2021 Hardwood Flooring Trends: Styles, Colors, Textures and More

In 2021, hardwood flooring trends are in an upswing. Everyone is looking to return to the basics with their decor choices. There is a strong emphasis on the warm beauty of authentic wood. Hardwood flooring is again taking center stage and becoming the ‘must-have.’

2021 Hardwood Flooring Trends: Styles, Colors, Textures and More

Table of Contents:

The Growing Hardwood Flooring Trend

In recent years, there was a strong influx of wood-look flooring options that were affordable but lacked genuineness and longevity. Nowadays, there is a return to solid construction and craftsmanship pride. Everyone is falling in love again with classic, authentic wood flooring.

Hardwood flooring trends are again a very popular choice:

Engineered Hardwood Flooring

Engineered hardwood flooring provides a natural look and a strong feel. It is the closest thing to solid hardwood flooring that you can get. The engineered hardwood flooring material is crafted from a thin hardwood veneer layer that is then laid across man-made materials like fiberboard or plywood, which helps to stabilize and provide support to the plank. This form of hardwood flooring is extremely durable and can be used in any area of the home.

Reclaimed Wood

In 2021 hardwood flooring trends, there is a definite shift towards reclaimed wood as everyone strives to be more eco-friendly and reduce their carbon footprint.

Reclaimed wood is durable and unique. Each piece is a part of history which adds to its undeniable charm. The wood is typically taken from old buildings, barns, or decking and then reused as flooring. It has a distressed appearance. No two pieces are the same, and the texture often varies.

Cork Flooring

A few years ago, cork flooring started to rise in popularity. It is projected to remain a trending flooring for 2021 and beyond. Cork flooring is eco-friendly, resilient, and anti-fatigue. It creates a pleasingly soft appearance that people find remarkably soothing. Although it lacks the classic charm of real hardwood flooring, its unusual appearance has claimed its place as a current leading flooring material.

The Appeal of American Made Hardwood Flooring

After the long year of 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic, many people have started to refocus on buying American-made products only. Wood flooring grown and manufactured in the U.S. has a great deal of appeal right now for homeowners. Choosing locally sourced flooring (from the wood to the manufacturing process) is only going to continue to grow throughout 2021.

American Made Hardwood Flooring

The Gray (Greige) Color Trend

For the last seven years, there has been a heavy demand for gray hardwood floors. You’ll encounter a great deal of French White Oak and European flooring for sale. The gray hues are sporting definite touches of browns and beige, which has created the buzzword, ‘Greige.’ The marketplace will become inundated with ‘Greige’ color flooring choices as the year progresses.

Traditional Natural Finished Hardwood

As mentioned, people are falling in love with traditional natural finished hardwood flooring again. They say that fashion trends always return, and this is the same with home decor. Natural finished hardwood flooring was big in 2017 and 2018. Now it has returned in popularity with a vengeance. Many homeowners consider it a sensible choice, especially if they plan to sell the residence in the future. It is almost comparable to painting a home only in neutral hues before a sale. A traditional, natural flooring color holds its appeal across a spectrum of buyers.

Traditional Natural Finished Hardwood

At this time, red oak reigns supreme as the number one choice, followed by white oak. Hickory is also a favored choice because of its rustic character. Many people prefer lighter-toned hardwoods such as birch or maple, which provide a clean and very contemporary look.

A couple of years ago, exotics were all the rage, but they now take a back seat to classic choices. Brazilian Cherry was once immensely popular but is now rarely used. Bamboo flooring has also fallen out of fashion.

Longer Length Hardwood Flooring

Everyone wants longer-length hardwood flooring nowadays, with a definite preference for wider plank. The size of the flooring makes a room open up and seem more spacious. In addition, the longer lengths are more traditional in appearance. It was not until the heavy influx years ago of Asian flooring into the American marketplace that plank sizes started to shrink in dimensions. However, with the growing demand for local hardwood flooring and a return to the more traditional look, longer-length flooring is again becoming the norm.

Types of Finishes

Low matte finishes are in demand again for higher-end floors. However, satin remains the number one choice for most homeowners when it comes to the type of finish. Natural oil finishes are also exceedingly popular because they contain truly little VOCs and are easy to fix if necessary. However, they do require more maintenance, and the color can show wear in high-traffic areas. Water and grease spots can also develop easily on the wood’s surface.

Where are Hardwood Floors Being Installed?

Hardwood is a common choice for foyers, dens, home offices, hallways, libraries, and great rooms. There is also an upswing in hardwood flooring being installed in kitchens but not bathrooms, where vinyl, ceramic tile, and stone continue to lead the way as the top choice.

Hardwood Floors Design Ideas

The hardwood flooring trend is here to stay for the foreseeable future. With the 2021 upswing in real estate and building, the demand is only going to grow as the year progresses.

Hardwood flooring is a sensible choice that adds beauty and charm to any home. Here are a few of the many benefits:

  • Hardwood flooring is warm and inviting.
  • Easy to care.
  • Low maintenance.
  • Durable
  • Long-lasting
  • Creates a feeling of space
  • It lasts for decades with proper care
  • Increases a home’s resale value

Hardwood Flooring Experts: Traditional Floors

Traditional Floors is a multi-generational, family-owned, and operated company located in Newbury Park, California. We have been in business since 1979. All of our floors boast traditional hardwood craftsmanship. Please contact us or call use at 805-499-0927 and 805-469-7622 to learn more about Hardwood Flooring.

Hardwood Flooring Experts