Wide plank hardwood floors look great in a variety of interior design environments, from contemporary to rustic. Because of their extreme popularity and versatility, architects might be left wondering which types of wide plank floors are best to pair with other trendy architectural elements.
To this end, we’ve compiled a handy list of four popular architectural elements which generally pair well with wide plank floors.
Exposed brick
Exposed brick is currently a popular architectural choice, particularly in areas where warehouses and other old building structures are being converted to residences.
An exposed brick wall pairs well especially with a light-colored wide plank floor, particularly if it is a reclaimed or distressed wide plank floor. Choosing a light-colored wide plank floor like ash will help you maintain the rustic feel engendered by the exposed brick while adding a bit of always-welcome color contrast to the room.
In the above example, you can see that the lightly colored wood floor pairs very well with the exposed brick behind the bed, lending a light, airy feel to the room while adding the perfect amount of contrast.
High ceilings
Wide plank hardwood floors look great in large, spacey rooms, especially those with high ceilings, as well as lofts. Generally speaking, the larger the room, the longer the floors should be in order to maintain the feeling of spaciousness.
Whereas narrow strip flooring can make a space feel small and cluttered––detracting from the hours of work that an interior designer and architects puts into making a space feel the opposite of such––wide plank floors can really open up a space, mainly due to the presence of substantially less distracting seams compared to strip flooring. This is one of the many reasons why wide planks are increasingly becoming the industry standard.
The above example demonstrates that the effect of high ceilings which already add to the spaciousness and overall length of the room can be further amplified with the use of wide plank floors.
Vertical gardens and greenery
Eco-friendly reclaimed wide plank floors go well with a vertical garden or any kind of greenery.
If your project is eco-friendly in nature, there might be a living garden in the space. This greenery and the overall message it conveys can be supplemented by a reclaimed wide plank wood floor which has been repurposed and is now in use as flooring.
Click here to read more about sustainable hardwood flooring trends.
Exposed wood beams
Pairing wide plank wood floors with exposed wood beams on the ceiling can add to a rustic look within the space.
Photo by Joan Heaton Architects – Search kitchen pictures
The picture above is the perfect example of this. The exposed beams on the ceiling paired with the knotty floors creates a barnhouse feel in this winter cabin.
This pairing of wide plank floors with exposed beams is an especially great choice in order to make smaller spaces feel more cozy and rustic.