Does this mean that your gray floors are “out of style” now? Not to worry. Gray flooring will always have its place in modern homes and buildings, and shouldn't be thrown out just yet. That being said, if you are in the market for new flooring, you may want to consider a few things before making your color selection.
1. Lighter, Brighter Wood Finishes. Wood flooring with character-rich, lighter stains shows no sign of waning in popularity, says Margaret Donaldson, founder of Margaret Donaldson Interiors. “Homeowners are primarily using white oak, but walnut is starting to surface more, especially with lighter finishes,” she says.
Classic medium-toned browns such as cherrywood, mahogany, oak, maple, walnut, birch wood, and hickory are all timeless colors that never go out of style.
In past years we have seen gray become an extremely popular color for flooring. This seems to be continuing into 2023, but now we're seeing more of a broad interest in “smokey-toned” floors, which includes a lot of grays and browns (or a combination of the two).
What is the most timeless wood floor (or wood-look option)? If you've been following my work, you'll know that I often say that pale natural (oak or maple) or medium neutral brown (like oak or hickory) are the most timeless colour options for wood or wood-look floors.
The consensus is that grey is out and warm neutrals will continue to dominate in 2023.
Gray And White Washes
Although gray is extremely versatile and perfectly complements any neutral décor, it is not as timeless as traditional hardwood tones.
The Best Timeless Flooring Options
For a classic look, choose mid-range tones that are not too light or dark. Opt for timeless wood colors such as oak, maple, mahogany, pine or ash.
Raw and Natural
The warm inviting tones of a natural raw wood finish brings the outside in and this look is quickly becoming one of the top trends for 2022. Yes, even that very trendy bare wood look can be achieved with Retique It®.
Curved Sofas, Chairs, and Tables
When asked about the future of furniture in 2023, every interior design expert we spoke to agreed that curved pieces are dominating.
Another top flooring trend in 2023? Light and neutral flooring. Modern grey wood flooring continues to be popular, as are light floor colors like blonde and beige. A great way to add these lighter flooring shades to your home or business is to use bamboo flooring.
To sum up, yes, gray is still a popular flooring color in hardwood floors. While tan is starting to trend up, when you choose gray for your floors, be assured you choose a color that will be stylish and trendy for many years.
Greige and white oak are two of the most popular choices for hardwood flooring when it comes to house resale. They provide timeless elegance and neutrality, making them ideal for any home.
In the past few years, gray flooring has become a default option among many developers. Designers and architects think the vast grayness is a result of the past decade's dominating minimalist aesthetic, as well as developers viewing it as a safe and inoffensive option.
To complement your gray flooring in a way that enhances this style, include some natural wood finishes, stick to simple designs with just one more decorative element, and introduce a colorful accent hue. Some flowers or green plants would also help reinforce the familiar feel behind this interior style.
While grey was everywhere for years, this look has devolved into 50 shades of boring. “This year's color trends are all about taking risks. The tried and true all grey look is out,” says Tamarra Younis of Union of Art Interiors.
A con to using gray flooring would be the potential for gray flooring to go out of style if classic brown shades of hardwood come back on top in the future. Gray can also sometimes lack the warmth of wood colored flooring.
Now that gray has fallen out of favor, you may be wondering what color is replacing gray. Of all the neutrals, gray is the one that always held the most gravitas with designers and decorators, however, gray is slowly being replaced by beige.
Beige is a popular color at the moment, as homeowners ditch the cold and often stark tones of grey for something that brings more warmth and life to a room.
Digital Lavender, Luscious Red, Sundial, Tranquil Blue and Verdigris are the color names for 2023.
Both Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams chose a red-based hue as their 2023 Color of the Year: Raspberry Blush (BM 2008-30) and Redend Point (SW 9081), respectively. From dusty cedar to cranberry to subtle magentas, reds will be everywhere this coming year. India Yellow (Farrow and Ball No. 66).
For Fall 2023, the company predicts bold hues like Rose Violet (a red-tinged fuchsia), Red Orange (a vibrant, fiery orange), Red Dahlia (a deep red), High Visibility (an almost-neon yellow), Kohlrabi (a playful, vivid green) and Viva Magenta (the 2023 Color of the Year) will take over our wardrobes, per WWD.