Today, wood flooring is available in so many colours that there probably exists a product to match just about any wild designer idea. While being creative and pushing the boundaries of traditional design are always welcome, it’s still important to keep to certain guidelines in order to avoid making some costly and embarrassing flooring fashion mistakes. Here are some simple but powerful tips to keep mind when deciding on a wood floor colour for your renovations project.

• Room size, ceiling height, colour and texture of walls and furniture should be your primary considerations when choosing a wood floor colour. The colours must complement each other in order for an overall final design to be successful.

• Avoid using dark coloured floors in small rooms with dark walls, as it will make the room look gloomy and dense.

• While darker shades usually translate into a more formal look, they also bring out the warmth in other elements of décor.

• If the room has a low ceiling, go with light coloured walls and light flooring colour.

• If ability to conceal scratches, small dents and dust is a must, go for natural coloured hardwood floors in matte finishes.

• Remember that colour of your floor should not match (or be identical to) the colour of your furniture or walls. Go with colours that contrast and complement each other.

• When choosing the colour for your wood floor, take full advantage of flooring samples. While photos of interiors and virtual decorator software may give you a general idea of what the end result might be, nothing will inform your decision better than seeing the floor colour on-site, in natural light.

• If you prefer a classic look, go with natural unstained wood or traditional shades of brown, such as chestnut (gunstock) or walnut stains.

• Dark and black tones are a popular choice for chic and modern interiors, artists’ studios or urban condos.

• Bold and deep colours, such as various shades of red (think natural Jatoba or Santos Mahogany, or oak and ash stained in similar colours), add character to offices, public interiors and other spaces, where large open space makes flooring a central element of décor.

Learning to think of flooring as an indispensable element of décor is absolutely necessary in order to pick the best possible wood floor colour. While personal preference is very important, it should not always be a deciding factor, and limitations of room size, style and existing colours should be given proper consideration.