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| Hardwood Flooring Trends for 2015 |
The New Year is almost here so we decided to take a look at
the top trends in hardwood flooring for the upcoming year. Those considering a new installation or
simply wanting a fresh look for their flooring have a lot to consider. Popular looks for 2015 depend more on the function of the space and style. Even more things to think about is how
green you want your new floor to be. By green, we do not mean the color green,
but sustainable and eco-friendly.
For the Green Home the floor that will be most sought after is
refurnished or recycled wood flooring. This type of flooring has gained in popularity recently but it has also increased in cost. Often the wood is collected
from old barns and other retired facilities and then refurbished. This is not only
the greenest option, because no trees are cut down to create your new flooring, but it can have a wonderful distressed look to it. There are also many new products on the market that are either LOW VOC or are VOC Free. This helps those that are not interested buying recycled wood, but would like to have options to have their home and flooring have as limited impact on their health and environment as possible.
Other green options include bamboo flooring and engineered
wood flooring. Bamboo has become more popular in recent years and is being
viewed in a more reliable light. Bamboo grows quickly and can be harvested to create wood floor. This helps to keep deforestation down and offers people peace of mind, knowing that the wood is being ethically harvested. Engineered wood floor is
another that is gaining popularity. It is becoming more a more available because of advancements in the industry and the ease of installment that engineered floors offer. We foresee these trends only growing and becoming more of a norm in the hardwood floor industry.
When it comes to style, the most eye-catching flooring trend is
the mosaic look. Recently Hardwood Floor Magazine featured its winners for floor of the year, and not surprisingly mosaic flooring won. People are using mosaics and creating many different designs
with wood. The most interesting is the puzzle piece floor, which looks
like an Escher painting. Small puzzle wood pieces are connected to form
the floor. Chevrons designs are also popular. You
can find this design on everything from curtains, chairs and pillows, creating
a zigzag effect and giving the room a modern feel. People can use a variety of woods to create
these effects or alternate opposite colors or shades; switching off between dark and
lightwoods creates the most dramatic effect.
Some of the top requests we got in 2014 from our clients are a mixture of colors including: Lights/Whites, Grays and Ebony floors. The light colors vary from white to cream and matte
finishes. Some people are choosing to leave their floor looking natural. Others are choosing a light color that can open
up many options for home design. Ebony or dark colored hardwood floors are also seeing a big
comeback. They offer a rich and refined look to a room. The Ebony color is by far the most popular of 2014 but people are
choosing to use dark browns as well. The dark brown finish gives the floor a warmer feel than the ebony but both make the other features of the room pop with contrast.
The last big trend we see growing quickly is the use of wide
planks for floors. These floorboards are usually an average of 6” but can go up to as high
as 7 ½” for some. Wide plank floors are
perfect for larger spaces and will be a trend that sticks around for some time. Wide planks are also easier to install as there are less pieces and they can adapt to humidity better, because there are less places for the wood to swell.
One thing for certain, hardwood floors are here to stay and a great investment to any space. We have been installing, refinishing and repairing wood flooring for over 25 years and are loving these new trends.
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