Wood Floors in the Kitchen: Colors, Designs and Other Considerations

Choosing the perfect wood floors in the kitchen isn’t always a simple decision. With so many options available, it’s easy to fall in love with different styles and colors.

People love wood floors because it’s classic, stunning, and comes in a variety of styles, grains, and colors. It will always be in style, and it looks good in almost any room in the house.

Why do people choose wood flooring? It’s:

• Attractive
• Traditional
• Warmer than tile
• Soft and comfortable

There are a few things to remember when putting hardwood floors in a kitchen. Depending on which brand, type and quantity you select, it can be pricier than other options like tile, laminate, or vinyl. It’s also susceptible to water damage, scratches, and dents. Knowing this, should you put wood floors in the kitchen? Let’s consider your options.

Wood Flooring Colors

For many years, lighter oak has been the go-to wood flooring. Gone are the days when dark wood flooring is the most popular. In 2021, wood flooring colors are trending towards lighter shades, like soft brown and gray tones. Lighter tones go beautifully with any shade or style of kitchen cabinetry, so it’s the perfect option for any color scheme.

This year and beyond, you can expect to see more:

• Blonde wood
• Whitewashed wood
• Honey/copper-colored wood
• Gray wood
• Greige wood

Wood Flooring Textures

Now that you have an idea of what flooring colors are trending (and what you might want in your own kitchen remodel), let’s talk about textures. While lighter colors are in, so is the rustic, less polished feel. No longer are simple, smooth planks with little to no variation in style. Instead, people are opting for wood flooring where no two planks are alike.

The three most popular textures we’re seeing are:

• Handscraped: With this unique texture, the wood grain is more exposed, adding variety and looking expensive yet rustic at the same time.
• Wirebrushed: This style has more texture than handscraped, but not as much as distressed hardwood — the perfect middle ground.
• Distressed: This texture looks like natural wood, with loads of stylish imperfections.

Wood Flooring Layouts and Patterns

You can use more than color and texture to add diversity to your kitchen wood flooring. Consider a unique pattern that draws eyes and gives your kitchen a true “wow factor”. Regardless if you love a complex look or would rather have something simple, there’s a pattern for you.

The herringbone pattern, which connects planks at 90 degree angles, is growing in popularity. Chevron is a similar pattern that is also trending. With this pattern, the planks come together at an angle to a point.

If you like the more traditional look of side-by-side planks, consider wide wood. This adds variation to the look without too much complexity. It’s the perfect compromise.

When embarking on the decision to add hardwood flooring to your kitchen, make sure to think about what you want from your flooring. What’s most important to you: durability and practicality? Or aesthetics and appeal? From there, you can decide the style of hardwood you’d love most.

Kitchen Remodels & Refacing Solutions

Every home deserves a kitchen that’s beautiful, welcoming, and functional — designed for the way you live. Established by two long-time central Ohio homebuilders and craftsmen, The Creative Kitchen Co. offers customized kitchen remodeling and refacing solutions. Contact us for more information.