Are you afraid of the dark? Dark wood furniture, that is? For too long, we have seen it as imposing and difficult to handle but there is a growing resurgence in love for dark wood furniture. It is possible, however, to welcome darker tones of furniture into your home without it being too imposing. Here’s how…
1 Bright lights and dark wood
The monochrome design – contrasting a very dark shade such as navy or black with white – is a design option that has always been, and always will be, popular. You can emulate this with dark reclaimed wood furniture nestled against a crisp, white backdrop. You can’t argue that the enhanced proportions of a dark reclaimed wood dining table would look out of place in a bright and airy dining room.
2 You can add colour too
Of course, for many, bright white walls simply do not fit well with their home or their style and so you may think that using colour with dark wood furniture is something that should be done with caution. However, adding flecks of colour is possible and welcomed too by furniture with a darker timber.
Dark furniture can be dramatic both in colour and texture, similar to this beautiful but practical reclaimed wood TV unit from the Luxe Kensington Collection. Add the colour of your choice to bring out the depth of its beautiful patina and texture.
3 Dark + dark = perfection
The one thing about a piece of dark furniture that many people are uncertain of is the fact that it will stand out. Enter a room and a dark piece of furniture, no matter how small, will hit you between the eyes. If you want dark furniture but don’t want ‘the-only-thing-that-stand-out-in-a-room’ effect, this is what you need to do: match like with like.
And that means standing a piece of dark furniture against a dark coloured wall. A dark reclaimed wood desk, for example, sat against a dark forest green wall would bring a welcome Victorian style to a space, showcasing its elegance without it being uncomfortably stark or stand-offish.
4 Choose more than one piece of dark wood
We know the rule – dark colours close down a space – but sometimes, we just need to embrace the obvious and dress it so that it becomes an elegant, stylish and comfortable space.
Choosing more than one dark piece of furniture brings cohesion and symmetry to a space and when you opt for pieces from the same collection, you also promote a balanced feel to a room. Take a look at the Luxe Kensington Collection, for example. With its darker shade matched with the reflective chrome legs and frames, it brings a heightened drama to a room.
5 If you have a large room, go for it!
If you are blessed with a larger space, there is no denying that dark wood furniture is simply perfection. You could deck out the whole room in dark furniture from the same collection that brings instant symmetry and drama to a space.
If there is one thing to learn it is this: there is nothing to fear from dark wood furniture.