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danielle_obeirne

I think I made a mistake. Grey couch with knotty pine? Floor ideas.

Hello! I am stuck. I have a knotty pine cottage and a grey textured couch on order. I am thinking I made a wrong decision on the grey couch and looking for ways to save the look.

Grey was picked for pet/ dirt friendly colour and the sale price. I don’t want to paint the pine.

Any ideas for how to pull the room together?

Excuse the current furniture- it was there when I moved in.

I have to decide on new floors as we are repairing some water damage. I am thinking light so it doesn’t look like a dark hole.

Comments (30)

  • kandrewspa
    13 days ago

    I don't think the sofa is a huge mistake. Navy and rust would be two other colors that would work with a gray sofa and the pine. The coffee table seems like too much of the same, however. I like the one lisedv is showing better.

  • Danielle O'Beirne
    Original Author
    13 days ago

    Thank you! I like the idea of rust to incorporate some colour and warmth. Maybe a fun rug

  • TanCalGal
    13 days ago
    last modified: 13 days ago

    I'd keep the new floors the same tone as the ceiling and walls to prevent a chopped up look. The gray sofa will be nice. I might paint the white window trim a similar color gray as the gray sofa - perhaps a bit lighter. Then, have the same gray pillows on the sofa and a navy and gray rug. An interesting light gray pottery vase on the dining table and a lower light gray pottery item on the coffee table. Here's a nice gray and navy rug choice: https://www.houzz.com/products/lauren-ralph-lauren-etienne-area-rug-lrl6603-navy-ivory-8-x10-prvw-vr~140244705


  • PRO
    Arden Hills Estates
    13 days ago

    Lisedv has a good point. The right rug and throws will go a long way.

  • HU-187528210
    13 days ago

    Hold on - why do you feel like you need to “make it work”. If the couch is returnable you should return it and get what you like best.
    Do not settle for less.

  • Danielle O'Beirne
    Original Author
    13 days ago

    The couch is not returnable and neither is the cottage :)

  • marmiegard_z7b
    12 days ago

    Once the sofa is in , take your time ! Don’t rush out, or order online things that are difficult to return, right away. Get furniture arrangement worked out first. Look at it in all times of day/ light. Add new lighting that you may need, since that affects colors. Then start with any big items— if you know you want a rug, then work on that before throw pillows. Except, if you want to bring home some easily returnable pillows, or even towels, to use as color-testing. Look for “ color mitigation “ and blending of the RIGHT gray with your warm tones, but also one that you love looking at and is the right style for the cabin & decor direction.

    I think there are lots of online room photos of gray sofas + warm floors, wall paint that couldn’t be changed, or just “ warming up” a gray color palette that was turning out too cool, drab— it is a VERY common “ decorating dilemma “ , so by searching. you may get some great color scheme inspiration & also nope, don’t like that, to guide you.
  • Cara Fidler
    12 days ago

    Is it too late to order a different color for the couch? If not I would go with something warmer and more vibrant such as teal green, white or cream color, blue. If you can't do that then yes by all means lighter floors and a nice area rug for under the coffee table that has some warm colors in it. You could get a beautiful throw for the sofa and some accent pillows with some color in them such as apricot, sage green, teal, dusty rose, peach, even red or cobalt blue. I would get rid of that plaid sofa and chair.

  • Danielle O'Beirne
    Original Author
    12 days ago

    Thank you!! You’re right, I should take my time once the couch is in.

    It’s too late to get a different couch :( I don’t love grey but it’s forgiving with dirt and the navy didn’t appeal to me. I had limited colour options.

    The plaid sofa and chairs are going out the door as soon as the grey coach arrives!

    I am thinking of a lighter floor like this look

  • Danielle O'Beirne
    Original Author
    12 days ago

    7229 is my pick

  • marmiegard_z7b
    12 days ago

    Whoa—those grayish wood floors will clash with the pine walls, don’t you think? Very hard to mix woods on walls + floors because both are large impact areas. It’s easier if there’s more difference in depth of color ( see kitchens with wood cabs & wood floors) but even so there has to be some similarity in warmth or coolness.

  • Danielle O'Beirne
    Original Author
    12 days ago

    I guess I don’t see grey in this floor, I saw it in many others I looked at. I don’t want to go dark and that’s the lightest floor they have that isn’t too busy. Any other recommendations?

  • marmiegard_z7b
    12 days ago

    I guess some do and some don’t. I agreytgat it’s really not possible to pick colors out via internet photos— you will of course judge your options by sample you take home & view in your room (s) , next to walls & furniture. Some people have suggested buying one box of flooring so can lay out a larger sample, but I don’t know exactly how that works.

  • elcieg
    12 days ago
    last modified: 12 days ago




    All Pottery Barn.

  • Danielle O'Beirne
    Original Author
    12 days ago

    Thank you! That’s great, it’s where my grey couch is coming from.

  • Boxerpal
    12 days ago

    I think once the couch arrives and the floors are installed you will be able to add some accent colors that will make the space work.



    I do wish you could go darker on the sofa. But since the light gray is what is chosen lets see how you can make that work further below

    Living Room · More Info



    slightly darker wood floors with similar wood and gray sofa

    Shady Lane · More Info



    here is a great photo of a similar wood (not as knotty but similar color)


    Haus in Garching · More Info



    Adding a rug and maybe accent chair

    Rattlesnake Cove Renovation · More Info



    Timberframe Lake Escape · More Info


  • elcieg
    12 days ago

    I thought it was a PB sofa. Expensive but very nice.

  • Danielle O'Beirne
    Original Author
    12 days ago

    I got it for a very good price on clearance but it was only in grey! Thats why I ended up with the grey sofa :)

    Thank you boxerpal! It’s a bit of a darker grey with some texture- that middle fabric. I think my rug choice will make a big difference. Appreciate the help here

  • Danielle O'Beirne
    Original Author
    12 days ago

    Accident chair is a great idea! It can be lighter

  • Olychick
    12 days ago

    Please pick the warmer toned floors. The cooler shade (what some of us see as grayish) is only going to make your walls appear orangish, which you don't want. Just because it's light, if it's the wrong tone it is not going to lighten the space because it's going to jump off the floor to clash with the walls. A warmer toned floor is not going to make the space darker. Look at how bright all the pics Boxerpal posted of the rooms with the floors the same color as the walls. Everything (floors and walls and ceiling) recedes and the furnishings stand out.

  • housegal200
    12 days ago

    Consider varieted wood flooring in mainly light slats with other warm, darker slats. It's a nice rustic look with pine walls. And you don't necessarily have to do all the floors, just the damaged ones since the varieted slats will echo other flooring you have.

    5"x1/2" Hickory Hand Scraped Prefinished Engineered Wood Flooring, 1 Box · More Info


    Gray sofa is fine. Add warm touches to link panelling, floor, sofa.

    Woman Lake · More Info


    A light palette of ivory, gray, gold, and smidges of red would be great for a rug. This wool rug is from Wayfair.


    Cargo Red and Gold Throw Pillow · More Info


  • Danielle O'Beirne
    Original Author
    12 days ago

    I was trying to go more this looking with the lighter floor selection. I may end up just replacing the kitchen/ entry way where the leak is and keeping as is since I can’t decide on colour 🤣

  • Olychick
    12 days ago

    If you go with a different material than wood, that might work but I think your safer bet is to do similar wood and use large, light area rugs.


  • Danielle O'Beirne
    Original Author
    12 days ago

    Thanks! I was thinking of Vinyl click boards

  • flopsycat1
    12 days ago

    Just a caution. Vinyl faux wood abutting real wood is generally not a happy marriage.

  • Danielle O'Beirne
    Original Author
    12 days ago

    Yeah, that’s why I was trying to go lighter. /something that doesn’t look like wood but this group disagree. I’ll keep looking

  • housegal200
    11 days ago
    last modified: 11 days ago

    Vinyl is going to cheapen the look of your beautiful wood walls. If you want lighter, then choose light varieted real wood with a few darker wood slats or markings so the woods "talk" to each other.

  • PRO
    Debbi Washburn
    11 days ago

    Whatever floor samples you are looking at must be signed out and brought home to look at against the pine. There is NO WAY to decide that in the flooring store under fluorescent lighting. There is nothing wrong with lighter floors, but the tone needs to go with the pine, not your gray couch.

    Personally, I wouldn't look at any more gray anything - maybe as an underlying accent but not for an overall color of anything.

  • Danielle O'Beirne
    Original Author
    11 days ago

    Thank you! Was looking at vinyl for durability- dog, water, it’s currently a 3 season place. I have signed out a bunch of samples and you’re totally right they look different in the lighting.