Asked on Feb 02, 2014

What floors are best with wood walls!

Connie
by Connie
I just purchased my first hope, and it has wood everywhere. Instead of going away from the wood, I have embraced it. I just don't know what type of floors to put in the living room and how to make it feel fresh. Any Ideas please help. I have thought about dark wood floors, and painting the fireplace white. No decorating skills..Need Ideas!!!
the wood is in great condition, I would like a crisp clean look
This is the door that leads sin to the kitchen, The wood yes up into the upstairs loft area. Thinking about changing the rails to iron rails
This is the entrance from the front door.
maybe i should paint the door??
  53 answers
  • Marti  K Marti K on Feb 02, 2014
    I think you can go with just about any color, even a light wood floor. I wouldn't get too "busy" though in the design. Doing a soft faux to the floor might work as well. It looks like there's not a lot of light in these rooms, maybe it's just the photos, but go with bright & bold! Have fun.
  • Elizabeth Sagarminaga Elizabeth Sagarminaga on Feb 02, 2014
    Why don't you let the floors remain as it is and instead concentrate on different types of rugs. That way, you will have a different theme in every room. You have some wonderful wood furniture. You can team up a lot of colors with that.
  • Connie Connie on Feb 02, 2014
    @marti k There actually are 2 skylights in there so there is plenty of natural lighting. I like bright and bold.
  • Connie Connie on Feb 02, 2014
    Thanks @Elizabeth Sagarminaga you maybe right and it would actually save me more money by not replacing the floors.
  • Donna Martinez Donna Martinez on Feb 03, 2014
    We have a home with redwood paneling in our living room and will be doing an update. Our architect and decorator suggested we put in a slate flooring and then use area carpets to anchor the furniture - http://searanchabalonebay.com/
  • White Oak Studio Designs White Oak Studio Designs on Feb 03, 2014
    If this was mine, I'd paint the walls a light color to brighten and lighten the rooms. Then you can do anything you want with the flooring. personally I would not do wood flooring if you left the walls as is. Too much wood-too bland for me at least. This home has a LOT of potential for a person willing to do the work. Lovely fireplace stone too!
    • Connie Connie on Feb 03, 2014
      @White Oak Studio Designs I think you are right about wood flooring in there, but the wood is so nice, I don't really want to paint it.
  • Jean Adams Jean Adams on Feb 03, 2014
    No dark floors, please. Keep everything light. The floor looks good. white furniture is what I used in a flip house and everyone went WOW when they walked in. Also paint out that ugly dark grout in the fireplace with soft beige. Keep us posted.
    • Connie Connie on Feb 03, 2014
      @Jean Adams i like the idea with soft beige on the fireplace, and i really like white furniture.
  • Dee Dee on Feb 03, 2014
    I think i would put a white wash on the walls,and then go with what you like for the floors. Nice room though i like it just as it is.Its all in what you want.
  • Dee Dee on Feb 03, 2014
    Iron railings would be nice. And for sure change the fan,it is not right for that room.
  • Dee Dee on Feb 03, 2014
    maybe take the carpet off the stairs. Live with it for awhile. Make your small updates for now and see how it feels.Also depends on your decor.
    • See 1 previous
    • Dee Dee on Feb 04, 2014
      @Connie Connie that depends on your style, and decor,Are you rustic ,modern do you like a mix of both.Do you have antiques. im a mix of all three. Hunter Douglas,And westinghouse has nice fans.Good luck hon keep us posted.With your iron railings keep that in mind and i only say that for resale value.
  • DLynne DLynne on Feb 03, 2014
    Do you know what's under the carpet? Stained or painted concrete in cola colors is a big thing now. That's what I have and I love them. So easy to clean! Then you could choose a nice area rug to brighten things up. Don't paint the door. I wouldn't paint the fireplace either, but if it is faux stone rather than real stone, I might consider taking the surface material off and replacing with a smooth surface to give your eye a place to rest from all the lines going on in the wood.
    • Connie Connie on Feb 03, 2014
      @DLynne The stone is real, and i have a friend who stains concrete so I will definitely look into that. Thanks
  • Connie Connie on Feb 03, 2014
    Thanks for all the ideas!!!! I am in the military and won't be home to start the work for 2 more months, but I will definitely keep you all posted on my decisions.
    • Mary Mary on Feb 04, 2014
      @Connie Thank YOU Connie and everyone that serves in our military. Bless you.
  • Melissa Melissa on Feb 03, 2014
    LOVE your new place!! If you go with iron on the loft rails, you will end up changing bits of everything...and end up with too many different styles. I love that you are embracing the wood. I would soften the look by painting the ceilings a fawn/light beige type color and do the same with the flooring. THEN, I would go white slip covers, white curtains/shades, etc. Use Corner can lights to pull in more light, sneek them behind plants or tables, etc....makes a huge difference. At this point you can add mirrors along with artwork but keep the colors neutral and whites. OR you can Select a couple of modern colors and make pillows, add a couple of modern rugs in those colors, but keep it confined to a couple of colors with one as the main and an accent. As to the fireplace. A large piece of art in the style you decide on will totally distract the grout, IMHO, and hang other items or set tall items on the hearth side areas. I think larger distinct pieces on the walls are your ticket to making it work. PLEASE show us what you end up doing!!
  • White Oak Studio Designs White Oak Studio Designs on Feb 03, 2014
    I can understand that as it would be a lot of work. It will be interesting to see what you can find in flooring that will help to lighten the room. It's going to be a dark one with all that wood. I looked at dark wood and my house looked like a funeral home...not for me so I ended up with light floors. It's a lot of work to keep those light floors vacuumed everyday but a dark house would have seriously depressed me.
  • GranArt GranArt on Feb 04, 2014
    Wow, what a beautiful place, congrats! I love a room with different textures so I think a beautiful tile floor with a great area rug, and yes, paint the door to brighten up a bit and the iron railing would be perfect. After all that I would then decide if the stone on the fireplace needed a lighter color.
  • Lori J Lori J on Feb 04, 2014
    Flagstone would be awesome, would hold the heat from the fireplace and be very natural.
  • Dana Dana on Feb 04, 2014
    Have you thought of putting a white wash over the wood to lighten it up? Just enough tint to lighten, not cover the beautiful wood grain. A natural slate, ceramic, or travertine tile would be pretty with nice area rugs for a pop of colors. Blues or greens would look good to balance out the yellow tones in the wood.
  • Sheree Hughes-Irwin Sheree Hughes-Irwin on Feb 04, 2014
    Heated tile floor......always want tile but not the coldness.....now there is heating elements you can put underneath ! I love the wood!
    • C&K Custom Remodeling C&K Custom Remodeling on Feb 04, 2014
      @Sheree Hughes-Irwin I agree. A heated tile floor is ideal choice for this space. You can lighten up the room with a lighter tile or add interest and draw the eye down with a natural stone like travertine.
  • Mary Mary on Feb 04, 2014
    Congratulations on your new home. Light color on the floor is the best idea to keep the room bright. I like Sheree's idea about a heated tile floor, but if you need softness an easy to clean wall to wall carpet would be a good choice too. Personally, my carpenter grandpa would haunt me if I painted that wood.
  • Momcat1211 Momcat1211 on Feb 04, 2014
    I just saw the HGTV home with some wood in the ceiling and they choose bright yellows and oranges to accent with in the decor. You really need to make the room cheerie with so much dark wood. Need color to make it pop. The beige carpet is fine, just find a great rug to place on top that has some great bright colors. Take a look at the HGTV home sight and see if you can get of ideas too.
  • Momcat1211 Momcat1211 on Feb 04, 2014
    Maybe paint the stone fireplace to make it an accent point for the room, but be real careful about the color you pick. I know you are on a budget being in the service, and by the way, thanks for your service, my hubby is retired Air Force. However, maybe you could spring for an interior decorator to come in and give you some ideas since you have soooo much wood to deal with. Even better, a student in the field might be willing to make your home a project or class project and help you out. Check out your local college. Just a thought.
    • Judy Parkey Judy Parkey on Feb 05, 2014
      @Momcat1211 Utilizing an interior decorator as a consultant is a great idea. Find one that will charge an hourly rate for the consult. I used one for remodel. I had narrowed my choices down by buying singles of various tiles at big box stores. She helped me "see" what I needed in combination with what I wanted as they sometimes aren't the same thing. I took notes as she made comments. She was SPOT ON. She charged $30/hr and stayed an hour.
  • Diane Sterling Diane Sterling on Feb 04, 2014
    Congratulations! DON'T paint the fireplace stone...regrout or stain the grout a lighter color! Clean the stone of course, but once you paint it is hard to go back. Embrace the natural appearance of the tones in the room, but don't put in heavy or dark furniture {good luck with lighter tones with kids or if you have pets}. I would balance the organic appearance of the walls with a very light floor in tile, laminate, or painted concrete. I also would paint the ceiling in a pale blue or brighter white. I do like the idea of whitewashing the walls, but without being able to tell the texture it might be more work than you want to tackle. But once you start filling in with furniture and other decor, the walls will start to fade into the background a bit. But...in the long run, if you choose to go dramatic, I would paint the wood in a brighter color. I think you can create a very dramatic room if you did that. Good Luck!
  • Cyndi Moore Tippett Cyndi Moore Tippett on Feb 04, 2014
    I love this room, I would clean all the wood that is there and see how really beautiful it will turn out. If you are not crazy about the carpet, I would put in wood floors, not to dark and paint the door a warm red. I would leave the fireplace stones and clean them up too. Live in the house at least a year before you tackle this room, because if you go in there and make major changes like painting walls and fireplace you may regret it down the road and those changes are not easily undone. Ask me how I know....been their done that. :)
  • Gwen Gwen on Feb 04, 2014
    Do you know how absolutely grand your home is?! It reminds me of a ski chalet on Lake Tahoe. The wood is gorgeous. Paint rocks??? I don't think it would ever look right. Look around Houzz for ideas. At least your carpet is not shabby. Are all the other doors wooden in the house?? I can't imagine adding red to the door as it would still add visual weight. I'd go for as an open feel as possible. Think Yellowstone Lodge. The one at Yosemite. Since your home is of a grand scale play it up!!
  • Gwen Gwen on Feb 04, 2014
    Oh I see that door is not the front door. I like it as is. It blends into the wall. Yes clean the rock fireplace. But I am in awe how much this looks like the hgtv dream home in Tahoe!! But you know what? Study cabin designs. Flooring for wooden walls. Research lobbies of mountain resorts. And then do what you feel is your style!!! But know that most of us are going, Wow! Gorgeous!
  • Judy Parkey Judy Parkey on Feb 04, 2014
    Agree with the suggestion to clean your wood walls. This alone may naturally lighten them. I would not use wood floors as they would be "too noisy" and compete with the walls. With the current carpet you have a soothing or "quiet" floor. I would go with a very neutral looking tile for flooring if you replace it. The carpet looks to be in good condition and replacing the flooring could then be a lower priority item. I would think about painting the fireplace stone. At least regrout it...no matter - the black grout has to go. "Property Brothers" paint fireplaces in their remodels but those are probably brick and not stone. Again, a more neutral fireplace would bring subtle attention to it and not compete with the walls. I would spend my remodel dollars on lighting. It's hard to tell from the picture how much artificial lighting you have other than the ceiling fan/light. Lighting at different levels will draw attention to the beauty of the walls.
  • Judy Parkey Judy Parkey on Feb 04, 2014
    I definitely would not use wood floors. I think it would be impossible to match or make it look right. I learned this when I pulled up the carpet in my house. The "original" house has oak floors underneath the carpet. The "addition" was concrete slab. Matching the old with new would NOT have looked right. I think you will run into the same thing matching a new wood floor with your wood walls. While it isn't what you need, I used a laminate flooring that looks like tile and it looks beautiful against the 80 year old oak floors. That's why I am suggesting tile if you replace the carpet. I think it depends on your budget and prioritizing of your dollar.
  • RayRay RayRay on Feb 04, 2014
    I love seeing all that wood and I'm thrilled you won't be hiding it under paint! I would go with a natural looking tile or wood. I also would have lots of area rugs
  • Connie Connie on Feb 04, 2014
    Thank you all for your suggestions you don't know how much this is helping me. So far I definitely will not be going with wood floors, and I will not be painting the wood. I haven't ruled out the idea of staining or whitewashing it though. You all are such a big help.
  • Kim 'Kiewatt' Waknitz Kim 'Kiewatt' Waknitz on Feb 04, 2014
    You are very lucky, the wood is gorgeous as is the stone fireplace. I would give them both a good cleaning. I think a heated tile/stone floor with a large rug would accent and define the sitting area. I like the idea of iron on the railings. Please post pictures when you're finished. I would love to see how it all comes together, whatever you decide.
  • Karen Hans Karen Hans on Feb 04, 2014
    DON'T PAINT THE FIREPLACE. WE HAVE BRICK LIKE TILE IN OUR LIVING ROOM AND KITCHEN. BEAUTIFUL. WE HAVE WOOD IN THE LARGE LIVING ROOM. LOOKS BEAUTIFUL. THE BRICK ON YOUR FIREPLACE IS BEAUTIFUL AND GOES WELL WITH THE WOOD.
  • Tegma Tegma on Feb 04, 2014
    If you want some color on the floor, add an area rug on top of the carpeting. I would definitely look at some photos of lodge style homes, as I think it would give you lots of ideas. Depending on what kind of a sofa you have, throws could be added to give it color. Also, wall accessories would brighten it up, too. I wouldn't do any painting until you have your room arranged with furniture and all. Then you will know where and how much color you need. Looking at it this way is difficult to determine that. Don't do anything yet that you can't change later.
  • Tegma Tegma on Feb 04, 2014
    By the way, I love the way the wood is on the diagonal!
  • Judy Parkey Judy Parkey on Feb 04, 2014
    Painted stone fireplaces: http://tinyurl.com/k7adrr4
  • NanaWells NanaWells on Feb 04, 2014
    I love your home I have always wanted a home on this very idea it looks like a chalet that should be in the mountains :)
  • Karin Heidy Karin Heidy on Feb 04, 2014
    I have all wood walls and we put the same wall to wall off white berber carpet throughout the house. Then just used wall decor, furniture, pillows, and minimal window coverings to add more light and color. Hope that helps.
  • Peggy Peggy on Feb 04, 2014
    I have seen a remodel on HGTV of a log cabin with all log interior and the owners had slate floors installed. It was beautiful and I think the slate would go with your fire place too.
  • Opal Opal on Feb 05, 2014
    Beautiful wood and fireplace, I would leave those alone. I would add rich colors by way of patterned area rugs and pillows, colored glass/pottery, leafy plants and classic furniture. I would go with smaller scale furniture so the room keeps a larger open feeling. Oh, and take down the fan light and paint the brass black, then paint the glass a rich color combo. Glass paint is great stuff. I am quite envious of your new place. enjoy
  • Timeless Interiors Timeless Interiors on Feb 05, 2014
    Depending on the look your going for, I think a flooring the same color as the grout in the fireplace would be beautiful. I think an antique white berber would also be pretty. I also love Peggy's idea of slate. Too many options! Beautiful home!
  • Yes, depending on the final look or style? WhenI saw the railing I immediately thought ofblack iron. So then I would change the railing up top, travertine would give youa fresher look. You can also use porcelain with little gray smear in it and whynot ceramic or slate because they are shiny, color and patters which they wouldcompete with the wood. You want the contrast to complement each other. Maybeall you may want or need to do is to think in up to dating the fire place aswell it looks good but it is a concept of many years ago. Think of a modern materialscombination and your blank sheet is rough cedar wood or smooth wood with recessadjustable lights with white trim. Do do the math on the lighting so you canhave an even amount of light throughout the room. you can consult an Interior Designer and they can give a budget as well. A contractor looks at more on the task at hand with time/labor.
  • Dee Dee on Feb 06, 2014
    Connie as long as there is not a finish on the walls. white washing would look great. A very thin coat of wash. if there is a finish PAIN, But like i said love it the way it is just update for now.
  • Nancy Spencer Carlson Nancy Spencer Carlson on Feb 06, 2014
    I finally figured out why I don't like the fireplace! It's not the stones, it's the black grout! If you paint that - or in some why change the color - it will soften the look a LOT.
  • Jean Adams Jean Adams on Feb 07, 2014
    Hate to belabor my answer, but suggest you NOT paint the beautiful stone, ONLY the grout. Buy some KILZ primer and then paint with the non-shiny beige paint. The second coat(paint) will go very quickly. Keep us posted.
  • Reinventing Space Reinventing Space on Feb 07, 2014
    I think the home is fabulous and has that great Back Woods look. Swap out the lighting in the room to read 'woods' - I'd take a look at the Ahwahnee Hotel for inspiration https://www.nationalparkreservations.com/lodge/yosemite-ahwahnee-hotel/?gclid=CM_OjeCWurwCFeJj7AodNyMAOA#property-header-menu- . Regarding the floor - Wide plank, hand scraped, DARK floors to play-off the dark thread in the paneling. No angles, just a straight install.
  • Judy Parkey Judy Parkey on Feb 07, 2014
    Definitely the black grout has to go. The look can then be re-evaluated to see if you want to paint it or not. Painting the stone does not mean with an opaque paint. As in the above link I posted: http://erin-artandgardens.blogspot.com/2013/02/painted-stone-fireplace-before-and-after.html Painting with a chalk paint wash can enhance the natural beauty of the stone and not cover it up. It would just like a different color of stone; and, a different color of stone would tone down the orange in the rocks.
  • Pam Breen Pam Breen on Feb 11, 2014
    I would never paint the stone, but I would paint the walls, maybe use kilz or liquid sand paper before painting...the floor??? NO MORE WOOD...lol porcelain tile maybe...I personally really like that type of wood paneling painted....its light and gives dimension and texture...its a very pretty home with lots of potential
  • Linda Linda on Jan 27, 2015
    I'd tile the floor. And that way you would not have to worry about embers floating out onto the carpet and catching fire. (Hubby is a fireman).
  • Maxine Asher Maxine Asher on Dec 02, 2015
    Judy had great idea about lightning the fireplace I would do tile floor to match then lots of light accesories
  • Redsawil Redsawil on Jan 17, 2016
    I had the same problem. My house had light gray worn out carpet and needed to replace. I decided on 6" oak w' a semigloss finish. Since the walls are so patterned I chose rift and quatersawn 6" boards for a less patterned look than regular oak and ordered it online for the best price. I am really happy with the choice as the shine counteracts the heaviness and dull finish of the yellow cedar walls and gives a mire finished feeling to the rustic nature of the rooms. In my house it looks like what belonged in the house. I have large windows and the boards are all horizontal so may be different from your situation. I will try to include a picture. I mixed my own stain to a medium walnut that is warm but has a little yellow in it to blend with the cedar walls. I found it a tough design problem and finally found a picture of the right color which led me to this direction. I'm glad I didn't go too dark with the stain. Not sure if the color shows correctly in the picture.
    • Connie Connie on Feb 09, 2016
      @Redsawil i love what you did with the floors. Thanks for the picture. My husband wants to go with wood floors so your picture was a great example.
  • Connie Connie on Feb 25, 2016
    My new floors! My husband and I decided to go with hardwood floors and large rugs..he loves the cabin look so next is fireplace! Thanks for all your suggestions
  • Jack Jack on Aug 01, 2021

    Walls are okay keep them the same..go with a darker hardwoood floor as well not something too light(:

  • Beni Beni on Aug 29, 2022

    Suppose you’re not a fan of carpets that are more traditional flooring. In that case, I would go with laminate flooring as one of the most spectacular and efficient floorings for your wood walls. It’s made up of water-resistant high-density fiberboard, ideal for areas of high traffic, such as your living room. Another great solution (and relatively inexpensive) would be rolled vinyl flooring also water resistant. However, our favorite is hardwood flooring because installing it would instantly raise your home’s worth. You can nail or staple it to the subfloor. Did you know that wood flooring can be refinished and sanded? You might want to give this alternative a chance!