Each new year brings a tremendous potential for change, and this is especially true when it comes to installing new flooring in your home. Trends come and go with the advancement of new technology and materials, but each year there seems to be a good number of new options that are not only popular but also cost effective and beautiful. As we welcome in this new year, what trends should you pay attention to when it comes to designing flooring and choosing the best flooring materials? Whether you’re an interior designer or a homeowner looking to renovate, you want to make sure that your flooring choices are not only fashionable and attractive but will also stand the test of time. Let’s take a look at the hot new flooring trends to look out for this year.
Carpeting Trends For The New Year
While carpeting continues to differentiate itself by technology and design, most trends are still following a few basic themes you want to be aware of in the year to come.
Runners and Area Rugs
As more and more people install tile, laminate, and hardwood flooring, the need for carpet runners on stairs and area rugs continues to rise. Runners and area rugs help to protect high traffic areas of your home from the additional wear the experience throughout the year, particularly near entryways and hallways. Most people are skipping more traditional designs in favor of geometric and trellis patterns. Additionally, many homeowners and designers are also passing on carpet rods for the stair runners, as they detract from the overall clean aesthetic that is so popular right now.
When it comes to choosing an area rug. these provide a much more comfortable flooring surface to walk on barefoot first thing in the morning during the winter, especially in your bedroom or living room area. Hard flooring is definitely stylish and attractive, but unless you have expensive heated flooring installed, all hard flooring tends to be extremely chilly in the early morning hours and late at night. Make sure you put an area rug mat down to help insulate the room more efficiently and protect your hard flooring, too.
Carpet Tiles
For those interested in carpeting high traffic areas or dining areas, carpet tiles are your new best friend. Not only do you have a lot of creative leeway with patterns, colors, designs and shapes, but you can also swap them out easily should a tile be stained, damaged, or wear thin. More and more DIY flooring fans are turning to carpet tiles to make their lives easier and provide exactly the look they want for their high traffic areas and dining rooms.
Colors, Patterns, and Types of Carpeting.
Popular choices for carpeting this year are grays, neutral colors, and cool tones. Cool blues with slightly warmer greens are definitely generating a lot of interest, as are flecked carpeting in those colors to help hide dirt and stains.
Natural fibers in cooler color tones continue to be popular with homeowners and decorators working with hardwood and laminate flooring, and if a homeowner or client is opting to carpet their bedroom, deep soft pile carpeting is the style of choice.
Additionally, more pet owners are choosing Stainmaster Pet Protect carpeting due to its advanced design that resists and releases stains and pet fur/dander when vacuuming. It is available in multiple color tones that suit this year’s trends, as well as in flecked carpeting for higher traffic areas of your home.
Hardwood Flooring Trends For The New Year
Continuing to be among the most popular flooring choices for renovators and builders, hardwood flooring offers numerous options that are driving the design trends of the new year. Here’s what’s hot in hardwood flooring for this year.
Colors
Ultra dark and ultra blonde tones are the premier choices for hardwood colors this year, often in a combination of 50/50 ebony and dark walnut for a muted contrast. There are even newer finishes for hardwood that provide a more opaque, darker stain than both ebony and dark walnut, and many renovators are opting for this finish to provide a more cost-effective means of dark contrast flooring.
Ultra blonde coloring is trending towards whitewashed wood and natural stains, as well as grays in a variety of finishes. Cooler color tones are highly favored over warm tones this year, and thus the rise in popularity of gray hardwood floors.
Styles and Patterns
Wide planks are continuing as a popular choice for hardwood floor designs as they give the room a more expansive appearance. Multiple width planks are also beginning to trend, and they add significant yet subtle texture to flooring that makes each floor look one-of-a-kind. Multi-width floors are also a cornerstone of designing floors to mimic farmhouse and handcrafted flooring of antique homes, often with weathering to imitate the aged look in brand new flooring.
Chevron patterns for hardwood floors are also starting to gain popularity over classic herringbone patterns, though both are still popular choices for adding a unique texture to the flooring in any room.
Last but not least, local hardwoods are becoming the first choice for many new home builders and renovators when installing hardwood floors. Locally harvested oak, maple, and hickory all hide scratches and wear well, and they are easy to stain and refinish, too. Since they are local and no exotic imports, they also tend to be a more cost-effective flooring option.
Finishes
Satin finishes show scratches far too easily, and so are on the downtrend in terms of popularity. Matte finish is gaining traction for its added durability and tendency to wear better over time. Most hardwood flooring options now come with matte finish options, so it generally doesn’t add expense or inconvenience to your installation.
Oil finish has become the popular choice for light color toned hardwoods, as it is a matte finish that still brings out the natural grain of the wood without showing wear and tear like a satin finish. The drawback to oil finish is that it must be regularly treated with additional coats of oil to keep the wood in good condition.
Another popular option that is starting to gain ground is waterborne polyurethane finishes. These possess less of a shiny appearance but still bring out the natural texture of the heartwood underneath. They also provide more protection than oil finishes, and they require less regular maintenance.
The wire brush finish is a bold new look that resembles raw or vintage hardwood without the significant additional cost. Wire brushing strips away the ring growth, revealing the heartwood underneath in all its beauty. This flooring is generally a little more difficult to come by, but there are flooring manufacturers that mass produce it. This is definitely a higher maintenance option for hardwood floor finishes, and it will require special cleaning and refinishing periodically.
Final Thoughts
No matter what type of flooring you are considering installing in your home, cooler blues and warmer greens are in, and hardwoods in ultra dark and ultra blonde colors are the tones of choice for new hardwood flooring. Are you a Greater Seattle area resident looking to renovate or install a new floor but are unsure about what route to take? Contact the experts at Remnant King Carpets in Everett or Ballard. Our experts can help you choose the right flooring for your home, lifestyle, and budget. Call or visit today to find out how you can make your trendy new flooring a reality this year.