The gray hardwood flooring trend has been popular for a few years now. When it first started catching on, many homeowners and interior design professionals were quick to dismiss it as a passing fad. But it looks like gray is here to stay—at least for the foreseeable future. We first wrote about this trend several years ago but it continues to be relevant.
What makes gray hardwood floors so special? Why do they seem to have staying power in such a fickle industry? We’ve done a bit of thinking on this, and we believe that their appeal can be attributed to the following factors:
Gray is versatile
Neutral colors are the lifeblood of the interior design industry. And it’s been said that gray is the new neutral.
Gray pairs well with a variety of colors and home decor styles. Its soothing tones don’t distract from any overarching themes in the room—instead, it complements them.
Gray is a welcome departure from ebony-stained wood floors and other dark hardwood floors, which tend to bring intense energy into a space.
Calming effects
On that note, the neutral tones of a gray hardwood floor bring calming effects into the room. They can help to instill a sense of serenity in a space, which is an important interior design goal in our hustle-and-bustle culture.
People generally want their homes to be relaxing havens, and gray hardwood floors can help you achieve this. It’s a great choice for those looking to create more calming spaces in their homes.
Photo by Regan Wood Photography
We tend to see gray hardwood floors a lot in kitchens, but they are also a great choice for a home study or office—anywhere that could benefit from soothing tones.
Opens up a space
Because it’s a light color/shade, it does a lot to open up a space and make it appear bigger. Opt for gray hardwood floors if you have a smaller room that you’d like to open up, or an already spacious room that could benefit from the appearance of even more length.
Photo by Naples ReDevelopment, Inc.
Wide plank floors will further contribute to this effect, as will light-colored walls and furniture.
Going gray
By now, you probably see that gray hardwood floors offer a lot of different benefits and that they might be a good choice for your next wood flooring project.
Gray floors are contemporary, modern, fresh, and calming. They pair well with a number of colors and home decor styles.
Photo by Eloisa Conti
Because of their flexibility, gray hardwood floors just might be the perfect solution to all of your interior design woes.
Which species should you opt for if you want gray hardwood floors? White oak tends to do best with a gray-washed hardwood floor stain, but other species could also work.
If you’d like to save time and the struggles that come with site-finishing and staining a hardwood floor, you can opt for gray prefinished hardwood floors.
Gray looks especially good in wide plank hardwood floors because its light tones highlight any burls or other natural markings in the wood that add character to the flooring.
Thinking about installing gray wide plank hardwood floors for your next project? Call us at (877) 697-5265 or email info@wideplankfloorsupply.com for more information.
Thanks for the tip that white oak would be my best bet when considering gray hardwood flooring. I’ve been been thinking about renovating my living room in order to raise the value of my house and I read from a TV show about interior design that hardwood, when maintained well, appreciates a lot in value. Perhaps getting hardwood flooring would be a good investment to have.
All the points you made about gray hardwood flooring, especially the points about how much style they can provide to a house, really helped to read. When my relatives visited my house and see how much work it needed, I realized that I should really work on renovating the place since it hasn’t been tended to much since it’s previous owner left. With how busted up and scratched the current floors are, I’ll definitely benefit from a stylish and modern flooring material like gray hardwood, so I’ll look for any contractors that can provide me with some.