As the old saying goes, a man’s (or woman’s) home is their castle, but it’s even more than that – it’s an investment. Whereas castles fortified kings, queens, and communities from outside invaders, a home fortifies your financial security for decades to come. A home is the most valuable thing you own in your entire life, something beautiful, and something that endures – and the same may be said for hardwood flooring.

This type of flooring can last a long time when cared for properly, add much to your property value, and it looks great. Still, whether it’s made of mahogany, oak, ash, or any other kind of wooden material, to get the most out of it, you need to make sure that you pair your hardwood floor with matching wall colors.

1. Light Hardwood Matches

The key here is to pair your light hardwood with lighter tones that can help keep the space bright. After all, if you have selected light hardwood in the first place, chances are you’re looking to create a light, friendly tone for the room, and so you’ll want paint colors to match.

If you like off-white colors such as lily white, Chantilly lace, eggshell, cream, and similar colors, this is the type of hardwood with which to match them. They complement that bright, airy, friendly tone nicely.

For a bit more contrast, you could try warmer greys.

2. Dark Hardwood Matches

These hardwood colors are already so dark that matching them with darker colors will just produce a room that’s brooding and unwelcoming. That said, they don’t fit with the brighter tone of light hardwood painting matches, either.

Your best bet here is a light beige or grey that can complement the darker hue of the hardwood while brightening the room a bit.

3. Cherry Hardwood Matches

This type of hardwood allows the most painting possibilities by far. It is especially versatile given that it’s both warm and deep enough to allow for a fair amount of color variation without being so dark as to feel too foreboding. 

Reds, blues, light greens, and even a bit-a terra cotta can add some flavor to a cherry hardwood flooring setup. Not only are all of these colors a great contrast, but the right hue can even help accent and bring out some of the hardwood’s “cherry flavor.”

4. White Oak

As with light hardwood matches, you ideally want to match it with a paint color that is dark enough to provide contrast while still appearing complementary.

Charcoal, greys, and light pastels are all good options here. Darker charcoals can help lend a more formal feeling to the space, while lighter greys and pastels can combine with the lighter tones of the white oak and make the room seem more bright, open, and spacious.

5. Red Oak

If you want to play things safe, you can go with a yellow or cream color to lightly offset the reddish hue. On the other hand, you could also go big and bold by doubling down with reddish paints.

Whatever your choice, the right color-hardwood combination can keep a home looking and feeling like a “castle” worth living in for a long time.