Oak furniture, cabinets, banisters and picture frames have some of the most beautiful wood grain available, and solid oak is an expensive investment. When you have ornate and textured wood in your home, you can choose to highlight it with soft, unpronounced colors like white, beige or tan. With highlights, the wood grain and finish stand out.

On the Other: Choose Warm Colors

Warm, earthy colors can provide a nice complement to oak's classic grain. Doty Horn, Benjamin Moore's director of Color and Design, suggests "terra cotta reds, cork-colored yellows and yellow-based greens" to go with oak. Likewise, maroon, gold and copper hues work well with oak.

Bottom Line

Oak brings beauty and value to a home, and you will want to avoid colors that take away from natural tone it brings. Paint colors with too much sheen or metallic tone are not a good match for oak. You can't go wrong with soft white or beige, as these will certainly not overwhelm the feature of the oak grain. At the same time, warm and earthy colors can add depth of feel to a space and, depending on the type of finish used on the oak, complement the grain and texture.

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Kitchens.com: Warm Paint Colors