What flooring is most popular in new homes?

When it comes time to say goodbye to outdated and old-fashioned flooring, homeowners find themselves with some important decisions to make for their space.

Now that it’s time to replace the floors you walk on daily in your home or business, what should you replace them with?

Most opt to find something evergreen that fits the rest of their modern decor and will remain popular and in style for many years.

But what is the most popular flooring choice right now? And how do you know it will still be popular twenty years from now?

If that question has you puzzling over the various types of flooring options available to you, then this blog will help you with your decision-making journey.

We’re going to take you through the most popular flooring trends throughout the 20th century and how they have shaped what flooring is in demand today.

Flooring Trends of the 20th Century

If you’ve been inside an older house or building, you have probably noticed just how much flooring can date a space.

Black and white tile conjures up images of the ‘50s and ‘60s, and shag carpeting and green and brown patterned linoleum can immediately take us back to the ‘70s.

These are just a few examples of popular flooring trends in the United States during the 20th century that many of us grew up with or still see in the homes we live in or visit.

Featured: Brenwick Signature from the Modin LVP Collection

How long did these flooring types remain stylish choices?

Let’s explore the trends by decade:

1900– 1920s

During this period, hardwood flooring, predominantly oak or pine, reigned supreme in countless residential properties and was valued for its versatility, beauty, and elegance.

While carpet was present, especially in wealthier homes, it was not nearly as common as hardwood.

These decades also saw the rise of synthetic flooring materials like vinyl and linoleum, which offered homeowners more flooring options than had ever been available before and at a price point many folks just couldn’t pass up.

Linoleum and ceramic tile were common in wet areas like entryways, kitchens, and bathrooms.

1930s–1940s

As the Great Depression ravaged the country, cheaper flooring materials like vinyl and linoleum began to rise in popularity.

In the ‘30s and ‘40s, linoleum, which had already been rising in popularity, took the crown from hardwood to become the country’s most popular flooring choice.

Homes all over the country favored linoleum for its durability, customizable styles, moisture resistance, and ease of maintenance.

1950s–1960s

Vinyl flooring climbed the ranks to bump out linoleum during the first few post-WWII years.

While vinyl had been relatively popular during previous decades, new manufacturing techniques during this time made it even more affordable and accessible to homeowners. Not only was it cheap, it was easy to install, easy to maintain, and available in various colors and patterns, allowing homeowners to customize it to their style.

That, combined with its durability and versatility, made vinyl the most popular flooring of these decades.

1970s–1990s

While carpet had always been around and still is today, it was in the ‘70s that carpet was truly in vogue.

Many homes featured (and continue to feature) wall-to-wall carpeting in various colors, piles, and textures. Even though laminate resurged in the ‘80s, carpet remained a prevalent choice.

It wasn’t until the ‘90s that hardwood, which had been common in homes for centuries, came full circle to become the number-one flooring choice once more.

Advances in manufacturing also made other wood-look options available, such as engineered hardwood and wood-patterned linoleum and vinyl, offering homeowners the classic look of hardwood without the hefty cost and difficulty of maintenance.

Most Popular Flooring for Modern Homes, 2000–Today

Looking back, it’s easy to see how flooring trends come and go.

Flooring in the United States has undergone a cyclical evolution from hardwood to linoleum to carpet to hardwood again.

As one of your home’s most prominent features, flooring can make a massive impact on your space’s overall aesthetic and style, so it’s no surprise that hardwood flooring has always been a popular choice.

Featured: Anza 7" from the Silvan Resilient Hardwood Collection

Today, home builders still opt for the classic and timeless look of hardwood flooring in new homes, especially in living rooms, dining rooms, and other areas meant to entertain guests.

In recent years, however, home builders have increasingly turned to materials like rigid LVP (luxury vinyl plank) as a more durable alternative to natural hardwood floors. Rigid LVP combines the elegance and timeless appeal of natural hardwood with the cost-effectiveness, durability, and ease of maintenance of vinyl, so it is not difficult to see why.

These features make LVP one of the most popular choices for flooring material today for new home builders and home and business owners all over the country.

LVP and Engineered Hardwood Flooring from Flooret

Since history has proven that wood-look floors have always been in style, it stands to reason that they always will be, making LVP or engineered hardwood flooring an excellent choice for a homeowner looking for popular and modern flooring options for their home that will truly stand the test of time.

Featured: Soho Signature from the Modin LVP Collection

Flooret is pleased to offer designer-curated collections of stylish rigid LVP and Engineered Resilient Hardwood floors in various shades and textures that will match and enhance your home's existing decor.

Check out the Modin LVP Collection for luxury vinyl plank flooring that is 100% waterproof, sustainably sourced, cost-effective, and stands up to anything life throws at it.

If a natural wood floor is more your style, our Silvan Resilient Engineered Hardwood floors give you all of the aesthetic beauty of hardwood with a super dense core, topically waterproof guarantee, and UV-cured acrylic protective coating that is made to last.

Whatever your style, Flooret has the perfect floor for you and your space.

Need help deciding? Our expert team can help put you on the path to a modern and beautiful floor that is sure to remain in style for generations to come.

2023 is bringing in a whole new era of floor trends. Some will carry over from 2022, while others gain in popularity, and together they’ll form a unique set of flooring trends that will embody the new year.

People are now investing time, money and attention in their living spaces more than ever. With the rise of remote work, they’re spending more time where they live and want their space to be as open and inviting as possible. Simplicity and subtle elegance are the main themes that will continue in the new year.

Here are the top flooring trends and most popular flooring for new homes in 2023.

Popular Flooring Must-Haves

50 Floor researched the most popular flooring trends of the year, and we found that homeowners are choosing dark wood, light wood and grey wood flooring color options.

Many flooring options, such as luxury vinyl and hardwood, give a classic and traditional look that is functional and aesthetically pleasing. These floors can adapt to your changing tastes over time, allowing you to coordinate new designs and colors seamlessly.

Recently, engineered hardwood flooring has also been growing in popularity. This flooring is made from a combination of durable wood and high-grade plywood that are compressed and layered in a criss-cross design, allowing the flooring to stand up well to humidity and moisture. It’s great for those looking to put hardwood in their bathrooms, kitchens or basements. 

For those who love the appearance of hardwood but want a cost-effective option, luxury vinyl plank flooring is an ideal alternative. 

Vinyl’s natural look has broad appeal, and it also offers several benefits, including:

• Elegance: A vinyl floor gives an added layer of elegance to a home. It can make a room appear warmer and more open, and it’s a great way to add some aesthetic value.
• Durability: Vinyl floors are also highly durable. With the proper care, they can last a very long time. Luxury vinyl is great for areas with high foot traffic and can withstand a lot of wear. If parts of the flooring need repair or replacement, you can remove the boards in question while the rest of the floor remains in place.
• Versatility: One of the best aspects of vinyl flooring is its ability to coordinate with a wide range of themes, looks and color schemes. Its simple, natural look easily fits with existing accessories and decor. There is also plenty of variety to choose from when it comes to luxury vinly floors, so if you’re looking to coordinate with a current design, you’re sure to find a great option. You can choose from colors, textures and designs to find the floor that works for you.
• Low maintenance: Though many people think of new floors as high-maintenance, they’re remarkably easy to clean. While carpeting requires involved, constant care, vinyl floors are simple — sweep up once in a while to remove dirt, and they’ll look as good as new. Since vinyl is so durable, it’s also much easier to clean up spills, and you’ll have less to worry about.

Vinyl has been increasing in popularity as a flooring option, with more than 200,000 users searching for it on Google in 2022. Whatever variation you prefer, it’s clear that hardwood and vinyl are both here to stay in 2023.

Finish

In recent years, homeowners have shown marked preferences for floors that have been treated with finishes. Traditional flooring options with little additional detail are becoming outdated — now many are looking for something that adds some personality and modernity to their home. These finishes will likely become popular in 2023:

• Smoked: This unique wood finish results in a shadowy, greyish tone that reflects the popular use of grey in modern home décor. You can usually still see the warmer undertones of the wood beneath the finish, making this a popular choice that will suit a variety of designs in 2023.
• Bleached/whitewashed: A bleached or whitewashed floor opts for lightness instead of darkness. It’s a great way to open up a room, emphasize natural light and create an airy space. This look produces a versatile, minimalist wood that works great for busy, bustling rooms and quiet, contemporary spaces alike.
• Flooring designs: Typical floor layouts will still appear in 2023, but innovative layouts are gaining popularity. Blending materials, such as tile and wood flooring, can make a significant impression on interior design and create unique looks that add visual interest to spaces. Additionally, hardwood flooring patterns like Chevron and herringbone are on the rise.

These are two very different finishes that will be popular choices in 2023. Both finishes create a natural, versatile look that reflects the design trends of the modern era.

Texture

The top textures of 2023 will likely reflect the popular look of rustic, worn designs. These designs are calming and call nature and natural textures to mind. You can create this rustic look in many ways, but three common types are hand-scraped, distressed and brushed:

• Hand-scraped: This type of floor is scraped by hand, meaning that no one plank will be the same. It adds some unique character to your floors with a one-of-a-kind texture.
• Distressed: Distressed wood is designed to look almost historic, with burns, scratches and marks that give the impression it has been around a very long time. Many people love this weathered, ancient look. Distressed wood floors are the perfect addition if you’re going for a rustic theme in your home.
• Brushed: A brushed texture is another way to achieve this weathered look. Brushed surfaces are great for people with an irregular cleaning schedule, as this texture hides dirt very well.

Rustic textures like these add a weathered, natural look to your floors. They add depth, as well, and can match many different themes of interior design.

Width

Flooring with wide wood planks is a new trend that’s growing more popular with every passing day. Narrow planks are becoming outdated, while wider and longer individual planks are taking over. But why?

• Visibility: One of the most straightforward reasons wide planks are gaining in popularity is because they allow you to see the grain of the wood. Gone are the days of bending down and squinting to see your floor’s unique finish. With wide planks, just glancing down allows you to marvel at the design and the character and uniqueness they bring to a room.
• Open feel: Wide planks offer openness and airiness that narrow planks don’t have. Because fewer lines are cutting through the floor, a wide plank design emphasizes simplicity and caters to the currently popular minimalist wave. 
• Rustic: Since you can see the imperfections and grain of the wood, wide planks also cater perfectly to the popular rustic trend, which is all about weathered designs.

Wide planks embody simplicity and a rustic feel, making them one of the top flooring trends of 2023.

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Going Classic

2023 will also see a return to classic designs that have been around for centuries. A notable design recently rising in popularity is parquet, a wooden floor arranged in a geometric pattern.

This classic design began in France in the 17th century. The unique, shapely design has caught on in America and is increasing in popularity. The classic parquet trend will likely be a popular trend in 2023 as an elegant addition to a home.

Colors

Colors are a great way to impact your home’s interior design. The flooring colors your choose set the tone for the rest of your room, so lay your base with purpose. Looking at designer and consumer trends can help you find a direction when selecting a floor color.

Designers’ Color Trends

Many of the most prolific designers are advocating for natural and modern colors in 2023. We’re beginning to see subtle shades that coordinate well with other accent colors become more prominent, and the trend is only going to grow.

Simplistic elegance is set to continue as a central theme, and you’ll likely see these colors show up in trending flooring options:

• White: If you want a room to feel bigger or add a light, airy feel to your home, white flooring is an excellent choice. Bleached flooring visible underneath whitewashed decor reflects the beachy, weathered theme that’s becoming so popular. Almost anything goes with white, so you can always look for fresh interior designs with this versatile color.
• Grey: Grey has been around for a while, and it seems like it’s here to stay. It’s a versatile color that gives a home a modern, sleek feel that is simple and detailed. Grey floors will add depth and substance to a room.
• Beige: Floors with beige coloring have a natural and elegant look. Beige is also very flexible and can take on a vast array of shades.
• Greige: Another recently popular trend is mixing beige with grey, creating a color referred to as greige. It blends the modern aesthetic of grey with the natural, earthy tones of beige to create a shade that caters to many different tastes. Greige will likely become a top floor trend in 2023.
• Cool tones: Subtle blends such as blues and greens offer a varied design without becoming too overwhelming. These cooler tones add a sense of space and calmness to a home, as well as some personality.
• Honey: Honey colors can blend into your background while retaining cheery, energizing characteristics. Layering multiple honey types can add a tonal feeling to your home that’s inviting and warm.

View Vinyl Flooring Buying Guide

Customer Color Trends

The lighter colors above are trending with designers, and customers seem to be following suit in 2023. Compared to 2022, this is a great move in the industry.

50 Floor completed a survey in 2022, where survey takers chose their favorite options out of dark, medium, light, grey and white shades. In 2022, the top responses were medium and dark, with medium capturing roughly 35% of the vote, while nearly 25% of survey takers prefer dark floors.

Outside of medium and dark, the next highest colors were light and grey. These colors were in a tight race with light coming in at 17.85% and grey finishing with 17.66% of the vote. The lowest-rated survey response was white. Only 5.48% of homeowners preferred white floors.

However, 2023 shows more promise for designers and customers moving together. Dark colors are facing a downward trend, and many homeowners are searching for white oak flooring options. White oak provides a more uniform look that homeowners love, and more and more people are considering this elegant switch.

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Trendy vs. Classic Colors

Designers and homeowners are split on color preferences in 2023, highlighting a division between trendy and classic colors. We asked homeowners whether they prefer trendy or classic colors and why. Over 76% of homeowners prefer classic floor color while a little more than 23% prefer trendy.

Classic Floor Colors

The 76.84% of homeowners who preferred classic floor colors site longevity as their primary reason. These homeowners wanted to choose a flooring color that would stand the test of time rather than go out of style. Installing flooring is an investment of money and time, so many homeowners prefer making a one-time decision that will last for years. Medium and dark flooring has been popular for a long time, so it’s a safe choice for most homes.

Trendy Floor Colors

While classic floor colors were more popular with homeowners, 23.16% still prefer to go with the trends. As mentioned above, designers see numerous benefits in lighter floors, and some homeowners find those benefits to be worth the nontraditional decision.

Going with the trends allows homeowners to keep their homes looking stylish and modern, which can boost confidence in your home while also impressing when it’s time to sell. Trend followers may need to update their floors more frequently, but some homeowners find the end result worth the investment.

Sustainability

Together with Gen Xers, Millennials now make up the largest share of U.S. homebuyers. This generation actively seeks out sustainable products and eco-friendly alternatives to their home. Recycled materials and sustainable options will highlight 2023 trends and continue to become more prevalent.

Millennials have shown that they value sustainable materials even if they come at a higher price, and the market will reflect this. You’ll start to see more flooring options that cater to this sustainable theme. While untreated wood and sustainable materials will be at the forefront, another rising trend in 2023 will likely be reclaimed wood.

Reclaimed wood is taken from removed or demolished structures — factories, old barns, wine casks or retired ships. The lumber is recovered and recycled for use in someone’s home. It’s a sustainable practice that also brings additional benefits:

• Rich history: With reclaimed wood, you could be getting lumber that was once a bridge or old sea vessel. Reclaimed wood is the perfect product for history lovers, as it carries a long and authentic story along with it. Reclaiming wood is a way to honor those who helped shape our history and preserve the materials they used.
• Durability: Old wood is strong wood. Today, our wood typically comes from young trees. The older the wood is, the greater the odds that it came from older, stronger, and more durable trees. Trees from older forests had decades to grow firm and solid, and the timber they produced maintained those qualities. Reclaimed wood often makes extremely durable flooring.
• Community investment: In order to use this wood, the material first needs to be reclaimed. When old houses are removed to make way for new construction, deconstruction creates 6-8 times more jobs than demolition.

Instead of adding a finish that tries to echo the designs of old wood, you can have the authentic version in your own home, along with the long, rich history that comes with it. The sustainable aspects of reclaimed wood plus its unique added character will likely continue to make it a top choice for homeowners.

Making Statements

Creating unique looks that reflect your style and personality is the way to go this year. Statement pieces have a place in the home this year, and homeowners are choosing to reflect their taste in a variety of ways. Carpets, stone looks and large tiles are surfacing in new ways.

Carpets

Luscious carpets help create relaxation and coziness. Low-pile options are excellent for integrating sleek looks, and embossed patterns or bold prints are surefire ways to transform a space.

50 Floor found that textured carpets were among the top Google searches for carpets last year, and we expect the trend to carry into 2023. Additionally, white and black were the top searched color options for this flooring type, staying on trend with the rest of 2023’s tone.

View Carpet Buying Guide

Stone Looks

Stone flooring is making a resurgence in flooring trends, incorporating historical elements and modern taste to create chic spaces. Luxury vinyl tiles can create this look, and you can add character to your spaces with white or black colors to stay on trend while upgrading your room.

50 Floor has found that kitchens and bathrooms remain at the top of the list for popular rooms to get new flooring in 2023, and these areas are perfect for flooring that resembles stone. These styles add a stunning foundation to any space.

Large Tile

Large tiles are another 2023 flooring trend. Expansive tiles can make your space seem bigger. Tiles come in an array of sizes, so you can always find a way to create a space you love. Tile can also mimic other flooring materials.

White and black tiles are the top Google searches for this flooring option. Large tiles can enhance many aesthetics, as well. Sleek and neutral tiles can complement modern spaces, while organic-styled tiles can add to the soft feel of a rustic room. Additionally, you can extend your tile use to backsplashes for a cohesive look.

View Tile Flooring Buying Guide

Contact 50 Floor for Your 2023 Remodeling Project

With all of the new trends hitting the market in 2023, you could be looking to buy a new floor for your home. 50 Floor is the company you need to bring all of your flooring desires to life. We’re a trusted, reliable flooring company that offers our customers simple ways to make their buying experience exceptional:

• Convenience: Our trained professionals are dedicated to making every step of your buying process as easy as possible. We work with vetted installers and handle all of the tedious details like moving furniture and cleaning up. We can thoroughly answer any and all of your questions and make sure we get the right floors for you.
• Shop-at-home: You won’t have to drive to different locations to find the flooring you want — at 50 Floor, we bring the floor to you. You can see how it will look in the actual space and see how the room’s lighting and colors interact with it. We want to make sure when you buy your floor, you’re getting exactly what you want — that’s why we make sure to let you test out the flooring in your own home.
• Reliability: Our Gold Star One-Year Installation shows that we put pride in our work and ensure that we do a good job every time. Our professional team sets customer service as a priority and is committed to helping you through the process every step of the way.

With more than four decades of combined experience, 50 Floor has the knowledge and the service you need to find your new flooring. We are committed to creating an experience that offers cost-effective flooring paired with excellent customer service. 

Your flooring is an expression of yourself — it defines the character of your home and adds to the ambiance of a room. Our team at 50 Floor is committed to guiding you to the perfect choice. Just schedule an appointment that’s convenient for you. We’ll send out a representative to come to your home and show you a wide selection of flooring options. Once you find the one you like, we’ll schedule the installation, and you could have your new floor in within a day. Contact us today!

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