A Wooden Floor Enlivens Any Interior

Wood floors enhance the interior of any style of house – whether modern or traditional, because they are decorative, durable and easy to clean.

The first floors were simple rough-hewn planks or split logs, which artisans later crafted into increasingly complex parquet patterns. For the most part, hardwood floors nowadays are either solid or engineered hardwood floors.

Characteristics

Different species of wood have very distinct differences, with some creating intricate grain patterns and some reacting gracefully to light, meaning that wood floors can be a great accompaniment to minimalist or rustic design styles.

Grading is also important, as it determines colour and grain: the top grading allows for no defects, while an acceptable grading might allow dead knots, wormholes and cracks. And bending strength contributes, too, as it determines the amount of weight that can be pressed down on a floor, in direct contact with a casting.

Floor-covering species in the oaks, maples and birches are the first picks for installations that have lots of foot traffic, due to hardness and durability. Oak is a classic choice for most design styles and can be formally decorative or informal. Maple is versatile with lighter tones, while birch looks more casual with soft undertones and heavier reflective lustre; over time the deep tone darkens, gradually acquiring redder or golden casts.

Undertones

When you’re choosing floor colours, be aware that most woods have undertones that determine how other colours look upon them. Knowing what the undertones will be will help you choose wall colours that work best with them.

If your wood flooring has a reddish or orange undertone to it, a burgundy or terra cotta wall colour will provide a fabulous contrast to it, and will make each room appear larger.

But cooler tan wood goes well with a wall colour that is grey or blue in order to balance the cooler tone (instead of making it look whiter) while enhancing the features in the grain.

Colours

Undoubtedly, wood floors help to influence every other element in the room when it comes to overall feeling and style, and colour is key. Given this, if you are considering a new wood floor, think in terms of your existing colour palette (paint colours for walls, fabrics for furniture and accent pieces, even area rugs). Select a stain that works with what you have.

You can also trick the eye into more airiness in any room with a broader use of natural light, or robust finishes of white oak or maple floors that will camouflage scratches better than darker hues.

Medium- to dark-toned woods such as cherry, maple or hickory add richness and warmth to rooms. Sauri advises combining this type of flooring with cooler grays or blues; its orange undertone is a natural complement.
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If your home is decorated in farmhouse style, use natural and stony neutrals, like Colonnade Gray, or Snowbound, with your red wood floors. Simplify Beige, while not as light or neutral, has great brown undertones that fit right in.

Species

We put wood floors into categories of domestic or exotic wood, depending on the species used to make them. Each species that is used brings something different to the aesthetics and durability of the flooring, as well as to its maintenance needs. In fact, a customer who knows where their wood flooring likely came from before installation will be able to make better choices when it comes to caring for their floors, thereby adding to the beauty and sophistication of any living area.

Lighter woods, such as birch, have fine grain and a lot of colour variation, creating a light, uplifting feeling, while dark woods, such as walnut, provide more warmth and intimacy wherever they’re used.

Some hardwoods have straight grains, but many species have wavy or curled grains. For example, the wood of amboyna burr and yew has a straight grain, while the wood of amboyna burr and yew has a curly grain.