When it comes to flooring, hardwood is both the most popular option and the most durable flooring for any room. We are happy to share hardwood floor tips for types of wood, colors, sizes, and patterns that make your home look and feel high-end.

types of Flooring

There are multiple options for hardwood flooring, but not all floors are created equal. Laminate flooring is fiberboard with an image of hardwood printed on top of it. Many people choose laminate flooring because it is more affordable. Solid wood is just that – completely solid. It is more expensive, but definitely the most durable. Then there’s a blend: engineered. Engineered wood is layers of plywood topped with a thin layer of solid wood.

Laminate vs. Solid vs. Engineered

There are pros and cons to each type of flooring option – see the graph below to see all the benefits that these options provide.

Our Choice: Solid Wood

Solid Hardwood is the most durable and long-lasting flooring option. While it is the most expensive option, it is the best investment you can make on your home. It’s relatively easy to maintain and repair, so if you have high traffic areas in your home, hardwood is a good choice. It looks high-end and gives more of a luxurious feel.

Although solid wood is our top pick for type of flooring, it is the noisiest option. If noise is an issue for you, be sure to check out How To Soundproof Any Room Without Construction.

Types of Wood

There are so many different types of wood to choose from, but what’s currently trending now (and is quite timeless) for good reason is white oak and walnut wood.

White Oak: extremely durable, consistent grain, and easy to stain because of its wide open pores.

Walnut: wide variety of unique colors, very resilient, and shock resistent.

Choose A natural color

When deciding on a hardwood floor color, you’ll want to consider the functional aspects of your choice. Natural hardwood colors are more durable and resistant to stains, scratches, and fading over time. They also tend to be easier to maintain than other pigmented types of floors such as black or white. You can always change the color of your natural wood flooring at any point by refinishing it with a different stain or finish if you want a room refresh.

Black and dark browns are trendy but require more maintenance than lighter colors like light tan or grey. The darker colors show dust, footprints and hair much more easily which means frequent sweeping or vacuuming is necessary to keep them looking nice.

Bye, Bye Grey

Grey has been a trending color for wood flooring, but the trend is on its way out the door. Grey floors have green undertones that are difficult to pair with decor items. Plus, they can make spaces look a little gloomy if there is too much grey (reminds us of overcast skies). So if you’re in the process of choosing your flooring, try for a more natural color!

Glossy Vs. Matte Finish

As with colors, the more natural the flooring looks, the more high-end it looks and feels. Glossy, shiny floors are (unfortunately) outdated now, so try to opt for flooring that is matte and natural looking. Glossy floors also tend to show footprints and dirt more.

Put it to the test! Which finish do you like better?

Glossy Finish

Matte Finish

Size of planks

The wider the planks, the more high-end your home will look. If you choose smaller planks, it can make your space look and feel cluttered. The busier the floors, the more your eyes are distracted and don’t create the feeling of ease that wider planks can create (who knew plank size can affect your emotions?!).

Let’s put it to the test again! How do you feel when you look at these rooms with different sized planks?

Small Planks

Wide Planks

Installation Pattern

Alright, so you’ve chosen your wood, the color, and plank size – now comes the installation pattern! You can easily install the wood in a straight pattern. This is the most common pattern for hardwood floors, and has been since the dawn of hardwood floors.

If you want your home to look more high-end, try the herringbone or chevron patterns. They are also timeless patterns, so you don’t run the risk of a trend expiring. These patterns will always be gorgeous and popular – and they give your home a sense of uniqueness since they aren’t as simple as a straight pattern.

Here is how these patterns look in a complete room:

Herringbone Floors

Chevron Floors

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Consider regular refinishing

Refinishing is great for maintaining the appearance and function of a wood floor. It can also help extend its life, as refinishing your hardwood floor every 5-7 years will keep it looking like new.

If you’re worried about cost, don’t be! Refinishing will save you money in the long run by extending the life of your hardwood floors and preventing costly maintenance issues like chipping or cracking over time.

Use rugs on bare wood

Utilizing rugs offers multiple advantages: they protect the wood the longer, they provide pops of color or design, they are cozy and are safer if you have kiddos at home, and you can easily swap them out if you want to change the appearance of your room. And most importantly, they don’t completely cover your beautiful hardwood floors; so you can still enjoy the wood that you love so much!

Keep your home looking high-end and on trend by layering rugs. We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: layering multiple rugs is one of our favorite trends right now! It elevates any room you walk into.

The Most Important Hardwood Floor Tip

If you are in the market for wooden flooring, we hope this article was helpful with its tips and trends. The most important thing, though, is to choose a product that fits your needs and budget. This is the beauty of interior design: there will always be trends, but ultimately, the best tip you can follow is to choose what makes you happy. There are pros and cons to every single option, but it’s your space and your preferences are the best trends of all!