Need help with wood color choice (with pics)

We have one large room as soon as you walk in the front door of my house. It's not big. Directly in front of you are the sliding doors to the patio, to the right is the living room, and to the left is the kitchen and table.

I used to have my glass case and credenza for my orchids right against this wall and now we have an empty space there:



To the left you can see the rolling cart we use for wine, cookbooks, etc and it's overloaded with crap. We want to get a buffet for this wall with a wine rack and doors for storage, plus put some shelves and art above it.



Here's the thing though... We designate the rooms from each other by color. The kitchen cabinets (which we won't be changing since we won't be here forever) are very light - blond I guess. The countertops are PINK (ugh) and we might change those. The kitchen table and chairs are a little bit darker. I put a chair in front of the cabinets so you can see.



We chose a darker wood for the kitchen table and chairs as an "in between" because the living room is all dark.




So here's the thing. I keep finding nice buffets that we like but they're all dark/formal woods. We do plan on moving in less than 10 years and would want a separate dining room in our next house. So if we plan for the future, we get a dark wood buffet for that wall.

But - be honest - since it will be across from the blond wood kitchen and the light walnut table/chairs... It would look a wee bit strange, no? I'm not of the opinion that everything has to match exactly, but it seems strange to me.

Here's two we like from Raymour:





What do you think - get a dark wood one or keep looking for something lighter that matches the light walnut?

Message edited 10/18/2009 1:46:02 PM.

Re: Need help with wood color choice (with pics)

I think its okay to get the dark buffet, since the living room (dark) is right there and its not going to be right in the kitchen, almost a hall way area. you won't be there forever so if you feel you need it now get something you will use later but if your forever furniture can wait, maybe buy a low priced piece at a yard sale or off craigs list that matches the kitchen more for now. depends how much it will bother you. if you do replace the pink counters, if you get a beige-tan-dark-light mix and add some dark brown accessories in the kitchen it will blend more with a dark buffet...

Re: Need help with wood color choice (with pics)

I think I would go with something totally different in a painted wood or metal. I would try yard sales or Gothic for something that I could refinish. I would not worry about this being an investment piece that you would build around in 10 years. When you move you want to go in a totally new direction with your DR.

Re: Need help with wood color choice (with pics)

Dark wood.

Love the second one.

ETA: Also love Brinkley in the pics, the Brinkley colored furniture.. and how comfortable your home looks!

Message edited 10/19/2009 8:37:13 AM.

Re: Need help with wood color choice (with pics)

I really like this one. I would buy something you like and don't worry about the color of your cabinets in the kitchen. It goes well with your LR Furniture. You can always put a lighter piece of wood, like a bowl on top of the cabinet to bring the lighter wood over to the darker wood. And bring a couple of darker pieces into the kitchen maybe. This way they play off of each other. You don't have to be matchy matchy here. GL.

Re: Need help with wood color choice (with pics)

Thanks ladies! The second one is very similar to our living room furniture and I could affix some kind of fabric to the inside of the frosted glass doors that match the colors of the room. Like beige or green. A friend also suggested a fabric runner for the buffet which is also a great idea.

My only challenge now is that there are no built-in wine holders in the second buffet. I started looking for those accordion type wooden wine things like this



But it would have to match the dimensions of the cabinets... I have some research to do!

Message edited 10/19/2009 10:09:00 AM.

Re: Need help with wood color choice (with pics)

Have you checked out IKEA for the piece of furniture and for the wine racks? They have such a wide selection of stuff you might find something that works for you. ETA: or what about JCPenny?

Message edited 10/19/2009 11:23:11 AM.

Re: Need help with wood color choice (with pics)

Yup, we looked at both, didn't see ones we liked. We tend to be picky about furniture. We've looked at Crate and Barrel, JCPenney, Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware, Ashley, Raymour and Flanigan, Sears and Macys.

I found another one at Raymour that I didn't like at first because of the color, but I think the pictures are off:



But check out the room view:



That looks similar to the color of our table and chairs. We're going to look at them tomorrow night, if they're in the store by us.

Message edited 10/19/2009 12:37:58 PM.

Re: Need help with wood color choice (with pics)

I love the second one!!

Re: Need help with wood color choice (with pics)

Posted by greenfreak

Yup, we looked at both, didn't see ones we liked. We tend to be picky about furniture. We've looked at Crate and Barrel, JCPenney, Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware, Ashley, Raymour and Flanigan, Sears and Macys.

I found another one at Raymour that I didn't like at first because of the color, but I think the pictures are off:

IMAGE

But check out the room view:

IMAGE

That looks similar to the color of our table and chairs. We're going to look at them tomorrow night, if they're in the store by us.

Re: Need help with wood color choice (with pics)

Re: Need help with wood color choice (with pics)

Check out peter andrews, I got a beautiful piece there

Re: Need help with wood color choice (with pics)

i agree with peter andrews, i love their stuff that has floral paintings on it and stuff. like a greeny color or something.


can i have your dog???