The natural choice for flooring – the latest wood floor trends emerging this year

When we talk about trends in flooring it’s with a different focus than say clothing trends, where a trend may change with the seasons and last summer’s big thing is ready for the charity shop when the season comes around again.

Today’s disce ing homeowners want flooring which is stylish, hardwearing and long-lasting, featuring design innovations that will still be as fashionable in ten years as it is today.

The resurgence continues in people opting for real wood floors, and in particular engineered wood floors. Engineered wood flooring offers excellent value, stability and, if treated correctly, a long-lasting floor.

One of the reasons for the resurgence of real wood is people’s motivation to move back to choosing natural products as the environmental agenda gathers pace and we all look to play a role in reducing the impact waste products are having on our environment, especially our oceans and landfill resources.

Homeowners want to know where their floors came from, what they are made from and how sustainable they are. Choosing a wood floor that has been sustainably sourced from well-managed forests where only mature trees are selected for harvest and several fast growing saplings are planted for the next generation means you have selected a natural, renewable and recyclable material – free from plastic and non-recyclable qualities.

Today’s engineered wood floors can also be resurfaced and retreated, just like solid wood floors, giving your floors an even longer life. You can even change their colour with the application of coloured oils, reinstating and reinventing your wood floors to give them a fresh new look.

So with more people choosing the natural qualities of real wood floors, there are some key trends at the moment when it comes to styling.

The first is the renaissance of parquet style wood floors. While maintaining the original 17th Century approach of creating a beautifully patte ed, low maintenance wood floor, parquet floors in the 21st century offer more choice and versatility.

Today’s mode parquet has seen a shift towards larger oak blocks which offer complete adaptability both in terms of installation patte s – everything from traditional herringbone and chevron to basketweave and multiple block formations – and a much easier installation with tongue and groove profiles on engineered oak blocks making install simpler and allowing the floors to work over different subfloor types and under floor heating.  Adding the intricate geometry of a parquet style patte will work in harmony with any interior style and the choice of colours and tones available now is endless.

herringbone

Pictured: Zigzag herringbone in Frozen Umber. The oak blocks feature a simple tongue and groove installation profile and the larger size of the blocks creates a more contemporary finish.

At the other end of the spectrum, playing to the appeal of wood floors for their natural qualities, there is a growing demand for larger, wider plank styles full of oak character and rustic appeal. This style really does bring nature inside on an impressive scale, and opting for a rustic, almost aged appearance the floors are more forgiving to natural wear and will give your home a timeless feel.

Larger boards are also a great choice for creating a feeling of space, and by choosing a more authentic and rustic finish you add extra texture and a more tactile sensation where light will reflect across different grains and angles and the floor becomes a little more intriguing.

rustic

Pictured: Landscapes in Moorland. Produced with European Oak, the boards are hand-crafted creating extra large planks which are inspired by natural tones found in our landscape.

And finally, let there be light. Mode colouring techniques have allowed wood floors to enter a wider spectrum of colour choice than ever, and white, grey and muted tones are proving popular. They deliver understated tones that are the perfect choice if you don’t want your flooring to dominate your home.

Lighter shades naturally create a smooth and calming backdrop that will work with any interior style. They are an ideal choice to make smaller spaces feel bigger, but are just as at home in large open plan design, promoting light and bringing together all the elements of a room without competing against them. Introducing a muted foundation can also let you be a little more expressive and bold with the rest of your interior colour palette.

muted

Pictured: Alpine Lock in Silver Sands. Soft silver tones form along the grains to create a muted oak affect, full of calming tones which promote light and space.

View our collections and take a look at some of our featured installations for more wood floor inspiration.

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