With their distinct, bold look, dark wood furniture pieces always attract the eye and set the style tone in any space they occupy.
Whether it’s the dining table in the dining room, the bookcases in your study or the dark wood coffee table in your living room, a piece of dark wood furniture is a great foundation for building a style around.
But what do you do if your room already has a unique look and you want to include a dark wood furniture piece? The tips below can help you do just that. But first, here are some of the benefits of using dark wood furniture in your designs.
Timeless Beauty and Sophistication
Dark wood furniture sends an immediate message of luxury, class and sophistication, and the best part is it’s not only for use in classical design styles. Used appropriately, a dark wood furniture piece can add punch to a modern look or a bare-bones-back-to-nature feel in a minimalist design.
Unbeatable Strength and Durability
The types of trees that dark wood comes from, like Walnut and Wenge, grow slowly in nature, which adds to their strength as a building material. They are famous for their dimensional stability, shock resistance and, of course, their distinct colourations. Yet despite all that strength, these woods are relatively lightweight and are commonly used in high-end furniture, floor accents and carvings.
Dark woods are also popular building materials for outdoor furniture as they naturally resist fungus and insect attacks.
Tips for Decorating a Space with Dark Wood
It can sometimes be challenging to integrate a dark wood piece into a space that wasn’t designed for it. Here are some tips for incorporating your dark wood pieces in a way that accentuates a room’s style.
Repurpose Old Dark Wood Pieces
If you’ve redecorated your bedroom and no longer have space for that old wood dresser, consider using it in your kitchen or dining room as a credenza or buffet table. Old nightstands can be used as side tables in the living room. If the colours don’t work, you can restain an old dark wood piece or cover it.
Go All in on a Vintage Look
If you already have other vintage pieces, simply integrate your dark wood piece into the space or create a new one. Don’t have enough vintage furniture pieces lying around? Vintage chairs and other prices are relatively easy to find, and the best part of a vintage look is that the pieces don’t necessarily have to match to achieve the right look.
Dark Coloured Paints and Accent Walls
If you’re trying to place a dark wood furniture piece in a room with light colours, try picking a wall and painting it a dark colour as an accent. You can then place your dark wood piece in front of that wall to maximize the effect. Dark charcoals and grays pair well with dark cherry furniture pieces. Just be sure to break up the monotony with some white décor pieces like a lamp or a vase.
