11 Wood Stain And Paint Color Combos That Will Look Stunning In Your Home

Should you paint or stain your kitchen cabinets? What about that dresser or set of bar stools you picked up at the thrift shop that's in dire need of renovation? Technically, either one will work, depending on the aesthetic you're going for. However, we'd like to propose a slightly left-of-field answer to this common DIY conundrum: Use both together. It might sound like you're adding a layer of complexity to what would otherwise be a straightforward paint (or stain) job, but trust us when we say it's worth the effort — only so long as you get the stain and paint hue pairing right. Having a few examples to guide your palette selection will ensure the final product is meet-cute, not clash.

Go classic and pair forest green or midnight blue paint with walnut-hued stains or a Scandi palette of white and moss green. If you're looking for an up-to-the-minute combination, pair luxurious mahogany stains with Gen Z purples — that is, saturated lavenders and lilacs. Other trending combinations include coal black with oak for those Tudor great hall vibes or jewel tones with teak.

Do you use the stain or the paint first? If you're using both on the same piece, say, a dresser or desk you're renovating, the stain typically goes on first. For other projects, like wall paneling, they might be entirely separate. However, before using wood stain you'll want to plan your palette carefully; you might not have the chance to backtrack once that coat of paint goes on atop the stain!

Using various shades of watered-down paint to create a gray-weathered look on furniture was in vogue in the 2010s. If you still love that look, refine it for the 2020s using river rock-gray stains paired with flat white paint. If you want to replicate this look, try General Finishes water-based stain in Graystone, about $32 from Walmart, with any matte white interior paint or even white chalk paint. If you want to add more colors to this simple combination, try soft greens, blues, and browns on the cooler side, or gentle pinks and reds for interest.

If you're looking to create an oasis of tranquility in a bathroom, bedroom, or even with a piece of furniture, look to the garden. Gazing at moss, sage, or eucalyptus leaf green on a shiplap feature wall or cane headboard is almost guaranteed to lull you into a state of relaxation. Match, for example, Vine Leaf by Behr, about $50 from The Home Depot, or Lick Green 02 for $70 a gallon with a wood grain-hugging white stain — think Sunbleached by Varathane, 1 quart for about $12 at Menards, or Minwax Simply White, almost $13 for a half-pint on Amazon — to head into Scandi territory.

Whether you're renovating a solid pine mid-century dresser or reviving the dated built-in shelving in your office, leaning into vintage charm using colors from bygone eras can look and feel surprisingly contemporary. Few things give off a Victorian parlor mood more than deep, dark greens paired with rich walnut stains. Try, for example, painting the frame of an old solid wood writing desk with Behr chalk finish in Fig Leaf or North Woods (1 quart for under $25 from The Home Depot) and staining the drawers with American Walnut by Varathane (1 quart for just over $50 from Amazon) or Minwax Early American.

Looking for the best ways to use neutrals in home decor? Don't be afraid to lean into the aesthetic and keep literally everything neutral — from your walls to your flooring to your wood furniture. White paint (but honestly, really, white anything, from countertops to cabinets) in all its various shades is classic in kitchens with oak floors, walls, furniture, frames, and trim. Dabble in the buttery side of that spectrum, too. Try pairing Varathane Light Walnut wood stain — a 2-pack is under $40 on Amazon — with the Benjamin Moore best-seller White Dove in kitchens, in formal dining rooms, or even on furniture.

Love your coffee? Pair dark stains with white or cream throughout your home to enjoy that morning brew with your eyes as much as you do your nose and taste buds. We're talking deep with those stains — think Dixie Bell No Pain Gel Stain in Espresso ($33.95 for 16 ounces) or Minwax Dark Walnut, under $10 for half-a-pint at ACE Hardware. Match with white-grays like Endless Shore by Silk Paint or Beyond Paint Bright White on, say, a chair frame or entryway table legs or something a touch creamier like Valspar Signature Mystique on a dresser case or entryway table legs.

The two-tone wood and paint furniture combo has been trending for a few years now. On furniture, that typically means something like a dining table with painted legs and a wood top or a dresser with stained drawers and a painted frame. Walnut-hued stains like Minwax Early American and Special Walnut or General Finishes Walnut are common. Pairing them with a dependable neutral like gray ensures you'll end up with a piece of furniture or even a room that dates slowly, if at all. Try General Finishes Perfect Gray, Sherwin Williams Iron Ore, or a bespoke Jolie matte finish Zen and Noir mix.

If you're bored of your Scandi kitchen or modern farmhouse bedroom, it might be time to get some inspiration from the hues that color warmer climes like Morocco or Turkey. Think window and door trim painted in Behr's bright Moroccan Spice and exposed rafters brushed with coats of Cracked Pepper (also by Behr) paired with chunky wood furniture stained in dark walnut. Create a distinctive headboard by combining geometric shapes of royal blue, mustard, and white paint with oblique rectangles stained in teak.

If you loved the aforementioned green and walnut Victorian vibes but aren't a fan of green, this is a pairing you could use instead. Apply inky blue paint like Rust-Oleum Painter's Touch in "Midnight Blue" (get two cans for under $10 on Amazon) or Behr's "Very Navy" (1 gallon is just over $40 at The Home Depot) mixed with a touch of black to desk or sideboard cases with drawers or tops stained in any of the various walnut stains. Alternatively, oak-stained wood panels look undeniably refined when mounted over a blackish-blue painted wall. Leave gaps between the panels for peeks of paint.

Want to create a truly contemporary piece of furniture or interior aesthetic? Start embracing Gen Z purple in all its glorious shades and this generation's penchant for mixing and matching decor styles across eras with ease. Bring a lackluster or hardworn art deco sideboard into today by staining it with a rich mix of Minwax Hickory and Mahogany and stenciling geometric patterns onto the doors with bespoke-mixed purple paint. Can't afford actual stain? Deepen the color of a wooden dining table using soy sauce and paint the chairs purple.

Few things conjure up old England more than an oak or walnut stain and some coal-black paint. Apply the ancient combination to hefty wooden dining tables, the kind you might see at the head of a Tudor-era great hall, or the turned-frame spindle chairs of medieval monasteries. Mix natural oak and dark oak stains together to create an era-appropriate hue with just the right amount of antique feeling, or choose a lighter shade of oak for finer furniture. Furniture in place, expand the color combination out to flooring, accessories, and even trim or exposed ceiling beams.

Black and white stripes have been widely hailed by experts as a 2024 interior design trend you need to know. While you may not want to conjure Beetlejuice into your home (though who are we to judge if you do), there's no denying the drama the combination adds. For example, you can easily transform your entryway staircase into a trendy feature with multiple coats of Minwax True Black stain, under $10 for half a pint on Amazon, and white-painted risers.