If you’re looking for inspiration for your next project involving new floors, you might be wondering whether you should add some color to your floors, or what kind of finish to use. Trends come and go with remarkable frequency, and the flooring industry is no different. You have to ask yourself whether you want to go bold or neutral, but finding the perfect color can be a long and laborious process. The truth is that there are many factors which may influence your decision, so hopefully we can make it a little easier by showing you some of the current trends.
Here are some suggestions based on what’s currently popular in 2023. Some trends have fizzled out since we first wrote this article in 2016 and then updated it again in 2021, so we’ve updated those. Interestingly, other trends have remained the same!
Whitewashed Floors
These are still popular after all these years! Whitewashed floors have been popular for a while now and have even made their way into the designs of many homes. Whitewashed hardwood floors create a muted look that is perfect for a beach house. A good idea if you’d like an extra beachy look is to apply this with a wire brush method, which opens the grain of the wood and provides an authentically weathered appearance. Pair this with a matte finish to let the natural character of the wood take center stage. Bona NordicSeal is an especially popular finish that contractors use to achieve this look.
Gray Hardwood Floors
If you’re in the market for hardwood floors that will make your space look modern and fresh, gray hardwood floors might be the perfect fit for you. Gray has gained popularity in the interior design industry recently as the industry’s preferred neutral tone for carpeting, tile, and décor items. So it makes sense that hardwood floors would begin to follow that trend as well. Adding a graywashed stain to a hardwood floor can help accentuate that floor’s natural beauty while perfectly complementing nearly any style. Choose from light gray, dark gray, and virtually everything in between in order to amplify the modern appeal of your floors.
Dark and Ebony Floors
Dark flooring stains like brown or ebony have gained popularity in recent years. An ebony stain added to a white oak floor can add an air of elegance and modern appeal to almost any space. If you’re going for a more traditional look, you can choose a more muted dark stain like brown walnut, chestnut, espresso, or Jacobean. These dark colors will create a rich appearance that’s distinct from the lighter colored flooring you may typically associate with hardwood floors. A dark floor pairs well with interior design elements that feature light colors.
Matte Finishes
Matte finishes are steadily continuing to gain popularity because they truly accentuate the natural look of the wood rather than covering it up with gloss. For certain species with knots and natural color variation like hickory or southern yellow pine, it’s sometimes best to let the natural beauty of the wood speak for itself. In these cases, you’d want to coat the floor in a clear, natural finish that preserves the integrity of the wood while refraining from adding any color to it. Water-based finish is a popular option for those hoping to achieve a natural look in their floors because water-based finish goes on clear, as opposed to the slight yellowing that is common with most oil-based polyurethane finishes.
Natural and Neutral Floors
Piggybacking off of the increasing popularity of matte finishes, it makes sense that wood species with tons of natural character are popular. White oak, hickory, and maple are popular choices for those who want a classic look that won’t go out of style. These floors work well with a wide range of decor styles, from traditional to contemporary.
Wirebrushed Floors and other textures
This trend is not necessarily new, but we are still seeing an upward trend in this direction. Wirebrushed as well as hand scraped floors impart a rustic quality to the space by giving the floors a rough texture. They are also a very practical choice because the texture of the floors doesn’t show as much dust and dirt as a smooth floor would.
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