lighten your world
A beautiful, light-coloured floor is key when creating a cool Scandi look in your home – and there’s a fabulous range of materials and finishes to choose from
ARRAY OF LIGHT
Lighter floors are trending and the good news is, if you don’t have natural wooden floorboards, the look can be replicated with carpet, laminate, tiles or vinyl.
NORDIC INFLUENCE
The advent of lighter-coloured flooring has sprung from the interior world’s love of all things Scandi. This pared-back, simple style is characterised by beautiful, clean-lined furniture, and a soft neutral scheme often comprising just a single colour in different strengths, with pale wooden flooring forming a key element of the palette. This soothing backdrop is warmed by wood and natural textures in the decor to create a soothing, stylish and contemporary look.
MODERN LIVING
Flooring has a big impact on the eye, whether in a small or large space. A dark floor grounds a room, giving it a sense of solidity; also, the darker the hue, the more light it absorbs. On the other hand, a lighter floor creates a sense of expansiveness and brightens an area by reflecting light. With the rise of compact living, many modern homes have relatively snug living spaces and so it is important to create a sense of spaciousness through interior design. A lighter scheme, achieved through clever paint, flooring and fabric choices, will be a wonderful asset in these homes.
HERITAGE HOMES
This is not to say that lighter-coloured flooring only benefits smaller spaces. Traditional villas with generous hallways and a strong spinal structure look stunning with pale floors. It’s also important to note that a light flooring palette need not dictate how you colour your walls, especially in older homes.
MULTIPLE OPTIONS
There is a host of wonderful materials and styles to choose from when it comes to installing a lighter-coloured floor, ranging from timber laminates to hard-wearing vinyl products and porcelain tiles that replicate the look of wood.
Krono Swiss Sync Chrome looks and feels like a precious hardwood floor with superior abrasion, scratch and impact resistance as well as colourfast (anti-fade) and anti-static properties. Gerflor Vinyl offers options that have the look of wood and a light tile format without the cost associated with timber.
CONVENIENT CARPET
While we love the airy feel of light floors, there is the issue of mess and dirt. Muddy footprints, dog hair and dropped food are all more visible on pale floors. A great solution is to choose flooring with a forgiving texture such as carpet with a loop pile or unstructured weave. Smart-Strand Ingenious Flair is stain-resistant and perfect for homes with kids and pets, yet still gives a sense of openness (plus that delicious comfort underfoot).
In fact, any flooring with texture and layers within the weave or pattern will be effective in mess-prone areas, even in light colours. This includes cork, timber and laminate – simply pick a style with a textural, natural-look finish.