Note: This article was originally published in 2017. It has been updated to reflect the latest trends as seen by Inspired Remodels, the leading Orange County flooring contractor.

Changes in flooring trends lack the speed of other interior design trends. But flooring does have trends. Inspired Remodels, Orange County’s go-to flooring contractor shares what’s hot in 2021 and the trends that are here to stay.

What’s Hot in Flooring

Orange County still loves hard surface flooring. It’s perfect for our active lifestyles. Carpet still has its place in 2021, but it is not in Orange County homes. We continue to skip over carpeting until it regains popularity (if it ever does). But trends many of the trends we saw in 2017 persist today.

Wood Look Floors

First, there was tile, then there was wood. The hottest trend in flooring continues to be a tile that looks like wood. You get the durability of porcelain with the beauty of wood. Wood look tile makes for an easy-care routine and comes in a wide variety of colors, grains, and textures. It’s a favorite of this flooring contractor and Orange County homeowners.

In 2021, hardwood and wood-look floors get a twist. Hand-scraped flooring hit the design scene about the time as barn doors. The flooring provides a distressed or rustic look that goes so well with many Orange County homes.

Hand-scraped finishes show up on wood, bamboo, and wood-look tile. You’ll even find some engineered click-lock flooring sporting the hand-scraped finish.

You don’t need to utilize Mission-style decor to enjoy hand-scraped flooring.

Light Wood Floors

Whether it is engineered wood, natural bamboo, or even wood-look tile, light-colored floors are hot. Move over espresso and make way for blonde floors. Red oak and white oak are both light woods with beautiful grain. Hard maple costs more, but as the name implies it is hard. An even harder “wood” is bamboo, which is increasingly popular. Technically a grass, bamboo scores higher on the hardness scale than actual hardwood. Eucalyptus provides another eco-friendly option and is naturally light-colored. Birch and ash are both light, but don’t take stain well. They work best when you want a natural poly finish.  You will find all of these wood finishes in natural wood or wood-look tile.

Grey Tones

Grey continues to be the new white. This shade continues to top the color charts in 2021. People flock to grey for its calming influence. These days, we can all use a little calm.  Grey flooring is perfectly at home in a traditional or modern room. It’s great for the kitchen or bathroom because it works and plays well with so many accent colors. Grey is chic and grey is clean and we think it is will enjoy continued popularity for the next 10 years and beyond. Wood-look tiles in grey tones are showing up in more and more Orange County bathrooms. That’s because tile is perfect for the bathroom and grey compliments most all cabinetry. Add on the appeal of a wood appearance and you’ve got a winner for bathrooms.

Patterns

Geometric patterns migrated from backsplashes to the floor in the last few years. Find chevrons, herringbones, and other patterns in bathrooms and kitchens too. Wood and tile floors gain interest when installed with interesting patterns.

Patterns offer the potential for fabulously inspired design or can create an incredible eyesore. Ensure your pattern works well with the rest of the interior. Patterns provide the perfect level of detail when perfectly executed. The tile medallion design gracing this entranceway will look just as stunning in 20 years as it does today.

And the combination of a herringbone tile pattern with a neutral color creates a fashion-forward look that endures.

And speaking of patterns, the herringbone continues to offer a cost-effective way to achieve the chevron look. Chevrons require a miter cut on every tile or wood plank to achieve their vee look.

On the other hand, chevrons pull off the same visual effect without the time and material-consuming miter cuts.

If you want the visual interest of vees, opt for a herringbone pattern every time.

Flooring Contractor Tips for Flooring Selection

With so many options, choosing is difficult. Inspired Remodels recommends that you consider 3 main factors when choosing flooring material:

Room Use. First, think about how the space is used. Usage determines factors such as durability and ease of care. High usage rooms need a surface that stands up to foot traffic. Kitchens get messy, kitchen floors need to be easy to clean. Formal areas may not require durable surfaces. A room used by pets requires stain and scratch resistance.

Room Location.  Entrance rooms must combine wow factor and durability. Most dirt, mud, and moisture get deposited on the floors next to exterior doors. In addition, entry areas need to make a statement. Whether it is a cheerful “welcome home” or a grand “welcome to my castle”, flooring plays a starring role in staging entryways.  Also, consider light exposure. Rooms that face south or west receive the most sunlight. This means more damaging UV rays and glare.

Budget. Flooring costs add up quickly. Factor in the useful life of the flooring material when evaluating costs. A hardwood floor can be expensive upfront, but can be refinished and last over 50 years with proper care.  Laminate flooring may cost less initially, but has a much shorter life. Don’t forget to factor in the cost of padding if you decide to buck the trends and go with carpet.

Get Inspired Flooring

For inspired flooring designs, talk to Inspired Remodels. View our inspired flooring portfolio to see what’s possible and then Contact Us on-line or call (949) 716-1938 and talk to Jason and Joe Mueller.