Skip to main content

Hardwood floors have enjoyed immense popularity over the last several years. They offer the potential to increase the value of your home and can look absolutely stunning. If you want to have the best experience with your hardwood floor and get the best value from it, though, not just any hardwood will do. There are aesthetic considerations to keep in mind when choosing wood for a floor.

Light vs Dark

Do you love the depth and drama of dark hardwood, or do you prefer the illusion of a larger space that lighter hardwood can provide? What value (light vs dark) is the rest of the wood in the areas of your home where you intend to have hardwood flooring? How much light does the room have, both in terms of natural light and artificial light? These questions can help you decide whether it’s better to go for a lighter wood or a darker one. 

Keep in mind that the natural color of the wood can be affected by any stain that is applied to it, though it’s far easier to choose a lighter wood and stain it a darker color than to pick a darker wood and try to achieve a light finish.

Warm vs Cool

Wood can have warm or cool undertones, just like your skin. You don’t have to try to perfectly match your hardwood floor to the rest of the wood in the room, but you should try to match the undertones. Wood with warm undertones tends to have notes of red, orange, or yellow, while wood with cool undertones tends to look more gray in comparison. You’ll likely find that getting perfect matches is next to impossible, but if you can make sure that the undertones are consistently warm or cool, you should be able to put together a room in which the appearances of the wood work well together.

Choosing the right wood for your hardwood floor can make a huge difference in the final result. Take the value (as in light vs dark) into consideration, as well as the warmth or coolness of tones of the wood so you’ll have a better understanding of how the wood will fit into the rest of the aesthetic of your home. Don’t forget to factor in the way that a stain and finish will impact the look too.

Need hardwood for your floor? Check out our Limited Supply Hardwood selection for some stunning options.

Leave a Reply