Choosing a floor stain can totally be one of those nail-biting dilemmas that you really don’t want to get wrong due to the time and expense it takes.
Keep in mind the big picture. Your floor plays a significant role in your overall interior design, but it’s one aspect of your space. You also have décor, fixtures, furniture, and the room’s overall color scheme, including the walls. Thinking about how all the pieces fit will guide you toward choosing the perfect color.
What you should choose?
Light stain
A lighter stain can help make a dark room appear brighter and more spacious than it really is. Having dark furniture, and installing lighter hardwood with somewhat matching stain will create a beautiful contrast and help your décor stand out. By choosing a lighter stain, you won’t have to clean nearly as often as in the case with dark stained floors since dust is less visible on a lighter surface. However, light stains aren’t as good at hiding hardwood’s natural imperfections as its darker alternatives.
The contrast they create with darker
Medium stain
If you aren’t one for dramatic changes this is the stain for you.
While medium stain won’t really affect the overall color scheme of the room, it will most certainly compliment many other wooden details in your décor and will help tie the room together. A medium stain is also a reasonable option if you haven’t decided on the look of the space yet and would like to keep as many options for wall & furniture colors open as possible.
Dark stain
In fact, dark stained floors are elegant and will help ground your bright room nicely. The balance between darker bottom and lighter top parts of the room will make the space more inviting and help the accent colors in your interior stand out more. A darker stain is superior for hiding hardwood’s natural flaws but it falls short when dealing with inflicted imperfections like scratches. Pet hair and dust aren’t easy to hide either. In a word, if you have a dog or a small child or expect above average wear because of any other reason it’d be a safer bet to choose lighter stain.
Things to Consider:
Choose the Stain Color to Match Your Home Décor.
Narrow down your search by considering your home décor. For instance, if you have rustic farmhouse style interiors, choose mid-toned brown shades instead of dark ebony or grey ones that would clash. Similarly, a contemporary-style home pairs well with stains in grey shades. Remember, since your floors make up a large area of your home, they will have a significant impact on the overall design.
Always sample your favorite stain colors first.
Before applying a hardwood stain to your entire floor, sample your favorites on scraps of wood that match your flooring. Then carry the samples from room to room to see how the stain looks in different lighting.
