There's nothing wrong with using different floorings. But what you don't want to do is use two that are almost the same, but not quite. If perhaps you're trying to find a match for flooring that already exists in your house, it's essential that you do find an exact match and not a close cousin.
By using different types of flooring, you can create zones within each room in your home. For instance, you could use carpet in the sitting area and hardwood flooring in the eating area of your living room. This will give your room a visual distinction and provide a unique look to your room.
Choosing the same flooring for all the rooms creates a unified and harmonious environment, and creates a visual effect that expands its dimensions, which allows us to better plan a reform. However, in open-plan dwellings such as studios or lofts, the flooring can help to delimit areas in an organic way.
To install two different shades of hardwood, a good rule of thumb is to go dark with one and light on the other. You can also get by with medium-dark and medium-light. An example is mahogany next to maple or white oak. Do be sure the hues don't clash though.
The 'Less than Three' Rule. Having more than two different types of floors colliding with one another is confusing to the eyes and may make your space seem cluttered or mismatched. When making your design choices, do not exceed more than two different types of material per floor of your home.
Apply “The Rule of Three” to Home Flooring
This rule says you should use three flooring types at maximum throughout the whole home. For example, you might use hardwood in public areas of the house, except the kitchen and bathroom, where you use vinyl linoleum.
Striking Contrasts: The Beauty of Natural Stone
Natural stone stands tall as an outstanding choice when looking for a flooring option that exudes sophistication and provides a stunning contrast to your hardwood floors. Materials like marble, granite, or slate create a sense of luxury and unparalleled visual impact.
Also, If you've got different flooring on different levels, it's going to be much more difficult to keep the house at an even humidity level and prevent the wood from expanding and contracting at different rates in different parts of the house.
It unifies the design of your home
One of the most important benefits of having uniform flooring is continuity. If you're aiming for a certain look and vibe, using the same set of flooring materials for every room in your house will really tie up the design.
In general, most experts state that one does not need to have absolute uniformity in the home flooring but one should consider strategically mixing the different types of hardwoods so they complement each other for a balanced, and gorgeous, aesthetic.
Consider flooring materials with sound-absorbing properties, such as hardwood, laminate and vinyl plank flooring. These options help minimize the transmission of sound, making them ideal for creating a serene upstairs space.
But is it possible to install vinyl against hardwood? That's where coordinating comes into play. The key to great flooring is to pay attention to the transition. Transition strips connect two different types of flooring together, so they blend well as you move from one to another.
While it might be tempting to match these materials with the rest of the house for consistency, it's not always necessary or practical, especially if other rooms have different functional requirements.
Matching flooring is often recommended because it creates a seamless finish and better flow throughout your home. However, when it comes to interior design rules for flooring, there are no hard and fast rules — if you like mixing flooring or think your interior design could benefit from it, go for it.
End cap or end bar transitions may work best for a hardwood or laminate transition. You could also use a T-shaped aluminum transition strip if the two different flooring materials are the same height. You'll have to find one that matches the color or finish of both flooring types.
Carpet is among the top floor-covering options for bedrooms, and for good reason. The material offers plushness, insulation, and sound absorption. Not only that, but it's comfier to sit on than hard flooring, making it a great choice for kids' rooms.
In open floor plans, it's generally best to use a single type of flooring across the entire space to create a seamless and unified look. This approach helps in maintaining a visual flow and makes the area feel larger and more cohesive.
The rooms buyers most closely inspect (and judge) in a house are the kitchen and master bath. These are the interior spaces where the most value can be added during a sale, so they need to look their best.
In the hallway you will want something very robust and hardwearing, while in a kitchen or utility, you want something with water resistance. And thirdly, get thinking of the style of the floor in terms of colours, tones in line with your interior colour scheme.
Mixing flooring types can add depth and interest to any space, but it's important to take the time to select the right colors, textures, and flooring types to create the look you want. By wisely and creatively incorporating different types of flooring, you can create a stylish and cohesive look and feel in your home.
Pros of Matching Flooring
This is especially important if you have an open-plan layout. Having different flooring in each room can break up the space and make it feel disjointed. Having the same flooring will help to tie the whole space together and make it feel like one cohesive unit.
The rule goes like this: 60% of space should be one color, 30% of space in another color, and 10% of the space devoted to a statement hue. Practically, this could look like gray-stained hardwood floors throughout most of the house, soft mint carpet in the bedrooms, and dramatic black tiles in the bathrooms.
If you enjoy lighter flooring, white oak and white maple are two of the best choices for a neutral color that won't go out of style anytime soon. If darker tones are more your type, walnut and cherry woods are both classic looks, according to Washco for Martha Stewart.
So, can you mix and match hardwood floors? The short answer is yes, you can definitely mix and match hardwoods throughout a home. With the right approach, you can even place two different woods next to each other.
Floors with a white finish go with almost everything.