We’re back to answer more home design questions. We’ve been having so much fun reading your submissions and seeing your photos and puzzling over some virtual solutions. Today we’re tackling hardwood floor question and an asymmetrically vaulted ceiling.

Question - How do you choose the perfect color stain for hardwood floors?

This is a no-one-size-fits-all answer. There are a lot of considerations when picking a hardwood floor and each consideration impacts the stain choice.

Species of wood (Yellow Pine, White Oak, Brazilian Cherry, etc.)
New hardwood versus refinished (old) hardwood
Width of the planks
Direction of planks (across, up/down, diagonal, with a border, etc.)
Stain
Finish (the type of coating that goes over the stain to seal and protect)

Each of these considerations has many options and the interplay of each option makes for a very different end result. Here are a few general tips:

Dark versus Light Stain - From a function standpoint, dark floors show more lint, dust and fuzz. They tend to need more maintenance to appear clean (like a black car). If you’re a dog owner with tons of light-colored tiny dog hairs floating around your home, dark wood might drive you crazy as you’ll see those tiny hairs settling everywhere hours after you vacuum.

Grain of the Wood - If you want to see the natural grain of the wood, we recommend a medium-to-light finish. On the other hand, if you want a super sleek and contemporary look, a darker stain hides some of the grain and creates a more uniform look.

Direction of Plank - Choose a plank direction that allows the planks to remain as long as possible. This creates the feel of a bigger, more expansive space. If you have existing hardwood, it’s nice to match the direction of the existing planks. This way your new floors feel well incorporated into the original footprint - all one, intentional plan.

Make a Sample - Always test the exact stain on the exact wood. If you’re purchasing new floors, this is easy. Just get a sample of the raw wood and see how it handles different stains. If you’re refinishing your existing floors, you can pick a corner inside a closet or a tiny spot in a room that will ultimately be covered by a piece of furniture or rug. Different species react uniquely to different stains. It’s important to see how the “Dark Walnut” stain reacts on your specific "100 year old pine floors” rather than trust an image in a catalog. If you’re installing factory finished hardwood that comes with the stain and finish, you still want a sample. Place the sample on the floor and see how it reads next to your walls, in low light corners, next to your hard finishes (tile floors, stone fireplace, etc.).

Glossy versus Matte Finish - Matte finish is all the rage at the moment, and for good reason. A matte finish is low/no gloss without any added color and tends to be water based (low/no fumes and more environmentally friendly). A classic, high shine, polyurethane finish will yellow/orange over time and, thus, add a yellow/orange tint to the color of your floor over time. On the other hand, a matte finish is not as durable as a high shine finish. The matte finish will ding and dent more easily and even stain on the rare occasion. If you won’t be comfortable with a more worn, patinated look a matte finish is not for you.

Best Tip We Have (!!!) - Go to your friends and family’s homes (when the Stay Home order is over and it’s safe, of course!), see different choices in person and talk to the homeowner about what they love and what they don’t. Any hard finish choice is going to be a long lasting one (and expensive) so take your time and consider every option, don’t rush it.

Question - How should I deal with my asymmetrically vaulted ceiling? Any suggestions are welcome.

We had a lot of fun coming up with inspiration for this one. As a general recommendation, unique ceiling lines or unusual wall nooks and bumps can be treated in two ways: feature it or hide it. In this case, if she loves the asymmetrical wall she can draw attention to it by applying an interesting finish. If she doesn’t love it as an architectural feature, she can paint the room all one color (walls and ceiling) and let it fade away.

Let’s check out a photo of what we’re working with.

Gray Oak Studio - Designer for a Day - Asymmetrical Vaulted Ceiling

In terms of colors to make it fade - something light and bright. We would add a more substantial baseboard, the height of this room can handle something big and tall. Then paint the walls and ceiling something pale and bright.

Now, if she wants to turn this wall into a feature, we have a bunch of different ideas.

Option 1 - Paint it! This is the quickest, easiest way to highlight the unique lines. Whenever using paint to create an accent wall our general tip is: make it obvious. Don’t go one shade darker or lighter than the adjacent walls. It will end up looking like a shadow or optical illusion, leaving everyone wondering “is that a different color or just the way the sun is hitting it?”. For ideas on some of our favorite dark, saturated paint colors check out Volume 3 of this series - here.

Option 2 - Add a fireplace and surrounding built-in. With this option, the line of the ceiling becomes secondary to the fireplace and built-in. It’s just a cool, interesting bonus. This option will create a beautiful focal point for the room and really elevate the whole feel.

Option 3 - Add board and batten style molding to highlight the interesting angle and expansive height. There are a million online tutorials on how to add DIY this molding and the cost of materials is relatively minimal.

The oversized, round mirror is key to bringing this look together. Here are some good options:

Gray Oak Studio - Silver Brass or Bronze round 49" diameter round mirror

36" or 49” diameter in bronze, silver, or brass - $349/$799

Gray+Oak+Studio+-+Thin+black+metal+frame+round+mirror

36” diameter with thin black metal frame - $499

Gray Oak Studio - 40" acacia wood round mirror

40” diameter in acacia wood - $299

Option 4 - A bookcase. This is a much bigger investment and a much bigger impact. How stunning, right?

We have so many more questions to answer! So stay tuned. And remember to sign up to receive new blog posts straight to your email so you don’t miss anything. AND remember to check out our Pinterest Board that’s dedicated to all our "Free Designer for a Day” advice - it’s full of even more inspirational images and product links related to every question we answer.

- Leah

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