How to Choose between Dark and Light Flooring?
One thing is for sure, the wood flooring world is now conflicted by the main trend dilemma of the season and probably the decade - whether to choose dark wood flooring or a light one. In the context of hottest styles and trends, both flooring options are pretty popular at the moment and enjoy some popularity and the attention of homeowners and interior designers. However, when it comes to choosing between dark and light wood flooring, there are far more aspects you need to take into consideration than just what colour you like the most.
With an abundance of so many different wood flooring options in terms of style, colours, textures, grains, patterns, etc., it is understandable why you may feel overwhelmed by the idea of choosing a new floor for your home or office space. Naturally, you will turn to the interior design magazines and online sources to get a better idea of what is trendy at the moment and why people like it. However, when it comes to real wood flooring, there are always at least a few hottest trends every year and it can get quite overwhelming and stressful to choose the one that best meets your requirements and suits your style and the interior of the place.
Both options of dark and light wood flooring are definitely not a safe choice and they revolve around a lot of creativity and thinking outside the box. Probably not the best choice for traditional interiors where brown is dominating the scene, very light and super dark wood flooring are definitely corresponding to the recent trends in the world of interior design, including the modern minimalistic, Scandinavian, industrial and urban styles, but they can also work in the context of a more romantic, even country house or shabby chic styles. It all depends on how you are going to mix and match the different elements of the interior. Both dark and light wood floors have the potential to become the focal point and statement piece of every room or, on the contrary, work as a simple and easy backdrop of the overall style dominating the space.
Why dark wood floors are getting all the attention in recent years? It is easy to fall in love with their mysterious and dramatic presence, the touch of luxury they can add to space, the feeling of "richness" and elegance from a new generation. There are some wood species that naturally come in darker shades, including mahogany, ebony, walnut, dark teak, etc. However, when it comes to the darker colouring of the floor, it is easy to achieve it thanks to staining even if you are starting with a basic domestic wooden floor in a light or medium shade of brown, etc.
Light, almost white wood flooring is also considered to be very trendy and popular amongst homeowners at the moment. Super light wood floors are very modern and contemporary, elegant, stylish and chic, very sophisticated and a creative choice for every interior. Not many wood species come naturally in a super light, almost white colour. However, you can always opt for a wooden floor that has been whitewashed and treated in a way so it appears lighter and cleaner than it naturally is.
So if you cannot make up your mind whether you like dark or light wood flooring more, here are a few aspects you want to consider before making the final choice.
Your Interior
Of course, when it comes to choosing the right type of wood flooring, the first thing you will consider is the existing interior of the room or space where the floor will be installed. Besides considering the existing interior of the room or the one you are planning to achieve and create, think of functionality further. The easiest thing in the world would be spotting a beautiful picture in an interior magazine and trying to recreate it totally in your home. A kids' room with dark flooring? Why not, it looks very stylish and cool on the picture in the magazine.
However, are you entirely sure and confident in this choice since dark flooring is practically prone to showing even the finest scratches and make them more visible? What about this beautiful kitchen in the magazine and how good the super light floor looks… Well, the light flooring may complement the cabinets and so, but what will happen once you start cooking your famous Bolognese sauce and it accidentally splashes on the floor. The stain may become permanent and practically ruin the floor.
Interior magazines are a great source of ideas, however, they almost never consider and focus on the more practical side of owning a wooden floor and creating an interior that best fits the needs of your households and the specifics of your lifestyle. Whenever you choose a dark or light flooring for your interior, always be aware of what both options entail and consider if you are ok with implementing all the new habits into your life that will allow you to enjoy a beautiful light or dark floor without going the extra mile and regretting your choice at the end.
Size of the Room
Another very important aspects you would like to keep in mind when choosing a wooden floor for the room, especially when it comes to choosing between dark or light wood flooring, is the size of the room. Dark colours and black has a slimming effect, therefore you like them when you are choosing clothing and you want to hide that extra pound you have gained during the Christmas holidays. However, be aware that dark and black wood floors will have the same effect on the room. Don't choose a dark floor for a room that is already small or narrow as the flooring will make it appear even smaller and narrower. However, if you want to make the room appear more spacious and airy, you definitely want to opt for light flooring. Whenever you are choosing between dark and light wood flooring, always make sure to consider all advantages and disadvantages of the visual illusion these types of flooring can make.
Natural Light
The sources of natural light in the room where the floor is going to be installed are yet another important factor you want to consider. In case the room is pretty light and bright with a lot of windows and a lot of natural light entering it through the windows, then you can definitely go for a darker wooden floor. However, if the room is naturally darker, the dark or black wooden floor will make it appear even darker and cluttered.
However, even dark rooms can benefit from a dark wood flooring if you are trying to achieve a specific ambience and atmosphere of cosiness or add a bit of drama and noir beauty to the interior of the room. However, rooms like a home office or kitchen can definitely benefit from more natural light and not having it can be a bit problematic. Therefore, it is recommended to choose light wood flooring for these types of rooms. The light wood flooring will additionally reflect the natural light and make the room feel brighter and more airy.
Maintenance
Last but not least, when choosing between a dark or light wood flooring think of how much of your time you are ready to sacrifice in order to keep your floor perfectly clean and flawless. Dark wood flooring is known to be one of the most challenging on the market when it comes to keeping it looking super clean at all times. In fact, dark floors are not only bad at camouflaging scratches and other smaller imperfections on the surface, they are additionally really good at showing every particle of dust or dirt. Therefore, dark wood flooring requires a bit more intense and regular cleaning routine if you want to be able to enjoy a floor that looks sleek and perfect. On the other hand, light wood floors do not show dust that much and are, generally, easier to maintain in good condition and keep clean.