Let's sing it together now...
"I'm into dark furniture, and I won't pretend otherwise...
Rich brown pieces that I simply can't turn down..."
Alright, that's plenty. I'm no rapper or songwriter, so it's best I stop right here. Mm-hmm, okay.
Several of the handsome dark solid wood pieces in my house came with my husband when we wed, and we've held on to them because they're sturdy and well made. I know painted furniture is hugely popular right now (and I enjoy seeing the trend), but I haven't touched a single one of mine with a brush. (I did paint a pair of nightstands I got for free, but that's the only exception.)
Back when all our walls were beige, I nearly started painting everything I owned. I just couldn't stand the brown-on-brown look for one more minute! At least, that's what I believed. It stayed brown-on-brown for an entire year. Thankfully, to my husband's relief, I came back around to the dark wood tones after I painted the walls Revere Pewter and hung white board & batten. Ah, so much better.
Here are four reasons I won't be painting my wood furniture.
Source
Deep wood tones are a key part of the Clean Cottage Style.
Only this week, and I mentioned it on Monday, Layla at The Lettered Cottage wrote about how to get the clean, crisp cottage look, and warm wood tones are one of its key ingredients. Painted pieces belong in the mix too, but you don't want everything painted. A few dark, warm tones add to the lovely, clean cottage style we all admire. I adore the feel of the living room!
It adds a touch of masculinity to a room.
Coach (my hubby) is genuinely fond of dark furniture, which is why he brought so much of it into our home. Sometimes we decorating gals don't want to hear our spouses' design ideas or preferences, but it pays to blend what you both like. (After all, you both live there. Right?) Part of why I've come to embrace dark wood is that I know how much he loves it. It brings a masculine note into a room that already has plenty of feminine touches.
Source: Our Vintage Home Love
It warms up and anchors the space.
A completely white or pale room might be your style, but I think it would feel far too stark for me. (I'm a poet and didn't even know it.) Dark tones take the chill off an otherwise cool room and give a light, airy space something to stand on. I'd worry that an all-white house would feel one-dimensional.
Source: The Lettered Cottage
It creates contrast in light or white rooms.
Oh, the drama. I was once an all-dark kind of girl. Back at my parents' house I had dark red walls and dark furniture, the whole thing was dark. As I've grown older, though, I've come to love cooler colors. They make a home feel so light and airy. Now I enjoy the drama and the contrast that dark wood brings to a bright, light room. It really makes things stand out.
So now you know why I love my warm wood pieces, though I do adore a good painted piece too. I'll gush over bright green, pink, blue (naturally) and yellow furniture. In fact, there's a Craigslist dresser sitting in my garage that I plan to paint soon. I'm painting it because it has some damage, I don't want to restain it, and a mix of painted and stained furniture gives a look I really like. So don't assume I'm against painted furniture, I just don't want to paint everything!
So if you're second-guessing a style or piece you've always loved, take another look. Don't let trends or the crowd talk you out of it just because it's fashionable. Maybe your space just needs some lightening up or a few new fabrics. Move things around. You might just fall for that dark wood piece all over again.
Do you love dark furniture, or are you team painted?
Have you rediscovered your love for an old piece?
