The satin sheen is the most popular finish for hardwood floors. This hardwood floor sheen has about 40% luster and is easy to keep clean. This level of sheen disperses light and doesn't show all of the imperfections or dirt.
Polyurethanes
Solvent-borne polyurethanes are one of the most commonly used timber floor finishes, and offer the highest durability of all coatings. There are non-yellowing (aliphatic) and yellowing (aromatic) varieties and gloss levels vary from ultra high gloss to matt.
If you're looking for cool shades for your hardwood floors in 2023, look no further! Light tans, and browns with hints of grey or white will be popular as well as whitewashed finishes. Meanwhile, yellow-toned shades are moving out of favor.
This seems to be continuing into 2023, but now we're seeing more of a broad interest in “smokey-toned” floors, which includes a lot of grays and browns (or a combination of the two). The result is more of a rustic look but with the warm undertones of the wood. Many wood species can have this smokey coloring.
Wide plank floors are making a comeback.
Wide plank is on the rise again, and Broxson notes that recent trends include red and white oak wide plank floors. She says we'll see more light and almost bleached tones and dark espresso colors coming back, as well.
Top 5 wood floor color categories:
Gray tones (light to dark) White-washes and tones. Honey & light brown tones. Walnut & dark brown tones.
Floors with a white finish go with almost everything. A light burlap-like color is a great choice because you still get a light floor, without installing a truly “white” floor. You can use a variety of wood species to create a light floor.
Natural and Neutral Floors
Piggybacking off of the increasing popularity of matte finishes, it makes sense that wood species with tons of natural character are popular. White oak, hickory, and maple are popular choices for those who want a classic look that won't go out of style.
Mid-toned brown hardwood floors
As more and more people turn toward timeless, traditional design (a la the grandmillennial or maximalist looks), classic, mid-toned brown floors are a big trend.
Next year's outlook is rosy, according to color forecasters—from bright fuchsias to delicate, neutral-leaning pinks. On the subtle end of the spectrum, Sherwin-Williams inaugurated Redend Point, a serene gray-pink, as its 2023 Color of the Year.
Another top flooring trend in 2023? Light and neutral flooring. Modern grey wood flooring continues to be popular, as are light floor colors like blonde and beige. A great way to add these lighter flooring shades to your home or business is to use bamboo flooring.
Interior designers expect homeowners to gravitate toward mixing warm and cool tones within the same area for color trends in 2023. This blending includes using turquoise or green to perfectly match beige, a brilliant, blue-toned flash of purple against tan, or enabling a deep green to calm a warm brown.
A satin finish reflects more light than matte, making it easier to mask dirt, dust, and pet hair. Additionally, satin finishes tend to maintain their sheen for longer than other finishes.
The right finish can perfectly complement the style and aesthetic of a room. The shiny gleam of a satin finish works well with sleek, modern designs. Meanwhile, matte provides a more traditional and authentic wood look that adds to warm, rustic homes.
Matte and satin are the most popular sheens for dark hardwood floors. The higher the gloss, the more noticeable everything on the surface becomes. Choosing a matte or ultra matte finish will reduce the appearance of dirt, dust, scratches, and scuffs.
While the current popular choice in flooring tends to be wide plank light wood floors like white oak, there is something timeless and traditional about the warmth and depth of darker hardwood floors. They are the perfect contrast to lighter colors elsewhere in your home.
Contrast Is Key
Darker wood floors can make lighter wood furniture pop and look extremely satisfying. Alternatively, lighter wood floors provide the perfect balance for darker furniture pieces. Without contrast, a room can appear monotonous, and smaller pieces easily become lost in the space.
Lighter woods create a more open, airy feel that makes even smaller rooms feel spacious. The extra light that paler woods reflect also helps this. Darker woods, on the other hand, bring a weight to the room that can make the space feel smaller than it is. This isn't necessarily a bad thing.
Color: when we think about a spacious room, blonde wood often comes to mind. Floor color plays a major role in making your small space seem larger. We often recommend light colors to give the room an airy feel. For example, blonde, light brown, or whitewashed hardwood can make the room seem more open.
So, what flooring looks cleanest? Typically, lighter color woods show less dirt and dust. Dark floors can easily show dust, while lighter floors mask it. Similarly, matte floors show less smudges, foot and paw prints than high gloss flooring.
The best paint colors to match with medium wood flooring are dusty greens, cool blues, and neutrals or whites. An expert favorite includes Stargazer by Behr paint company. Skip wall colors that are too warm, especially if your medium hardwood flooring contains warmer clay or terracotta undertones.
Grey flooring is the ultimate neutral – easy to co-ordinate and color scheme around, dark enough not to show the dirt, and yet pale enough to reflect light. And, of course, it's the perfect complement to grey living rooms, which have become enduringly popular.
Neutral shades such as light brown, gray, and black are timeless classics that will look good for years to come. These hues make a great backdrop for any room in your home, so you can easily accessorize the space without worrying about the color clashing with your floors.
Hardwood Flooring
what's better than hardwood flooring? It's beautiful, it's durable, and it never goes out of style. Not to mention all of your friends, family, and neighbors aspire to have it, so you'll have your entire network envying your home's flooring design.