Choosing varying widths for your hardwood floor
With design trends constantly changing, it’s hard to know what’s here to stay and what is yesterday’s news. Wood floors are at the top of the design trend list and are not going anywhere anytime soon. And one of the decisions you'll face when shopping for your hardwood floors is what width to buy. Do you want narrow planks, wide planks, or something in between?
Shaw Hard Surface Design Manager, Sandi Ownby has this to say: “When looking for new hardwood floors, a multitude of style options are available. Classic narrow strip floors of 2 1/4" and 3 1/4" are as popular today as they were when your grandparents built their home. However, with the open floor plans and larger home that we enjoy today, many people are looking for grand scale planks that balance out the larger expanses of space."
Often, larger engineered widths of 5 to 8 inches are balanced by their long lengths. This trend has grown even stronger in recent years, along with the newest oil rubbed, European oak styles that have taken the US markets by storm.
One easy way to bring classic wood floors into your home while keeping it feeling fresh, modern and relevant is to use varying widths in the same room.
For those unable to decide or who are looking for a more random look, Shaw offers styles with even combinations of 3-inch widths, 5-inch widths, and 7-inch widths. This variation is reminiscent of handmade antique floors. After all, nature is unique, so why should floor design be any different? By varying the widths you end up with floors with true character and presence.
The bottom line is you can use classic materials in interesting ways to keep it feeling modern and relevant for your lifestyle. Don’t be afraid to take a fresh approach. You just might like it!