Dark or Light? 4 Things to Consider When Choosing the Colour of Your Timber Floors.

Are you considering new timber flooring for your home, but can’t decide whether to go with dark or light coloured look? 

While it’s partly up to personal taste, there are a few general rules you can follow to ensure that whatever colour you pick actually looks good in your home. Here are four things to keep in mind when choosing between dark or light timber floors.

1. Consider the natural and artificial lighting.

We think lighting is arguably the most important aspect to consider – it can really make or break your floors. To ensure you’re choosing a colour that really suits your home, there are two types of lighting that you’ll need to consider.

Natural lighting changes throughout the day, and window placement matters quite a bit. Eastern facing rooms will take on a yellowy hue in the mornings, and western facing rooms will get a huge boost to red colours & warm tones in the evenings. This makes reddish-coloured timber floors like Regent Advanced Daylesford look extra rich & vibrant during these hours.

Throughout the middle of the day, or if you live somewhere without a lot of sunlight, you can expect cool blue-grey tones to show up the most. Timber flooring with a matte finish or naturally grey-blue timber floors like Bondi Oak can take on a really interesting character in this light.

Artificial light matters too. Light floors are versatile with pretty much any kind of light, and they generally amplify the brightness in a room. Dark floors are a bit more fickle, but potentially more rewarding if done right. Dark timbers pair well with natural light, mood-lighting or floor lamps, whereas bright overhead lighting can sometimes give off a glare and make your floors look glossy

2. Wide-open spaces, or cozy and enclosed?

This one speaks to the kind of room you’re trying to create. There’s no wrong answer when it comes to choosing a colour, but it helps to play to the strengths of the room.

Light timber creates a feeling of wide-open space, whereas dark timber evokes a sense of coziness and can make a room feel smaller. There’s certainly a lot of interplay here with the lighting, but the size of the room and the overall vibe you’re going for are what matters.

A large open-plan space with high ceilings will look even more bright and spacious with light-coloured timber floors. Alternatively, a study or a lounge room with an old-fashioned fireplace will feel extra-cozy and comforting with dark wooden floors to match.

These aren’t hard and fast rules, and you can always use light flooring to make a small room brighter or dark flooring to make a large room cozier. But knowing about this relationship between colour and space will make it easier to choose a floor that really suits your home.

3. Practical considerations: Do you have kids or pets?

If you’re expecting your floor to cop a lot of heavy use, then you might be better off opting for a light-coloured timber floor. 

Both dirt and scratches show up much more clearly on dark wooden floors, and visible damage is harder to buff out. If you have young children or energetic pets, then the likelihood of damage occurring is a lot higher.

If you’re a pet owner who loves the ambience of a dark wooden floor, however, then don’t lose hope. While scratches do look harsher, darker floors are more durable over time because they’re easier to refinish than light floors. 

Consider placing doormats at the entrances, sweeping regularly, and implementing a no-shoes-inside rule to help protect your timber floors from scratches and dust.

4. Consider the furniture. 

Finally, you should consider the type of furniture that you’re planning to put in the room. 

This is especially true if you have a lot of timber furniture – the look will definitely clash if it’s way too different, or blend in if it’s way too similar! Yet if you can get your furniture and your flooring to complement each other, your room is going to look incredible.

There are some general styling rules you can use to help you make the right choice here, even with timber furniture. Warm-coloured furniture always looks great against a darker shade, whereas bright floors enhance the effects of patterns and bold, bright coloured furniture.

Hopefully these styling tips will help you choose a timber floor that looks great in your home for years to come.

If you’re still trying to decide on a colour, why not browse through the huge range of timber veneer and laminate flooring at Multifors for a little inspiration. We’ve got plenty of great flooring products to choose from.