How to pick woods that work together

[SpookyMooky]

I'm trying to pick some wood flooring for our hallway. It's tiny, carpet gets grubby v quickly and we don't fancy tiles so I think it needs to be wood or wood effect. However we have quite a lot of dark brown/mahogany there already in doors, stair handrail and custom built shoe rack. I don't want to paint or replace them, it's loads of work (15 glass panels per door x several doors, and I love our turned sapele handrail). So how can I pick a wood floor that works with the dark wood, preferably without being so dark itself? I quite like what's there already, I just don't want the floor all to be that dark too.

I would really like to go for grey carpet for the stairs but I can't get that to work with the rich brown wood either, so I'm resigned to beige...

I think grey would be nice if you find the right shade, and you could have painted wood for the flooring which would tie in both elements - the wooden furniture etc with the grey in the carpet.

woods tend to be yellowish, reddish or brownish.

The ones you mention are reddish.

I would go for another wood in the reddish range.

Not pine, which is yellowish (and gets more so with age).

It is possible to use wood dyes, such as Colron, to tint bare wood BEFORE any oil, stain or varnish is applied.

How about a bleached effect oak or similar? You can still see the wood, it just has a much lighter look.

Tbo I would go with tiles or a tile effect with mahogany.

Something along these lines www.diy.com/departments/colours-rondo-dove-grey-solid-oak-flooring-sample/313775_BQ.prd

Thank you all, I'm really grateful for the replies. Piglet John you've crystallised something in my mind - in the flooring shops today almost everything was either yellowish (oak) or a very un-red, ashy kind of dark brown. Maybe it's just that I need something that's desperately unfashionable! (sounds about right :)). That is ever so helpful, thank you.

I do like that one mission, it could be lovely but I just can't see it with the brown we have. I could cave and start painting doors but it's easier to try to like what you already have!

...and mermaid, painted floor is a whole other angle I hadn't thought of. It would have to be uber-hard wearing.

Hm. I will look into red based greys.

Karndean comes in almost every sort of shade, and is perfect for a hallway?

Red based grey = taupe
A lighter floor can work with mahogany colours

Awesome. Thank you.

I had floors painted in the last house including the stairs. I lived there for 3 years and it looked immaculate when we were moving out (it was Farrow and Ball wood floor primer and paint). However, it's quite a different look so depends on your style really.
I'd say to get light wood as anything that looks a bit samey but different is going to look odd and mismatched.

Something like merbau might work? eg

I think this kind of grey goes with reddish wood. It has warmer undertones.

pale with reddish undertone - would this work?

I like this one but less sure it would work

Ugh. Tricky business, I definitely lack flair for this kind of thing. Thank you so much for your ideas, they are all helping.

Those both look yellow to me.

Ach, I have clearly spent too long overthinking about very nearly identical shades of brown Thanks carmenta.

It's difficult, I'm trying not to go too dark in such a dark hallway

The oak planks look lovely but if it's a small hallway then they might be a bit big (would suit a big room better). What style are you going for? Are you absolutely adamant about not having tiles? Might you paint the panelling to brighten the space up?

Sorry, just reread the original post. Perhaps the thinner plans that you linked? Just get a sample first to see if things work.

How do you feel about cork? www.wallsandfloors.co.uk/catrangetiles/natural-cork-tiles/iberian-cork/apollo-brown-4051/4913/ or www.wallsandfloors.co.uk/catrangetiles/natural-cork-tiles/iberian-cork/apollo-natural-4048/4910/

I know you said no tiles- but maybe something like this (or tile effect vinyl) www.wallsandfloors.co.uk/range/encaustic-tiles/?gclid=cj0keqjw4rbabrd_gfpa2-uqqrobeiqa58mndbt4l1qbjf2annubk53wywhw5srpu5ttdli7geq9vciaak9l8p8haq the terracotta colours would compliment the wood then you could pick out one of the other colours for the rest of the decor

Limed Oak looks nice (in photo) or there are lots of beautiful whites available in a luxury vinyl tile. I would probably go for a very subtle white marble effect.

Just popping in quickly to say: have you thought of Karndean/Amtico instead of actual wood? They are really accurate now, and much easier to maintain in a high traffic, potentially muddy area like a hall!

I think perhaps something cherry/rosewood might work for you?

Ooh Rosehips I love those encaustic tiles! This might be a gamechanger!

I'm not mad about cork for no reason I can put my finger on - maybe I just can't see past the 70s? Karndean I could live with but if wood effect still needs matching, and tile effect still looks like tiles. But those encaustic tiles are so pretty...!

DH will probably bring me back down to earth with a bump! Thank you for all these ideas. Just the fact that they are different gives me a bit more confidence that something will work.

You could also have tiles plus wood, depending on how the space works? It lets you have dark wood on the floor without it being too dark overall.

That's a good idea, carmenta. DH hates the busy tiles though so I'm back to plainer things.

So tempted to just bung carpet down for an easy life, but I know it'll look grubby very quickly.