Using various hardwoods can help you tailor the flooring to each area's purpose. For example, you might choose a durable wood for high-traffic areas like the kitchen and hallway, and a more delicate, stylish wood for bedrooms and living spaces.
While many people try to match all of the wood floorings throughout their homes, it's unnecessary. Wood floors do not need to match, and often, it's best if they don't. Ultimately, it's a matter of personal preference, and either style can work.
The fact of the matter is that there is no absolute rule that a home must have the same type of hardwood flooring in every room.
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.
The use of different types of wood creates a floor with a lot of character, depth, beauty and interest. You can achieve this look with both narrow and wide plank flooring, and maybe even a mixture of both! Different patterns, such as herringbone, may also be another way to make your design stand out.
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.
Should Hardwood Floors Match Throughout the House? Most designers will tell you that ideally, yes, your hardwood floors should match or at least coordinate throughout your house. However, using matching flooring is ultimately a personal choice, and there is no right or wrong answer.
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.
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.
If you follow any kind of interior design guidebook, well, you're probably wondering if mixing design styles is even allowed! But we're here to tell you that it absolutely is. Contrast is what makes a room interesting and inviting. So don't get too hung up on any one “rule” that experts give you.
In most cases, it's wise to use a transition strip between similar flooring. Floors with similar thicknesses benefit from a transition type known as a T-molding. This transition strip doesn't adjust for height, but it provides a smooth shift from one flooring to the next.
Introduce contrast
For example; if your dominant wood is a light ash or medium oak, then introduce a darker wood to add some intentional contrast. Pay attention to the undertone of the wood; if it's warm then try to match with other warm toned wood, likewise if it's cool then match with other cool toned wood.
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.
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.
Choose whichever sample is closest in color to the existing floor. Even though the match may not be exact, once furniture, area rugs and accessories are added to the space, the slight difference in floors will be minimized.
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.
Single-family homes are typically the most sold property type, appealing to many buyers due to their space, privacy, and family-friendly interior design.
It's for this reason that designers agree the bedroom is one of the most important rooms in the house for health and happiness. “There is no other room in your home that unconsciously has an effect on our waking life, sleep patterns, and general wellbeing,” says interior stylist and founder of T. House Tina Nettlefold.
The Origins of Double Living Rooms
The formal living room was reserved for guests, special occasions, and impressing the in-laws. Meanwhile, the family room was a cozy space for casual hangouts, movie nights, and those chaotic family game sessions where everyone insisted that the rules had changed since the last time.
While mixing and matching different types of flooring is a perfect way to add variety to your home's interior design, it's crucial to limit the number of different types of flooring that you use. Having too many types of flooring in one space can make the room feel cluttered and overwhelming.
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.
Failing to Consider the Flow of the Home
Choosing drastically different flooring types for each room can create a disjointed and chaotic feel. It's important to ensure that the flooring choices complement each other and contribute to a cohesive flow throughout your home.
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.
Bathrooms and laundry rooms are rooms where you should not install hardwood floors. Separately stands the basement, where it is not recommended to install hardwood flooring under almost any conditions. Humidity, the possibility of spills, and floods make these rooms dangerous for hardwood flooring.
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.