Design Guide Online Editorial

Photo courtesy of Bulhon Design Associates, Inc.

Out of all the features in your home, what is the one thing that deserves the most detail when it comes to longevity and durability? Your flooring. There are various factors homeowners consider when it comes to choosing the type of flooring they need; both practical reasons and particular tastes. Due to the shifts in homeowners’ needs and the innovative technology in materials, trends in flooring, such as wood, come and go. 

While wide planks are still very much in style, the texture and type of wood has shifted from a hand-scraped to a more simple, smooth, clean look with lighter-colored woods or finishes. Engineered flooring with lots of bleached, whitewash and even gray finishes and stains are coming back in style.

“While people still like to see some character, the interest in heavy hand-scraping has lessened,” said Nancy Bulhon, ASID, Bulhon Design Associates, Inc. “There’s already innate character in the way the wood is cut, whether it’s a sawn or a rift cut, with knotting and graining.”

Homeowners and design professionals are moving away from the traditional brown hand-scraped wood, which actually requires more labor and time, to a cleaner more simplistic look.

“To me, that doesn’t necessarily mean that people [who have shied away from hand-scraped] want modern interiors,” she said.

She parallels it to designers and homeowners that are getting away from faux finishes (artificially enhanced).

Photo courtesy of Bulhon Design Associates, Inc.

Another thing homeowners are getting away from is a polyurethane finish on their floor and are sticking with oil or wax finishes. Truth of the matter is, most trends are circular and come back around, sometimes enhanced due to new scientific discovery. In this case, polyurethane is high-maintenance and not forgiving if the floor is scratched or gouged.

“With polyurethane, it’s an all or nothing deal, but an oiled finish can be touched up and buffed very easily,” Bulhon said.

There are many alternative materials to wood flooring that often resemble wood itself. Bamboo and cork flooring are among the few flooring alternatives that mimic the look of wood. She is also very impressed with the porcelain tile out of Italy, which closely resembles wood textures.

Photo courtesy of Bulhon Design Associates, Inc.

“It will fool you,” she said. “I have a client considering using it all over their house because they have young children and another using it in the utility room and other high use areas in their home.”

What is fabulous about these trends, shifts and alternatives in flooring is their versatility to adapt to both traditional and modern homes, and everything in between, in order to meet both the cosmetic and practical needs of your home.

• Rachel Duke's blog

Related terms: Wood Flooring & Floor Stain, Remodeler

by: Rachel Duke