We're about to renovate an old 1919 cottage with dark jarrah floor boards. I'm confused what goes with it (beacuse of the red tones). And is it ok to mix wood or do I have to stick to jarrah furniture?? Thank you... x
It depends on what you want the feel of the cottage to be. Jarrah furniture would be nice but you would need to paint your walls in a light colour to lift the room. You can mix woods if you want. I would suggest you borrow a chair from friends or family to see how a different wood would look. Just remember an old cottage like yours would not have had of heavy expensive furniture, just have fun and see where it leads.
We have jarrah floors throughout our 50s house. We have a mix of styles; chrome & laminex kitchen setting & stainless steel kitchen, both reflect beautifully in the jarrah floors. Living area has club chairs with jarrah feet and chrome trim, very deco! We also have a mix of chrome & bakelite smoker's tables (the small round ones where the ashtray circles the table). We have added a few pieces in dark wood, some from the 20s and some repro but they are a bit dark for the jarrah. We also have some light 50s timber furniture and they look good with the darker floors. I agree with ellenryan057 to keep paint colours light, we have a light terracotta/ochre colour but cream or white works well. We added an azure blue door leading outside to the jarrah deck and it looks fantastic against the reddish jarrah. The main thing is to keep rooms uncluttered so you can see a lot of floor - furniture with legs rather than down to the floor (make sure you can get a vacuum & mop under it).
You can definitely combine different timbers in your scheme. Furnishings will tie into your floors as a material rather than a tone, although the red tone in jarrah is quite dominant, it would be a mistake to ignore that. I would opt for warm pigments and colour notes, but not so light on the walls that you emphasize the red by contrast! Without knowing your stele in furnishings, interior directions, I am making suggestions on rooms I have seen or created that do work in this scenario. You will take from it what is relevant. I have seen a rich wine colour, which does look fantastic with timber furniture, it creates a moody ambience which is rich and has a sophistication to it. Lighting is key to creating a successful look with rich tones. This deep rich plum shade can be used for modern, traditional or specific interiors, like provincial or deco quite easily. Have you read pantones colour of 2015 is Marsala. Is a crimson shade, so you can be right on trend too. I suggest keeping your trims white to really crisp up the architectural details, ensure your ceiling are Matt white to absorb light and introduce texture to soften the look. Jarrah an look very formal, so if you have a glossy finish, bring in elements that counteract or contribute that same shine, as in metaliics or mirrors etc. Textiles in plush textures like tactile fibres layering pillows featuring cashmeres or velvets will add to the luxe and keep it comfortable too.
We have a 1960's house with jarrah floorboards. We do have a mix of Jarrah furniture, recycled boat timbers and even pine. I love the mix of colours but it all depends of what 'look' you prefer. Even if all your furniture was jarrah it can still work if you add in light and/or bright materials/objects. Marble, brass, copper and leather all look so contemplative with jarrah as well as cream based white paints. Hooray for jarrah, such a glorious timber!
ellenryan057
harryinahurry
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