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Take a second to imagine your home in childhood. I bet there was at the least One or two dark cherry or mahogany furniture that were distributed over it. Or maybe they even had a suitable bedroom set (Lift hand!) in a darker mid-tone?
Dark Wood has increasingly popular and flowed in the history of the Victorian era and the handicraft movement to the modern era of the middle of the century and, yes, the 80s and 90s. But in the past ten years, when brighter blonde forests have dominated, their colleagues in dark wood have now been considered rather outdated.
What if I would tell you that dark wood returns to the design discussion? With the revival of atmospheric, character -rich spaces, dark wood is on a comeback. According to the great designer survey by Apartment Therapy for 2025, in which we have asked about 154 designers about their favorite trends and design forecasts, many of the top professionals are in favor of the return of Dark Wood.
Credit: Photo: Olivia Katz; Design: Ashley Fiocco Designs Credit: Photo: Olivia Katz; Design: Ashley Fiocco Designs
What is considered dark wooden furniture?
Although pieces of wood look darker or more red, orange or true brown finish, have Cherry, walnut and mahogany are generally considered dark forests. They often get a bad reputation because they are “dated”, but it is all in the parts they choose and how they style them. For a modern tailor -made look, choose more streamline silhouettes, similar to the simple front side table, which is shown in the above room by designer Ashley Fiocco.
Credit: Photo: Tamara Flanagan; Design: Lewis Vaughn Interiors Credit: Photo: Tamara Flanagan; Design: Lewis Vaughn Interiors
What dark wooden furniture should you use to decorate?
On the one hand, the designer Alicia Hassen from BroClinteriors is always looking for wooden furniture in very good condition, especially at flea markets or in estate sales. She suggests improving a few keys. “[Think] Sornstalks, coffee tables, chests of drawers and commodia, ”says Hassan. “The craftsmanship and quality of the wood last a lifetime!” At the top you can see how designer Meghan Lewis from Lewis Vaughn Interiors built this living room around a darker wooden coffee table and emphasized it with an oversized black tablet and stacked white spined books.
The designer Becca Meyer from BB Meyer Design agreed and says that dark wooden furniture is watching on the second -hand marketplace where there are plenty of quality.
Designer Fiona Leonard never gives a dark wooden box of drawers. Leonard predicts that these storage pieces will be on the rise this year. You can try one in a bedroom or even in a larger entry for storage.
Credit: Photo: Cat Wilborne Photography; Design: Lauren McKay Interiors Credit: Photo: Cat Wilborne Photography; Design: Lauren McKay Interiors
Which colors go with dark wooden furniture?
The styling of dark wooden furniture is easier than you think – it is about mixing darker pieces with other contrasting materials such as marble or travertine and keeping examples and keeping the pieces of wood in a similar way.
As far as the color scheme is concerned, blues play well with darker wooden furniture, as can be seen in this pretty dining room by designer Lauren McKay. With this pairing you get an almost complementary color effect, especially if your darker wood has an orange or red undertone. Neutral are another safe bet – think of TANs, white and creams. These colors all offer a beautiful visual resistance to the deeper surfaces of the dark wood. Dark Wood also plays surprisingly well with dark colors. The lack of contrast can lead to a coconut -like effect.
Darker wood is not something you want to go overboard because it has a considerable visual weight and a considerable presence in a room. In order to prevent dark furniture from feeling heavy or outdated, they opt for a statement or two pieces rather than a suitable set. Make sure you choose objects that are less impressive and have slimmer silhouettes, mixed materials or surprising details. With the right selection and the right styling, Dark Wood can feel surprisingly sophisticated – and hardly stuck in the past.
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