The Art of Mixing Different Wood Tones in One Interior

When designing a home, it is natural to want everything to feel cohesive.

One of the most common requests we hear from clients is to have all their furniture made from the same type of wood, in the same tone, so that everything matches perfectly.

But sometimes, matching isn’t the same as creating harmony.

One of the ways we create more interesting and characterful interiors at Bonobo is by mixing different wood tones and finishes. Rather than making every piece look identical, combining woods thoughtfully can bring depth, warmth and personality to a space.

Not Everything Needs to Match

There is a common idea that a well-designed interior should have one consistent wood throughout — perhaps all teak, all walnut or all odum etc. While this can create a very cohesive look, using only one wood tone can sometimes make a room feel overly uniform.

Think of your furniture as you would your wardrobe. You wouldn't necessarily wear the exact same colour and texture from head to toe. Different pieces work together because they complement one another, not because they are identical.

The same principle applies to interiors.

A dining table in a warm teak can sit beautifully alongside darker walnut chairs. A natural wood console can work with a deeper-toned coffee table. A rattan piece can introduce another layer of texture without competing with the solid wood furniture around it.

The goal is not to make everything the same. The goal is to make everything work together.

Why Mixing Wood Tones Adds Character

Different woods bring different qualities to a room.

Some have warm golden undertones, while others are deeper, richer or more neutral. Some have a very pronounced grain, while others are more subtle. These differences create visual variation and prevent a space from feeling flat.

Mixing wood tones can:

• Add depth and dimension to a room
• Create contrast between furniture pieces
• Highlight individual pieces rather than making everything blend together
• Introduce warmth and texture
• Make an interior feel more collected and personal
• Allow you to combine new furniture with existing pieces more naturally

For us, this is particularly important when working with natural materials. Wood is not a perfectly uniform material, and its beauty comes partly from its natural variations, grain and character.

How to Mix Wood Tones Successfully

Of course, mixing different woods doesn't mean choosing several completely unrelated colours and hoping they work together. There is still an art to it.

1. Look for a Common Thread

The different woods in a room should have something that connects them.

This might be a similar undertone, a shared finish, or simply a complementary relationship between light and dark tones.

For example, a warm teak can work beautifully with a darker walnut because the contrast feels intentional rather than accidental.

2. Create Contrast

Don't be afraid of contrast.

Pairing woods that are slightly different in tone often creates more visual interest than choosing several pieces that are almost — but not quite — the same colour.

If every piece is a slightly different shade of brown, the room can sometimes feel like it is trying too hard to match. A more deliberate contrast can actually feel more refined.

3. Repeat Each Tone

One of our favourite ways to make mixed woods feel intentional is to repeat each tone somewhere else in the room.

For example, if you have a dark walnut coffee table, you might echo that darker tone in a side table, shelving detail or decorative element.

You don't need to use every wood everywhere. A subtle repetition is enough to create a visual connection.

4. Consider the Overall Material Palette

Wood doesn't exist in isolation.

The other materials in a room — stone, metal, rattan, leather, upholstery and fabrics — all influence how the wood tones are perceived.

A combination of teak, natural linen and stone, for example, can create a very different atmosphere from teak combined with dark metal and rich fabrics.

Looking at the entire material palette allows the different woods to feel like part of one considered interior.

Embrace the Beauty of Natural Variation

There is another reason we love mixing wood tones: natural wood is never completely identical anyway.

Even two pieces made from the same species of wood can have differences in grain, colour and character. Rather than trying to eliminate these variations, we believe they can be part of what makes a piece beautiful.

At Bonobo, we work with natural materials such as teak and odum, alongside walnut and other materials, depending on the project. Each has its own character, and choosing between them is not simply a question of matching colours.

It is about understanding how each material contributes to the atmosphere of a space.

A Home Should Feel Collected, Not Matched

Perhaps the most important thing to remember is that a home doesn't need to look like it was bought as one complete furniture set.

Some of the most interesting interiors feel as though they have evolved over time. Different pieces, materials and textures come together to tell a story.

Your dining table doesn't have to match your coffee table.

Your coffee table doesn't have to match your console.

And your console certainly doesn't have to match every other wooden piece in the room.

Cohesion comes from thoughtful choices, not repetition.

When we work with clients, we often encourage them to look beyond whether individual pieces "match" and instead consider whether they complement one another.

Because sometimes, the piece that feels slightly different is exactly what gives the room its character.

At Bonobo

We believe furniture should work as part of a wider interior rather than exist as isolated pieces. Whether we're designing a single custom piece or furnishing an entire home, we consider the relationship between materials, colours, proportions and textures.

So the next time you're designing a room, don't ask yourself only, "Does everything match?"

Try asking:

"Does everything belong together?"

There is a big difference — and that difference is often where the character of an interior begins.