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What tile colors pair well with natural finish oak hardwood floors?

last year
last modified: last year

Looking for input on tile color. The red oak hardwood floors were just refinished in the house we bought. The color of the wood is now a beautiful light, and bright natural color with a matte finish. In the sunroom, the previous owners installed a slate tile and the contrast looks good, even though the tiles are only 12"x12".

We will be redoing the floors in the two bathrooms and the laundry room and I'd love some input on choosing porcelain tile.


What are some good color combinations to keep the house feeling light and warm? I will NOT be putting in any grey tile.






Comments (24)

  • last year

    Thanks, Diana. I neglected to mention the rest of the house is Pacific Northwest style with a Craftsman feel and lots of wood trim.

  • PRO
    last year

    This is a nice colour combination but I have no idea what your bathrooms and laundry room look like.

    For the large format, I suggest a 12 x 24 or 24 x 24 tile,



  • PRO
    last year
    last modified: last year

    I don't think that your style home precludes you from doing any of the bathrooms I posted. In fact, one of them is in an arts and crafts bungalow.

    Your floors are beautiful, btw. Such a good choice not doing gray!!!

  • last year

    Are you wanting only floor tile suggestions for bathroom and laundry room or do you want bathroom wall tiles as well? I think an oatmeal colored hex in the bathrooms would be nice flooring. I'd go with a slate colored floor that leans more blue-ish slate than grey in the laundry.


    Nothing about the home looks remotely craftsman style to me, but the pictures are helpful and your wood floors are beautiful.

  • PRO
    last year
    last modified: last year

    I love greens or blues with those floors......much depends showers, or tubs etc in these baths. Along with vanity finishes etc

    "Light and warm" will be quite a bit harder , especially in porcelain. You'll find a lot of them will read grayish....in the whites. Ivories or pale beige ? Mmmmm feels blah. Jmho









    Consider a large hex in a bath/ gorgeous with white!

    I'll admit I am sick of "spa blah" : )



    There are gorgeous mosaics.....





    I'd vote for a slate look in the laundry..and yes certainly could be great in a bath as well



    Below?? Reads MEH!! to me : ) and not very PNW EITHER?



  • PRO
    last year

    I agree about blues or greens with wood floors I like 12 x24 porcelain tile I usuallyuse it for bathroom floors and shower walls so make sure it is a color that works for you . I also do not see craftsman in that house , nice house though

  • last year

    Thanks everyone for your comments. There have been several previous owners and when each person did a renovation/update they did not take any of the other design styles into consideration. So, I am attempting to bring some cohesion/continuity.


    When I mentioned a Craftsman style I was referring to the new window & door casings added just before we purchased the house. When the crown moulding is wider that the side trim, is that not Craftsman? Should I be calling it something else?



  • PRO
    last year

    Your trim is a basic flat stock natural wood casing. Window trims almost always have the top part larger than the sides.

    Here is an example of a Craftsman living room--note the trim.

    Porter Street Living Room · More Info


    Sylva Leduc thanked Diana Bier Interiors, LLC
  • PRO
    last year

    And omg, the view from that window is amazing!!!

  • last year
    last modified: last year

    Thanks, Diana! We recently moved from the Southwest and that casing style where the top is wider & longer is not common.

  • PRO
    last year

    Don't get me started on southwest architecture :(

  • last year

    Such an amazing view! - love those green hex tiles that Jan posted

  • last year

    Your home’s views are stunning. And the wood trim and flooring is beautiful. I would lean into the views of nature…soft sage greens and blues. In tiles that look hand made. I like Sonoma Tile’s Pure line for a natural look. Their “Natural” tile is just the slightest bit ivory. I like the slate flooring installed by the previous owners…it fits the aesthetic of the home. But for bathrooms…love light but creamy.

  • PRO
    last year

    Charcoals go great with the pinks in the floor, and that's always a classic color combination. Pink, black, and gray, have gone well together forever!


  • last year
    last modified: last year

    If updating entire bathrooms: both tiles and wall color will have an effect (test lots) and to help tie in your flooring even more, consider a natural wood vanity.


    If only updating floor, it’s important to consider the wall/shower tiles and the overall style. If you would like suggestions, providing pictures will help.


    Laundry rooms usually have more flexibility and a pattern is a great way to add personality. Look for a combo that ties in well, especially if off kitchen.



    You only mentioned porcelain tiles; thought this link might be helpful re pros/cons.

    https://tooluxuries.com/tile-flooring-pros-and-cons/

  • PRO
    last year


    Natural oak pairs beautifully with shades of blue, green, and grey, blending the warmth of the wood with the cool tones of the colors.

  • last year
    last modified: last year

    Thank you everyone for all of your comments and suggestions.


    Some people commented on the view. The lake view is the central reason we bought the house. The view and the price. We bought it for the potential knowing we would start renovating immediately. We have to be out of the current condo we are renting by the end of this month. So, we need one working bathroom before we move in. I can work on the other projects if we have that one bathroom.


    Here is the listing for the house. https://bit.ly/SehomeRd


    If you look at the listing, you can see that neither of the bathrooms (nor the laundry) had ever been updated. Lots of yellow/orange oak and vinyl floorings. The rooms smelled old. In the first week of owning the property I demoed the smaller bathroom and gave away the vanity, and the toilet, tore out the vinyl flooring and removed the particle board subfloor.


    We have many projects, and we are on a tight schedule. The first project was to have the floors refinished. My tiler has been patiently waiting for the hardwood floors to be done so that he can get started. Refinishing the floors took longer than planned because of the off gassing from the finish used and we are nearly a week off of our original timeline. Yesterday was the first day we could get back in the house when the smell was not overpowering. Now that the hardwood floors are done and the finish has "cured", we can get going.


    Where we are located in the Pacific Northwest is a "design desert" with very few tile stores. They all offer Emser Tile and Surface Art as their primary tile selection.


    The light-colored tile from Enser Tile called Uptown Sugar Hill looked great on the sample board I'd gotten from one of the tile stores. I'd chosen Sugar Hill because that color looked the best next to floors before they were refinished. Sugar Hill also has many different size options, and I thought the tile would work well with the floors and the walls. Just to be sure, though, a couple of weeks ago I ordered a box of five 12"x24" tiles through Home Depot and they've been sitting in the garage for the past week. When I laid them yesterday, both the tiler and I said the color doesn't work now that the hardwood is so light. Sugar Hill has too much of a grey undertone.


    Since the condo where we are staying is literally on the border between US & Canada, today I am going to make a trip to Vancouver, BC. There are many tile stores with lots of options. Wish me luck!



  • last year
    last modified: last year

    Success! Florida Tile has large format tile called Lost River and their Cascade works great with the hardwood. It's the color of sandstone.

    Lost River - Stone Look Tile | Floor & Wall Tile | Florida Tile


  • last year
    last modified: last year

    For the small guest bathroom, I found a hex tile that is 10" x 11". It blends well with the Lost River Tile.


    That means, except for the slate-look flooring in the sunroom, the rest of the hard flooring will be monochromatic with warm tones.


  • PRO
    last year

    For a warm, inviting look that complements your light oak floors, consider incorporating mosaic art into your tile choices. A mosaic design can add a unique, artistic touch that enhances the natural beauty of your home. Our store offers a variety of mosaic options that could be the perfect addition to your bathrooms and laundry room. Visit us for inspiration and to explore how a custom mosaic can elevate your space!

  • last year

    Thank you everyone. I ended up finding a 10"x11" hex tile in a warm neutral. I plan to combine it with a dark blue floating vanity.





  • last year

    What will you use for the shower/tub surrounds in the bathrooms?

  • last year
    last modified: last year

    @dani_m08, great question!

    For the small bathroom, I am planning to replace the fiberglass tub/shower surround with a tub and wall tile. I'm in the process of deciding the tile for the walls.

    I had to change plans for the floating vanity after determining the studs were not in a great location for supporting the vanity, and because there is also a clean-out that would be visible. This is how I now envision the space to look with the vanity, toilet, mirror, wall color, etc. The tile is not to scale, of course.



    In the master bathroom, we are converting the old Jacuzzi tub/shower into a walk-in shower, and I'd like to use a large format tile for the floors. And possibly a 12"x24" for the shower walls.


    There are two tiles I particularly like.


    Florida Tile has a stone look tile in their Lost River line. The Cascade Beige looks like sandstone. It has a very light and warm feeling with minimal variation. Their large format is 24" x24". They also have a 12"x24" that I would use for the shower walls in a vertical stack pattern. I haven't decided on the tile for the niche. I'd like to put in a floating vanity to make the room look more spacious.



    Arizona Tile has a large format (24"x48") called Borgo. The Caldo color looks like cement in a warm cream/beige color. It also goes well with the oak hardwood. They, too, have a 12"x24" for the shower walls.



    For the shower walls, I do think the newer tile that looks like wood slats would be fun, but it may be too trendy.