Flooring Trends
We offer some inspiration for this keystone of interior design
.
If you’re redesigning an interior, be sure to set the right tone with the right floor. It’s the foundation in which all the other details of the space are rooted. Below, we have eight very different types of flooring that are in vogue. Just hover over each image for some useful information about the pros and cons of each option, from durable to comfortable, sustainable to easily maintained.
-
- BAMBOO – This fast-growing grass is as hard as, if not harder than, most hardwoods when dried. Newer products called strand-woven bamboo, which use the inner fibers, are twice as hard as traditional bamboo flooring. Bamboo is offered in both thin-banded and wide-plank styles. As with all wood flooring, it’s best to keep bamboo out of moisture-prone rooms like kitchens and bathrooms.
-
- RECLAIMED WOOD – A big current trend in flooring is classic looks using new technology. A perfect example is the use of reclaimed hardwood. New factory-finished hardwood flooring offers all the charm of reclaimed timber — right down to that timeless hand-hewn look — but without the high costs associated with true salvaged lumber. “Factory-finished wood is relatively resilient to moisture fluctuations compared to other wood flooring finished on-site.
-
- LARGE-FORMAT TILE – There’s been an explosion of sizes, shapes, materials and patterns in the world of tiles. And tiles that come in large formats – 12”x24” and even 36”x36” – are particularly popular at the moment. Aside from looking great, they mean more tile surface and less grout lines to clean. Take caution though: large-format tiles are heavy, requiring a perfectly level substrate and a professional installer to ensure a good finish.
-
- CORK – Used primarily for its brilliant acoustic-insulating qualities, cork flooring is also far more comfortable to walk on than tile or even traditional hardwood. Long gone are the days when cork was available in any color so long as it was blonde — today’s options span the color palette. New factory finishes make cork far more durable than it was just a few decades ago. However, it remains susceptible to moisture damage and will fade when exposed to sunlight.
-
- LUXURY VINYL – This is a new category of flooring combining the high-end look of hardwood (or stone) with the durability of vinyl. Banish from your mind the thought of that peel-and-stick stuff that was used in times past; this vinyl is incredibly realistic. Thanks to the fact that it stands up to moisture, wood-look vinyl fits perfectly in kitchens, bathrooms and laundry rooms.There is, however, one this that today’s vinyl shares with the old peel-and-stick vinyl: It remains a joy to walk on!
-
- CUT-AND-LOOP CARPET – Nowadays, when it comes to carpets, we are seeing fewer shags and friezes and more patterned carpets. Using a technique that combines both loops and cut loops — hence the term “cut-and-loop”, manufacturers can create a range of patterns, from subtle to bold. New technology is also giving us carpet with incredibly soft fibers. And there have been big leaps in the world of carpet pads, too, with loose fiber being replaced by high-quality dense rubber.
-
- AMERICAN HARDWOOD – For those looking for a truly sustainable wood flooring product, we suggest good-old American hardwoods. North America does a good job of replenishing its forests as the trees are felled. Oak, hickory, maple, heart pine: These classic American hardwoods all are making a comeback.
-
- CONCRETE – This sleek, trendy and, of course, durable flooring has quickly jumped from being bare-bones utilitarian to being chic. And the wide variety of available colours, textures and finishes allow it to adapt to almost any décor. Of course, it helps to already have the concrete in place! And if you do, it’s very cost effective because you’re using what’s already there, rather than installing new flooring. Style can often come at a cost and in the case of concrete, that cost is comfort. Bear in mind that it’s an unforgiving surface that can be hard to walk around on all day.
