The best wall colors that go with concrete floors
As a typically interesting-toned product, it can be tricky to find wall shades that go with concrete floors. A lot of us enjoy the modern, industrial glance of the stuff, and utilized on flooring it is an extremely-up to date alternative to wooden flooring. But like colors that go with grey, even deciding on the appropriate shade of white to go with concrete can show tough.
So just how do you come across the fantastic shade pairing? We turned to the gurus to get their concepts for wall colors to use with concrete floors, speaking to inside designers and architects who’ve utilized the content plenty in their individual projects – and have clever suggestions for how to operate this glimpse.
How to pick wall colours that go with concrete floors
Concrete has some unusual properties that make it trickier to do the job with, not least for the reason that it isn’t necessarily uniform. ‘Concrete is a intriguing content, generally unpredictable in how it will glance at the time remedied,’ states Alessandro Ronfini (opens in new tab), companion at DEMO Architects. ‘Its irregularities and inconsistencies are what make it distinctive and I often test to emphasize these attributes.’
It can also have colour-transforming tendencies, as Chad Falkenberg (opens in new tab) of Vancouver interior style studio Falken Reynolds clarifies. ‘Since most concrete is a gray, and gray tends to get on the reverse colour of anything around it, it is good to examination hues next to the concrete,’ he says. ‘A vibrant blue, for illustration, may well make the concrete search orange.’
‘I don’t consider there is a rule of thumb: it all depends on the context, the temper and software of the job and the type of the consumer,’ provides Alessandro Ronfini. ‘With a great designer at the helm, concrete flooring can go with a great deal of various textures and hues.’
However, a bit of guidance is by no means a poor matter – so read through on for the shades designers are using along with concrete flooring suitable now.
1. White
(Impression credit: Erin Kelly. Styling by Hilary Robertson. Style by Leanne Ford Interiors)
Concrete and white walls are, of program, a prevalent pairing – so it can be no surprise it’s to start with on the list. But though a lot of love the minimalist palette available by this match, it is still very important to pay focus to the precise shade of white you happen to be using – and select the best white paint for the task.
‘It’s vital to retain the temperature cohesive,’ says South Bay Space inside designer Cathie Hong (opens in new tab). ‘If the concrete floors are a heat gray, I would pick out a heat white for the partitions. Equally if the concrete has a neat undertone, I would go for a crisper cooler white wall paint.’
‘Concrete floors are modern and modern-day, which is great if which is the search you happen to be heading for,’ claims Louisville-primarily based interior designer Bethany Adams (opens in new tab). ‘But if all that sleekness starts to come to feel stark, you can warm points up by pairing your concrete floors with a creamy white paint – check out Benjamin Moore’s Just White (opens in new tab) – warm wooden accents and smooth furnishings full of texture like boucle, tweed, or even sheepskin. Check out to steer very clear of nearly anything with gray, blue, or green undertones so that there is some distinction.’
And of class, these kinds of a pared-again plan needs excess texture to keep issues appealing. In the earlier mentioned white dwelling home by Leanne Ford Interiors (opens in new tab), the Pennsylvania-centered designer takes advantage of a stone coffee desk and loose-include couch to carry the negligible foundations of the home.
2. Wood tones
(Picture credit score: Ema Peter. Design and style by Falken Reynolds)
Even though not a coloration in by itself, a wood accent wall was by significantly the most preferred suggestion from the designers we spoke to, thanks to its innate capability to heat up a scheme – some thing a room with concrete flooring will generally need. ‘The softness and heat of wood results in a particular bond with the hardness and gray tint of concrete that it is really not possible to replicate with hues,’ says Alessandro Ronfini.
‘I appreciate to incorporate wooden to warm up a area, and wood and concrete are so complementary although both of those experience pure,’ claims Cathie Hong. ‘White oak is an easy option because of its by natural means warm undertones.’
Of system, shell out interest to the undertones of the flooring ahead of picking a wood. In the over wooden lavatory by Falken Reynolds, the concrete ground was pretty heat – ‘so we had been risk-free to use wood on the ceiling and partitions with out the concrete using on a blue undertone and sensation amazing,’ states Chad Falkenberg.
If you like to use paint, heat colors with lower contrast can offer you a comparable feel to wood. ‘Warm earthy lighter paint would make the total space really feel warm and allow for the grey to take on a bit of the reflected heat, while also giving aid from it and earning the house feel much more interesting,’ provides Chad. ‘That mild reduction is what permits us to stay in a house for lengthier without having our eyes sensation fatigued from viewing much too significantly of a one coloration.’
3. Grey
(Image credit history: Margaret Austin. Structure by Cathie Hong Interiors)
Whilst it can be the closest coloration match to concrete, gray is not essentially a no-go for an interiors plan – even though it’s probably not the pairing for you if you want one thing warm and cocooning. Instead, it produces fabulously cool, up to date areas like the kitchen area above, developed by Cathie Hong Interiors.
In it, an expanse of blue-gray cabinets – paired with tiling with gray grouting – provides a slight distinction to the warmer grey of the polished concrete flooring. ‘Much like the relaxation of the home, we saved the colour palette neutral but warm with oaks and heat whites, but included in colourful accents as a result of extras,’ Cathie suggests.
4. Blue
(Picture credit: Nicole Franzen. Design and style by Bunsa Studio)
If you happen to be captivated to the blue-grey cupboards higher than, think about using the pairing further more by opting for brighter blue partitions with a concrete ground. In this entryway by Bunsa Studio (opens in new tab), light blue patterned wallpaper – interspersed with hints of yellow via the window dressings – make for a shockingly clean contrast with the warmer concrete flooring.
Embracing concrete’s complementary tones can be a great technique to use when it arrives to picking a wall coloration. ‘Grey concrete is often a interesting hue,’ claims Religion Swickard (opens in new tab), associate at Wittman Estes. ‘Complementary colors enrich the tone – blues, greens, darker maroons.’ And considering that gray is a shade that goes with blue, we can see why concrete works so effectively with it way too.
5. Yellow
(Impression credit history: Chaunte Vaughn. Style by DEMO Architects)
It is nicely known that gray is a excellent colour that goes with yellow, so it really is no shock that yellow and concrete make a dynamic, warm and playful room. Take into account making use of yellow in a kitchen area with wooden cabinets and a concrete floor – or for a bolder just take on the palette, go for bright yellow wall tiles in a bathroom and mood with a concrete flooring.
It’s a little something DEMO Architects did to excellent effect in the house earlier mentioned. ‘In this lavatory, taking into consideration the dimensions and restricted daylight, I tried using to contrast it with shiny hues that would provide a ton extra warmth to an in any other case smaller area,’ states Alessandro Ronfini.
In normal, the rule applies that most self-confident pops of color can operate with concrete. ‘Any saturated hue will deliver dynamic contrast to concrete – believe pop artwork in an industrial warehouse with concrete floors in comparison to a hardwood,’ says Chad Falkenberg. ‘The colors will appear even a lot more abundant for the reason that the concrete is so unsaturated and grey.’
6. Pink
(Picture credit: Andrew Pogue. Layout by Prentiss Equilibrium Wickline Architectd)
You may have noticed pink and concrete becoming used alongside one another, preferred as they are as a softer colour pairing (grey is also a widespread color that goes with pink). This combination functions specifically very well in a bedroom, thanks to its much more refined, soothing influence – be certain to select a paler or earthier pink alternatively than a thing brighter. Generating balance with this plan is an art.
Alternatively, pink is a great choice for a shade pop in a kitchen with a concrete floor. Consider pink plaster on your partitions, or opt for pink kitchen area cabinetry, like this place by Prentiss Balance Wickline Architects (opens in new tab): accent with gold hardware and comfortable woods to round off the plan.
What colors go with coloured concrete flooring?
Until you want an all-around color-drench look, it really is greatest to stick to neutral – normally white – partitions if you happen to be applying a colored concrete flooring. Observe the suggestions over and opt for a shade that matches the warm or awesome undertones of your concrete, and contemplate introducing wood to your scheme to soften and add heat.
Alternatively, opt for a shade which is tonally lighter than your flooring to add refined depth to the plan without introducing a entire new colour. Want to go daring? Carry the same shade up your walls, over skirting and woodwork, for a scheme that’s cozy, cocooning and incredibly on development.
Which wall finishes function properly with concrete flooring?
(Graphic credit score: Wittman Estes)
The sleek, polished end of concrete floors make them the perfect grounding element for a very textural scheme – especially wall finishes. ‘For the final in warmth and texture, take into consideration a hand-troweled plaster complete on partitions,’ says Bethany Adams.
For the Seattle-dependent design and style studio Wittman Estes (opens in new tab), the earlier mentioned residing home was an chance to experiment with another industrial-inspired material, uncooked steel. Used to produce a wall of storage and a hearth surround, it really is an appealing pairing to concrete – and contrasts with the natural landscape outside. ‘The color scheme was drawn from the client’s industrial minimalist aesthetic,’ suggests Faith Swickard. ‘We used repeated features in each and every area for a calm, uncluttered, and unified expression. The concrete ground serves as each the ground construction and a cleanse, minimalist base for the home composition.’
Indeed, mixing supplies in this way is a fantastic route to unanticipated interiors. ‘We make unforeseen pairings by resources with balanced textural fascination (concrete, stone, steel) or by shaping planes of components all through the home,’ Religion adds. ‘An case in point is to use concrete for the flooring airplane, wood from the casements and partitions, and metal as a comprehensive wall fireplace. We juxtapose product compositions by bringing the look and shade of indoor products exterior and framing them with plants and trees. The tender greens of the plantings contrast with the really hard edge of concrete pavers, developing a significant contrast palette.’
And you should not shy away from pairing concrete with luxe components. For their Cadboro Bay venture, Falken Reynolds used two well-liked resources as a satisfying contrast to the concrete ground. ‘Concrete has an industrial and raw feeling to it so it is enjoyment to juxtapose really refined materials with it,’ claims Chad Falkenberg. ‘We paired the concrete in the powder home with far more subtle marble as very well as handblown glass – the concrete pulls informal and resilient so the all round space meets in the middle and feels elevated though also becoming approachable.’
