8 Tips for Decorating with Wood Furniture

Stained wood furniture, especially vintage or antique, adds character, but it can be tricky to integrate into a room. Too much of any one furniture style or wood finish and your space looks like a museum, but a lively mix is visually interesting and full of personality. Whether you’re working with a hand-me-down family heirloom or a vintage piece you scored for a bargain, decorating with wood furniture is all about achieving a balance and style contrast with the other elements in the room. Use these tips on how to work “old brown furniture” into your decor to give it soul and your own personal style.

1. Rethink the purpose of the piece.

Think outside the box when it comes to your wood furniture by exploring fresh new ways to incorporate it into your home. For example, an antique wood dresser can add charm and function in the dining room, serving as a bar, sideboard, or storage for all of your linens and dishes. Consider using a wood nightstand as a living room side table, as long as it complements the height of the furniture around it. An armoire is perfect for tucking away your favorite games, books, and toys in a family room—and best of all, it hides all the clutter when it’s closed.

2. Mix furniture styles and eras.

Combining wood furniture from various time periods instantly enriches a room’s character. Picture a simple wood dining table paired with iconic midcentury chairs, like the Cesca chairs, alongside an heirloom hutch. The secret to making such different elements work together is the contrast in styles and the harmony in wood tones. Both the table and hutch share a warm orangey-brown stain, and the rattan echoes this warmth, while the black-painted frames tie it all together with a beautiful, striking contrast.

3. Pair dark furniture with dark walls.

Dark wood furniture can pop against white or light painted walls, but sometimes the stark contrast can feel overwhelming. For a subtler approach, opt for dark and moody wall colors to help the furniture seamlessly blend with the backdrop, creating a nice, serene atmosphere. In this bedroom, a dark cherry wood nightstand harmonizes with deep-toned walls, fostering a cozy, cocoon-like feel. Balance the darker elements in the room with white accents on trims, bedding, and curtains. The floor’s lighter wood stain adds interesting contrast and prevents the room from feeling too heavy.

4. Pay attention to undertones.

When selecting colors to complement wood furniture in your home, other wood tones are typically safe choices. However, it’s crucial to recognize the undertones in the pieces you’re pairing. Wood finishes may have yellow, orange, red, blue-gray, or dark brown undertones. Mixing pieces with similar undertones, like a dining table and chairs sharing a warm brown, creates cohesion throughout the space. To add depth to a room, introduce a piece that contrasts in tone, like a vitrine that’s darker and cooler. Balance the ensemble with a neutral paint color and natural materials like a gorgeous, sisal rug.

5. Break up furniture “sets.”

Too much wood, especially from dark varieties like cherry or walnut, can overwhelm a room if you’re not careful. Try to break up matching furniture sets, like those with identical beds and dressers or dining sets, to prevent a crowded look. If you’ve inherited a bedroom set that you love, place one standout piece, such as a bed or dresser, in the room. Use the remaining pieces in other areas of the house, or consider selling or donating them. In the example bedroom, the stained wood bed contrasts well with white-painted furniture, giving a traditional cherry sleigh bed a contemporary twist.

6. Add colorful accessories.

Adding fun, colorful accents can enliven a dark, serious piece of furniture like a dresser. There are many ways to use this technique. Consider a vibrant patterned runner on top, or place a bold lamp, artwork, or mirror above. A bright, colorful tassel hanging from a handle, or a vibrant rug underneath, also works wonders. In a bedroom that is filled with wood furniture, introduce color through bedding or wall paint. Use the wood’s undertone to inform your color choices for a balanced contrast.

7. Paint it!

If a dark wood finish just doesn’t suit the space you’re decorating, consider stripping and painting the piece. Opting for black or white in a high-gloss or matte finish provides a neutral canvas that highlights the furniture’s silhouette while downplaying dated details. Feeling bold? Choose a bright, vivid color to make the item a focal point of the room. Update the look even further by replacing original hardware with modern knobs and pulls for a stylish contrast.

8. Give it a wow background.

You can quickly and easily highlight a unique piece of wooden furniture by placing it against a striking wall color, like kelly green behind a desk. Many wood pieces, such as this orange-y oak desk, have warm undertones in them, making a cool wall color pop. A fun, bold wall color not only contrasts temperatures but also instantly elevates style. The cozy wooden desk references the past, while the vibrant green shade projects modern confidence. Such contrasts make “old brown furniture” feel both intentional and contemporary.