Below are some basic guide lines for selecting the best color palette to compliment your wood furniture.

Whether your furniture is made of mission style oak or deep hued mahogany it deserves an environment that enhances its beauty to the fullest. The common misconception is to match the color to the wood. What you really want to do is enhance the finish with your color choices.

All types of wood have their own particular look in grain patterns and color. Colors that are often times enhanced or changed through the use of stains. Furniture builders and manufacturers have used stains and varnishes for years to alter the appearance of the grain and enhance or change the color. When you go to look for stains they are generally named for the wood color they will mimic: Maple, cherry, walnut, mahogany and oak are the most popular choices.

The aging process, at least in wood, is kind it gives wood that rich patina. This gives the wood character and depth as well as complexity. Newer productions will not have this same character but will still be rich in color. Common color tones are reddish brown, dark brown, yellow, orange or even bluish brown.

Selecting correct paint or wall coverings that will augment the beauty of your wood pieces requires considering the dominant tones in the finish. You must also determine whether you prefer high contrast of lights and darks or the elegance of low contrast couplings. Do not be overly concerned with matching every piece of furniture in the room, the casual collected over time look is all the rage today, gives you a feeling of history.

Deep colored woods like mahogany, walnut and cherry will stand out sharply in a room with light colored walls, whether it is a tint of blue, green or even yellows. Similarly the same process works in reverse with light colored furniture and dark colored walls.

Contrast is a great tool to use to call attention to your beautiful furnishings, or simply one piece you would like to highlight. The only problem is large amounts of dark furniture in a light room will make the space feel busy. If you are set on the contrasting affect of dark furniture on light walls or vice versa then keep your furniture orderly and arranged in a stream lined fashion to alleviate the impression of crowding.

If you have more medium tone furniture you will have to keep the wall coverings soft and light achieving as much color difference as possible between the wood hues and the paint.

It is also possible to use the color of the wood to get an idea of good wall colors. For example if the primary color in the wood finish is red then a green wall will contrast and embolden the woods color.

Golden hued wood furnishings look great against warm reds, bright greens, teal or the deep dark purple like eggplant. Brown wood hues with yellow undertones work well with light yellow walls but still have the high contrast effect.

Antique woods with their character and depth are more flexible because the wood itself may combine many tones. This is what allows them to look fantastic against a wider variety of dark and light colors.

When you want a low contrast design pair hues of similar intensity. Do not worry the furniture will not be lost to the background. A rich mahogany chest or ebony decorative table set against deep red or turquoise wall will have an awesome balance between the two colors of equal strength. The depth of the color in the wood is equaled by that of the wall.

Medium brown woods with calmer medium tones can achieve the same kind of effect except that the effect is not as dramatic due to the overall nature of the subdued tones.

Medium brown woods are delightful when paired with taupe, khaki or mushroom. The warm notes in the wood are brought out by these hues. Again the furniture will look great but the effect is still much calmer than the bold choices above. It is a low key drama that is still quite elegant.

The colors you choose for your home are definitely a matter of personal preference however when looking for a back drop for nice furniture it is helpful to know what colors will bring out the natural beauty of your furnishings.

Take for example the warm honey colored pine it will contrast nicely with a mid range green. The green picks up the yellow undertones in the wood then balances them nicely through cool contrasts.

A bright mint green could feel a bit garish but a paler gray green would be a nice low key choice. An intense blue will definitely bring out woods orange undertones but if you love contrast you will adore these bold colors, otherwise the contrast will seem harsh.

Terra cotta is not a good choice for wood with orange tones, it will bring them out but they are so close in color your furniture will be lost in the color scheme. Yellow will not really enhance the wood though it will bring out the orange and yellow tones and underscore the overall warmth.

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