Decorating
9 Reasons to Love Wooden Floors
Warm underfoot, gorgeously textured and timelessly stylish, wooden floors are an interiors classic. Step this way for an inspiring selection
There’s definitely one faithful type of floor that will never get old: wood. Be it natural and bare, painted bright and white, or varnished for a little gloss, you can’t beat the classic beauty of real timber, an interiors stalwart in any room. Even the fakes do a pretty good job! Check out these nine beautiful floors to get you started…
Lighten and brighten
Pale, silvery woods have an effortlessly clean, contemporary aesthetic that works perfectly if you’re going for the Scandi look.
Do it yourself with watered-down paint (try one-part water to two-parts paint) to allow the grain to show through. Alternatively, lime your boards by rubbing in a special pigmented whitening agent, which will get right into the wood; it works well with open-grain timbers, such as oak and ash.
It does take a while, though, so the time-starved among us might opt to buy ready-limed boards.
Get designer tips on brightening a neutral room
Pale, silvery woods have an effortlessly clean, contemporary aesthetic that works perfectly if you’re going for the Scandi look.
Do it yourself with watered-down paint (try one-part water to two-parts paint) to allow the grain to show through. Alternatively, lime your boards by rubbing in a special pigmented whitening agent, which will get right into the wood; it works well with open-grain timbers, such as oak and ash.
It does take a while, though, so the time-starved among us might opt to buy ready-limed boards.
Get designer tips on brightening a neutral room
Hit on herringbone
Solid timber parquet flooring laid in a herringbone pattern will create a timelessly stylish base for any room in the house. You might be lucky enough to inherit original wooden blocks in your home, but if not, you can buy new, reclaimed or even engineered timber versions, most commonly in oak or walnut.
Solid timber parquet flooring laid in a herringbone pattern will create a timelessly stylish base for any room in the house. You might be lucky enough to inherit original wooden blocks in your home, but if not, you can buy new, reclaimed or even engineered timber versions, most commonly in oak or walnut.
Shake it up with a chevron
I adore chevron wood flooring. For me, it creates a crisper, more contemporary vibe than a classic herringbone pattern.
Chevron design is recognised by its distinctive ‘V’ shape, with angled boards designed to fit together at the ends, and was frequently found in large, elegant buildings, particularly in France. These days, it’s a great design trick for smaller spaces, as it will create an optical illusion that your room is wider or longer than it actually is.
I adore chevron wood flooring. For me, it creates a crisper, more contemporary vibe than a classic herringbone pattern.
Chevron design is recognised by its distinctive ‘V’ shape, with angled boards designed to fit together at the ends, and was frequently found in large, elegant buildings, particularly in France. These days, it’s a great design trick for smaller spaces, as it will create an optical illusion that your room is wider or longer than it actually is.
Contrast in a kitchen
A wooden floor can have a softening effect in a kitchen, especially if the units are sleek and glossy, as here. For this hard-working space, experts recommend hardwoods, such as oak or iroko, properly sealed to create a resistant, easy-to-clean and hygienic surface.
Wood has a natural, in-built warmth, making it comfortable and quiet underfoot, unlike most tiles, so it will be a pleasure to stand on while making your morning cuppa.
Check out 10 floors that will transform your kitchen
A wooden floor can have a softening effect in a kitchen, especially if the units are sleek and glossy, as here. For this hard-working space, experts recommend hardwoods, such as oak or iroko, properly sealed to create a resistant, easy-to-clean and hygienic surface.
Wood has a natural, in-built warmth, making it comfortable and quiet underfoot, unlike most tiles, so it will be a pleasure to stand on while making your morning cuppa.
Check out 10 floors that will transform your kitchen
Style with a sophisticated stain
Stained and varnished floorboards will be much tougher and more water-resistant than untreated floorboards, so they can be a godsend in high-traffic areas, such as kitchens and dining areas.
A dark stain, such as walnut or chestnut, looks effortlessly grown-up, and it won’t show up marks very easily, either. If you want some shine, finish off the wood with a few coats of clear gloss varnish for maximum durability and a feel-good sheen underfoot.
Stained and varnished floorboards will be much tougher and more water-resistant than untreated floorboards, so they can be a godsend in high-traffic areas, such as kitchens and dining areas.
A dark stain, such as walnut or chestnut, looks effortlessly grown-up, and it won’t show up marks very easily, either. If you want some shine, finish off the wood with a few coats of clear gloss varnish for maximum durability and a feel-good sheen underfoot.
Vary the widths
Your choice of narrow versus wide planks is down to personal preference, and your decision will be influenced by the overall look you want to achieve.
Slim floorboards are less common, but they can look elegant, and are a nice change to the chunkier boards we typically see. In this kitchen, they provide a pleasing contrast to the wider lines of the cabinets, adding texture to the slick scheme.
Your choice of narrow versus wide planks is down to personal preference, and your decision will be influenced by the overall look you want to achieve.
Slim floorboards are less common, but they can look elegant, and are a nice change to the chunkier boards we typically see. In this kitchen, they provide a pleasing contrast to the wider lines of the cabinets, adding texture to the slick scheme.
Pimp with paint
If your floorboards are looking a little tired, rather than ripping them out, reinvigorate the wood by painting the floor in a brave new shade. Choosing a vibrant colour will overhaul the look of your room as well as smartening up tatty boards. Here, pale blue chimes with the ocean mood.
If your floorboards are looking a little tired, rather than ripping them out, reinvigorate the wood by painting the floor in a brave new shade. Choosing a vibrant colour will overhaul the look of your room as well as smartening up tatty boards. Here, pale blue chimes with the ocean mood.
Fake it with tiles
Wooden floors and bathrooms might look the part, but timber and water isn’t always the most practical combination. However, there is a way to have a ‘wooden’ floor in your bathroom: wood-effect porcelain tiles. They can look surprisingly similar to the real thing, complete with knots and gnarls, but are dead easy to clean and won’t spoil with the humidity. And you can take your pick of effects, too.
TELL US…
Do you love your wooden floors? Please share your thoughts in the Comments below.
Wooden floors and bathrooms might look the part, but timber and water isn’t always the most practical combination. However, there is a way to have a ‘wooden’ floor in your bathroom: wood-effect porcelain tiles. They can look surprisingly similar to the real thing, complete with knots and gnarls, but are dead easy to clean and won’t spoil with the humidity. And you can take your pick of effects, too.
TELL US…
Do you love your wooden floors? Please share your thoughts in the Comments below.
As a rule of thumb, wooden floorboards look best when running in the same direction as the longest dimension in the room.
This works well in a hallway, as laying your planks lengthways means the eye is drawn to the furthest point, leading you through this transitional space into the main house.
Browse more wooden floor ideas and photos