Oak furniture has become quite popular nowadays, thanks to its beautiful grains that contrast with our modern lives but not too much that it interferes with different tastes. On the contrary, it complements different styles and decorations effortlessly.
Yet, how good can furniture look if you don’t pair it with the right colours for the right reasons? If you don’t want to regret your choice of paint after the damage is already done, you should settle on what you want beforehand. So, if you’d like to learn about what colours look best with oak furniture, continue reading.
The Short Answer
It depends on what you want from the colour. Some colours like blue and purple accentuate the warmth of oak, while other colours like warm green and red blend in with oak in an earthly atmosphere.
You also can’t go wrong with neutrals that come in both warm and cool undertones. Oak is one of the most versatile woods in furniture, so many colours tend to look good with it.
The furniture you’re working with also has a big impact. If you’re fully kitted out with oak furniture, you may need brighter colours, while more subtle furniture pieces could lend themselves to darker shades. Whatever you choose, there’s sure to be something in this blog that catches your eye. Read on to get our expert advice and find out more about matching colours with oak furniture.
Themes including Pastels and Neutrals
Choosing themes is one of the best ways to match colours to oak furniture. Pastels, neutrals, and monochrome finishes are all fantastic choices, each offering home benefits.
Pastel Shades
Let’s start with pastels. These colours, including blue and yellow, can offer farmhouse-inspired interiors, and they match perfectly with oak furniture. Pastels allow you to strip things back to basics, leaving rooms feeling light and airy. Pastel blue can create a calm atmosphere, and it works well with white oak and lighter finishes. It can also be a refreshing backdrop to darker pieces, making it a fantastic all-rounder. On the other hand, yellow helps to create more energy in a room. It also acts as a fantastic background for dark oak pieces, and it can also coordinate nicely with wooden flooring. Green is another alternative, and this can be paired with complementary colours, such as olive green and safe, as well as neutral accents and off-whites.
Neutral Tones
Neutral finishes work with oak, too, and their simplicity is a real boon. These fantastic finishes work as a subtle, simple theme. Warm beiges and taupe shadows are popular options, and both look great alongside oak furniture and natural flooring. The theme can be bolstered further with accessories, including woven baskets, knotted rugs, and natural products. When you’re looking for perfect colours to match your oak furniture, neutrals press a strong claim!
Monochrome Magic
Finally, monochrome themes are popular for their contemporary style and flexibility. They can add warmth to otherwise-stark themes, and they provide fantastic balance to natural and rustic oak. Whether you’ve already got fantastic accessories or you’re still finding a perfect match, monochrome is a great option.
Colours That Accent Oak
Many people love to highlight their oak furniture, making it the statement piece in the room. Therefore, they want colours that contrast with their warm tones. In that case, we recommend cool colours that are a few shades darker or lighter than the oak you have. Bright White also accents oak beautifully.
Blue
If you want to bring out your oak furniture, paint the walls blue. Different shades like navy, radiant turquoise, cerulean blue, light blue, cobalt teal, and Prussian blue will contrast with the oak. In particular, if you have honey oak cabinets, these blues can intensify the beautiful yellow-toned orange of the wood.
Purple
Purple is a regal colour that’s also very relaxing to look at. And almost everyone loves to include it in their interiors. One of the reasons people love it is how it highlights the colour of the oak. We recommend shades like dioxazine purple, quinacridone violet, radiant violet, ultramarine violet, and lavender. They’ll help your wood look its best.
Colours That Blend With Oak
While many people like to make their oak stand out by surrounding it with contrasting colours, others feel that using equally warm colours will help it blend and integrate into their home’s aesthetic. Warm and earthy colours will complement your oak the most.
Warm Green
Although green is considered a cool colour, it makes sense that it blends well with a natural material like oak wood. Both green and oak bring out each other’s warmth in a homogenous way. We recommend surrounding your oak trims with olive green, sage, cadmium green, emerald green, dark green, and radiant green. This way, you can truly connect with nature.
Red
When you first think of it, red sounds like it’s too much. However, red is the new black. When you combine red with oak, you bring the outdoors indoors. The room will instantly feel cosier and warmer, which is why many people gravitate towards wood furniture in the first place. Consider colours like cherry red, maroon, red earth, India red, and naphthol red.
A Little Bit of Both?
If you can’t pick an inherently warm or cool colour, a neutral colour can give you the best of both worlds by bringing cool or warm undertones to the table.
White
The best thing about white is that it goes with anything, and oak is no exception. White is also recommended if you want to make your space feel spacious.
Bright white can be a bold choice that instantly frames the oak in the room. It highlights its details in a way that other colours can’t compete with. Moreover, many consider it to be cool in a way but still neutral. If it’s too sharp for you, consider creamy white or off-white. They’re also neutral but on the warmer side.
Grey
Grey is a popular choice among oak lovers. After all, it’s hard to go wrong with one of the most malleable colours ever.
Some greys have warm undertones that aren’t too orange or yellow, such as Malay grey, flooded gum, wayward grey, raku, and worldly grey. If you prefer greys with cooler undertones that don’t contrast too much with oak, check out Chelsea grey, grey tint, web grey, and greige. Why not check out our 5 inspiring ideas for grey living room furniture.
Beige
Another adaptable colour that belongs in every house is beige. Just like our own skin tones, beige is quite diverse and malleable.
Moreover, it comes in warm undertones, such as natural linen, kilim beige, stone house, canvas tan, and clay beige. They add just the right amount of cosiness to your room. If your taste leans towards the cooler side, you have to check out London stone, Manchester tan, and Dover white.
Brown
Brown is our final choice for neutrals, and it’s incredibly versatile yet underrated. The shade of brown you pick affects how you feel in the room in the most subtle ways. Cool browns give the room a relaxing and laid-back air, while warm browns integrate with oak without overpowering it.
Some cool brown colour options are raw umber, Fairview taupe, toasty, Weimaraner, Tabac, and high tea, while warm browns are burnt sienna, Van Dyke brown, chocolate truffle, and more.
Consider the Undertones
Let’s first examine oak as a natural product. Oak furniture often exhibits warm undertones, ranging from subtle reddish hues to deeper yellow tones.
Stain colours will influence the final appearance, with darker shades accentuating those undertones and enhancing the reddish quality of the oak. Conversely, paler and more natural waxes tend to highlight tinges of yellow or orange. In either case, you’re dealing with a warmer undertone.
When pairing this warmth with other colours, you have two distinct options. Working with similar undertones will emphasise the wood’s natural warmth. Contrasting it with cooler undertones will create more contrast in your space.
Saturation also plays a role. Each offers an opportunity to showcase oak’s best qualities, from deep, dramatic shades to bold brights, soft neutrals, and subtle pastels.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, oak furniture has many suitable options, thanks to its beauty and versatility. But, of course, your choice will vary according to what you intend for the colour to do.
Accordingly, if you want colours that contrast with the oak’s warmth and earthiness, go with cool colours or neutrals with cool undertones as a safe alternative. However, if you want to create a more seamless look, focus on warm and earthy shades or neutrals on the warmer side. Finally, remember that oak tends to be very forgiving, no matter what you choose. If you are still not convinced why not check out our Oak Vs Ash article here?
TL;DR – So, What Colours Go With Oak Furniture
When deciding what colours go with oak furniture, consider shades that enhance its warm tones. Colours like cherry red, ochre yellow, lime green, and rusty orange are excellent choices. These vibrant hues create a palette that complements the natural warmth of oak, adding a cosy and inviting feel to any room.