Hardwood Flooring Trends for Your Home

How to Choose Your Bay Area Wood Floors

Whether you’re installing a new hardwood floor in your Bay Area condo; or you’re just researching “what’s hot and what’s not” in the run-up to a redesign, here’s a breakdown of 2013 flooring trends.

hardwood flooring trends
Photo via Flickr

Trend No.1: Long-term value is back in.

The CEO of the World Floor Covering Association, Chris Davis, recently opined: “there’s definitely been a shift from spending to savings … [which means that consumers are] looking for value and comfort.” Vinyl and other low cost, durable options have been big sellers in 2013. Lower maintenance products have also become more popular, possibly because time/money-crunched folks lack the time and patience for “fussy” floor maintenance.

Trend No.2: The rise of “I can’t believe it’s vinyl!” vinyl products.

Budget conscious shoppers are also fashion conscious, thanks in part to the huge surge in reality TV home improvement shows. One big winner of this trend has been vinyl, which can be crafted to mimic almost every type of popular hardware floor design, texture, color, style in the typical portfolio. Vinyl is simple to clean, comfortable, and pet and kid friendly.

Trend No. 3: Green (Eco-Friendly) flooring

Northern California consumers aren’t the only ones “going green” – the rest of the world is, too. The demand for eco-friendly (or at least eco-sensitive) materials has driven up competition, which has, in turn, driven down pricing and created more cool and diverse options for buyers. Affordable “green” wood choices include: non-toxic Cork; Bamboo; and Tiger Bamboo. Some innovative companies have even turned old wine barrels into flooring materials!

[See Also: Los Altos Guide to Bamboo Flooring]

Trend No.4: Antimicrobial Floors

Many consumers are as “dirt conscious” as they are “eco-conscious.” Witness the resurgence of cork, which has antimicrobial properties. Our collective germophobia has inspired whole catalogs of wood floor products that boast the ability to stay clean in rough environments and even enhance the decomposition of bacteria.

Help with Your 2013 Wood Floor Choice?

The Elegant Floors team can help you understand your wood flooring options. Whether you’re doing a big remodeling project or are looking for a contractor you can trust, call us at 650-961-1339 for a free, fair estimate.

2013 Flooring Trends