Wood flooring is a timeless option. Even with the incursion of simulated wood options, wood flooring will never go out of style. Going into 2018, there are different hardwood floor trends we’ll be seeing more of, highlighting a fresh feel and design in any home. Hardwood floors have an ability to change depending on its surrounding styles, as well as an ability to transform any space. Read on to find out what trends we’ll be seeing in homes come the new year.So those are my top 7 trends for hardwood flooring for 2018 and beyond. Most of these trends have been building for years, and I expect them to grow even more in popularity. You can see that many of these trends are synergistic and there’s a strong preference for cooler tones, lower luster and more subtle colors and textures. These trends are consistent with paint trends as the floors and walls need to work together in harmony.
1. Fumed Wood Flooring – Stronger Color and Grain
Almost all types of wood flooring undergo some kind of staining to given them the desired final finish. Fumed wood flooring gets its rich color and grain without having to get any sort of staining. Instead, the wood is put through a process called fuming. This involves placing the wood in a chamber where airborne ammonia is then released. The wood reacts with the ammonia and undergoes a color change. The reaction does not always result in the same changes. The final look depends on a number of factors including: the type of wood, the outside environment, and the atmosphere itself. Generally, fuming gives the wood rich dark tones and enhances the natural grain of the wood. The final look is much more appealing and feels deeper than what you would get with stained wood flooring.
2. Gray – Go With Grey
Yes, gray, gray and more gray. Gray flooring has been on the rise, and you can see it everywhere you go – in wood, tile that looks like wood, and gray vinyl planks that look like wood. Over the past 10 years, grey has been a popular and growing trend for hardwood floors. Going into 2018, it is still one of the most important colors that influence what goes into a home. This color can create a rustic and casual look to a home, or a more refined appearance; it’s versatile. Over the last 2 to 3 years, we’ve been seeing more variations on the grays where people will blend in some browns for a gray/beige look. White washes have also grown in popularity (but they are also harder and more expensive to achieve with real hardwood).
3. Blonde Finish – White
While dark floors are gaining popularity, extremely light tones are also trending upward. Light, blonde wood gives a more open and airy look to a space, especially in natural light. Lighter toned floors have the added benefit of easily hiding imperfections, dirt, and fur much better than dark floors. Expect to see this look in more and more homes in the next few years. White, tan and off-white hardwood floors are also a growing trend. These neutral colored hardwood floors are a perfect blank canvas to design a whole room, and create a feeling of comfort and coziness. Whereas dark hardwood floors have been the trend over the last decade, neutral or natural hardwood colors are making a comeback.
4. Longer and Wider Floors
Yes, wider wood planks make your space look larger (and better). Interesting enough, they make modern homes took more contemporary and older homes look more rustic and authentic. Today, floors with mixed width is steadily being used by designers due to its flexibility. However, longer and wider planks are starting to trend and more of it is expected to be seen in 2018. Wider planks have been growing in popularity over the last decade and are strongly preferred over the standard 2 1/4″ strips that were installed from the 30’s through the 90’s. Nowadays, it’s rare to install anything below 3 1/4″ for new installations (unless you are matching wood that’s in the rest of the house.Technology is allowing an introduction of hardwood floors that are getting wider Going into 2018, look for options for these larger strips to accentuate open and wide spaces in a home.
5. Satin Finished Wood Floors
Homeowners are starting to prefer less “polished” floors with Satin finishes becoming much more widespread. Matte finishes are among-st the fastest growing segment of flooring finishes. Satin finishes offer a fine balance between traditional semigloss and the trendy low gloss finishes and provide many of the benefits of each. Over the last few years, flatter finishes have become even more popular as more and more people are going for water borne poly, especially the higher grade Bona Traffic HD Satin is an amazing product. First, it just gives a more natural, lighter and more contemporary look. The wood looks more natural and it doesn’t have that yellowish tint (oil borne polyurethanes give a more amber color, and they amberizes more over time). And, Bona Traffic is better for the environment (lower VOCs) and it smells less. And, it dries and cures faster. It is more expensive, but it’s worth it if you are going for a light and natural look. The great news for matte and satin finishes is that they are both popular and practical. They are easier to clean and look better longer.
6. Diagonal / Angled Wood Floors
An increasing number of homeowners are installing their wood floors at an angle instead of straight on. If you applied this technique, your living space would have a contemporary and luxurious look. The materials and installation may cost a bit more, but that has never stopped people from creating beautiful works of art they can live on. We should expect to see these angled wood floors more often in the coming years.
7. Parquet
In 2018, expect to see more of parquet, such as a herringbone design. Seen a lot in castles around Europe, these designs can offer an expensive look to a home. To generalize this trend, the geometric patterns in wood such as herringbone, triangles, squares, etc. will be growing in popularity. A parquet floor becomes the focal point to any room; like artwork on your floors!
For 2018, there will be an expansion of complex hardwood floor visuals, which include layers, hand-touched effects, chalky matte finishes, neutral whites and greys, all of which will give any home a fresh feel. Something that will always be a trend for flooring, though, are hardwood floors. Take advantage of these trends by contacting the flooring experts at Tom & Peter Flooring with any questions you may have. You can call us 847-956-2244
Plain Sawn – (most common + least expensive)
Quartersawn – (less common + more expensive then plain sawn)
Live Sawn
Wood flooring is a timeless option. Even with the incursion of simulated wood options, wood flooring will never go out of style. Going into 2018, there are different hardwood floor trends we’ll be seeing more of, highlighting a fresh feel and design in any home. Hardwood floors have an ability to change depending on its surrounding styles, as well as an ability to transform any space. Read on to find out what trends we’ll be seeing in homes come the new year.So those are my top 7 trends for hardwood flooring for 2018 and beyond. Most of these trends have been building for years, and I expect them to grow even more in popularity. You can see that many of these trends are synergistic and there’s a strong preference for cooler tones, lower luster and more subtle colors and textures. These trends are consistent with paint trends as the floors and walls need to work together in harmony.
er Floors
