Although espresso and dark hardwood floors have been the norm for years, the trend is going towards a little lighter look for the surface you walk on. You will start to see two-tone and gray finishes, like driftwood (I have also seen this finish popping up in furniture as well). Another trend is faux vintage hardwood flooring that is distressed to provide a convincing, naturally worn appearance. Additionally floor finishes are trending away from the high-gloss, minimal grain look to more natural, unvarnished, waxed finish with higher graining and imperfections.
The eco-friendly woods like bamboo, rubber tree and salvaged wood floors (which can be pricey) are also still all the rage. While green hardwoods don’t always offer the variety you can find in your typical hardwoods, in a town like Austin, Texas, eco-friendly products are starting to slightly outweigh design. Oak hardwood floors will continue to be popular because they are seen as timeless and can be molded to work with a variety of design schemes. Homeowners can install an oak hardwood floor and five years down the road, redecorate their homes without needed to touch the wood.
No matter how you look it is though, hardwood flooring, whether vintage, oak or bamboo, is the #1 flooring choice for most homeowners.
