Choosing The Right Colour of Wood Flooring

When you’re carrying out a complete re-design of any room in your home, there are big decisions to be made.  It’s important that you achieve your dreams, but at the same time, you don’t want to go too wild, just in case your taste changes in the future.  It’s a delicate line you need to tread between making a real difference and staying relatively safe.  With any number of home improvement and interior design programmes on TV, and an abundance of interiors magazines on the market, there’s no doubt you’ll be overwhelmed with ideas.  That said; how do you go about making the right decisions?

First and foremost, you need to identify the main purpose of your room.  Is it going to stay the same, or will it change?  Is it a room for relaxing, or is it a busy room that’ll be used by the whole family?  These sorts of questions will certainly impact on the choices you make.  There are sure to be a number of key pieces of furniture which you’ll either be replacing or retaining from your previous arrangement.  Again, this will impact on your colour choices.  Like your walls, your floor will act as a backdrop for your key items and ideally shouldn’t overwhelm your room.  So, how do you choose which colour of wood flooring will work best for you, both now and in the future?

Your wood flooring colour choice is a really important decision in the overall look of your room.  Fashions in wood flooring come and go.  For example, in the late 1980s and the 1990s, golden oak colours were extremely popular and ranged from delicate gold tones to almost orange.  In recent years, the trend has moved away from this and is tending towards either light or dark floors.  Light ash, beech and light oak will provide a highly neutral and flexible backdrop for your room.  These light coloured wood floorings will work equally well with bold colour statements in your furnishings and décor, as well as with a neutral palette, both now and in the future, enabling you to make a relatively safe decision.

On the other hand, dark woods, such as black ash, dark oak and dark cherry can do the same thing.  A relatively modern look, a dark floor is unlikely to look ideal with a chintzy, country house look but it could be used as a nice backdrop for a room populated with fine antique pieces.  That said, much of the dark flooring that is being sold these days is ending up combined with bold, statement, designer looking furnishings.

So how you choose the right colour of your wood flooring shouldn’t be left to chance.  You really do need to invest time to envisage how the room will look with all of your furnishings, décor and flooring in place.  There are several free to download room-planning tools online and for those of you who are adept with the mouse, this type of thing might help.  Failing that, if you’re in any doubt whatsoever, make sure you seek advice rather than take a risk and regret your decision.

FAQ

What is the importance of choosing the right wood flooring colour?

The colour of your wood flooring is a critical decision in the overall aesthetics of your room. It serves as a backdrop for your key items and ideally should complement rather than overwhelm your room. The correct wood flooring colour can enhance the room’s purpose, harmonise with your furniture, and fit with current and future fashion trends.

How do fashion trends affect wood flooring colour choices?

Fashion trends in wood flooring evolve over time. For instance, in the late 1980s and 1990s, golden oak colours were popular. In recent years, the trend has shifted towards either light or dark floors. Therefore, understanding these trends can help you select a wood flooring colour that remains appealing and stylish over time.

How does light-coloured wood flooring affect a room’s appearance?

Light-coloured wood flooring, such as light ash, beech, and light oak, provide a highly neutral and flexible backdrop for your room. This type of flooring works well with both bold colour statements in furnishings and décor, as well as with a neutral palette. It allows for a relatively safe decision as it can accommodate changes in décor over time.

What is the impact of dark-coloured wood flooring on room aesthetics?

Dark woods, such as black ash, dark oak, and dark cherry, can provide a modern and stylish look. They can be an excellent backdrop for rooms with bold, statement, designer-looking furnishings. However, they might not be ideal with a traditional, country-house look.

What should be done if unsure about the right colour for wood flooring?

If you’re unsure about the right colour for your wood flooring, it’s advisable to seek professional advice. You could also use free-to-download room-planning tools online to visualise how the room will look with your chosen furnishings, décor, and flooring.

Jonathan Sapir

Jonathan Sapir has over 17 years in the flooring industry. As an authority on flooring, he infuses his extensive knowledge and passion for quality products into every article. Jonathan's expertise helps readers make informed decisions for elegant and durable flooring solutions.

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