Dark or light floor? Which one to choose, and what color of walls, doors and furniture to combine with?

There are currently battles going on among interior designers over flooring preferences. Some believe that the most obvious trend of the last decade is light-colored floors, sending dark floor coverings into oblivion. Their opponents focus on the shortcomings of light-colored floors and call dark floors a living classic, which is not afraid of any fluctuations of fickle fashion.

Dark floor

It should be noted right away that a dark floor is considered not only brown or black, but also dark shades of other colors.

The dark color of the flooring brings a feeling of warmth and comfort to the interior, but at the same time visually it noticeably conceals the space. Therefore, it is more logical to use dark floors in large rooms, adding glass and metal objects to them. When choosing, you need to remember that balance must be maintained: dark floor – light walls, otherwise the room will instantly turn into a gloomy dungeon.

Features of use

• Dark surfaces (except black) get dirty less and are more practical. But they also need regular care.
• The combination of “dark floor – light furniture” is considered common, but a number of designers recommend choosing objects that are only a few tones lighter than it for a dark floor.
• If such an interior seems gloomy to someone, creating a painful atmosphere, then these people can use the well-known design maneuver: combining a dark floor and light walls in the interior. Furniture in this case can be of any color, because such an interior is characterized by “omnivorousness”.

Advantages

• Many dark shades have a positive effect on a person’s well-being, they are calming and do not cause irritation. It has been noted that a light kitchen with a dark floor even helps to digest food better.
• The dark floor adds seriousness and solidity to the interior.
• It averages out the proportions of oversized accessories.

Flaws

• It is better not to make a dark floor in a room where there is not enough natural light, but, on the other hand, if the sun's rays directly hit the floor, they will highlight the slightest defects in the coating, and even a small amount of dust on its surface will immediately become noticeable.
• On a dark glossy finish, all the stains from washing the floor will be clearly visible. Therefore, after washing such a floor will have to be additionally polished.
• Dark varnish is very easy to scratch, and all the smallest scratches will immediately become visible.

Photo of a dark floor in the interior:

Choosing a dark floor shade

The final effect greatly depends on the correct selection of color tone, which can be understood by comparing a dark floor and light doors.

• Shades of chocolate will make the interior expensive and cozy due to their warmth.
• Thanks to the black color, the home will acquire a modern individuality and even extravagance.
• Somewhat aloof dark gray tones will make the atmosphere cooler.

Types of colors

First of all, it should be noted that it is best to select the pattern and color of the floor based on personal preferences. The fact is that, in this way, you can achieve the maximum effect for a specific person.

At the same time, to check such a combination as a light floor, dark baseboard or similar, it is best to use a special program that will allow you to obtain a graphic image of the future interior of the room.

Dark floor

• Dark surfaces are less easily soiled and are therefore considered more practical. However, this does not mean that they do not require constant care.
• Usually a dark floor and light furniture are combined, but some craftsmen prefer to choose interior items with a difference of just a few tones.
• It is worth noting that colors of this type look good in bedrooms, bathrooms and even in the kitchen.

Dark surfaces are less easily soiled and are therefore considered more practical. However, this does not mean that they do not require constant care.

• If it seems that such a room interior is gloomy or creates a harmful atmosphere, then you can use the simplest design solution. To do this, combine light walls and dark floors. At the same time, furniture can be used in any color, since anything will fit into such an interior.
• The fact that dark surfaces have a positive effect on human well-being deserves special attention. They do not cause irritation and promote calm. It is also noted that a light kitchen and a dark floor contribute to better absorption of food.

• It is important to remember that the term dark refers to any color of certain shades, and not black or brown.

Advice! When choosing a specific color, you need to consider its combination with other interior elements. Therefore, it is worth making an initial project on which the furniture arrangement will be displayed.

Light floor

• First of all, we need to dispel the myth that such colors are a mark and require constant care. In fact, when deciding which floor is better, dark or light, you should understand that this surface must be cleaned periodically, regardless of its color, which means it will be clean. At the same time, it is worth paying attention to the quality of the protective layer, since it is this layer that protects against dirt and dust getting on it.
• Typically, light floors and dark furniture are installed in the living room. Such surface shades create additional volume, making the room visually larger and more spacious. Considering this effect, many in small rooms.

• It is worth noting that bright and white colors may cause a feeling of discomfort for some people. That is why light floors and dark walls are most often combined.
• It must be remembered that white or beige floors require very careful selection of furniture. Otherwise, they lose their merits and turn into a mediocre coating.
• When decorating rooms such as the kitchen, such floors are used quite often. They allow you to use various interior items, highlighting them against the general background. Therefore, a dark kitchen and a light floor are distinguished by the contrast and brightness of the shapes of individual elements.
• When making such surfaces, special attention should be paid to small details. The fact is that thanks to them you can give the room additional contrast. For example, a light floor and a dark baseboard will look good in any interior.

Advice! Typically, these surfaces are not made monochromatic. Such floors are diluted with various patterns and designs. A perfectly smooth and white floor can cause discomfort.

• Typically, light furniture and dark flooring are used to highlight individual interior items, making them stand out against the general background. Such solutions will look great in the bedroom or kitchen.
• Whatever the shades of the surface, they will look natural and fit into the environment if natural material is used to create the coating. Its price is usually higher than that of other components, but the achieved effect is worth the money spent.

• Sometimes the issue of choosing colors can be solved by combining different shades and even materials
  . This method is often used by designers to visually delimit space.
• In order to have an idea of ​​the appearance of the room, it is worth using
  special-purpose computer programs or sketches.

• The standard interior – dark floor and light walls, will always be relevant
  and is perfect for decorating any room.
• The use of matte and glossy surfaces gives completely different effects.
  .
• If you choose skirting boards that are several shades lighter or darker than the floor, you can highlight the interior elements.
• If you don’t have the ability to create your own design, then you can use ready-made solutions or bring to life any photo you like. However, it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of a specific area and the personal wishes of the apartment owners.

Light floor

Compared to dark coatings, light ones are considered more versatile and can fit perfectly into a wide variety of interior styles. Such a floor can easily be combined with elements that have a calm color scheme, for example, if a baseboard that is lighter or darker than the floor is used. But bright objects fade significantly against their background. If dark furniture is purchased for a room, then it should be elegant, with smooth, thin lines.

Peculiarities

• When arguing about which floor is more practical, light or dark, the argument that light floors are too dirty is often used, which is far from the truth. To keep your home clean, you need to regularly clean surfaces of any color. Here, the quality of the protective layer is of greater importance, which protects the floor covering from deep penetration of dust and dirt, and then even a photo of a combination of a light floor and dark doors will delight anyone.
• Visually, a light floor will add volume to the room and make it much lighter.
• For some people, white and other too bright colors often cause discomfort. A solution to this problem can be a combination of a light floor with fairly dark walls.
• Light-colored floors in kitchens are quite common. Any interior items will stand out well against its background. The contrast of a light floor and dark kitchen walls can be softened by bright lighting of the work area and an abundance of shiny metal surfaces.
• When decorating a light-colored floor, special attention should be paid to the baseboards. For example, the combination “light floor – dark baseboard” can give the interior the necessary contrast and will be appropriate for any style. Most often, the floor surface is not monochromatic, but is diluted with low-contrast patterns, since an ideal white floor will look boring and cause discomfort.

Advantages

• Most often, dark doors and light floors in the interior can be seen in photos of living rooms, where there is also dark furniture. Thanks to this, the appearance of additional space is created, the room seems to be expanding. Keeping this property in mind, designers often recommend practicing similar solutions in miniature rooms.
• A light floor not only improves interior design, but also has a functional advantage, increasing the illumination of the room.
• It has long been known that if a room faces north and cannot boast of large dimensions, then light walls, light furniture, and a dark floor become almost the only practical solution for it.

Flaws

• It is important not to forget that for beige or white floors it is necessary to select pieces of furniture very carefully, otherwise they will lose their advantages and become the most trivial, unremarkable coverings.
• You can talk as much as you like about the fashionability and stylishness of light-colored floors, but it’s still difficult to call them respectable. You can even make the covering out of a beautiful gray laminate, but it won’t look as expensive as wenge or other dark wood, which can cost significantly less.
• The appearance of unwanted shades. Even if you look for a material with a certain shade, then after flooring, being in a specific environment, under a certain lighting angle, this same material can noticeably change its tone. Dark pieces of furniture will make it darker, and light ones, in combination with direct sunlight, on the contrary, will unnecessarily lighten it. As a result, the shade chosen for so long and meticulously will turn into something unimaginable, even almost yellow.

Photos of light floors in the interior:

Rules for choosing colors for floors, walls, furniture and ceilings

So, we figured out which color goes with which. Next, we will dwell on the objects that are present in each room, and we will understand the principles of using certain shades.

There are several unspoken rules that should be considered when choosing a color scheme for the floor.

1. Increases space.
2. It is a reflective fabric.
3. Can be used with a light shade of walls.
4. Suitable for bedroom, bathroom, toilet, living room

1. Combines with light walls, ceilings, and dark ones. But it should be at least 1 tone darker.
2. Suitable for any room.
3. Bright accents look good against its background, provided there is good lighting.
4. Doesn't go well with a dark door.

Walls

The walls can be made in absolutely any color. Depending on the purpose of the room used, it can be active, passive or neutral.

Active colors are an accent. They are combined either with the opposite bright color, or with a less bright, calm color.

A popular solution is walls in pastel colors. They play the role of background to the main view of the room. In this case, you can use any floor, furniture, ceiling. Since this is a universal option.

Ceiling

The ceiling is most often chosen in white or light shades. Since it is a universal color and can be combined with any furniture, ceiling, floor. Can be matte or glossy. If you want to add contrasts, it is better to add a rich color to the walls or interior items. Can be used in any room.

Rules for interior combinations of dark and light floors

• A light ceiling + light walls + dark floor of the bathroom will make it visually larger.

• A dark ceiling + light walls + dark floor will reduce the height of the room, but make it wider.

• Light ceiling + dark walls + light floor draw attention to the horizontal lines in the interior.

• A light ceiling + a light wall (opposite from the entrance) + a light floor makes the room narrower, but the ceiling seems higher.

• Light ceiling + light walls + light floor in combination with a dark back wall visually makes the room less deep.

• A light ceiling + dark walls + dark floor can create a mysterious and slightly gloomy atmosphere of a dungeon.

• Dark ceiling + dark side walls + light back wall + light floor visually evoke the effect of being in an endless tunnel.

• If the entire room has the same dark color, then it is pointless to talk about its shape, it is simply lost.

How to combine the color of doors and floors?

There are several combination options.

Color Match

It is the most expedient and win-win option, allowing you to create the illusion of unifying space in a room. For example, with the same combination of light-colored door panels and floors, you can visually increase the area of ​​a small room, making it much freer and more spacious. However, in this single-color combination, it would be a good idea to play with different textures.

The photo shows a bathroom and a gray door that matches the color of the tiled floor.

Shades of the same color

This solution undoubtedly evokes a complete feeling of harmony and is quite simple, but at the same time very elegant. By combining the main color and its shade, you can get both quite dark and light and pastel combinations.

The photo shows a living room interior with a monochrome color combination of door panels and floors.

Complementary combination

The combination of opposite colors immediately catches the eye and gives the whole environment some dynamics. A contrasting combination of dark shades creates the effect of reducing space, so for small rooms you should choose calmer colors, for example, blue and peach or pink and light green.

The photo shows a complementary combination of a blue door structure and a light beige floor in the living room interior.

Correct combinations of flooring with other interior elements

If the room has light walls and floors, then it creates a feeling of lightness and spaciousness, but an excess of light colors can cause a feeling of cold officialdom, so it is more rational to adjust this situation to the “light floor - dark doors” interior.

Black or dark brown furniture harmonizes perfectly with light wood floors. Since light colors can actually make a dark room appear lighter, this technique is very often used for rooms with insufficient natural light. However, another effect needs to be taken into account here - the lighter the room, the cooler it seems, so you need to find the right balance, for example, using a combination of dark floors and light doors.

For dark floors, you can choose successful combinations not only with light, but also with dark walls. But still, you shouldn’t make the walls completely snow-white, but it’s better to choose a cream shade or ivory color. Dark colors should not prevail, otherwise the room will become too gloomy. But bright accents that will invigorate the atmosphere will be appropriate.

It is best for the furniture to be a couple of shades lighter or darker than the floor surface. If the colors of the floor and furniture exactly match, then it is advisable to separate them with a contrasting color carpet - this is how a light living room with a dark floor is often decorated.

If the floor is given a bright color, then it is better to give the walls warm or neutral shades, but you cannot use more than two different tones at the same time.

From what has been said, it becomes clear that there are a lot of options for decorating interiors with floors of dark and light colors - there is room to show your imagination.

Flooring color

When choosing a dark floor, you will need to decide on the shade. There are many tones of flooring today. Of course, a lot depends on the taste of the apartment owner, but various nuances should also be taken into account in order to achieve harmony in the interior:

• Black. You can choose this flooring if you want to make the interior of your bedroom or living room more solid. Black will “dilute” an interior decorated in white; it will make it more interesting. This floor is suitable for colored walls, beige, brown, golden wallpaper. Light doors and white or black baseboards go well with black flooring.

• Grey. This is a fairly neutral shade for the floor. You can choose a ceiling of the same color. Such floor coverings are suitable for loft, country, and marine styles.
• Brown. This color creates comfort in the room. Most often it is chosen for living rooms and bedrooms, but it can be suitable for any room. This is an ideal option for a rustic style chalet.
• Blue. This color is calming. Such floors are found quite often. Blue flooring is suitable for a room with a black or white door.
• Green. The grass-like floor is an accent and attracts the eye. For this reason, it is better to furnish a room with green flooring with fairly neutral furniture that will not draw attention to itself.

READ MORE: Tarkett linoleum - pros and cons

The relationship between floor color and interior style

Dark floors do not suit all interior styles:

• For example, shabby chic generally requires the lightest possible floor made of bleached wood.
• On the other hand, an overly light or overly dark floor covering will not go well with classical styles (antique, baroque or rococo). In these interiors, a dark floor made of valuable wood would be much more appropriate.
• However, classical styles are too complex and expensive, and also less functional, so for today’s residential interiors, in the vast majority of cases, modern styles that are close in spirit to the surrounding life are chosen.

Floor color and lighting

When making the final choice in favor of a light or dark floor, one should not lose sight of the nature of the general lighting of the room:

If the boards are located perpendicular to the incident light, they will appear brighter, and if they are located in the opposite direction, they will appear darker.

In general, the floor should be laid along the direction of the incident light, in which case the fastening of the panels will become less noticeable. In addition, it is necessary to take into account that the color of the floor covering under artificial lighting can change noticeably, so during the day and in the evening the appearance of the interior can change greatly.

In addition, the floor will be laid for decades to come, so when choosing a material for it, you need to be very careful, paying attention to its quality.

Are the floors in your home dark or light, and why? Explain your choice in the comments - your opinion and experience are important to us.

Photos of stylish color combinations

Several interesting photographic examples.

Light doors and dark floors

This color contrast always looks especially luxurious and makes the interior chic and respectable. The dark floor covering evokes a feeling of strength and reliability, and the light door structures add freedom and spaciousness to this composition.

A floor made of dark or elite mahogany, tinted parquet, wenge-colored laminate or other materials gives the room a more presentable and luxurious look.

The photo shows the hall and beige interior doors in combination with dark brown linoleum.