You want to paint your walls grey, but will grey go with your oak furniture? We've researched to see how this combination works out and have answers for you here. Let's see what we've discovered.
Grey wall paint will work with oak furniture. The trick is pairing the right tones together. If you have a piece of dark, red oak furniture, you'll want a grey that leans toward greige. If your furniture is a lighter white oak, then you might choose a light grey paint color.
We've gathered some examples for you to see exactly what we mean. In addition to sharing what we found on grey paint and oak furniture, we will look at if oak is making a comeback, how you can the undertone of your wood if your particular type of oak is warm or cool, and if there's a way to make oak furniture look modern. So please, keep reading.
Lovely Examples Of Oak Furniture Paired With Grey Wall Paint
Who doesn't love pictures of perfect interior space? We know how helpful it can be when you're making design decisions for yourself, so we found some super examples of oak furniture paired with grey wall paint.
Natural Stained Red Oak With A Medium Gray Paint Color
In this bedroom, the furniture is made of red oak and has a natural finish that shows the wood's warm tone. The homeowner has chosen a super light grey carpet, white trim, and the walls are painted a resonant medium grey color. The brownish-grey bedding is a nice tie-in between the wood and the greys of the finishes.
Dramatic Charcoal Grey Walls With A Large Light Oak Table
This beautiful room features a bespoke light oak table that commands the room. The side buffets are made of similar wood, and the upholstered chairs are finished in matching beige cloth. Both the walls and carpet are rich charcoal grey, which is a gorgeous contrast. But what we think levels this room up a notch is the bright red rug.
Light Oak Furniture Paired With Light Grey Paint And Blue Accents In The Room
This bedroom is simply gorgeous with its masses of natural light. The oak bedroom set is a beautiful light white oak, and though the furniture is large, the room doesn't seem heavy. Why is this? Because they've made great use of a very light shade of grey wall paint and smartly used accent pieces in various shades of turquoise blue. We also love the lampshade in a slightly darker grey shade, which looks smart against the wall color.
Grey Walls, Light Oak Furniture, Light Grey Upholstery
In this casual sitting area, we see a lovely combination. The paneled walls are painted a soft sterling grey. On the floors, a textured carpet in bluish grey looks comfortable and inviting. An oak side chest and stool look perfectly suited against the grey wall. With oak legs, the chair has upholstery in a slightly different shade of grey than the carpet. The overall effect is incredibly calming.
Red Oak Dining Table Paired With Grey Upholstered Chairs and A Medium Dark Grey Wall Paint
This chunky table of red oak with its gorgeous knots and whorls pairs with straight-lined grey upholstered chairs. The walls are medium charcoal grey, while the floors are a perfect unity between the oak and the grey shades.
Use Two Greys On Your Walls To Create Depth When Pairing With Oak Furniture
This long narrow bedroom has made excellent use of color. On the far wall, a dark charcoal grey creates a focal point for the oak bedroom set to rest against. Along the walls, a lighter grey keeps the room from looking too small. The carpet is a similar light grey, and the oak doors work well with the furniture.
Medium Grey Walls And Grey Curtains Work Super With This Red Oak Bedroom Suite
This elegant bedroom makes a gorgeous statement. Medium grey walls are a perfect color to pair with the rich red oak bedroom set. Elegant grey curtains drape from the windows, and the bedding accents in white really tie it all together. Notice the lovely detail of the oak picture frames above the bed. It's small touches like this that really tie a room together.
Is Oak Making A Comeback?
For the past several years, people have turned away from heavier pieces of furniture. But designers have grown savvy and recognized that it wasn't the wood people didn't like, but the style. Now you can find oak furniture in styles that more closely fit our modern and casual lifestyles. Because of this, oak is definitely popular once again.
This solid oak tabletop is paired with industrial iron legs. The result is a contemporary style that any homeowner would be thrilled to have in today's home. Click here for this on Amazon.
How Do You Know What Undertone Your Wood Is?
You may have heard people talking about an undertone when it comes to different woods. Well, what in the world is an undertone? Simply put, an undertone is the hint of color that comes from the natural wood. Of course, wood is not red, blue, green, or even purple, but they will often hint at one of these colors.
So how do you know which one yours has? Some have it in the name, like red oak. In other wood types, you may have to give it the squint test. Pair it next to some paint swatches and see which it looks closest to. White oaks have a slightly pale yellow tone. Pine has a slight pinkish tone, as does birch. Deeper colors like mahogany and walnut will have reds and oranges in their undertone. And each individual piece of wood could be slightly different.
Is What Oak Warm Or Cool?
In terms of cool tones and warm tones, cool tones are those associated with blue, whites, greys, some greens, and some browns. Warm tones are more closely associated with red, orange, yellows, browns, and tans. Though most wood, by its nature, is slightly warm in tone, some are more so than others.
With oak, light white oaks are easier to stain with cool tones, while red oaks will trend toward warm tones.
Lighter oak can be stained in lovely cool colors like the grey in these floating wall shelves. See these on Amazon.
How Do You Make Oak Furniture Look Modern?
If you love the look, feel, and durability of oak, how can you have oak furniture but keep it looking modern? Or if you have older oak furniture, is there anything you can do to bring into the times?
For buying new pieces, look for items with clean lines, less bulk, and industrial flare. We love this mid-century modern inspired oak dining room set. The simple elegance is great for today's open concept homes and casual lifestyles while still providing great design looks.
Click here for this set on Amazon.
If you have older oak pieces that you want to bring into the times, lighten them up. Whitewashed and grey washed oak pieces are all the rage. Simply remove your old finish, sand down the pieces to their natural tones, and use a grey whitewash or grey stain. This look is wonderful for today's modern farmhouses and transitional designs.
Grey And Oak Go Together For A Timeless Look
As you've seen, it's possible to meld grey walls with oak furniture and create a really gorgeous look. If you keep it light and bright, you'll have something incredibly soothing. Then if you go for dark woods and dark wall color, use a surprise color to create a dramatic interior.
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