Nowadays hardwood fashions are changing faster than ever. It’s hard to keep up, but it’s important to! If you’re considering outfitting your home with new hardwood you need to know a little about the trends so that you can make a choice: to align with fashion, go for a classic look or something cutting edge. Many homeowners like to stick to what’s in because it’s a way to guarantee resale value. But if you have a good sense of design yourself, or if you’d like to consult with Floorscapes’ design-forward sales team, you will be able to put together a look that works with the trends but speaks to your style. Read up on the following 2020 hardwood trends.
Hardwood Fashions Up to 2019
As far as colour goes, grey-stained hardwoods have been the most popular for at least half a decade. We’re talking light ash to dark charcoal. Characteristic textures have also been very popular, either subtly in the form of wire-brushed looks or in stark hand-scraped undulations. Wide board widths – called ‘wide plank hardwood’ in the industry – have been fashionable for the last decade… and that doesn’t seem to be letting up.
Up & Coming Hardwood Fashions
The virtually unchallenged reign of grey-stained hardwood is starting to change however. We are starting to see the reintroduction of wamer neutral colours. We’re talking browns & beiges, but lighter tones of each. Think subtle tan colours you’d see in a west coast beach house, the more rustic of which look like they’ve been worn by ocean water. When homeowners and designers do choose grey, they’re starting to go for a hybrid mix of brown and grey. ‘Greige’ is the new buzzword.
Choice textures are becoming less distressed. The rustic looks that emboldened hardwood fashions in the late 2010’s are starting to fall in favor of more subtle textures. Wire-brushed surfaces still have character but they are less drastic than the heavier hand-scraped textures. As far as finishes, lower lustre finishes are still quite popular. We saw an industry-wide shift away from glossy finishes in the mid 2000’s and it’s hard to imagine that look every coming back. As far as species goes, domestics (oak, maple, ash, hickory & walnut) are still reigning supreme, which is excellent since they are Canadian and can be sourced more sustainably than exotic species
Cutting Edge Fashions
The kind of interiors you’ll see in design magazines aren’t the kind you’ll see in your average 2020 homes. Designers are more… courageous let’s say, with their choices. You’ll see bolder colours, artisan furniture and uniquely thought out surfaces. Designers at the cutting edge of their craft tend towards the more intricate types of hardwood and hardwood installation patterns. For example, Herringbone— a very traditional installation pattern that has become especially popular in the last 5 years. It’s a fantastic look, albeit more expensive to install. Raw Oil textures (like those from Rubio) have also become quite popular among design visionaries. The word ‘raw’ is apt: there’s barely anything between you and the raw wood, just a thin layer of oil to seal. It’s also a great look, but it requires a refinish every 2 or so years.
If you have any more questions about 2020 Hardwood Fashions, send us an email or give us a call. Better yet, if you live in Calgary and you’re in the flooring market, stop by our showroom at 525 58th Aveue SE. The Floorscapes team has as much experience as we do passion: combined, we have over 150 years in the world of Calgary flooring. We offer our knowledge, our expertise and our aesthetic sensibility in order to help you create a space that you will love.
