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Cherry Floors --Need wall color help please!!

H K
9 years ago
I need help with finding a wall color for the new home we purchased. It's a center townhouse so lighting is only through the kitchen and back of the living room and they are Brazilian Cherry floors. I wouldn't mind a teal or maroon but don't want to go too dark! If you know of an actual paint color and who makes it. Thank you in advance for all your help!!!!

Comments (79)

  • bpfdkf
    9 years ago
    TRY LOTS MORE LIGHTING.. ON WALLS, CEILING AND OF COURSE AROUND FURNITURE...
  • nicolelovesdesign
    9 years ago
    Your floors are beautiful...but also very dark. Teal walls will darken your place even more so:(

    Please try the suggestions below and see mood board attached!

    * Stick with creamy almost white walls
    * Medium to light neutral color furniture (to brighten back up the space)
    * Teal accents chairs(s) or a large lounge chair
    * Mix of patterned pillows in teal, & marigold
    * Curtains with a busy pattern that has all the colors in the room....cherry, terra-cotta, teal, marigold, off-white!!!

    Best of luck!
  • polarity
    9 years ago

    A few suggestions for you:

    -Go with a creamy white and bring saturated color in via furniture/rugs/pillows.

    -Go with BM Rockport Gray (a lovely gray that makes wood look fantastic next to it)

    -Go with a pale blue-green like Valspar's "Clothesline Fresh"

    -Go all out and put BM's Dark Harbor on one wall or more. It's a deep, DARK, saturated peacock green and it's glorious. Or, do a pinterest search for "peacock blue walls" and see if you like what you see-- a deep teal like this as an accent wall is very trendy right now, and would look very good with your floor and a lot of neutral and black accents.


  • proaspen
    9 years ago

    We moved from the State of Georgia to Michigan when we retired. Don't laugh now. The beaches on the western side of Michigan on Lake Michigan are gorgeous and we love the seasons. Deep south to hot and humid for us. In building our single family condo we chose the tried and true color we had in Georgia. Sherwin Williams - Jersey Cream. It looks beautiful in north, south, east and west facing rooms. Here in Michigan many home owners have chosen beige or gray or darker blues. Sherwin Williams - Jersery Cream is not bright yellow. Please check this color out. You will not be disappointed.

  • wl606
    9 years ago

    A very soft blue-green. I did that in our last home with cherry-stained floors and it went nicely.


  • Margo Wortham
    9 years ago
    Keep it simple. All of the ivory/cream/tan/white paint colors have different undertones. You need to discover whether you want to go to the yellow side or the blue side etc. We get our fav paint samples and pin them up on the walls for at least a week. The light makes a difference over a 24 hour period as to what a color will look like. So we sometimes even buy a small amount of the paint we think we want and paint a strip of it in several places around the room. Live with it for a week and we know whether or not that is the paint we will love to live with. Good luck, your home is beautiful.
  • mrsgibb
    9 years ago
    I love textiles for color palettes. Find a yard of fabric that has colors you are drawn to. Look at it in your room, night and daylight will show you the mood you'll be living with. Then select the color for your wall from that fabric. And keep the yardage for a pillow or two.
  • hollywaterfall
    9 years ago

    I agree that a maroon or teal whole wall will darken the room. Accents are best but...what about a salmon/peachy kind of color? There is a Benjamin Moore website page where you can "try out" colors in your rooms. Here is the link using a coral/pumpkin color. http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/for-your-home/personal-color-viewer?action=category&page=/en-us/photos/living-room

  • Cheryl Barr
    9 years ago
    I've found Benjamin Moore's 'Revere Pewter' to be the answer to just about everything ! :-) . An amazingly versatile and successful color in a wide variety of settings/schemes.
  • lfilly
    9 years ago
    I have walnut floors thru out my first floor. In the kitchen I used a beige color with a gold undertone in the hearth room a sage green. It flows beautifully
  • lfilly
    9 years ago
    I also painted the ceiling same color
  • jalarse
    9 years ago
    I as well have Brazilian Cherry floors. I went with two Behr colors. Saffron strands and Fireside.
  • Davis Haynes
    9 years ago

    Beautiful floors! I would suggest gray, a light dove gray. Gray is the new beige neutral and it adds something beige can't: Sophistication! Then add teal on one wall or as other have suggested, teal accents with pillows, décor & accessories. Good luck!

  • Patricia
    9 years ago
    Light green, blue, or blue-green. It goes very well with my cherry furniture, a lovely contrast that brings out each color.
  • B Rymer
    9 years ago
    Ponytail by Pittsburgh Paint. It's has just a hint of golden that goes with any other color accents you may use and makes a room warm and inviting. I have compliments all the time and three other people have used it in their homes with a wide range of other colors i.e. robin's egg blue, maroon, forest green…it worked well with all those.
  • michallex
    9 years ago

    What about Wales Grey 1585 by Benjamin Moore, goes beautifully with white trim.

  • Yvonne Gray
    9 years ago

    I have Brazilian cherry floors...I went with a color called Torch Light SW6374...it looks like a mustard yellow color. I think it's beautiful!

  • Amanda Roderick
    9 years ago
    I found a website called myperfectcolor.com which cross-references various brands of paints. I once had a jade bedroom (similar to teal), attached are two Internet photos that remind me of that.
  • Jeff Van Pelt
    9 years ago
    a maroon would be pretty for your most Focused wall... a color that I have in mind for the rest "seems" dark, but actually expands the room and would be lighter than and accentuate your floor. "Buffalo Bill," semigloss , by Dutchboy. Trim in Navajo White, gloss around the floor and windows... dreamy..
  • Mamajo
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    we installed a bamboo flooring similar to your cherry... used http://www.myperfectcolor.com/en/color/101432_Valspar-SR508-Sunwashed-Pink

    it was PERFECT. Not really a pink, more of a soft peach blush.. we too have limited sun, used it front door hallway to back living room sliding glass doors...it is warm, bright, and really makes it an inviting space hope this helps...

  • Mamajo
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    showing you the color in different lighting, and our kitty Peng hanging out on the bannister... we used high gloss white for the trims, and baseboards... satin white for the ceilings...

  • devo6655
    9 years ago

    I live in a house with all wood trim (old Douglas fir - very similar to cherry) on the doors, door frames, baseboards, windows frames, and floors. I painted many of my walls in a sage or fresh green tone, and have always loved the look. If you prefer to shy away from colour, use an off-white such as BM's cloud white. Its beautiful as well. I often use the designers at the BM store to assist when I am trying out a new colour. I take a sample of a major item (or a good photo can help too) and ask the designer what they suggest. They're happy to sell you some paint. You can also get $5 samples to paint one wall or wall board with the colour to test it out in a variety of light, through the day.


    One more note, colours differ based on the sort of light you have. I once used a fantastic green in a home in one city. When I moved 3000 miles away I used the same colour since I liked it so much. As soon as the paint dried I realized it wasn't good for the light in this other home. Therefore, its hard to take recommendations from someone in a city different that yours. Good luck!


  • Cindy Crawford
    9 years ago
    I'm a designer and I would try Sherwin Williams quietude for a soft grey green blue. will look wonderful with the floor and cabinets. Keep your furniture neutral, its a more expensive investment than paint. Light taupe, grey, tan, cream even a classic tweed all work.
  • mtexasrn
    9 years ago
    Color
  • PRO
    Loribeth Clark
    9 years ago

    It's very hard to suggest wall colors when the room is empty. From a practical standpoint, it seems to make sense, because the room is empty and nothing is in the way. However, the best way to choose a wall color is to coordinate it with your furnishings.

    I wouldn't recommend maroon for your room. It's too dark for a room without a lot of natural light. Teal in a lighter shade would work; however, then you're in the position of trying to match your furnishings to your wall color.

    One of my go-to colors when I specify for clients is Manchester Tan HC-81 Benjamin Moore.

  • Margo Wortham
    9 years ago

    my personal opinion on the grey, we bought an existing home with the location of our dreams. The seller had "remodeled/updated" a bit so that he could resell the home for a profit, which he made a handsome profit when we purchased. His "remodeling" ideas worked in that everything at eye level looked updated and he painted the walls the new grey. We made a full price offer the first day. Location is everything for us. After one month we became tired of the grey and are at this time planning to repaint the entire house with the white tones such as Dove White and Marshmallow trims and the walls some lovely beige/tan, not camel. Our furniture is neutral, our colors are easily changed in our accent pieces and we love the way our wood pieces really pop in the mostly neutral environment. The grey subdues the wood which for us is not what we want.

  • rosiegabby
    9 years ago
    I installed cherry floors and knew it was a mistake almost instantly. Blues, greens, grays and whites/neutrals work with cherry. I have yellows on the walls now. This was another "knew it in a instant" mistake. The warm walls and warm floor are too much of the same. This is just my taste. Others love cherry.
  • rosiegabby
    9 years ago
    Your floors are much nicer looking than mine. I might even like cherry if I had your floors. However, I'm too tired of what I have to try it again.
  • rosiegabby
    9 years ago
    Our floors and walls. Sherwin Williams Ivorie.
  • rosiegabby
    9 years ago
    I also want to add-

    Our house is like yours. It is dark due to little natural light. The dark floors exacerbate the problem. When using artificial light that is yellow (incandescent) the floors become redder. The red floor and yellow walls seem to reflect off each other making the colors more pronounced.

    Our walls and floor definitely look better in natural light (blue to white cast) as shown in the photo.

    Color is very hard to get right because color does not exist apart from whatever light it is reflecting. The color will be effected not only by the "color" of light in the room and the floor but also by the furniture.

    I think you need to keep the walls light and toward the cooler colors to offset the warm color of artificial light.

    Sorry for the multiple posts but this floor is difficult to work with if lighting is a problem.
  • lfilly
    9 years ago



  • lfilly
    9 years ago

    My dog thought I was taking a picture of him. I can find the paint color. We added gold undertones. I love green and it goes with so much. Good luck!

  • PRO
    charlieben
    9 years ago
    I have Brazilian cherry floors and SW Blonde on the walls, with crisp white trim. I love it.
  • OldGrayMare
    9 years ago
    What color(s) in the furniture? Makes more sense to match wall color to what things/rugs you already have and plan to keep. Unless you are starting from scratch?
  • OldGrayMare
    9 years ago
    oh, forgot,to,add. I had the vary same color floors in my mid century modern home in Virginia...and my walls were Pittsburgh Paints 'Apple Butter', a couple,shades darker, forgot the name, 'Curry Green' in master suite, and a wonderful deep brick red 'Cayenne' in the kitchen...but it had more light than what I see in your pics. And I started from scratch with furniture and rugs.
  • virginiapark
    9 years ago

    go to a fabric store and choose a fabric that you are just wild about and then use colours from that to use for paint accents such as mats,pillows etc. let that be your guide, bring a large piece of the fabric home it will allow you to see those colours in the room before you spend money on paint

  • bubbles0208
    9 years ago
    We have brazilian cherry floors and we picked Benjamin Moore Cape May (grey color) for our room wall. It goes really well with the floors and our peacock blue accent furniture. We do get a lot of light in this room, so the grey wall color doesn't seem dark - it creates a warm inviting space, IMO.

    Good luck!
  • Rebel
    9 years ago
    I painted my family room wall in a deep teal and painted the adjoining wall a rich paprika! It's warm, cozy and I get tons of compliments on it! I brightened the room with pops of white in the fireplace tile and in the couches.m also, I used rich warm colored touches woods in the furniture pieces. Love the whole fee
  • Tanya Strong
    9 years ago
    a lot of people suggested the creams or light browns, which are fine I've had them for a while....take a risk a a pretty vibrant color to accent your beautiful floors. a green, peach blue would even look nice
  • Chris Price
    9 years ago

    I also have cherry floors and maple cabinets. Sherwin Williams Interactive Cream works well with both. White trim. Maple is a hard one to find good wall color that works with it.

  • Paige Adams
    7 years ago

    I know this is an old thread, but I just had Brazilian Cherry floors installed in my new construction house and they look wonderful. I'd suggest a grey to offset and highlight the warm tones of the wood. We used BM Revere Pewter in several of the rooms and BM Rockport Gray in the family room. Looks great in both. I think Revere Pewter would look great with the OP's trim.

  • Paige Adams
    7 years ago
    Here's a picture of mine with Revere Pewter.
  • mnmamax3
    7 years ago

    Our cherry floors look great with BM Jamesboro Gold.

  • hollymoff
    7 years ago

    Can you please share Bubbles0208 the color of your floor stain????Thanks!


  • bubbles0208
    7 years ago

    I'm so sorry, I really don't remember. Our flooring guy came over to our house with a few different stains and stained the floor in a small area so we could decide which one we liked best. I just remember we picked the one that was "ebony". I didn't ask for more details :( Sorry I can't be more helpful.

  • hollymoff
    7 years ago

    That's ok! I just want to get as much of the red out as possible so the darker the better.

  • Lisa Osei
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    We have cherry floors as well, with a grayish pink paint colour. Looks very nice with metallic/gold accents.

  • sculpin
    6 years ago

    Benjamin Moore Palest Pistachio looks great in my home with character grade cherry wood on the floors, and a mix of polished fir & cherry on window casing, baseboards, stairway, headers, etc. I have the same pistachio color in my side chairs and it coordinates with my tweed sofa. This is in a 2-story great room with granite fireplace, open concept dining room with black ladder-back dining chairs & china cabinet which seem to ground the high space. The home is on the ocean with lots of windows, I love how the walls pick up the changing colors throughout the day and different seasons.

  • cigany
    4 years ago

    Sculpin do you have a picture of this combo? Have a natural cherry bathroom vanity about to be installed and thinking about palest pistachio paint for walls. Thanks!

  • sculpin
    4 years ago

    I went through my pics and unfortunately can't find one that shows the colors well. I spend winters in an alternate home.

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