One of the most common design myths is that all the wood in a room must match. People often worry that putting a sheesham coffee table in a room with golden teakwood floors is a design mistake. In reality, matching every piece of timber creates a flat, showroom-like space that lacks personality.
Here are the rules to mixing wood tones like a professional interior designer:
- Find the Under-tone: Just like paint, wood has under-tones. Teakwood has cool greyish-brown or warm yellow under-tones; sheesham has warm golden under-tones. Try to keep the under-tones in the same family (either all warm or all cool).
- Establish a Dominant Tone: Choose one wood type to be the dominant tone in the room (usually your flooring or largest furniture piece). Use secondary wood tones in smaller quantities as accents.
- Create Contrast: If you have golden teakwood floors, do not use medium-golden teakwood furniture. Create deliberate contrast by choosing a deep sheesham console or floating shelves. This makes the furniture stand out as individual art pieces.