Currently, on the coasts (as in LA and NYC) ultra dark floors are the trend. In the more traditional South, mid-tone browns are more popular. But the second most popular color nationally is natural colored floors. What do you choose?
Lucky for you, flooring Padawan, we at City Tile are Flooring Masters and we can give you the training that you need. Here are a few tips to consider as you master the force that different colored floors can exert upon your home.
Ask yourself, what do I like best? Do I feel myself drawn to the light, or am I heading towards the dark side?
Wood Floor Trends to Match Your Style
What is your style? Contemporary? Mid-Century Modern? Traditional? Transitional? Bo-Ho? Different colored floors may look better with different types of furniture. While there is no need to match woods, light floors look better with dark wood furniture and light wood furniture tends to look better with darker floors. But if you throw an area rug over the floor, then it breaks up the wood-on-wood. The only wood combination that looks bad is a red toned floor matched with red toned furniture. Different red tones fight each other. Guess that explains why there is only one Sith apprentice at a time. Too much red clashing.
Is your home small and dark? Or large and airy? If your house is small and dark, lighter floors are a better choice, because light floors will make a house look bigger. When paired with light colored walls, and minimal window treatments, a small dark house can move into the light. If a house is large and airy, then dark floors will give it a cozier feel.
Kitchen cabinets need to be taken under consideration much like furniture. Light cabinets look better with dark floors and vice versa. If you have old wood cabinets that you do not wish to replace, then paint them. The best color to paint them is gray. It works well with either light or dark wood floors.
Cleaning Wood Floors… Some Things to Consider
And then you will need to consider the mount of traffic, upkeep, and pets. Darker wood floors are the hot trend, but they show scratches and dirt easier. They also require more upkeep. Light floors, especially those in a natural shade, have a longer life and are easier to keep clean. Light wood floors are also less expensive to put in.
Since different woods take stain differently, sometimes the end product is not what was expected after looking at a photo online. A picture and the real thing are quite different. Make sure to test the color you think you like before you apply it all over the house. The type of wood, lighting, wall color, and even furniture color can effect the way a floor looks. It many appear one color in the showroom, another in the natural light, and a completely different color in your home.
While designers can help you answer questions about colors and fabrics, in the end you must turn off external suggestions and go with the voice within, trust the force of your own taste and the knowledge that you have gained about flooring to aid you in making the right choice for your home and lifestyle.
Tell us which side you will choose, Dark or Light!
