In Scandinavia, it has been popular for a long time to furnish your home in light colours, but why not try something different? A dark wood floor lends an elegant and continental feel to a room.
Dark floors are common in hot countries, and demand for them is also growing up here in the North.
Whatever your style, a dark wood floor has a strong effect in a room and creates a frame that helps to emphasise your furnishings.
The combination of painted walls and traditional furniture creates a subdued elegance. If you combine a dark floor with light walls and furniture instead, you achieve a contrasting effect that creates a modern room. It is easier for the eye to focus on contrasts, which automatically makes your room more interesting.
You can also get a sense of recreating nature indoors by letting the dark floor represent the earth, while the light walls and ceiling symbolise the sky and sunlight. A dark wood floor highlights the natural wood grain beautifully.
Some people worry that a dark floor makes a room seem smaller because it absorbs light. However, this can easily be counterbalanced by furnishings and lighting, so don’t be afraid to lay a dark floor in large or small spaces. Dark colours can also create a sense of peace and calm and give the room extra character.