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Gone are the days when living room furniture had to match perfectly from one piece to the next. Today’s interior design trends embrace contrast, texture, and layering, allowing homeowners to create spaces that feel personal and visually engaging. Mixing wood tones is one of the most effective ways to achieve this layered look when done intentionally.
Many homeowners in Ottawa, Gatineau, and Kingston hesitate to mix wood tones because they worry the room will feel mismatched or unfinished. According to Magaly del Castillo, Interior Designer at La-Z-Boy Cyrville, blending wood tones is not only acceptable but often recommended when guided by a few foundational design principles.
The steps below will help you confidently mix wood tones and create a living room that feels cohesive, warm, and thoughtfully designed.
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Before mixing wood tones, it is essential to determine the overall mood of your living room. According to Magaly, this first decision makes every other choice easier.
“Each wood type carries a personality,” Magaly explains. “Once you decide whether your space feels more relaxed or more refined, your wood selections naturally fall into place.”
Casual woods such as birch, pine, oak, and reclaimed wood create a light, relaxed atmosphere. These woods work well in farmhouse, coastal, and contemporary spaces where comfort and approachability are key.
Classy woods like walnut, cherry, and mahogany bring richness and elegance. These darker tones suit traditional or upscale interiors and add visual weight to a room.
Mixing casual and classy woods can work, but one should clearly lead while the other supports as an accent.
A dominant wood tone acts as the anchor for your living room. This is the wood tone that appears most prominently and sets the visual direction for the space.
Magaly often recommends choosing a dominant tone from an existing element, such as hardwood flooring, a large entertainment unit, or a statement coffee table.
“Think of your dominant wood tone as the backbone of the room,” she says. “Everything else should relate back to it, either by complementing it or softly contrasting it.”
Once established, secondary wood tones should enhance the dominant tone rather than compete with it.
Undertones play a major role in whether mixed wood furniture feels cohesive or disconnected. Woods generally fall into warm, cool, or neutral undertone categories.
“If the undertones fight each other, the room never quite settles,” Magaly notes. “Matching undertones helps even high-contrast spaces feel intentional.”
Pro tip: Each wood tone should appear at least twice in the room to reinforce balance.
Finish consistency is often overlooked, yet it has a major impact on the final look of a space. Mixing too many finishes can make a room feel visually noisy.
Glossy finishes tend to feel modern and polished, while matte or distressed finishes feel softer and more organic. Choosing one general finish style helps unify different wood tones.
“A room can handle multiple wood colours much better when the finishes feel related,” Magaly explains. “That consistency keeps the design grounded.”
Area rugs are one of the easiest tools for balancing mixed wood tones. A rug creates a visual pause between different wood surfaces, especially in rooms with hardwood flooring and wood furniture.
Patterned or textured rugs help soften contrast and introduce colours that bridge multiple wood tones. Rugs also add warmth and comfort, making the living room feel inviting rather than overly structured.
This step is especially important in open-concept homes where several wood tones are visible at once.
La-Z-Boy has many Area Rug Selections for home decor, which you can learn more about with this article.
Accent colours help guide the eye and connect different wood tones throughout the room. These colours can appear in throw pillows, artwork, lamps, or decorative accessories.
Warm woods pair well with earthy colours like rust, terracotta, and soft reds. Cool woods look striking with blues, greens, and charcoal tones. Neutral woods allow for the most flexibility.
“Accent colours act like a thread that pulls everything together,” Magaly says. “They help the room flow naturally from one area to the next.”
If you’re looking to find an up-to-date and trendy colour palette, take a look at our article on Colour Trends.
Repetition is one of the most important principles when mixing wood tones. Limiting your design to three or four wood tones prevents the space from feeling cluttered.
Each tone should appear at least twice. For example, if walnut is used on a coffee table, repeating it in shelving, frames, or side tables creates rhythm and consistency.
“Repetition tells the eye that the mix was planned,” Magaly explains. “That is what makes a room feel finished.”
With these tips, you’re ready to mix and match wood tones in your home confidently. At La-Z-Boy, we offer a variety of case goods, from American Drew and Hammary to Kincaid and Canadel, each bringing a range of wood furniture options perfect for achieving this layered look.
Explore our Ottawa, Gatineau or Kingston showrooms, or schedule a virtual design appointment to start creating a beautifully balanced space with wood tones. Our talented interior designers are ready to help you pick the ideal pieces to complement your style and ensure a seamless look throughout your home.
To learn more about our home decor from La-Z-Boy, take a look at our Comprehensive Home Decor Buyer’s Guide.
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