Are blonde wood, and wood-look, floors going out of style?

last year

I am getting ready to replace my medium-colored luxury vinyl plank floor with a light-colored floor (floor I was going to buy is shown below). Someone in another design group I’m in said the light floors are going out of style. Am I making a mistake by going with this color? My old floor has to be replaced. I had a pipe break in the slab and had to remove two rooms of floor, and now have insurance money to replace the floor in the whole house. This is the color floor I was going to get. Mistake? Should I keep looking for a medium-colored floor? I’d love to say design trends don’t matter to me, but they kind of do haha!

Featured Answer

Lindsay K
Original Author

last year

@Unique Wood Floors

I have this sample as well. It’s warmer and slightly darker.

And this one - I don’t have planks of this but i can get some.

This is the darkest sample I have. It clashes a lot with the current floor, but maybe on its own would be fine.

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Comments (69)

Lindsay K
Original Author
last year
last modified: last year
@elcieg yep, the soho base is what I was going to get! All the photos I’ve showed are of their LVP line. Soho signature has the beveled edges, and soho base (the two planks I have) has no bevels and the planks are smaller. That company has a ton of photos of their floors available online. The other floors I’ve looked at, I can’t find any photos in people’s homes. I like it because I think it looks kind of like raw wood? I would love a raw wood floor with a clear coat.

Will not be putting two wood-look floors together. It’s either the whole house in the lighter floor, or I’ll have to put tile in the kitchen (that’s where the damage was and we’re on the slab in there), and leave the rest of the floor that’s already here.
Lindsay K
Original Author
last year
@ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9, yeah, I don’t know how to label my style. Eclectic and a little boho. I definitely do not have curated furniture. It’s mostly secondhand.
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Lisa Laird
last year
Redo the floors that are damaged, if you cannot afford to replace all of them. Use the remaining money on more pressing updates. Updated kitchens make a huge difference.
Lindsay K
Original Author
last year
last modified: last year
@Lisa Laird, I only have insurance money for the floor and damaged baseboards. I have to provide a receipt showing I bought fooring and had it installed, and then they reimburse me. They’re not just giving me a lump sum to spend how I wish. If I don’t get a floor, I don’t get anything. They’re only providing money for the whole house, because there were no transitions in the original floor…they have to offer to replace up to the point where you have a transition.
PRO
CDR Design, LLC
last year
I believe I now have more information.

First, I don't think the lvp you are considering goes well with the kitchen cabinets. You would need something with more warmth in it. (should you choose to change the entire home to lvp).

Your flooring should look closer to something like this. The one you chose looks very yellow in the kitchen.

I know you have mentioned this several times, but I am still confused:

I understand that they will NOT give you $ to replace the flooring in the entire house (and you just replace the damaged floor and pocket the rest). I get that.

1) They will pay you $3.25 sf to replace the flooring in only the kitchen and laundry room or they will pay you $3.25 sf to replace the flooring in the entire house? Sounds like you are saying the entire house they will pay for (due to transitions not working).

2) If they are paying you to replace the floor in the entire house, why would you not do that?
Lindsay K thanked CDR Design, LLC
elcieg
last year
last modified: last year
You have the great opportunity to replace the floors in the entire house. Choose the floor you love because it will be with you for a long, long, time. I suggest you don't choose the tone just to work for the cabinets. You said you may or may not paint them. I going to bet that once you get the rest of the house the way you want it you will decide to paint them. Meanwhile:

Light floor and darker cabinets work okay.

Or, keep the cabinets and get new doors...it's the design and finish on the cabinets you have that is dated.
Lindsay K thanked elcieg
User
last year
I think the 2nd option you show (slightly darker ) will go better with everything. I also say pay extra to get same flooring in entire home.
Lindsay K
Original Author
last year
last modified: last year
@CDR Design, LLC I’ll share some pictures of other samples next to the cabinets. The kitchen is off to the side of the house, and isn’t visible from the front door. They’re such a dated color that none of the floors I’ve tried look good with them. I think only plain white tile might look best, or real wood because then I could choose my stain. Working with lvp is limiting though. I’ve seen pictures of the floor that was oroginally there, and it was the plain white tile. Previous owners are who came in and put cheap and thin lvp down.

I was hoping to do the whole house…that’s why I posted, to get opinions on my floor choice.

I don’t have any money from insurance until the work is done. They alloted money for the floor, and I have to send them receipts of all work done and things purchased, and then I can get reimbursed. So if I choose to do the whole house, the money will be reimbursed as long as I don’t go over budget. The budget, which they set at 3.25/sq ft (for whole house). I don’t think they’ll reimburse me if I spend the money on say, painting the cabinets. Because then my invoice from the contractor would say ”painted cabinets.”
Lindsay K
Original Author
last year
last modified: last year
@elcieg, yeah, I have a hard time picking out a floor for the whole house just to please the kitchen cabinets. I wanted to paint them before moving in, but houzz talked me into leaving them for a year. The irony of that, is if I had painted them white they would match with any floor haha! I understand why I was encouraged to leave them though…once you paint wood, there’s no going back. I’ve gotten used to them, but they don’t look good with many of the lvp samples I’ve tried. And I have been shopping since March and have *dozens* of samples. These in the pictures are just the ones I bought planks of. I’ll take some photos later of the cabinets with more samples.

Thanks for the photos too! I like them. Mixing light and dark wood tones is popular right now. Here is the floor with darker cabinets.
PRO
CDR Design, LLC
last year
For $3.25 sf, is that supposed to include installation also. Install will cost you about the same as the material.

Here are my "rules" for planning remodeling in stages

1) Have an overall plan. This is critical. This will be your guide. Skip this step and you make very costly mistakes. You can do it in stages, but have an overall plan. (That means, that right now, you should determine whether you will be changing the cabinet color in the future).

2) Don't try to "match the pig". So, something like "I hate these cabinets, but I want something that matches them", does not work. Ignore the awful and know you will change it down the line.

3) Don't do "partial" renovations. "I am going to renovate my kitchen in 5 years, but can't now, so I will change the backsplash". No. Save that $ for the renovation.

So, my recommendation to you, plan on what you want to do with the kitchen cabinets. Sounds like you don't like them, so plan should be to change them.

Choose the flooring you love, that fits in with your overall plan and change all of the flooring now.
Lindsay K thanked CDR Design, LLC
Lindsay K
Original Author
last year
last modified: last year
@CDR Design, LLC makes sense, thank you! I think finding a floor I ”love” has been the challenge! I’m used to having wood and tile in my other houses. I can’t say I’ve fallen in love with any of the lvp samples I’ve seen.

Yes, install is included, separate from the 3.25.

I have liked the floor I originally showed better than any others so far…I was just wondering if it was too light and could look dated soon.
PRO
CDR Design, LLC
last year
It is coming off as a little yellow to me. What about this one? And of course, there a many other brands.
Lindsay K thanked CDR Design, LLC
Lindsay K
Original Author
last year
last modified: last year
@CDR Design, LLC, oh yes, a million brands haha. I’ve been to like 8 floor stores, and have ordered samples from all major online retailers. They’re all jost ok to me. Here is the nakan in someone’s house. Do you think this is a better color? I guess I just want something that looks as real as possible. Also, if this is a project I’d planned, I’d have probably spent a couple years choosing a floor…since it’s the whole house and will be stressful since we already live here, I want to really like it. I only have until March to spend the insurance money, so am feeling some pressure to decide sooner than I normally would.

I do have a sampe of that nakan floor. It’s this one, I’m guessing cut from a darker plank.
WestCoast Hopeful
last year
We’ve done two remodels and a new build and did different flooring in all of them. First we did a laminate on sale we could afford that was maple in colour. Second we did a cherry finished on site that was stunning and showed every dog hair and speck of dirt. Third we did the white oak engineered that’s quite popular now. I can’t imagine not continuing to love our floors. They are so light and easy to care for, great for a family of five with a dog, and just my favourite. I do think there are many shades that are beautiful but I will never go dark again
Lindsay K thanked WestCoast Hopeful
Lindsay K
Original Author
last year
last modified: last year
@WestCoast Hopeful that’s great! I’m glad you like your white oak floors! I have always had medium-dark wood floors, tile, or the honey oak-ish laminate that was so popular. I’ve liked all my floors, but I typically prefer lighter wood tones. This is our 3rd older home, and we’ve done a lot of things but never a floor...it’s been a learning curve and I know a lot about different kinds of floors now haha.

Do you like the way your furniture looks with the light floors? I have a mix of different wood furniture, and also a decent amount of white pieces. And I have some earth-toned rugs…some of which are still in storage. I actually have a whole storage unit to empty still….waiting until the new floor is in. I keep trying to picture how everything will look against a light floor, since it’s always been on a darker floor before.
WestCoast Hopeful
last year
We have dark wood pieces. So the dining table is almost black and the coffee table is a dark chocolate colour. Our dining chairs are white and our living room furniture is a grey sectional and camel leather chairs. I think so many colours can look lovely on a light floor.
Lindsay K thanked WestCoast Hopeful
Lindsay K
Original Author
last year
@WestCoast Hopeful sounds lovely!
Lisa Laird
last year
Look at calypso oak by coretec. You can find it on sale. It looks and feels more like real wood.
Lindsay K thanked Lisa Laird
Lisa Laird
last year
This is Cyril Oak by coretec.
Jennifer Svensson
last year
For me, light floors are as timeless as medium or darker ones. It’s more important IMO that they work with the rest of your home, and of course, that YOU like them. Best of luck!
Lindsay K thanked Jennifer Svensson
Jen K (7b, 8a)
last year
In our previous two houses, in Texas, we had light tiles floors which we love. Moving to North Carolina, tile was not an option, so we went with light wood looking LVP. We love it with our mid-tone antiques. This is Armstrong Empower Rigid Core Scandia Midsummer Sun.

I'd say that the light floors are modern, current and not a fad.
Lindsay K thanked Jen K (7b, 8a)
Lindsay K
Original Author
last year
@Lisa Laird yes, I love the cyril oak. I’ll look out for sales!
Lindsay K
Original Author
last year
@Jen K (7b, 8a) that’s a beautiful room! I love the floors, and also all those windows! How pretty.
PRO
CDR Design, LLC
last year
Coretec is probably my favorite lvp. However, it is mostly out of your price range, so I did not go there. You might be able to find something on sale.

The Nakan and Coretec Calypso and Cyril oak look similar. Best to get an entire plank AND look at online photos of the product in a room.

If you can find and afford long planks (longer than the standard 48", I would buy those. Those long 72" planks are gorgeous, in my opinion.

I believe finishes like the 3 listed above have a better ability to work with more furniture pieces than the Soho you originally chose.

But, I also think the Soho can work. It is just that it might look a touch yellow with some finishes.

Does Soho look real? Yes, it looks like real wood with some bleach in it. If you love that looks of a Scandinavian floor, go for it, especially if you plan to change the kitchen cabinets.

Remember, have a total plan. You cannot and should not make decisions, with "Well, we might change the color of the kitchen cabinets". That throws you into indecisiveness.

Find photos of homes you love. Put them in an ideabook. Narrow the photos down. Every choice you make then must follow the theme of the photos you love.

So, you have your bathrooms you just did. They have finishes. What is the flooring in there? Other finishes? Put in ideabook. What do you want your dream kitchen to look like? Put in ideabook. What furniture in storage are you keeping and love? Ideabook.

Have a date my which you are going to finish this ideabook. 2 weeks? You can then better make your flooring choice.

I get this comment from clients often: "I go into a store and there are so many choices. I don't know where to start." This sounds boring, but interior design has a lot to do with eliminating choices.
Lindsay K thanked CDR Design, LLC
PRO
Oak & Broad
last year
Lindsay K , the vast majority of wood floors we sell are light colored floors. I've not seen much in terms of darker colored flooring finishes for a long time. I wouldn't be afraid to invest in a light colored floor right now. Here are a few of different shades with the last being the darkest.
Wide Plank White Oak Wood Floor in Nashville TN · More Info

Select Grade Rift & Quartered White Oak Wood Flooring · More Info

Live Sawn Wide Plank White Oak in Scottsdale Arizona · More Info
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WestCoast Hopeful
last year
This is what our floors look like. I mean really it’s a picture of my naughty dog on the couch but shows the floors too
Lindsay K thanked WestCoast Hopeful
Alicia
last year
I don’t think any natural tones hardwood goes out of style.
Lindsay K thanked Alicia
PRO
Unique Wood Floors
last year
@ WestCoast Hopeful

Love your floor! Thanks for sharing. Is it real wood engineered floor?
PRO
Unique Wood Floors
last year
Here are 8mm WPC Sheridan pictures recently shared by a builder customer.
WestCoast Hopeful
last year
Ours is engineered yes. Pravada is the brand.
PRO
Unique Wood Floors
last year
Here are 8mm WPC Essex pictures recently shared by a builder customer. I am amazed how realistic it turned to be.
Lindsay K thanked Unique Wood Floors
salonva
last year
FWIW, I agree that anything that is classic will not go out of style. It just may not follow a trend, but give it maybe 7 years and it will be back on trend.

I was originally looking for lighter warm colors but when I brough home samples, they turned greyish or just not what I wanted. I ended up going with one with variability and more orange tones. Very off trend, but I like it. I figure in 2030 or there abouts I should look like a trendsetter.:)
PRO
Unique Wood Floors
last year
@salonva, It would be helpful if you could share a few pictures of your floor. What you said might be true, I am sure that most people would rather get what can enjoy now.
salonva
last year
Here are some photos to show the floor. It's also very easy to live with in that it doesn't really show dirt. I do dustmop onstantly ( you see the dog) but it is very easy to live with.
Lindsay K thanked salonva
Lindsay K
Original Author
last year
@WestCoast Hopeful beautiful floors! Thanks for sharing!
Lindsay K
Original Author
last year
@salonva, they look very warm and cozy :)
Lindsay K
Original Author
last year
@Unique Wood Floors I like the light floors you showed. I guess I’m just a light floor person haha.
PRO
Unique Wood Floors
last year
@salonva Thanks for sharing those pictures. I love how the floor looks in your home.
Jayne Farrell
8 months ago
Light floors to me are timeless! Gorgeous!!
PRO
Unique Wood Floors
8 months ago
Here are 8mm WPC Sheridan pictures recently shared by a designer customer. It has just enough characters in a cleaner version LVP. I would avoid the obvious stripy looks on many LVPs after installed in an open space.
Jayne Farrell
8 months ago
Here are pics of my Karndean LVP in Savannah Oak in my yet to be finished suite reno. Herringbone pattern for the main bathroom and planks everywhere else. Trouble is I had to get metal nosings for the stairs in brushed nickel cause Karndean doesn’t make a matching nosing for this glue down product.
Jayne Farrell
8 months ago
The Sheridan is absolutely lovely as well!!
Jayne Farrell
8 months ago
There’s a LOT of variation in my Savannah Oak but I like it. It gives it some interest. The cabinet in the bathroom will be Sherwin Williams in the navy blue with white quartz counter and white glossy picket tiles above the counter and in the shower and brushed brass hardware
PRO
Unique Wood Floors
8 months ago
Love your Savannah Oak! Don't forget to post your finished project pics. Is there a particular reason you go with glue down product?
Jayne Farrell
8 months ago
Thank you and will do! I chose the glue down simply because I liked the smaller herringbone planks and Karndean offered this in the glue down in the light blonde color I was wanting in my space. It’s very comfortable to walk on I’m finding too.
Lindsay K thanked Jayne Farrell
PRO
Unique Wood Floors
8 months ago
Thanks. That means good sense for I like narrow version herringbone too. You find most on the market are 5" and wider.
Jeff Sowell
last month
@Lisa Laird I'm thinking about getting the cortec cyril oak for most of my house. Do you feel like it is very light. Does it have any yellow to it? Do you have any more pictures of your floor?
Jayne Farrell
last month
Your choice looks lovely! No yellow tones in mine. Here are a few pics
Jayne Farrell
last month
The only thing I don’t like about the flooring is it feels a little gritty underfoot with bare feet but I just wear slippers. And doggy paw prints😊
Lindsay K thanked Jayne Farrell
Lindsay K
Original Author
last month
Your floors look beautiful! I love that color. I ended up going with flooret soho, and I love it. It looks similar to what you have. I’m so glad I went with a lighter color! It’s nice and bright.