Interior trimming serves very practical purposes, such as hiding joints and guarding the walls against damage. But this trimming will permeate every single room, so the trim's color is also crucial to your aesthetic style. Interior trimming is traditionally painted white because white is a neutral color that also brightens the room. So, if you’re going to work with dark trimming instead, things may seem tricky. It’s important to maintain a balanced relationship between your interior trim, flooring, and walls. We have carefully researched what color flooring will best complement dark trim.
The best way to blend flooring with dark trim is to use a complementary color. Matching or contrasting your flooring with dark trim may become too overwhelming. It is still possible to maintain consistency and balance by coloring your floor slightly darker or lighter than the trim. Tradition calls for the flooring to be the darkest color in any room, while the ceiling should be the lightest. But popular styles change with trends or personal preference. So, consider these color themes:
- Walnut flooring for similar shades of dark brown
- Gray-toned flooring for neutral harmony
- Red Oak flooring for bright contrast
Darker colors feel more nuanced, so they aren’t usually tough to work with. But trimming can really stand out in the worst ways if it isn’t handled correctly. Also, bear in mind that undertones in your wooden flooring can alter its appearance more than you might think. Keep reading to learn about how the flooring should work with baseboards, trim, and even separate rooms!
Best Flooring Options With Dark Trim
Walnut Flooring
Firstly, walnut floors are a very practical species to use. Walnut floor is known for resisting decay. But walnut flooring is also famously unique and boasts naturally dark tones. The natural and unfinished look is often better than applying stains because of walnut’s individuality.
Fortunately, walnut’s organic colors will make it very easy to find a complementary choice for dark trimming. Walnut is available in tones that are dark enough to completely match a dark trim if you want that look.
However, walnut is also subdued and flexible enough to offer medium shades of brown that can appear slightly brighter than dark trimming too. This flexibility makes it easier to pair your floor with dark trim. Wood that is only naturally bright or dark will limit your options.
Gray-Toned Flooring
Regarding any relationship within interior design, neutral colors are very popular because of their flexibility. Gray-toned flooring has a naturally cool tone, but it can also work with pretty much anything. This makes it ideal for balancing out interior trim that is especially dark.
Keep in mind that gray flooring will likely reinforce a modern style, which may not fit with other rooms. But gray undertones in your wooden flooring will remain subtle at all times, even when it’s surrounded by darker trimming. Gray can feel cool and calm without becoming dark altogether. And lighter gray flooring can lighten a room without becoming bright and distracting, like dazzling shades of white.
Red Oak Flooring
Despite all traditional advice, some people might want their floor to be brighter than the trimming. This makes the interior trim pop throughout every room. It can still be very appealing, transforming your interior trim into more of a picture frame for lavish flooring. In that case, red oak may be the best floor color for dark trim.
Red oak is common in the United States, which means that it may be less expensive. It is also naturally brighter and is well known for shock resistance. Although red oak is available in some darker tones, it is famous for having pink and red undertones. Red oak flooring creates a warm and cozy contrast for dark trim. Besides, it’s always possible to manipulate your room's style by balancing out your floor color with the color of your walls. Check out this post about some of the best hardwood floor and wall color combos.
Should baseboards match floor or trim?
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Baseboards are a type of trim themselves. They are meant to cover up the joint where the flooring meets the walls. But that isn’t their only purpose. Baseboards are also meant to protect the walls from scuffs caused by oblivious feet or furniture scrapes. It’s important to approach the baseboards from this point of view.
If the flooring matches the baseboards too much, then it will probably fool your eyes. The flooring could appear to stretch farther than it actually does, melting into the baseboards. This will cause you to hit the baseboards more often when you’re moving furniture or even simply walking around.
Ultimately, this means that baseboards should probably match the other types of trim instead of your flooring. But if you want to play around with layers, use samples to try out baseboards that are slightly darker or lighter than the other trimming. Used correctly, this can provide a nice transition between your flooring and the more noticeable trimming around your doors and windows. Read this post to learn more about using the best paint for your baseboards.
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Should wood floors match wood trim?
Matching the floor and interior trim can make the floor appear disruptive, crawling upwards where it shouldn’t be. Conversely, if you contrast the floor with your interior trim, the trim can become pretty distracting without the perfect wall color.
Consistency is always pleasing to the eye, so matching your floors with the trim could potentially tie all of your rooms together. This will make it easier to adjust your other rooms' style without losing an overall sense of comfortable flow. But depending on your personal goals, you may want to deliberately make the trim stand out. In fact, traditional white trimming would stand out in many interior styles anyway, as in a beach house or rustic designs.
Should flooring match throughout the house?
When flooring matches throughout an entire house, it can make everything feel roomier. However, it will naturally restrict your interior design. If you want your kitchen to feel brighter or want your nursery to feel cozier, that won’t be an option. In fact, it can also be challenging to replace continuous flooring. So, you’ll have to choose between openness and consistency or stylistic freedom.
You may want your study to feel more cool and relaxing than the vibrant, bright themes of a kitchen. This is much easier to achieve with proper flooring, which is the literal foundation for all your décor. But always bear in mind that it is commonly advised to avoid using more than three different flooring types. This adheres to the famous “rule of three,” which is used in basically any design context. Using a maximum of three different floor colors will prevent your home from appearing far too busy.
Summary
While interior trim might only seem like a simple accent in your room, it can actually make or break your style. And there are plenty of practical concerns to keep in mind, too. But interior design is subjective, and there are so many options available; even trim can start to feel overwhelming. Now that you know how to match, contrast, or coordinate with dark trim, you can balance out any room without sacrificing your own creativity!
