Natural look

The glitz of the 1980s and the sleek modernism of the 1990s have given way to an entirely different trend in flooring the Natural Look. “Consumers’ preference for natural and natural-looking materials is in full swing,� says Joe Amato, flooring manufacturer VP. “No matter what kind of flooring they choose, homeowners are looking for patterns inspired by nature.�

Thanks to today’s technology, the naturally inspired look can be achieved in any hard surface flooring material. For example, the vinyl flooring on the market today (also called resilient) is nothing like what your mother and grandmother had.

“The patterns are much more realistic than ever. Advances in design capabilities, particularly with Computer Aided Design (CAD), have been key in helping us get such realistic looks,� says Amato. Some of today’s most popular looks in vinyl flooring are patterns that resemble slate, stone, and even sisal and leather, he adds.

Laminate flooring has also benefited from advancements in technology. Three-dimensional looks are now trendy in laminate. Also, wood looks in laminate now boast texture and depth, which helps make them look even more like the real thing.

Hardwood, of course, is real wood. But new staining and finishing techniques allow for a brand new wood floor to look worn and lived-in.

Many homeowners are decorating in a casual or rustic theme and these handscraped and distressed floors go perfectly with that decor.

You may not know that porcelain tile is another type of floor that is made from naturally occurring materials (primarily clay), but can be fashioned to look like something else.

Popular tile looks today are dramatic slates, elegant marbles, and rustic terra cottas. And tile floors can be personalized by incorporating various sizes of the same tile, or using different colors and decorative accents for borders and insets.

So whatever your flooring preference, there’s a natural look that will suit your life and your style.