Love dark wood but unsure about paint colors? Explore a range of paint colors that go with dark wood trim, floors, furniture, cabinets and paneling.
My childhood home from home was my grandmother’s house, which I thought was desperately old-fashioned but still loved fiercely. Every time I step into a home with dark wood trim and floors,
I am taken back to summer vacations and hours of cookie baking. Wood trim can have a charming vintage air, but it can also look stunningly modern, depending on the palette you pair it with. Let’s look at the best paint colors that go with dark wood.
Sherwin-Williams’ best paint colors for dark wood are Alabaster, Lily, Portico, Iceberg, and Evergreen Fog. Benjamin Moore’s top shades are Blue Note, Gettysburg Grey, Normandy, Peale Greene, White Dove, and Lake House, while Farrow & Ball’s are Blue Ground, Pitch Black, Down Pipe, Pelt, and Cord.
Choosing the Perfect Paint Colors that Go Well With Dark Wood
Ebony, mahogany, walnut, rosewood, teak, and black cherry are the most common dark woods used in home construction, floors, and furniture.
Dark wood trim, floors, moldings, and furniture can feel hopelessly seventies. But updated, they lend your home a warmth and beauty that light Scandi-style woods can’t.
Decorating a home with rich, magnificent wood can be tricky, as dark wood can be a little overwhelming. The trick, of course, is preventing your home from feeling too dark by choosing the right shade for your walls.
Combining dark wood with colors that harmonize is easy if you follow my guide below. Here are the top paint brands’ best paint colors for dark wood.
Sherwin-Williams’ Best Paint Colors to Pair with Dark Wood
Sherwin-Williams’ vast range of magnificent paints is well-known. These paints have become a fan favorite for their lush colors, durability and ease of application.
Let’s look at Sherwin-Williams’ best paint colors for dark wood.
#1. Alabaster SW 7008
One of Sherwin-Williams’ best-sellers since its creation in 2016, Alabaster is a gorgeous white neutral that makes your dark wood pop. The combination of white and rich, dark wood is modern, minimalist, and bold.
When pairing white with dark wood, ensure you match the undertones. A cool blue undertone in your wood pairs well with a blue-toned white.
A warm-toned wood needs a white or cream with a yellow undertone — and Alabaster is the ideal choice.
#2. Lily SW 6693
For a warmer, sunnier feel, choose a pale yellow. This shade opens up a space, even if it is dimly lit or light-starved, as older homes can be (like my dear gran’s, which was mostly painted a shade of murky brown).
Yellow shines against dark trim or floor, allowing the wood finishes to stand out in relief, and bringing out the warm red tones of the wood.
#3. Portico SW 7548
Another paint color that harmonizes with dark wood is an earthy tan. Tan is a warm, brown-toned color that lends itself to a cozy, vintage feel if you’ve inherited gorgeous mahogany furniture.
Portico creates a Mediterranean feel with dark trim and floors. Accessorize with clay, terracotta, and plenty of houseplants.
#4. Iceberg SW 6798
Pale, cool blue-gray is a delicious foil for rich wood trim, especially if you like a heritage look. Choose an icy blue with cool undertones if you have deep, barely-black wood.
This combination is fresh and inviting in an entrance hall or hallway, but serene enough for an elegant bedroom.
#5. Evergreen Fog SW 9130
Natural combinations of green and brown are always successful. Be inspired by spring trees with a pairing of natural wood trim and a cool gray-green paint color.
This calm, organic look increases my ability to concentrate. So I’d recommend it for a teen’s bedroom, study, or home office.
Benjamin Moore’s Paint Colors that Complement Dark Wood
This much-loved paint brand is famed for quality and a stunning selection of paint colors. Here are Benjamin Moore’s best paint colors that go with dark wood, whether floors or ceilings.
#6. Blue Note 2129-30
Dramatic navy blue is sophisticated and elegant, creating a cocooning effect when paired with dark wood. You create low contrast with deep blue walls and dark wood tones, balancing the two intense shades.
#7. Gettysburg Gray HC-107
This lush greige has a slightly green undertone that offers a classic look against dark wood trim.
This versatile neutral lends itself to both heritage-style interiors and organic modern spaces. It helps the wood shine and reveals its natural beauty.
#8. Normandy 2129-40
This dramatic stormy sky blue has enough grey to tone well with darker woods like walnut and cherry.
Blue always works well with brown, making this an ideal combination for any room, particularly a bedroom.
#9. Peale Green HC-121
Forest green adds a fresh, natural touch to an interior with warm, glowing wood. This lush pairing can look modern and minimalist or create a British country-style interior — cottage-core at its finest.
#10. White Dove OC-17
There’s a reason white is the most popular paint color. It is timeless and elegant, complementing any interior style.
Create a dramatic contrast between your dark wood and the walls with Benjamin Moore’s classic best-seller.
White Dove has a slight warmth that prevents starkness and sterility in a monochrome scheme.
#11. Lake House 1175
One of this season’s revelations has been terracotta, an earthy pinkish brown that is lush, warm, and welcoming. Paired with antique wood, you can create an English cottage-core fantasy.
But this shade also makes me think of classic adobe homes, with their wooden beams and intimate interiors, inviting and timeless.
Farrow & Ball’s Best Wall Colors for Dark Wood
This classic English brand is perfect for vintage and retro interiors, which often feature beautiful dark wood. For your wooden interior, go for one of these historically inspired colors.
#12. Blue Ground No. 210
Warm, natural wood with a yellow undertone lends itself to jewel-toned walls, like a dusty turquoise. Blue Ground cools down the wood and adds vibrancy to your interiors.
Stick to pale blues for a tranquil coastal bedroom or add spicy shades for an eclectic look.
#13. Pitch Black No. 256
Combining ebony wood with black is ultra-moody and dramatic, the most extreme neutral. If you’re nervous about dark overwhelm, experiment with a statement wall and add accent colors.
Or immerse yourself in elegant darkness, with a cozy cocooned bedroom. Contrary to design assumptions, dark wood floors flatter dark walls. Pale floors and black walls can read a little cheap.
#14. Down Pipe No. 26
This deep, intense lead gray has a gorgeous blue undertone that pairs well with wood finishes and furnishing.
I love this color for an uber-modern bathroom. Down Pipe refers to the original color of guttering and outdoor plumbing, making it most appropriate.
#15. Pelt No. 254
Create a retro paradise by pairing lush dark woods with a deep, regal purple. This combination is luxurious and magnificent, especially with dark wood floors.
#16. Cord No. 16
A rich, earthy beige works beautifully with dark wood floors, and is ideal for nostalgic or vintage homes. The color creates lightness and sunniness, as beige has a yellow undertone.
Final Thoughts
Dark wood furniture, beams, trim, or floors are elegant additions to a home and require careful pairing with wall paint colors. For high contrast, look at paler, softer colors, like white, beige, or terracotta pink. Dark and dramatic colors balance these deeper wood tones, creating a warm and comfortable ambiance.
Related Paint Color Resources:
- 12 Paint Colors that Go with Honey Oak Wood
- Top 12 Paint Colors that Go Well with Gray Floors
- Top 12 Paint Colors that Pair Well with Cherry Wood
- 13 Paint Colors that Go Well with Red Brick
- Top 18 Paint Colors that Go with Brown Tile Floors
