Utilizing lighter floors to make rooms feel larger and more welcoming is a very popular interior design tool. For smaller spaces or rooms that do not get a lot of natural light, lighter floors are a great choice.
Darker floors are a bit of a statement, and lighter floors are more subtle and easier to work with. You will notice light floors are more common in apartments because they complement more wall colors, furniture colors, and styles than dark floors.
Light-colored floors provide great camouflage for dust and lighter hair so they almost always look clean. They'll also hide damage better than darker floors which, for busy homes, is another point in a light floor's favor.
Some rooms get direct sunlight and it can be overwhelmingly bright when you add very light flooring, especially flooring with a shiny finish. This can be fixed with area rugs, but who wants to hide their brand new floor?
This depends on the flooring material you choose, but if you go with a material that is susceptible to stains like natural stone, stains will be easier to see. This is avoidable if you choose a material that is more durable, catch potential stains early and you keep up with refinishing or sealing your floor (if necessary for your material).
Darker floors make rooms feel warmer and cozier which is perfect for very large rooms or homes in cooler climates. Dark floors are also more of a statement and have a modern, luxurious look.
Similar to showing stains, fading greatly depends on the material, but it is not something that should be ignored. Flooring like hardwood and vinyl are prone to fading and if they are darker, their color will last longer.
Dark floors are great at hiding darker animal hair, dirt and debris. If you have a very busy home and find that dirt frequently gets trekked inside, darker flooring may be the way to go.
If a room doesn't receive a lot of natural light, a dark floor can make it a room feel small, gloomy and uninviting. When space is limited, as it often is in condos and apartments, dark floors can give the illusion of even less space. In a large, well-lit room, you don't have to worry about these problems.
Dust, light debris and light pet hair stick out like a sore thumb on dark floors. Unless you have a robotic sweeper, sweeping and mopping more is unavoidable.
At the end of the day, the choice is completely up to you and should complement your space and style. We highly recommend meeting with a professional flooring contractor to get information custom to your wants and needs and you can even get a few flooring swatches to see how your top choices look in your space.
If you are in the Denver Metro Area, Weaver Carpets would love to help you choose and install your brand-new floor. We offer wholesale flooring, so you can be sure you are getting the best deal. Contact us today!
Hardwood floors are a popular investment for homeowners hoping to improve their property value and add elegance to their home. They’re long lasting, durable and timeless. Hardwood floors have been installed in homes for hundreds of years, and they may continue to exist in homes for hundreds of years to come. According to Supreme Hardwood Floors installation of hardwood floors is a large investment in the future of your property.
When you decide it’s time for new floors there’s another important decision to make, what color floor you want. Not all hardwood floors look the same. The color of stain, encapsulated beneath sealer, can impact the appearance and performance of your hardwood floors. Stain color can even change how buyers perceive your home when the time comes to buy. Knowing the difference between light and dark colored hardwood flooring can help you decide which type is right for your home.
Until just a few years ago, light- and medium-toned hardwood floors were common in homes, while dark hardwood floors were not. This shift to dark stain is noticeable, in more ways than one. Dark floors make a statement. Furnishings stand out from the inky, rich, velvety darkness underfoot. Light is reflected off it, adding interesting visual details throughout the house.
Dark hardwood flooring is in style. It makes your home easier to sell and also boosts your home’s resale value.
Dark hardwood floors have a way of contrasting with lighter colored furnishings. Think of your furniture as notes on a page, standing out in staccato against your dark floors.
Dark floors absorb sunlight and can get warm in summer. It helps if your windows are modern and made from low-e glass, so take that into consideration.
Scratches in dark flooring can be obvious and unsightly, so you’ll need to protect your floors, especially in high-traffic areas. Dirt and dust also stand out against dark hardwood; dry mop regularly.
Some hardwoods, like maple, don’t accept stain well. Dark stains applied to these woods tend to be blotchy and uneven. If you currently have hardwood floors in your home and would like to refinish them in a darker color, be sure to check the type of wood first to see if it will be able to hold a darker stain.
Next to dark colored flooring, bare-naked flooring (with no stain at all) is possibly the next most desirable hardwood color in residential settings. Why? It’s beautiful and practical at the same time. Light hardwood is luminescent – equal parts cheerful, bright and attractive. It’s a color commonly chosen by homeowners with small children and pets who are likely to scratch their floors. It’s sensible as well as elegant.
Light colored hardwood flooring is less likely to show scratches than its dark-colored counterpart, so you’ll spend less time fretting over the state of your floors.
Homeowners with dark colored floors often follow their children and pets around the house cleaning up dirt, dust and footprints. Lighter colored floors simply show that less.
Dark colored hardwood floors are highly sought after by home buyers because they match modern styles. Lighter hardwood floors don’t have that same appeal to many buyers, but buying quality hardwood can help. Use a discerning eye when choosing your hardwood floor and stain type.
In rooms with many windows or sunlights, too many light surfaces can leave the room feeling glaring and bright.
Knots and stains are more obvious on lighter hardwood floors, so take care of them to ensure your home looks its best.
The flooring you choose for your home can impact the way you live, how you feel when you’re at home, and how much money you make when your home sells. Install quality flooring to improve your home’s value and your quality of life. Dodgson Floor and Window Coverings can help. Contact us today to get started with your new flooring purchase and installation.