The Best Wall Paint Colors To Go With Honey Oak

---

If you are surrounded by honey oak in your home, you are in the right place for design help!

Are you living in a home that is filled with outdated oak and it’s just not feeling like you?  Most of my clients that approach me with this problem are feeling a little stuck: they are awesome people that have great taste and style but for a whole bunch of reasons, they are having to create a beautiful home around the oak that exists there.  All they want is a house that makes them feel happy when they walk in the front door, oak and all, starting with the paint color.  Is that even possible?

I get it:  try searching online for ‘oak kitchen’ or ‘oak trim updates’ and the inspiration and advice is pretty dismal.  Standard advice is to either rip it out or paint over it.  This isn’t always practical or even what everyone wants.  The more a person searches, the worse you start to feel about your house.  Any photos you can find seem to be mostly really ugly and, well, depressing stock photos. All you want is a simple update, without a major renovation.  The good news is that yes, it is possible to do and I can show you how.  Paint is the easiest and least expensive things you can do in a home and the best part is that it is one of the biggest game changers.  Can you choose a gorgeous paint color that makes your home beautiful updated and lovely, without touching the oak?  Yes!

The Three Steps to tackle updating your oak (and one bonus step!)

I have helped clients to tackle this problem so many times and I can guide you through the process as well. There are 3 steps to navigating choosing the right paint color (and one bonus step), so let me help you to work through them!

1. Accept the great parts of the oak in your home (and there are some!)

2. Understand a bit about color theory

3. Take a look through all of these color suggestions and try a few out at home.

4. Bonus: I have an entire ebook on this topic, so consider buying the Living With Oak: 2021 Design & Style Guide to let me take you step-by-step through setting up a plan to updating more than just the paint in your home.

---

Step One: Why work with the oak?

There are some great things about oak in a home and though, yes, it can be painted over or replaced with MDF trim or a new white kitchen, there are a lot of reasons to leave it be and work with it!

Oak is a rock solid wood – it’s durable and practically bullet proof.

It’s warm – those warm tones are earthy and look great in a lot of spaces.

Oak is also ripe with wood grain that really stands out, even when painted, so it has a very natural, patterned look that never looks manufactured or ultra-modern.

Even if the only reason it’s staying put is because you don’t have the time, money or desire to replace it right now, it absolutely can look great in your home by surrounding it with a great wall color and surrounding it with things that are more in your taste – things like furniture, art, lighting, new hardware or updated counters will all help give a new look to the space and put all thoughts of ‘outdated oak’ right out of mind.

---

Step Two: Color Theory

When it comes to updating a house, you better believe the oak can absolutely be toned down & styled to look good with a fresh wall color.

There are two main ways of working with any existing element in a home: it can either be enhanced (used as a focal point) or downplayed (neutralized and camouflaged). What we are going to focus on is the idea that oak, which just boils down to an overwhelming amount of a yellow-orange color and lots of texture, needs the rest of the room to balance it out. It needs to be downplayed, neutralized and camouflaged.

To achieve this with paint, either we are going to create a harmonious palette that is similar to the oak, or we are going to create a contrasting palette that incorporates some opposite colors. Either way, we are going to pay attention to those subtle undertones so that the oak looks it’s best.

Here are the two directions to transform your honey oak trim, doors, or cabinets with wall color:

1. Neutralize it with a complimentary color

Oak can be neutralized a bit by using colors around it that are on the opposite side of the color wheel. So, for orange oaks, this means something with a purple or green tone. Does it have to be a loud, obvious purple or green? Nope! There are undertones to a lot of soft, neutral colors like warm greys and creams. Yes, the oak is going to stand out: it’s going to sit among a contrasting color like a piece of art sits in a mat and frame. That’s okay – let’s be honest, it exists, it is there and you can’t make it disappear, but you can trick the eye into feeling like what is there is a little less “loud oak” and a little more “neutral warm wood”. Think of a gorgeous redhead wearing a soft lavender top – beautiful. Redhead wearing a harsh yellow shirt? Not so flattering.

2. Blend and camouflage

If you surround the warm oak with another warm color, it’s going to blend in and look purposeful. A soft, warm neutral paint with orange or yellow undertones can make a space look harmonious and help the oak fade in a little. I would go with a natural, earthy color here, not anything too harsh. The look of warm oak is very natural and can sit very nicely with colors pulled from nature. Be careful not to choose anything too bland here as you do want your space to have some energy to it and avoid harsh black-greys as they generally just don’t work well.

---

Step Three: Color Suggestions for 2021

Color styles and trends are always evolving and while I believe that a foundation of good design is timeless, I thought you might like to see what paint colors I’m pairing with oak in 2021.

For a download of this cheat sheet complete with all the paint codes, take a look at my my free design resource library (link below!)

Get the 2021 curated collection of the best paints to pair with honey oak. Immediate, free download from True Design House. Interior design advice for the practical & down-to-earth. {{ true-design-house.com | #BenjaminMoore | #DesignHelp | #DIYStaging | #HomeAdvice | #HoneyOak | #OakFloors | Interior Design Tips | Home Design Help | The True Design House Best Paints With Honey Oak 2021

Looking for the still popular 2018 collection? It can also be found in the resource library!

---

Step Four: Bonus step!

There is so much to unpack about updating oak in a home (and yes, it’s totally possible!) and paint is only one aspect.

The problem with looking for design help online is that a lot of information is, well, a little sad.

If you are looking for real, inspirational, down-to-earth design advice about taking your home from wherever it’s at now to updated and stylish, maybe my ebook is just what you need to get started.

Check it out below and see if it’s a good fit!

---

---

2 Key First Steps to a Great Entryway

---

Creating a great entryway to your home is one of the most important places you can focus your attention when polishing up your home's interior design.  The foyer welcomes not only your guests but, more importantly, your family and yourself on a daily basis.  Walking into your own home and feeling warm and comfortable, maybe even, dare I say it, a little extra happy, is a wonderful thing.  It’s a gift to yourself and one that is both simple and rewarding.  It’s completely conceivable that you could have breakfast, spend an hour or two dreaming and planning, a bit of time gathering what you need, and have the entry completely transformed by lunch.

The key to a great entry is two-pronged:  the first element to master is function;

the second is creating a great feeling. 

---

Function:

Wrangle the things that normally pile up.  Be honest with yourself about what your entry normally looks like with the plan that later everything will find its place.  (Thank you Mary Poppins for that bit of wisdom.)    You could make use of a closet organizer, hooks, baskets, bowls, trays, or a table or wall shelf.    Try to imagine the flow of the ‘stuff’ that comes in and where you could put it that is both easy (since it's more likely to get used this way) and visually appealing (a space just feels better with less visual clutter, so tucking things into baskets and bowls or behind doors does help).

Feeling:

The second element is to think about how you want to feel when you walk through the door and to add elements that convey that feeling.  Think about meaningful pieces that you own, things that remind you of a time or place or person, that might go well in the entry.  Choose a color palette that makes you happy and add a few touches of that.  You don’t need to paint the entry in its entirety – it should flow well into the rest of the house and shouldn’t be cut off with color to look smaller than it (normally) is, so keeping the walls the same color as the room next to it makes sense. Adding color or texture works well in little touches in an entry – small art, accessories, or a rug.  If you are using pops of color, don't be afraid to go bold!

 

The entrance is a small area, usually without much build up of things or emotional baggage to sort through.   My hope is that you can easily apply these tips and transform a normally mundane and often chaotic space into something lovely!

---

Ready to love where you live?

Join 25 000 others for instant access to my library of free, practical, and down-to-earth interior design resources!

Looking to Pin for later?

Here you go!

10 Bite-Sized Tips to Style Your Bookcase in Under 30 Minutes

---

Bookshelves are like showcases, even when their purpose is solely functional.  They are often the largest visual ‘art’ in a room, so styling them with some thought can make a big impact.  There are absolutely no rules about what should go onto your shelves– display anything important, meaningful, or useful.  Don’t overlook items that might spark conversation or evoke a memory or feeling.   I challenge you to search around your house, do a little shopping if you need to, and then gather it all up into a pile on the floor.  Give the shelves a good cleaning and then start working your way through these tips.  Don’t forget to take some before and after pictures because you are about to amaze yourself!

The main goal here is Visual Harmony.  If you can eliminate visual clutter and do nothing else you will be very happy and I’m telling you, it’s going to feel good.  I’m going to help you take it to the next level, though, so let’s get started.

---

1.       Groupings

Similar objects look better together and have more visual weight.  You can group by type or color.  Create little clusters of collections.  If you have a lot of one type of thing, create several smaller groups.   A color grouping can look really cool, too – if you have several red items, see if layering them together would work.  Put them in a glass bowl or on a tray, maybe.  Much more visual impact this way, rather than scattering them all over the bookcase like lost little polka-dots.

2.       Bigger focal points

Have some bigger shapes (baskets, larger framed prints, a small mirror, stacks of same-colored books, larger object like a rock or ceramic piece.  These items will give pauses in the visual chaos of a busy bookcase.  Don’t overlook lighting – a great lamp can be the perfect addition to a bookcase, as well as soft art-lighting over framed art or photographs.

3.       Color

If you can, it can be stunning to have a cohesive color scheme.  I know this can be a challenge with a bookcase full of books or any assortment of other items that you need access to, but it is definitely possible.   Choose something and try to gather as much as you can in those colors – try a neutral palette, shades of one color, or just pops of a single color.  If your shelves are filled with chaotic book spines with no break, go for a white bookcase with lots of open space – the white will become your neutral frame around the chaos.

4.       Textures

Balance out small, busy textures like stacks of magazines or a glass bowl of rocks with larger scale textures like a smooth linen box or a print framed with a large white mat.  Think of balance and scale here – some big with some small.

5.       Visual planes

Eliminate visual noise of lots of small objects by putting them in a basket or turning them sideways.  Imagine shapes – a horizontal rectangle with an oval on top with some vertical rectangles beside (box with ceramic bowl on top, books stacked beside).

6.       Variety & white space

Break up the visual weight of wall-to-wall books by opening things up a bit - stacking sections on their sides, adding smaller objects on the stacks or on empty spaces , consider grouping the books by color – rather than a wall of ‘static’ you will see larger blocks of color which is much less busy.

7.       Balance

Think about the visual weight of the items on the shelves, the color and the shape (horizontal / vertical, round, square).  Take a good look from across the room.  Blur your eyes.  Look at the bookcase from left to right and top to bottom.  Are things balanced and spread out?  Staggering similar items in a triangle or zig-zag is a good starting point for balance.

8.       Layer

Stack and overlap some items.   This gives some depth and texture to the display. 

9.       Breathing room

Don’t cram things in too tightly if you can help it.  Giving some space around things gives them importance.  Setting your great-grandpa’s watch on a tray gives it some subconscious reverence.   Putting the key to your first house in a frame with a large white mat shows its importance.

10.      Background noise

The color of the shelving itself or adding a color or pattern to the backer board can completely change the feel of the room and affect the tone of the display.   If you are buying new shelving or are considering painting or enhancing your existing shelves, think of what you want to display and how you want the room to feel.  Dark wood can be solid and sophisticated and great for displaying a light-colored collection.  White will brighten up the entire space and make the shelves seem lighter and more open, a patterned or interesting colored backing can be the focus on a book-only shelf.  Wallpaper or fabric can be added to a backing as well – this would be better for shelves holding less busy items (like books, framed prints with large mats or pottery) since the background pattern would be the focus and smaller objects would probably be lost visually.  Keep in mind the shapes you are creating if you go for an interesting backing – be careful to have too much showing on some shelves and none on others, mind the openings and keep them balanced all over the shelf.

This is the basis of the process I use to help my interior design clients and I can’t wait to see what you do with it!  To help you out I’ve created a free printable checklist for these 10 steps to styling your bookcase!

---

Actionable Ways to Nail That Classic White Kitchen

In hot pursuit of a timeless look, white kitchens are very popular right now.  Rightly so, they are beautiful – clean, open, bright yet warm.  I am a huge fan.  However, there is more than white cabinetry to creating a classic kitchen, one that won’t soon need to be renovated to retain its dignity. 

Here are 5 things to consider when thinking about white for your kitchen – I hope they help you through your own process!

1.

The color white is a classic color for kitchen cabinetry.   Over every style in every decade, there have been beautiful, popular white kitchens.  White cabinets are very versatile and can be updated so much easier than a wood tone that is forever married to a decade (I will just whisper ‘honey oak, brass and dusty rose’ in your ear and you will go to a place you quickly want to return from).

2.

The key here is that simple and neutral choices in the more permanent areas will create a look that can be carried through decades.  Simple cabinetry.  Simple tile.  Neutral countertops.  Base lighting fixtures that are neutral and quiet, that blend in to the ceiling.   Like a beautiful backdrop for the elements that are going to give your kitchen big, amazing character.  (You know you are lusting after one of those beautiful orb chandeliers!)

3.

Add in some contrasting neutrals to make those cabinets stand out (flooring, rug, furniture) and layers of textures (tile pattern, window treatments, soft seating fabrics, centerpieces, accessories) and things are filling up beautifully.

4.

It’s also really important to think about the architecture and era of your home, especially if your home is historic and something you are going to be preserving.  Completing a kitchen that flows with the architectural details of the rest of the house is a beautiful and lasting thing.

5.

As for the things that are easy to replace or that are going to need to be replaced eventually anyway?  Go with what you love and don’t worry too much about it!  Paint color, appliances, pendant lighting over the island, even that faucet you are crazy about.  It’s not going to last 100 years anyway, right?  Here’s where to go all in.

So, does this mean that using white cabinetry will naturally create a timeless look?  I wish it was the entire answer, but it’s not.  Remember, it’s the details of a kitchen that will fade from fashion eventually and show its true age: the style of cabinets, the hardware, the backsplash tile, the sink and faucet, the appliances. Create a timeless foundation with the core elements (flooring, cabinetry, countertops) and it allows you to do something more trendy with the parts that are easier to change out over time (light fixtures, backsplash tile, hardware).

---

Ready to love where you live?

Join 25 000 others for instant access to my library of free, practical, and down-to-earth interior design resources!

Looking to Pin for later?

Here you go!

The Surprising Importance of Color in Winter - 3 Ways Your Paint Color Matters to Your Health

Right now in my circle of friends and in my client meetings there is something that has been coming up more and more often.  For those of us looking forward to months of winter there seems to be something on our mind: winter gloominess. Llately I’ve been asked a few times if doing something different to our homes can help offer some relief to the dark and gray of winter and the way it can make a person feel, which is: not good. (And the answer is a solid ‘hell yes!’)

Seasonal Affective Disorder is a sub-type of depression that burdens a whole lot of people who face long, dark, cold winters every year and the further a person lives from the equator the more prevalent it becomes.

In simple terms, here’s what happens:

Sunlight = serotonin = happy

Darkness = melatonin = sleepy and hungry

Shortened days + daylight saving adjustment = circadian rhythm thrown off = hormone production thrown off

 

What does SAD look like?

Symptoms can be ‘not fun’ and many people find they are just generally feeling ‘blah’ without really putting a finger on what exactly could be going on.   I’m (obviously) not a medical professional (pause for laughter) but if you are feeling any of these symptoms creeping into your life, maybe give some thought to Seasonal Affective Disorder.

Unusual sleep patterns

Extra hungry, especially for carbs

Weight gain

Lethargy

Withdrawal, craving solitude, general disinterest in regular life

Nervous, anxious, unable to concentrate

Taking action

So, the good news is that for a lot of people doing some small things can help in a major way (we’ll get to the one I know the most about in a minute because I’m an interior designer and not a doctor).   Get your google on with these common suggestions:

Light – sunlight or artificial light therapy

Exercising outdoors – exercise, fresh air and sunlight

See a professional – therapy in many forms can help, from acupuncture to talk therapy

 

Here’s where I come in

This is all so prevalent here that I take it quite seriously in my design work.  I always mention low light and the blue tone that bounces off the snow outside when clients and I are talking about paint colors.  It’s my duty.  I think I took an oath about this once. 

Statistics say that at least one member of every house where I am designing will suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder, not to mention it just plain feels better to have a home that feels warm, happy and cozy.  It’s a long, long winter, man.  If you don’t live this far north, in the vast prairies especially, you might not feel the same, but winters can be brutally hard on the psyche.  We have to stand up and fight back.  In a cheerful way.  Let’s have a group hug and sing O Canada.

So, what about the psychology of color?  What should you be thinking about when you are choosing wall colors for your frozen northern homestead?  Here are 3 things I try to cover when helping my clients.

---

The light that bounces off of snow is very blue.  In the depth of winter here it starts to get dark in late afternoon (4pm) and it stays dark until after breakfast the next day (8:30am).  (Let us have a moment of silence for those that live in that year after year.)  Imagine a very pale blue or grey transparency sheet over every swatch of paint you are looking at.  Be kind to yourself and go a touch warmer than you are first considering.  You can still maintain clear, crisp colors without looking muddy or yellowed if you just go a touch warmer.  Hold3 similar shades in a row and you will see clearly which one looks warmer (more yellow, red, or orange).

If you love a very pale color, consider going just one shade darker.  The richness will compensate for that pale light that comes through when it’s overcast yet still hold its color when the glaring sun is bouncing off the ice outside on the clear days.   So many people fall in love with that ‘just perfect’ shade of barely-there color only to be sadly disappointed when they paint their room and it looks washed out to a muddy white or grey.

Your home is an extension of the people that live there.   It is not the post office or a sad college dorm.  Live it up a little; go all in with something you love.  You can boldly use a color that makes you feel good and you can do it in a way that makes you and your family happy, without going overboard.  If you love hot pink, paint one wall in your powder room.  A block of bright pear green in the mudroom can look great.  The wall behind your king-sized headboard can be the boldest turquoise.  It is only paint and even if you never want to change the color itself, you are going to repaint eventually anyway.  Consider a crazy color a short term investment – be smart about where you use it and know that when the time comes it’s going to cost you $50 and take an afternoon to erase it and go in a whole new direction.  Totally worth it!

I hope that this has given you some helpful ideas for having a better winter in your home!  Here's to a cozy feeling inside when it's freezing and grey outside!

---

Ready to love where you live?

Join 25 000 others for instant access to my library of free, practical, and down-to-earth interior design resources!

Looking to Pin for later?

Here you go!