While dark hardwood flooring has a special beauty of all of its own and it has been fashionable for a while now, it's likely to fade out in favourability. Trend is going towards lighter woods such as natural oak.
Dark brown hardwood floors in particular never seem to go out of fashion, they are always trendy and still in style. There's something about the contrast between dark wood floors and bright, light walls, white kitchen cabinets, furnishing etc. that epitomize a sophisticated and upmarket style.
Dark Hardwoods
There is a move toward lighter hardwood floor colors in 2022, but in some areas of the country, dark hardwoods are still very popular, especially in the northern states. Dark wood goes well with most decors but is preferred in rustic and traditional schemes such as the modern farmhouse look.
Blonde wood flooring
While dark finishes like ebony and espresso have their place among 2021 trends, lighter colors have a way of making rooms feel larger, which complements the open floor layouts that are popular today. This effect has increased demand for more natural tones, including blonde wood finishes.
Dark wood flooring with lighter walls offers a dramatic contrast in a room's aesthetic. It's bold yet as classically modern as Edison lights, brass accents, and hand-crafted furniture. Bottom line—it's trend that's not going away any time soon.
A choice of timeless hardwood floor colors
Brown Maple floors have hues of rich gold, amber and brown. Cherry floors feature a burnished auburn color that will darken over time. Hickory offers hues from lighter blonde sapwood to cocoa brown and beige heartwood. Red Oak comes in deep, salmon tones.
A natural look: Dark hardwood brings out the richness of the wood's grain, enhancing its natural look and giving your home a visually stunning appeal. Higher property value: While both light and dark hardwood flooring can give your home a higher market value, darker grain is known to lend itself to higher rewards.
Dark floors may be a bit more difficult to clean than their lighter counterparts, but they are really great at hiding problems. For example, they don't fade as easily which means that they may need less refinishing over time.
Dark stained hardwood flooring is by far the best selection when it comes to overall popularity and resale value. Some of the best darks stains for wood are espresso, dark walnut, and antique brown. These darker colors often give way to more color combinations since they do not lean towards a yellow or orange tint.
1. Hardwood Continues to Dominate. Hardwood has remained at the top of the podium for decades now and continues to dominate the home flooring industry.
Which do you prefer – light or dark hardwood? Both dark and light floors work very well, and only you can choose which is best for you and your home. Dark floors tend to be more stylish and hide imperfections while light floors tend to show dirt less and last longer.
When it comes down to finding the best flooring to increase home value, it all boils down to your market. Hardwood will likely give you the highest return, but laminate and luxury vinyl plank flooring also offer plenty of perks to buyers.
While dark colors can make a space look smaller, it's important to remember that the floors are just 1 element of the room, and the color of the walls has a much bigger impact on space perception.
You may be surprised to learn that dark wood flooring can help to make your room look bigger too. Darker flooring offers an inviting feel and opens up a space. Whether you choose rich colours or softer dark colours, they both have their advantages when it comes to expanding the appearance of a room.
Dirt and dust will show up more clearly on dark wood floors. A daily sweep with a dust mop can keep the floors cleaner. Have your family take off their shoes at the door so that less dirt and grime gets tracked in the house.
Dark floors will not automatically make your room look smaller. While overloading a small space with dark colors will absorb light and make the space feel even smaller, dark floors can actually help to open a space up, if done correctly.
While some people think that they should match the floors throughout their homes for a sense of uniformity and space, it is unnecessary to do this. At Classic Floor Designs, we recommend that you consider mixing different types of wood on the floors throughout your house for a stunning result.
Light Walls
The best way to compliment your dark floors is with light colored walls. The color contrast will offset your flooring and give you a nice balance of light and dark. Not only that, but the lighter color will cause more light to bounce around your room making it naturally brighter, and feel larger.
Dark wood floors are perhaps the most stylish and eye-catching ones. Polished black wood floors are perfect for minimalist, modern, art deco or other interiors, they make a bold statement if the rest of the room is white.
Decorating Tips for Color
Light and bright colored walls are more reflective making a room feel open and airy, and maximizing the effect of natural light. Dark colors, on the other hand, absorb light, making a room look smaller. Soft/bright color tones tend to make a room not only look bigger, but also more inviting.
Hardwood Flooring
It's beautiful, it's durable, and it never goes out of style. Not to mention all of your friends, family, and neighbors aspire to have it, so you'll have your entire network envying your home's flooring design.
American maple hardwood flooring is a classic, and is a solid investment as it has great longevity – not just in actual terms because of its durability – but because it is a popular choice that is unlikely to go out of fashion.
There is absolutely no need to change flooring from room to room. We often work with homeowners who feel the urge to pick a different flooring for every room of their home, but there is absolutely no need to do this. Your home will look best if you create one consistent look that travels from room to room.