walls , which we did not change, but would be happy to repaint 2 or 3 of the walls white if need be.

We've sanded the existing floorboards of one of our upstairs room, and did not stain it. It is an antique pine colour. I feel like something different for downstairs, and chose a darker wood to lay (it's sort of mid brown). There are large bay windows in the living room, and 2 windows in the dining room. I feel they can take a darker wood floor, however I am also worried about the dark floor 'sucking the light out of the place'. The back end of the hallway leads into the kitchen, which is bright and light, with light cream units and light stone floor.

2. The dining room deco was from the previous owner, we haven't got a dining table yet. Happy for suggestions for dining table options to go with the room. We didn't like the white as shown here, but would oak type of table be too dark if we go for dark wood floor?

The style I'm going for is traditional / contemporary mix I suppose. The grey and white with shutters in the living room is going to be quite contemporary already. I feel the light wood floor would make things too contemporary?

Any advice would help. Many thanks.

Featured Answer

PRO

MPK Lofts Conversion & Construction Limited

9 years ago

It entirely depends on the look you're going for. However, if you want to be trendy, then the soft industrial interior design trend is red hot at the moment, therefore a light white stain wooden floor would be perfect for it, here's an example.

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Comments (19)

carinajone
Original Author
9 years ago
Also attach upstairs sanded floor
jpbarro
9 years ago
I'm having the same dilemma, our lounge is north east facing so not the brightest room in the house. I have taken up the carpet and there are wonderful floor boards which have a dark stain around the edge; from the days when you had a massive rug instead of fitted carpets. I have thought long and hard about what to do. Do I paint them white? Or sand them and varnish or do I go with the dark stain and a huge rug? I've decided on the latter. My colour scheme is chartreuse on the fire wall and a pale cream on the rest, a light rug and matching curtains. I think you need a contrast and dark colours can be muted with light soft furnishings etc.
carinajone thanked jpbarro
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Hi Emily. In terms of the floor it depends on a couple of things. Dark floors are hard to keep looking clean so would consider upkeep. If the room isn't large a dark floor may also make it look smaller if you have light walls/skirting boards (the less contrast there is the bigger the room will feel). If the room doesn't get much light then a dark floor could make it feel dark although if it has a glossy/shiny finish it will bounce the light. For the kitchen units try and work with the light. What way does the room face and how much light does it get? Light worktops are much more on trend. Again if the room is dark I'd avoid a dark Matt finish worktop although something glossy will reflect the light. Depending on the room you could find lighter units may make it feel more spacious. I'm not sure if that helps but more details are probably needed!
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Hi Jen, what colours are you going for on the walls of this space? And do you have a lot of light coming in? Just remember that dark flooring can make a space feel smaller whereas light flooring can create an open, airy feel. We think your kitchen might lend itself to a lighter floor too - letting those black worktops really take the limelight. Here are some ideas below, a range of light ashen and warmer shades. Hope it all goes well for you. Raglan White Smoked Oak: https://woodpeckerflooring.co.uk/product/raglan-white-smoked-oak/ Salcombe Moonbeam Oak: https://woodpeckerflooring.co.uk/product/salcombe-moonbeam-oak/ Harlech White Smoked Oak: https://woodpeckerflooring.co.uk/product/harlech-white-smoked-oak/ Berkeley Washed Oak: https://woodpeckerflooring.co.uk/product/berkeley-washed-oak/
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Tani H-S
9 years ago
Hi, we too have all the floor stain samples out and I must have bought about 8 different colours to try. I was adamant I wanted dark flooring after having a rich dark teak in our last house- but the room we had it in was South facing and had crisp white walls with a feature wall colour.
The lounge (north facing and small) had lighter flooring and I think this would have been awful with dark flooring.

Our current house is a lot bigger and brighter but I'm still hesitant and worry that it will suck the light out. I'm experimenting with a medium oak stain instead which might be safer, but will be neutral. Ours are all floorboards though and we did a light oak stain on our Victorian bedroom floors before which looked better than the pine. This house - we are painting them all white in the bedrooms (bit nervous).

So re colour scheme - I think the dark floors would look great with very pale walls and keeping to one feature wall. If you plan on having more contemporary furniture (something plain and perhaps not browns) then this will look stunning with the dark floors.

I don't think lighter floors are any more contemporary than dark ones but lighter floors means that you have more flexibility with your colour schemes and furniture.
carinajone thanked Tani H-S
SJTZ
9 years ago
We have similar wall color to you and dark floors. I think it looks great together. In our similar dining room we have a black Woden table that looks just right.
carinajone thanked SJTZ
Nick Ratcliffe
9 years ago
I'm trying to find some way of painting the floors but not with a solid colour but more like a lime wash that just tones down the wood but doesn't rob it of texture, rather like the old limewash originally on tudor cottages...
Tryphic
9 years ago
We have carbonised strand woven bamboo, not too dark but it looks really good. Much more elegant I think than a lighter look. It doesn't suck the light out at all.
carinajone thanked Tryphic
carinajone
Original Author
9 years ago
We have put the deposit down for the darker one of the 2. Fingers crossed. Somehow, this is the most difficult decision, as it cannot be changed easily. I will provide some photos when floor is done.
boundsgreener
9 years ago
What a beautiful house with wonderful features. Congratulations. Dining rooms can be lovely when they are dark and moody, which you'll get with red walls and dark floors. Definitely a wood table (that white that the last owners had is all wrong and also looks too small). I don't know what your style is, but I wouldn't get the same tone of wood as the floor stain as it'll all blend in together and look like a mass of brown. Take a (small) plank of the wood with you when you are looking at tables.

If they left you half a tin of that red paint, I'd do the radiator if I were you, because it'll stand out even more with the dark floors.

Oh, and I think that floor in your bedroom is absolutely gorgeous.
bruket
9 years ago
My advice, do not do dark floors, every little mark (rubber soft shoes etc) shows up, particularly when the sun hits the floor through a window. You constantly need to clean it. My brother and sister in law have just moved into their newly built house with dark floors, I asked them if they had made any design mistakes, yes, the dark floors.
Emma Page
9 years ago
Dark floors add a richness to a room. You can make cheap pine floorboards look like expensive oak by staining them. You may need to use a combination of wood stain colours in order to achieve the colour you want. This costs a fraction of what it would cost you to replace pine floorboards with oak. Finish with 3 coats of clear varnish for a fabulous finish. You'll need to ban high heels, chairs with sharp feet, and animals with sharp claws to maintain your beautiful finish. If your windows are big enough and you add enough lighting you don't need to worry about it making the room too dark.
carinajone
Original Author
9 years ago
Floor is coming next week. I will most definitely put the photos up :)
Nuri Iko
9 years ago
I love dark floorings!
PRO
Woodpecker Flooring
7 years ago
Hi Carina,

We'd definitely suggest a traditional oak flooring with a mix of golden/ashen tones. This sort of colour just goes so well with the eclectic look you're going for and is so easily paired with lots of colour schemes.
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Equilibrando... Space Planning with Feng Shui
7 years ago
I would definitely go for brighter floor. The more natural light your house has the better for your mood and your health. I like the picture posted by MPK Lofts Conversion & Construction Limited. You are right that this is difficult decision as it is not easy to change afterwards. I would go for bright structure of the house (floor and walls) and than add mood for each space playing with furnitures, accessories, artwork. Good luck! /Marcin
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Feature Radiators
7 years ago
I would suggest considering a cast iron radiator to give you a more traditional feel if you opt for the lighter floor

Etonian cast iron radiators · More Info

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Creative Wood Kitchens
7 years ago
Have a look at this project we completed last year.
Clare Range · More Info
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Woodfloors4u
7 years ago
Here are some ideas for you Carina

https://www.woodfloors4u.co.uk/gallery-in-a-page-full/

Let us know if any of them interest you. We do also have a bespoke hand finishing service whereby we can achieve virtually any colour out there.
PRO
Floor Monster
6 years ago
Hi there,

We have a couple of darker option, I believe when going for a dark flooring it tends to create a more warm and cosy feel. We have a couple of option in stock that may be something of interest, these options are engineered boards.

The first option we would have is the Pyrenees Smoked Oak, this is a stunning wide oak board. With the wider planks it creates depth to the room like no other board. On another note, it is also available inHerringbone style.

The second option would be our gorgeous Hand scraped Geneva oak, with the deep rich colour, it gives the room a fantastic rich feel.

The Third option we would have in stock would be our Oslo Oak, This board is relatively dark compared to the boards mentioned above.

Do you have an idea on the exact colour you would be looking for? Even a picture of something you have seen? We may have a product in stock to match exactly what your looking for.

If you do have any queries please do not hesitate to get in touch via email, Info@floormonster.co.uk or you can call us directly on 0141 887 5698.

Kind Regards,

Floor Monster Team

Dark or Light wooden floor

MPK Lofts Conversion & Construction Limited

Comments (19)

carinajone
Original Author

jpbarro

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Dark or Light wooden floor

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