Cynthia Taylor-Luce I think the most important thing to know is what kind of office is this? Is it a home office? A commercial office? An office that's very serious and sedate? A fun, creative type of space? Are there members of the public coming in? How big it is? Is it one large room or a series of rooms?

My inclination is to repeat the colour of the brazilian cherry on the wall in one or more areas, so that the brazilian cherry "reads" more as decor than as wood. Then your mahogany furniture will look like a nice contrast.

The only problem with this approach is that the paint colour would be pretty energetic looking. Something like Pittsburgh Paints 229-7 GLOWING FIRELIGHT, for instance. Depending on the size of the office, it might be in a certain area only, such as an accent wall. It's so hard to give direction when I can't see the space!

A colour that could calm down this brazilian cherry is Benjamin Moore CHELSEA GRAY HC-168 along with SEA HAZE 2137-50. I might recommend a combination of these colours, but again I am definitely challenged by not knowing more about the office.

Can you post more of a description, as well as photos? What is the floor?

I've posted below an image of brazilian cherry with mahogany furniture, which I used as the basis for my colour selection. They may be unlike the woods that you have in your office, but it gave me a starting point.

Carolyn Albert-Kincl Design Cynthia always has such wonderful and original ideas! Well done! An alternate plan would be to nullify the influence of the cherry by painting it white or possibly black, depending greatly on the answers to those questions that Cynthia posed.
Carolyn Albert-Kincl, ASID

karen paul interiors Nancy, you need to post some pictures so we can see exactly what you are dealing with. Often times cherry and mahogany can be mixed, unless the cherry is very golden and the mahogany is more of a red purple. Even then, there can be possible solutions. Also you seem to be having a problem with modern vs traditional?

Cynthia Taylor-Luce I see that two of my favourite people have weighed in on the discussion! Great comments, ladies! Carolyn, why on earth didn't I say "paint the darn trim"? LOL But perhaps it's leased space and it's not permitted to touch the trim. Again, we are operating on guesses and assumptions, not real information.

Karen, I always learn from your comments too. Let's hope that Nancy returns and fills us in on the whole story.

Meanwhile, have a great day, my friends!

Cynthia