Choosing wall colors for light wood floors can be overwhelming. You don’t want to choose the wrong color and clash with those beautiful hardwoods. So many factors can affect how the paint color will look. Lighting, paint undertone, tone of the wood floor, and more.
Should I choose a light or dark paint color for my walls?
Most home designers say that your wall should be lighter than your floors. That it will make your space look larger.
I believe you should use a wall color that makes you happy and gives your space a look and feel you want. There can be both light and dark paint colors that work with light wood flooring!
Are there paint colors that will clash with light wood flooring?
You want to try and avoid warm neutrals with yellow or brown undertones as they may clash with warmer light wood flooring. Whatever you decide, be sure to hold up the paint color with your flooring before making a choice.
Isn’t it safer to use a white wall color with light wood floors?
It is a safe choice to use a white paint color with your light wood floors. Although you want to ensure it doesn’t have a yellowish tone that would clash with your flooring. If you aren’t afraid to go bold, there are a few paint colors below that you will love.
Let’s take a look at these 12 popular wall colors for light wood floors and see how they really look in a room.
Popular Wall Paint Colors for Rooms with Light Wood Floors
Behr Chic Gray Paint
Gray was dubbed the "new" neutral paint color several or more years ago and it's easy to see why. It can literally go with anything.
We used Behr Chic Gray in our daughter's nursery. It has a LRV of 60, but in this room with lots of natural light the warm undertone pairs well with the light wood floor.
Behr Meteorological and Behr Falling Snow
When you want to give your wall a two toned paint treatment, picking the right color to go with your light wood flooring and with each other can be tricky.
We opted for Behr Falling Snow on the top. The LRV is 87 so we knew it would keep the room bright when paired with Behr Meteorological whose LRV is 14.
They are great color choices to use with light wood flooring.
Matcha Latte by Clare Paints
Clare Paint's Matcha Latte is an energizing color that is bold and really makes a statement.
The cool undertone of this wall paint color is a great complement to this light wood flooring that has a warm honey tone.
With an LRV of 24, it will absorb more light than it will reflect making it a surprisingly soothing color for the bedroom.
SW Mindful Gray
Another neutral gray that you will love as a wall color with light wood floors is Mindful Gray from Sherwin Williams.
With the perfect balance of cool and warm undertones combined, this gray is truly a neutral gray.
It is a great paint color for walls in rooms with light gray toned flooring. It won't pull any weird tones from the flooring so you keep your nice nuetral pallette.
SW Repose Gray
Repose Gray from Sherwin Williams is a warm gray that will look cool in different lighting situations.
When paired with light wood floors Repose Gray keeps it neutral. The gray, brown, and greige undertones of this color help to keep the lightwood flooring cool in tone for the perfect balance in your space.
(FYI SW Emerald paint in Rock Garden was used on the lower cabinets and Alabaster for the upper cabinets)
SW Tricorn Black
Tricorn Black from Sherwin Williams has grown in popularity and for good reason. This black color brings instant drama to a room.
When paired with light wood floors, it brings out the warm tones of the wood creating a cozy, welcoming space.
This neutral black color comes in on the LRV scale at 2.45. Because it has no strong undertones, it will pair well with any color.
BM Dove White
White Dove from Benjamin Moore is more than just a white paint color.
It's a creamy off-white with a gray undertone that keeps it from looking too yellow. You don't want a paint color that has a yellow tone to be on the walls in a room with light wood floors.
Dove White has an LRV of 85.38, it's high up on the scale as we would expect it to be and is the perfect neutral white to use with your light wood floors.
SW Tame Teal
Tame Teal from Sherwin Willams is fresh light blue color. Depending on the light in your space it could fall more teal than blue.
The LRV of Tame Teal is 73, so it's pretty high on the scale which is probably why it shows towards the light blue side in this bedroom with light wood floors.
BM Fading Twilight
Bring the drama to your rooms with light wood flooring when you paint your walls Fading Twilight from Benjamin Moore.
This dark red color has an LRV of 12.64 and can go from brick to violet depending on the lighting.
The balanced undertones of this paint color help to keep your light wood floor from pulling too warm, but not so much that your space feels cold.
SW Alabaster
Alabaster from Sherwin Williams is a warm, soft white with an LRV of 82.
This warm white color is more creamy than yellow making it a great choice to use as a wall paint color in rooms with light wood floors.
It will help to pull the warm tones from your flooring making your space cozy and inviting.
SW Useful Gray
Useful Gray from Sherwin Williams has a yellow-green undertone that looks great with natural wood like light wood flooring.
It has an LRV of 59, so it's a little over mid-range on the scale so it reflects a moderate amount of light.
This warm neutral gray color has beige undertones so you don't need to be afraid to paint your whole room in this color to go with your light wood flooring.
BM Cloud White
You usually can't go wrong with white as a wall paint color for rooms with light wood flooring. You won't be disappointed with Benjamin Moore's Cloud White.
The LRV of this white paint color is 87 so it's pretty high up on the scale. It's a warm white that will bring out the warm tones of your light wood flooring creating a warm and cozy space.
It can appear more creamy or yellowish when in close proximity to other true white colors.
Which of these wall colors for light wood floors is your favorite?
Let us know in the comments below!
