I Made My Dark Wood Furniture Feel 10x Lighter with These Color Tricks

"Over a year ago, my husband and I relocated to Cairo, Egypt (and I've been writing about the decorating hacks I've been trying there ever since, from our custom-look shower curtain to our living room "built-ins"). To say this move was a huge transition would be an understatement. Due to my husband's job, we were fortunate enough to be provided a fully furnished four-bedroom apartment, which included several matching sets of dark wood Drexel furniture."

"After a weekend getaway at the high-end hotel La Maison Bleue in El Gouna, Egypt, I was hooked on making the apartment's main color a light, almost pastel blue. I wanted a tranquil base that would soften up the somber, one-note feel of the dark wood furniture. As soon as the walls were painted, I immediately felt a sense of ease. This classic, French-inspired hue is known to promote tranquility and added a warm elegance to the living room, kitchen, and guest room."

A furnished four-bedroom apartment arrived with heavy, matching dark wood Drexel furniture and plain white walls. Plain traditional pieces felt somber and out of personal taste. A soothing color palette was chosen to energize and soften the space without replacing furniture. A light, almost pastel blue was selected to serve as a tranquil base and to counterbalance the dark wood. Painting the walls produced an immediate sense of ease and introduced warm elegance across living areas. Using color as a backdrop or accent can reinvigorate inherited or unwanted dark wood pieces.

Read at Apartment Therapy