Parquet de Versailles Wood Floors
The Hudson Company's Hammel says he's noticed an uptick in Parquet de Versailles flooring in a variety of wood species and sizes. The design is "not an undertaking for the faint of heart," he explains. "It comprises over 40 individual pieces that must fit together perfectly—which isn't surprising given its origins at the palace of Versailles."
Checkerboard Floors
While lovers of the checkerboard pattern have definitely not let this style of tile disappear, Kirsty Froelich, director of design at The Tile Shop, says that the company has been getting more and more inquiries about the style. It's a wonderful way to add some personality to your home and looks classic in a kitchen or bathroom. When it comes to material, Froelich says people are asking for "a porcelain that looks like marble in black and a porcelain that looks like marble in white."
Hardwoods With Character
Knots, burls, and striking grain all give planks "character" in the wood world, says Hammel. While sleek minimalism is still popular, more and more people are leaning toward giving their homes more character and focusing less on resale value. "Minimalism will probably never go out of style, but at the moment we're seeing clients take risks and embrace flooring with a lot of personality," he says. "Wood with lots of character in the right setting can almost be an element of design in its own right: Those natural features draw the eye, they might echo the form of a work of art or a textile nearby."
Patterned Tile
"What I'm seeing is a lot of patterns," Froelich says. Patterned tile is just another way to add art into your home. Similar to checkerboard tile, you don't tend to see tiles with patterns on them throughout an entire house. "In the entryway, you have an opportunity to make a first impression, so that can be a really great place to put a pattern tile or a more fun tile," she adds. Bathrooms are another fun, easy place to add patterned tile that's gaining popularity.
Long-Plank Hardwoods
So many homeowners are constantly trying to think of ways to make their spaces look bigger, and one way to do that with hardwood—or luxury vinyl planks—is by using longer and wider boards. Froelich says, "It gives the illusion of making the space appear bigger, and so that's what we've seen people gravitating toward."
Wide Tile
Like longer planks of wood or luxury vinyl flooring, wider tile can make your space look bigger—and that's why it's becoming more popular. Large, rectangular tiles are taking over, says Froelich, whereas smaller, square ones were more popular in the past few years. "If you look at home trends, they're going toward a more contemporary look, and those large-format tiles fit perfectly with that," she says. "You don't have as many grout joints, so it can make a space look bigger and a little bit more seamless."
Nature-Inspired Colors
Froelich says blues and greens are seeing a surge. "Those are easy colors to incorporate into your design aesthetic because, of course, they're colors you find in nature, so they're not going to offend anybody," she says. "When you bring those into your home, you should have a somewhat calming effect." Rather than the grays and whites of a few years ago, people are looking for something a bit more interesting.
Warmer Tones
"Warmer tones are definitely gaining ground recently, and I think it's the result of a desire for color," Hammel says. "Coming off of several years of minimalism, in which very light or very dark floors have been quite popular, flooring that lands somewhere in the middle offers a statement color that can harmonize with other elements in an interior. They're light enough that their patterns can shine through, and deep enough to give visual heft to a space." Froelich agrees and says she's seeing a similar trend for stone floors.