It’s almost 2020 and you know what that means? It’s time to take a look at trends for the upcoming year!
Wood flooring is a classic choice, and even with the influx of wood-look flooring options, there will always be a market for solid hardwood and engineered wood flooring.
Now, when I say “classic”, I definitely do not mean boring. In fact, the wood flooring trends in 2020 are anything but boring.
As technology improves, wood competitors like laminate, vinyl, and tile (yes, tile has become a competitor in this game!) are upping their game. Wood manufacturers have to keep things interesting, trendy and up-to-date if they want to stay in the game.
In the past, wood has set the trend and other flooring manufacturers followed suit. However, these other floors are pushing the envelope and, in response, so is wood flooring.
What Other Experts Are Saying
When it comes to trends and style, we want to make sure you’re getting a well-rounded opinion. Here’s a look at what other industry experts are anticipating in 2020:
” I always pick “trends” that I think will have longevity in the marketplace.Elongated tiles or planks have made a splash and are here to stay. Your best best is 6-8” wide and 24’-48” long. This size lends to a comfortable casual presentation. We all know that Grey is the new Beige and flooring colors are really showcasing that. Wood flooring has added the grey color by creating floors that have a “driftwood” appearance. Hardwood, or “hardwood looking” tiles in deep and medium tones have become very popular. Gone is yellow toned oak shades and cherry tones. Matte finish is in or a satin finish. Gone are the day of a high gloss floor. ” – Courtney Greger
“We predict that there will be three main themes in the home décor arena: exploring the possibilities of innovative technologies, celebrating alternative and organic materials, and looking to make more personalized and unique designs. In flooring this will translate with a resurgence of eco-friendly materials such as marmoleum and cork, and the use of parquet style planks to achieve more personalized patterned flooring. For hardwood enthusiast the current trend for wider planks will continue, as well as using mixed width planks which give a less uniform, more individual feel.” – Jamie Sanford.
In 2019, colors were all about extremes. Ultra dark, ultra-light and not much in between. Except for every shade of gray. Gray is kinda special.
Dark floors are officially on the way out. In 2020, we’re moving toward the lighter end of the spectrum. In fact, the lights are getting even more extreme with more white-washed, beachy looks.
But you’ll see some warmer, middle-of-the-road hardwood flooring ideas sneaking in, as well. Homeowners are increasingly using flooring to set the tone or feel of their home. That means, we need more options! And manufacturers are responding with more beautiful colors than ever before.
However, of course, not all of them are trending. Here are the best wood floor colors to stay trendy in 2020.
Blonde Wood Floors
For years, lighter floors were viewed as outdated or inexpensive. That is no longer the case. Not by a long shot!
As more homeowners embrace the light, airy feel in their home, you will see a huge resurgence in light wood floors. Blonde wood, in particular, can give you that light feel, while still feeling timeless.
With blonde wood, your decorating possibilities are endless. You can go for a chic, contemporary feel or a rustic, homey vibe all without changing your floors.
Also, you know how I mentioned dark wood floors can make your home seem smaller? Good news; blonde wood does the opposite! It’s true; blonde wood makes any room feel larger and more open, especially if you use large planks. But we’ll get to that later on.
For a blonde wood look, you’ll see bamboo, maple, white oak, red oak, and ash. European white oak, in particular, is enjoying a steep rise in popularity over its red oak cousin. While you can use a stain to get the darker colors mentioned above, with a light color it’s best to purchase a wood floor that is already blonde.
Sure, you can get there with staining, but have you ever tried to bleach dark hair? I rest my case.
Will the blonde wood trend last in 2020 and beyond?
If you ask me, the blonde wood look will become a trend-turned-classic before you can even think about switching it up to something new. If you like them, go for it! They’ll be a hit for quite a while.
Whitewashed Wood Floors
And we’re back to extremes! The whitewashed look is more of a west coast / California trend that is starting to spread across the country. Well, some parts.
As that relaxed, California vibe is spreading, so are the floors that come with it. And white-washed wood is at the top of the list.
In addition to the California, beachy look, whitewashed floors are also excellent for the now-trending farmhouse style homes, particularly kitchens.
Now, when I saw “whitewashed”, I don’t mean a smooth, finished white wood. Whitewashed wood typically shows signs of wear with the darker wood peeking out from underneath. It fits right in with the 2020 aged and worn trends happening across all styles of flooring.
Whitewash will make your home look brighter, bigger and more relaxed. It can give that “beachy” feel or also an upscale contemporary feel, depending on the rest of your decor.
Also, it can be a fun, relatively simple DIY project. Better Homes & Gardens has a great article on how to whitewash solid wood floors.
But, if you don’t want to whitewash your own floors, the good news is that manufacturers are selling lots of whitewashed wood and wood-look options to meet the demands of this trend.
Will the white-washed wood trend last in 2020 and beyond?
Over on the east coast, homeowners are still turning their nose up at the whole west coast look and feel. If this trend lasts, it will be regional, at best. If you’re looking for light wood, I suggest going for a more versatile blonde wood instead.
Honey Wood Floors
Just a step darker than trending blonde wood, warm, rich honey wood will be taking 2020 by storm. Even just the sound of the term “honey wood” as it rolls off your tongue sounds wonderful and cozy, don’t you think?
Honey wood floors are still light enough to give you many of the benefits of blonde wood, making your room look larger and more open. But, you also get that nice, rich warmth that comes from a slightly darker tone.
Additionally, you can find honey wood floors in many popular wood species. Honey is a natural tone so it’s easy to find. It will look more realistic, how you would expect wood to look fresh off the tree.
Warm tones will be trending across the flooring market in 2020 and, if you go the warm route, I would absolutely recommend a honey wood or wood look. To be frank, the trends often drift back and forth between warm and cool tones. However, honey wood is not just a trend; it’s a color classic.
Will the honey wood trend last in 2020 and beyond?
I think this warm, cozy tone is definitely going to be around for the long haul. In fact, while other trends may steal the spotlight from time to time, I believe that honey wood is going to remain classic and relevant for decades to come.
Gray Wood Floors
Five years ago, you could have called the gray trend new or up-and-coming. But now? Is it even a trend anymore?
Well, if by “trend” you mean popular and relevant, then heck, yes! But it is definitely not a fad.
Gray flooring, particularly gray wood, has grown exponentially over the last decade. Manufacturers tiptoed onto the scene, producing a few gray looks here and there to see how homeowners would respond.
Well, they responded alright! Gray quickly became the most popular trend, not just for flooring, but for homes in general. When I remodeled my home, I went for a wood look floor with a hint of gray and then bold gray doors and baseboards. Everyone comments on both the floor and the baseboards – gray is always a winner.
In addition to looking chic and trendy, gray floors set the tone of a cool, contemporary home. They give you a neutral backdrop for decorating in virtually any color. Aquas, greens, bright bold colors or even black and white – they will all go with your sleek gray flooring.
Will the gray wood floor trend last in 2020 and beyond?
I say, if you like it, go for it – it’s not going anywhere soon! In fact, gray will probably stay in style at least until it’s time for you to purchase new floors anyway.
Greige Wood Floors
In 2020, greige (gray + beige) is the new gray in terms of wood flooring color trends. This trend of brown, beige and a touch of gray has taken off in the past year. Greige has actually taken over home design as a whole, coloring the floors and walls of virtually any room of the house.
What makes this blended color so appealing in 2020? Well, beige was a hot flooring color trend in the 90s before the charm of the modern, neutral gray look took over. Gray comes with one slight problem, though – homeowners don’t want their whole home to look like it’s made of concrete.
Enter greige, the minimalist feel of gray with the depth of beige. The greige wood floor color goes well with almost any other color in your home decor, complementing modern white looks or country browns and contrasting more bold colors of the home.
Greige floors work well for any room of the house. In your kitchen, natural light streaming through the windows and bouncing off your greige floor gives this family-centered space a relaxing feel. The unique color adds a fresh look to bedrooms and gives living rooms and entryways a luxury feeling.
One thing is for sure, greige wood floors are a good choice if you’re looking for the best flooring for resale.
Will the greige wood floor trend last in 2020 and beyond?
Absolutely. Greige wood flooring is a hot new trend that I see taking off even more in the next decade as people look to simplify their lives and homes. It’s just that right blend of neutrality that people are looking for.
High Variation Wood Floors
With soaring flooring technology, it is now easier than ever to make your floors look more natural, truer to their original state. In nature, no two pieces of wood look alike. Now, manufacturers are able to replicate this in their floors.
As homeowners embrace this trend head on, you will begin to see stores with entire sections dedicated to high variation wood colors.
Usually, these variations occur in the same color family. As you can see above, those wood planks all look like they relate to each other; no 17th cousins sticking out like a sore thumb.
However, you will see some floors that incorporate bright colors in with their neutrals. It’s less common, but if done correctly, it can instantly elevate the look and feel of your home. Plus, it’s a great conversation starter!
Will the high variation wood trend last in 2020 and beyond?
The challenge with something bold like high color variation is it’s a very specific aesthetic. Sure, they will probably be trendy for the next decade or so.
However, if you’re looking at resale value, be aware that not everyone will be too keen on this look.
Wirebrushed Wood Floors
Homeowners are loving the weathered look of wirebrushed wood floors. This trendy look adds character to your floor while still offering a finished look.
Another bonus of wirebrushed wood? It hides dirt really well so you don’t have to clean your floors as often! And, if you’re anything like me, that is a huge selling point.
In 2017, wirebrushed wood floors were the leading trend in textured wood floor. However, moving forward, I anticipate that handscraped and distressed wood will knock them out of the running pretty quickly.
While the wirebrushed floors are cool, if the trend towards imperfections and character continues, distressed and handscraped wood will likely have more to offer in both variety and character.
Distressed Wood Floors
Wirebrushed floors are like your main “normal” character in a movie. They are individual and have their own personality. But they don’t scream individuality.
But then you have distressed wood floors, which are like that cooky best friend character with OMG-so-much personality!
I am that friend. That’s probably why I love distressed wood.
The downside to distressed wood is most of the time the distressing is done by machines in a factory. Like those distressed jeans that cost an extra $100 because they have holes in them so you try to distress them yourself and then it looks terrible and you realize why you pay for the manufacturer to do it.
The same can be said for distressed wood. It does come out looking really nice. But there is just something about intentionally destroying the wood to get your desired look that is still a little odd to me.
The entire idea behind distressed wood is that it comes with a backstory. The distressing happens naturally and the wood comes with a rich history, different than any other wood.
That’s why, personally, I’m not super into the manufactured distressed wood. I say if you’re going to find real aged lumbar that has gone through distress and finish it for your home, that will look absolutely amazing.
Manufactured or intentional distressing, though? It’s not my favorite.