How to Choose the Right Color for Wood Floors

Discover how to set the aesthetic foundation of your home by choosing the ideal color for your wood floors.

Floor design is the foundation for the overall aesthetics of the space and is a crucial aspect of any interior design project. One of the crucial factors to consider is color, which plays a pivotal role in the design scheme. The color of the flooring sets the tone for the entire space and anchors the rest of the design elements. Read on to learn about the latest trends and key factors to consider when choosing the ideal color for your wood floors—so you can create the beautiful and inviting space you’ve always dreamed of.

The Role of Color in Flooring Design

Color is a powerful tool in interior design, as it can take a space from ordinary to extraordinary by influencing our feelings and mood. Color can evoke a wide range of emotions and elevate your house into a home. The right color choice can make a room feel cozy and intimate, with a sense of warmth and comfort, or open and spacious, evoking feelings of calmness and serenity. Color can also be used to create a focal point in a room or draw attention to specific design elements.

Choosing the right color for your flooring is essential to transforming the look and feel of a space and achieving the desired ambiance. For example, light-colored flooring such as White Oak or Maple can create a bright and airy feel, making the space appear more spacious and inviting. On the other hand, darker-colored flooring, like Walnut, can create a more dramatic and sophisticated look, perfect for a formal living or dining room.

Latest Color Trends in Luxury Flooring Design

The world of luxury flooring design is constantly evolving, with new trends emerging each year. One of the latest color trends that have taken the design world by storm is the move away from cool grays toward warmer, pale tones. As a result, gray, once a popular choice for flooring, is fading in popularity while shades of brown, beige, and taupe are taking center stage.

One of the most significant shifts in luxury flooring design is the rise of “greige.” This blend of gray and beige has become increasingly popular in recent years, with designers incorporating it into their flooring designs in various ways. Greige adds a touch of sophistication to a space, creating a neutral backdrop that can be paired with a variety of accent colors.

Another trend gaining momentum is the use of warm, pale tones in luxury flooring design. These soft, muted shades create a cozy and inviting atmosphere, perfect for creating a comfortable living space. These colors create a timeless and elegant look that can be used in a range of design styles, from traditional to modern.

Choosing the Right Flooring Color for Your Home

When choosing the color for custom wood flooring, there are several important factors to consider. These include the size of the room, the amount of natural light in the space, the level of wear and tear the flooring will be subjected to, the desired formality and design aesthetic, and the width of the wood planks.

• Size of the room. The color of the flooring can have a significant impact on the perceived size of the space. Lighter-colored floors can make a room feel larger, while darker hues can create a cozier, more intimate atmosphere.
• Amount of light. Rooms with plenty of natural light will showcase the true color of the flooring, while spaces with limited light may benefit from lighter-colored floors that reflect what little light there is.
• Wear and tear. Consider whether your flooring will be installed in high-traffic areas like hallways, living rooms, and kitchens. Despite belief, dark floors may show more dirt and scratches, while lighter floors can hide imperfections more effectively.
• Desired formality. Lighter-colored floors lend themselves well to a more casual, relaxed atmosphere, while darker hues create a more formal and sophisticated look.
• Plank width. The width of the hardwood planks can make a dramatic difference in how the color appears, significantly impacting the overall tone, look, and feel of the space. Wide hardwood planks create a sense of luxury because with fewer planks it diminishes the overall color variation from plank to plank. This gives the floor a more uniform appearance that can enhance the overall design aesthetic of the space.

That’s a lot to consider, which is why picking the right color flooring can sometimes feel daunting—but it doesn’t have to. Carlisle’s series of Collections floors—popular and timeless finishes based on our work with luxury designers—are a great source of inspiration. In Collections, you can select a floor as is, like our most popular Picture Frame, or use it as the starting point and personalize features like width, structure, and texture.

Your vision for your home is unique to you, and you should have a luxury experience to match your tastes. That’s where Carlisle can help—by working with you to develop a Custom Floor featuring any color you can imagine that truly speaks to your design dreams.

Working with our experts, you can home in on your tone. We provide custom-made samples to compare and decide before purchasing your floor, so you are a part of the process every step of the way. And since 50 percent of Carlisle floors are a custom color, you can feel confident knowing you’re in the hands of some seriously experienced flooring color experts.

Balancing Color in Home Design Through Flooring

Selecting the right color for wood floors is all about balancing functionality and aesthetics, creating a beautiful and functional space that meets your needs and enhances your lifestyle.

Don’t feel you must commit to one flooring style and color for the whole home. Many interior designers “mix and match” flooring throughout the home, choosing colors individually for each room based on size, light, use, and formality. Mixing and matching different colors and textures can help to create a unique and visually stunning floor design.

It’s important to remember that no two planks are alike, and there will always be variations in color and texture between each one. However, these variations can add character and charm to your floor, creating a truly one-of-a-kind heirloom piece.

By taking the time to choose the right color and texture, you can create a custom wood floor that perfectly complements your style and lifestyle needs—and that you’re sure to love for years to come. Need a little help finding the ideal flooring color for your space? Head over to our Flooring Quiz, where you can find the floor of your dreams using your home’s type, color palette, and more. Take our Flooring Quiz today.