Wall and wood floor painting technique for 2022(part 1)

One of the biggest challenges faced when designing and decorating a home is choosing a paint to coordinate with your wood floors.

It may sounds simple, but the paint color that works with the tones in the wood floor can really have a huge impact on your space. For example you would often find it difficult to imagine what your house will look like after it completed.

This article summarizes the experience of leading designers in choosing wall paint colors based on the color and tone of your wooden floor. Hopefully the following tips will help you choose the right paint color for your space.

How to combine wood floor color with wall paint?

The idea is to paint the walls in color contrasting to the wood floor. That means if your wood floor has a warm tone, choose a paint with a cool tone. And if your wood floor has a cool undertone, choose a warmer paint color. This will create contrast and help balance your room. Avoid choosing paint that had the same color as the floor, as it will make your room feel overwhelming when it's too cold or too warm.

How to distinguish the color of the house's wooden floor? 

For homeowners who are not well versed in the design industry, they may find it difficult to determine the tone of a wooden floor. But here's an easy way to tell them apart. Warm tones will look more red, orange, or yellow while cool tones will look more blue or purple. You can find this out by comparing your wood with objects of different colors and seeing which color it most closely resembles. For example, you can put a blue pillow or a red sweater on the wooden floor and see which color matches better.

Should the paint color be darker or lighter than the wood floor color?

The answer will mostly depends on the style you want to create in the space! However, it also depends on the color of the floor. A general rule of thumbs to follow is to choose a color combination with the highest contrast. If you have a dark floor, try painting the walls a lighter color so the room doesn't feel too heavy. For lighter-toned floors, use darker paint to add contrast and depth to your space.

Next, let's find out how to paint the walls and wood floors in each specific case:

1. The best paint color for light wood floors

Light wood floors are  popular. In fact, this is probably the most widely used laminate flooring color. And fun fact, light wood actually is a great choice for homes with children and pets, as it won't be prone to scratches or scuff marks like other colors. This is also a wood tone that is easier to match with wall paint than others.

   Should: cold white paint

Light wood floors are still warm tones, so a cooler wall color is best. If you're looking to create a bright, crisp, and cheerful space, try cool-toned white, which blends harmoniously with the warmth of the floor. If white isn't your thing, gray or light blue are also great options.

 Should: charcoal gray paint

If you want something bolder, try charcoal gray. This color is still a cool tone, but the boldness of the color will really make your space stand out. This is a great way to add personality to a space with minimalism without adding a lot of decorations. Dark tones help add depth while still highlighting light wood floors. This is also a great choice for a focal wall. You can use a cool white on three walls and paint the other a charcoal gray.

 Shouldn't: warm neutral paint

Since wood floors have warm neutrals color, you need to stay away from warm neutrals when painting the walls because this combination makes the space look old.

2. The most suitable paint color for gray wood floors

Gray laminate flooring poses a pretty big challenge, as gray has a cool undertone, which can make a room feel chilly. However, it is a popular design choice these days in a lot of modern style designs. Gray parquet is definitely more trendy, it's just that you have to be a little more careful in your paint choices!

With gray wood floors, the rule of thumb is to use warm paint tones to balance the coldness of the gray.

 Should: Warm paint color, like ash pink

Warm tones will offset the cold tones found in gray wood floors, making your space more inviting and cheerful. Paint the wall ash pink really makes your room especially impressive and warm.

 Should: Bold paint colors, like Plum

If you want more contrast, choose a bold paint with a warm tone — like Plum. This color will balance the coldness of the floor and warm the space.

 Shouldn't: Gray paint color

Using the same color as the wooden floor and wall paint will create a space that feels cold and monotonous.

If you haven't found the wood floor color in your home yet in this part 1 article, check out part 2 of our tips on how to paint your walls with medium, dark, and cherry wood floors.