How the wood tone matcher works
There are two tabs:
- Find matches: pick the wood you already have, and say whether it is the floor, the cabinets, a large piece of furniture or the doors and trim. You see the best partner woods, a rating for every other wood, wall colours that suit it, and the metals to use.
- Check a mix: pick two woods and get a clear answer on whether they work together, and why.
The ratings come from the two rules below, the ones designers use, so you can apply them in a shop with a real sample in your hand.
Rule 1: match the undertone
Every wood has an undertone, which is the colour you see behind the main shade.
- Warm: yellow, orange or red. Maple, pine, red oak, cherry, teak and mahogany.
- Cool: grey or ashy. Gray-washed oak, driftwood and smoked gray stains.
- Neutral: a balanced brown with no strong lean, such as walnut, natural white oak, ash and black stains.
Warm and warm look right together. Cool and cool look right together. A warm and a cool wood in the same room usually clash, and neutral woods go with either.
Rule 2: leave a clear step in depth
Two woods that are nearly the same depth blend together, which is fine. Two woods that are a little different look like a mistake, as if you tried to match them and failed. Aim for one of these:
- Almost identical: the same depth and the same undertone, so they look like one wood.
- Clearly different: at least a full step apart, such as a light floor and a dark table, so the difference looks deliberate.
Other rules that help
- Use two or three wood tones in a room, and no more. Repeat each at least twice, such as the floor tone in a picture frame, and the table tone in a stool.
- Mix grain patterns. Fine, straight grain next to a bold grain adds interest, while the same strong grain everywhere is busy.
- Add a rug, a wall or other material between two woods that are close to each other.
- Use paint or fabric as a bridge. A cushion or a lamp in a colour that sits in both woods ties them together.
- Repeat the metal. Pick one metal for the handles and fittings in the room.
Wall colours and metals
| Undertone | Wall colours | Metals |
|---|---|---|
| Warm | Warm white, greige, sage green, terracotta, deep navy | Brass, bronze, aged gold, copper |
| Cool | Soft white, cool gray, blue-gray, dusty blue, charcoal | Black, nickel, chrome |
| Neutral | Soft white, greige, olive green, warm taupe, ink blue | Black, brass or nickel |
Worked examples
Red oak floor and a walnut table
The undertones are warm and neutral, and the depth differs by a full step, so it works well.
Red oak floor and a gray-washed table
A warm wood next to a cool one. This does not work. Choose a wood with a neutral undertone instead, or paint the table.
Cherry and mahogany
Both are warm and red, but they are close in depth, so you can use them together with care. A rug between them helps.
Common mistakes
- Trying to match the floor exactly. Wood grows in different colours, and a near match usually looks worse than a clear contrast.
- Ignoring the light. A north-facing room looks cooler, and a south-facing room looks warmer. Check samples in your own light.
- Judging from a screen. Colours on a screen are only a guide. Hold a real sample next to the wood.
- Using too many woods. More than three tones starts to look like a showroom.
- Forgetting the finish. A glossy finish and a matte finish look different, even on the same wood.
Tips
- Take a photo of your floor in daylight and compare it with samples in the same light.
- If your floor is warm and you love cool furniture, choose a rug with both tones to link them.
- When in doubt, use a neutral wood as the bridge. Walnut and natural oak work with most things.
- Painted furniture is an easy way out of a clash.
