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by Rachel Lyon, Editorial Director for The House Designers®
Flooring forms the base of interior designs, so make sure to choose something that meets the desires of today’s homeowners. Between color, source, sheen, and various other characteristics that need to be considered, it can be difficult to make a decision. When it comes time to complete a home, here are some of the most popular trends that will help you select a floor that will be loved for many years.
Bold Colors
Wood comes in many solid and high-contrast hues, and subtle tans and browns have been popular for quite a while. You can’t go wrong with the ubiquity of natural red oak with its light color that has been appreciated for decades; it is easy to build a bright and spacious interior on such a floor. But many homeowners put a little more oomph into their designs with looks that branch out from the norm.
The extremes are increasingly relevant—tones from near-white to very dark and deep are becoming popular. These woods are favored for the specific ambiances that they help produce, which range from airy to formal. Homeowners might ask for something like this, or you can try to match the style to that of the house itself. Gray flooring has been fairly prevalent in the last few years as well, and now it looks like it’s here to stay. As a true neutral in every sense of the word, gray is especially popular in modern designs, but the right shade can do wonders anywhere. It’s all about providing a fuss-free base that matches everything and offsets other color choices beautifully, and that’s why so many people love it.
Eco-Friendly Sources
Green building is big business, and for good reason. Investing in the environment is the best choice for all of us, and it wasn’t always a priority in the past. Many of the most desirable hardwoods are slow-growing and harvesting them is impossible to do sustainably with current demand, so it’s best to mimic their looks and other characteristics with faster-growing species and careful finishing processes. Every sort of style can now be fulfilled by the fastest-growing woody material around—bamboo!
The appeal of bamboo lies mainly in the fact that it is considered old growth and ready to harvest in only four years, and that new shoots naturally sprout from plants that have been harvested, but there are also purely practical reasons why homeowners are happy to see this kind of flooring. Strand bamboo is exceptionally hard and durable, on par with exotic hardwoods and with twice the Janka score of red oak. That means it can stand up to heavy traffic and resist wear and tear better than the most commonly used wood for flooring in the United States! Whether you’re primarily concerned with sustainability or durability, bamboo delivers and has earned its newfound acclaim in the flooring world.
Authentic Worn Character
Immaculate floors are great for sports courts and ballrooms, but they aren’t the best for average consumers who don’t have the time to maintain them. It’s better to invest in a floor that appears handcrafted, with natural grooves and scrapes that disguise any accumulated damage that would mar a totally flat and spotless surface. Distressed flooring is available in a huge range of wood species, bamboo, ceramic tiles, and even synthetics like laminate. No matter the material, prefinishing and careful engineering ensure that these are some of the hardiest floors around—they actually withstand wear and moisture exposure better! And other than the pragmatic benefits that any busy family will appreciate, the distressed appearance itself is often coveted, because it adds a certain character to each space where it is used. Homeowners love the rustic appeal no matter the setting.
When it comes time to select flooring for your builds, check out the vast assortment available from Lumber Liquidators. Looking for a certain color, type, or textural appearance? They have it all and all you need to do is search! Find a local dealer if you’d like to see beautiful options like the ones shown here in person, and you’re sure to discover the perfect flooring for each and every house!