12 Flooring Trends for 2018

Parquet hardwood floors are made of solid wood pieces arranged in geometric designs or unique patterns. And it's seeing a revival floor trend as homeowners look for ways to draw attention to the rich, natural wood. It would be a shame to cover up this flooring with a big area rug!

Wood flooring remains very popular, but trends are pushing toward wider plank floors. With floor trend boards often a foot wide or even broader. This works well for cabin styles, but can lend a mature, authentic look to many different home styles.

Gray wood floors are increasingly common. They provide a unique, clean look that fits well in modern houses that need to brighten up. Although they lack the warmth of traditional natural-color wood flooring. And ask for flooring samples when you're shopping at a home center or showroom so you can see what they look like in your home's natural light.

Bamboo is all about quality. And pressed bamboo boards can provide fresh, woody look in many areas of your home, but it's important to choose durable woven boards from a manufacturer with good reviews, and properly dehumidify the boards prior to installation if necessary.

These are porcelain planks that are designed to mimic natural wood grains. Porcelain planks (tiles) are an attractive and durable floor trend. And they allow you to use wood-look flooring in the bathroom or other space prone to dampness.

In Milan for fashion week, models and celebrities traded in the traditional red carpet for a "green" carpet! And recycled carpets made from regenerated nylon and recycled plastic bottles are now an available floor trend. Carpets from Econyl are made from stain-resistant nylon that's eco-friendly and can be woven in many different pile designs from thick living room carpet to more utilitarian versions. Meanwhile, Mohawk has taken materials such as plastic bottles and even corn sugar, and recycled them into fibers for carpets.

Cork flooring is eco-friendly, springy, and offers an interesting, pulp-like wood pattern. It's also quite affordable, making it an increasingly common choice floor trend for homeowners. However, durability may be a problem in homes with pets or children.

Combine traditional carpet and tiling together, and you get a floor trend carpeting option that's easy to install. And it allows for many great designs or geometric patterns. So it's no wonder modular carpet tile is a growing alternative to traditional carpeting. Photo: Courtesy of FLOR

Distressed wood planks have many good qualities. They're often eco-friendly, reclaimed wood materials. And they make an ideal floor trend fit for both modern and farm-style houses. However, they tend to be quite expensive. If you plan to install wood flooring yourself, you'll want to make sure you minimize the gaps between the planks.

Choosing boards with varying widths gives the floor a fresh, one-of-a-kind look. It's also a style that hearkens back to historic homes, built when builders made use of every part of the tree. However, this floor trend style requires extra cost and installation time, so be prepared for the investment.

Terrazzo is an interesting mix of stone chips (traditionally marble) either embedded in concrete or encased in resin. And it's a unique type of flooring that can be used as an upgrade from linoleum or vinyl.

Ebony floors are extra-dark hardwoods (often achieved through ebony stain) that provide a rich, solid appearance. And this floor trend pairs well with lighter walls, colorful rugs, and plenty of windows.