It’s a new decade, and the flooring trends we’re seeing are some of the best in ages. As clients become savvier, today’s looks are all about sophistication and fun. Home improvement shows and other influencers offer fabulous ideas for contemporary looks. But at the same time, we love helping clients find their own style and get the perfect flooring for their home.
What Are Top Trends in Hard Flooring?
What’s fun about hard flooring in the 2020s is that we’re looking back while also looking forward. The trends in both hardwood and engineered materials combine vintage flair with a decidedly 21st Century feel. Here are a few of our favorite flooring trends:
- Wider, longer planks: Today’s chunky planks in both hardwood and engineered materials are a throwback to the 19th Century farmhouse but, at the same time, create a sophisticated, seamless look.
- Distressed and vintage looks: The reclaimed wood look is everywhere, from hardwood to luxury vinyl. Clients want something distinctive, and modern technology allows for unique patinas and fun vintage looks.
- Low luster and matte finishes: No-gloss finishes are popular with hardwood, vinyl and engineered wood, offering a spare and elegant style.
What Materials Are Hot in Hard Flooring?
- You probably won’t be surprised to learn that hardwood is more popular than ever as clients look for quality and elegance. One trend we’re noticing is a return to hardwood in kitchens. Wood in the kitchen had all but disappeared for decades, but it’s back in a beautiful way as new sealants make it easier to clean.
- Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP) lets us offer terrific wood looks at a fraction of the cost of hardwood. They’re durable and waterproof and allow us to have fun with an exciting range of colors, from cool grays to warm browns.
- Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) is another rising star. In tile shapes, instead of planks, options mimic wood, stone and ceramic. They’re perfect for creating that distressed vintage look or a more sleek, modern flair as designers play with colors and patinas. They’re terrific for kitchens, bathrooms and living spaces and are durable and easy to clean.
- Fresh concrete: Today’s stains and polishes are encouraging clients to take another look at concrete. With a range of contemporary colors and looks, concrete is an inexpensive, environmentally friendly and low maintenance alternative.
What Colors are Trending in Hard Flooring?
Cool grays continue to lead the pack: it’s hard to resist the airy feel they bring. Designers at Mohawk and other top flooring companies are having so much fun with those colors in luxury vinyl and tile. What we often run into is clients who just can’t decide between shades of gray. Whitewashes are also in demand for the farmhouse or beachy style clients crave in kitchens and dining areas.
On the flip side of those light, airy colors, dark brown just may be the color of the year in hard flooring. Espresso is a word you’re going to hear a lot. What we love about the dark brown trend is the sheer elegance of it. Dark floors look fantastic with today’s uncluttered, minimalist look, and they’re stunning with a colorful rug.
What Are The Biggest Trends in Carpeting?
Carpets are fun again. Some of us might remember 70s shag carpets in those wild orange, mustard and green hues. While we’re not returning to that craziness, we are seeing clients embracing creativity and boldness with texture, color and pattern.
Carpet Trends: Top Colors and Patterns for the 20s
As with hard flooring, gray is still the king of neutral shades in carpeting. But decorators and clients are also getting more creative with color and patterns. With hardwood and wood-look materials trending, area rugs are hot, adding zest and vibrancy to dark or neutral flooring. Think of a gray floor with a funky patterned rug or an espresso floor with a bright or light-colored rug. Top patterns include edgy geometrics, which often contrast with vintage-look hard flooring, along with more subtle organic patterns like plants and flowers. Vibrant colors and jewel tones like rich reds and blues complement more neutral tones in hard flooring.
Carpet Trends: Texture is Everything
Technology in carpet manufacturing has allowed designers to experiment and bring out the best in carpet texture. Some of the trending styles in top carpet lines like Karastan include:
- Loop piles with mixed colored yarns to give a textured look and feel.
- Super luxurious cut pile in low-traffic areas like bedrooms: soft, plush carpet is back and more velvety and dreamy than ever. It’s sublime in bedrooms and other sanctuaries.
- Cut and loop textures offer fresh combinations of cut and looped fibers, allowing designers to create stellar textures that mesh perfectly with contemporary geometric designs.
Flooring Trends: When Style and Quality Align
What makes us happiest about current trends in flooring is the focus on quality, durability and style. Today’s homeowners are well-educated and have clear design goals. They want a look that’s elegant and inviting with materials that meet their family’s needs. This desire for substance meshes perfectly with Loudoun Valley Floors’ reputation for top product lines and craftsmanship. We love helping clients get creative and express themselves while offering that foundation of quality our community has come to expect.