At the close of each year, forecasters issue a host of predictions. For the home, HGTV goes to the color people, Pantone, to find out what colors will be in demand for interior walls. For 2020, the Pantone experts have given us Classic Blue as the 2020 Color of the Year, noting that “this particular shade of blue is reflective, anchoring and self-assured as well as relaxed, restful and meant to offer us all a sense of needed tranquility.”1
There are also experts who study buying patterns and develop hardwood flooring trends.
Here are five hardwood flooring trends for 2020.
1. Waterproof hardwood flooring will continue to grow in popularity. Since its introduction in 2019, waterproof hardwood has been a big hit with consumers. “Customers have totally embraced the whole waterproof phenomenon,” said Flooring America’s President Keith Spano.2 “The sky’s the limit for design and it will continue to be a game changer for the hardwood category in retail and commercial business.”
2. Lighter and more natural are the hardwood flooring color trends. “It doesn’t matter whether the customer is looking to purchase hardwood, luxury vinyl, or ceramic, the color winners for 2020 will be lighter and more natural looking,” said Cathey Gundlach Links, vice president of merchandising for Flooring America/Flooring Canada, IDG and the Floor Trader groups.3 “Blonde, lighter greys, and beige will be the new tonal and color direction for wood looks,” said Gundlach. Another expert, Ari Ziskin, concurs that dark floors are on the way out and notes that “for years, lighter floors were viewed as outdated or inexpensive but that is no longer the case.”4
Ziskin points to blonde wood as supplying the light, airy feeling homeowners are seeking, as well as providing a suitable backdrop for endless decorating possibilities. An added advantage is that blonde wood makes rooms appear larger and more open, especially if large planks are used. Bamboo, maple, white oak, red oak and ash are all good choices to achieve the blonde wood look.
Two other flooring colors that are trending according to Ziskin are honey wood and whitewashed. Honey wood is light enough to make a room look larger and more open but projects a slightly darker tone that provides a rich warmth. The popularity of whitewashed wood colors is starting to migrate from the West Coast, but most likely will not reach the “classic” status in Midwestern homes.
Whitewashed floors give homes a beachy, upscale contemporary feel. According to Ziskin, “whitewashed wood typically shows signs of wear with the darker wood peeking out from underneath and it fits in with the 2020 aged and worn trends happening across all styles of flooring.”5
3. Texture is making an appearance in wood flooring in 2020. While distressed, wire-brushed and hand-scraped flooring has been on the scene for a number of years, these methods of creating texture will become more prominent in 2020 according to Ziskin.6 He also notes that because of the popularity of high variation, using any of these three methods will ensure that no two planks of your flooring will look the same. He also noted that handscraped wood floors are trendy with both younger and more established homeowners. Because of their handcrafted look Ziskin feels they will stand the test of time and are “almost guaranteed to amp up your home value.”
4. Matte is the finish trend for 2020. Gone are shiny, high-gloss flooring finishes, to be replaced by matte finishes predicts Ziskin. Matte finishes go well with the trend toward more natural environments as they make hardwoods appear as close to their original raw wood appearance as possible. Unlike gloss finishes, matte finishes hide scratches, dirt and other imperfections better so they are more user-friendly, whether those users are children, pets or just high foot traffic.7
5. Patterns, wider planks and mixed-width planks are trending in floor design. In the past when we thought of flooring patterns the outdated 1970s parquet floors came to mind. Today’s popular hardwood floor patterns include longer herringbone patterns and laying wood flooring diagonally to create a chic and unique look. Wider planks also continue to be popular with consumers, as is using planks of various widths to create interest and the “wow” factor.
Are hardwood floors on the home improvement list for the New Year? Cameron the Sandman has been beautifying homes and businesses with hardwood flooring services for over 80 years. As hardwood flooring professionals, we manage each project from start to finish and help you choose the best hardwood floor species, hardwood stain, and design layout to meet your needs and desires. Whether you are seeking hardwood floor installation, restoring or hardwood refinishing, we can help. Call our hardwood flooring specialists today to learn more about our hardwood flooring services!
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1 Trend Forecast: 2020 Colors of the Year, www.hgtv.com, by Lauren Oster and Caroline Alkire
Link: https://www.hgtv.com/shopping/news-and-trends/trend-forecast–2020-colors-of-the-year-pictures
2,3 What’s in Store for Floors? The 2020 Floorcast From Flooring America, 12-10-2019
Link: https://www.floortrendsmag.com/articles/105704-whats-in-store-for-floors-the-2020-floorcast-from-flooring-america