Hardwood floors are found in many homes across the country currently, and this flooring material is seemingly continuing to increase in popularity because of its incredible benefits. Some people are drawn to dark hardwood floors because of their durability, low maintenance requirements and anti-allergen benefits. Others simply love the way dark wood floors look, and they want to incorporate that style into their space. Whether you are preparing to upgrade to dark wood floors from another material or you are upgrading your existing wood floors, you need to confirm that this is the right material for your home and select the exact flooring material that is a good fit for your space.
The Stunning Look of Dark Hardwood Floors
Dark hardwood floors are made out of beautiful materials like cherry, oak, ebony, mahogany and others. These and other wood species have rich detailing that is set off by rich stains and beautiful finishes. Whether you choose to install dark walnut hardwood flooring or another dark material in your home, you can expect the material to have a decadent look that has dramatic emphasis. When you seriously look at the many options available, you may notice that there are dark brown hardwood floors, black hardwood floors and a wide range of tints and tones in the spectrum between these two options. The sheen and texture can perfectly reflect natural and artificial light to create a glowing effect across the flooring when conditions are right.
Easy Care Requirements for Dark or Black Hardwood Floors
All types of wood flooring are designed to be easy to care for. Most of the time, the primary cleaning needs are satisfied with a hard floor vacuum or a broom and dustpan. Periodically, you may need to run a barely low-moisture mop across the floor. However, a dark wood floor may offer a few pros and cons in this area that are not associated with wood floors with a lighter hue or tone. Consider that dirt generally is concealed more easily on dark or black hardwood floors, and this means that your home may look cleaner and may not require as frequent cleaning sessions as may be needed with light wood floors. However, lighter debris can boldly stand out on a dark floor. For example, if you have a pet with white hair that sheds a lot, you may constantly need to sweep or vacuum because the white hair stands out on the dark wood floor. The finish on your wood flooring will directly affect how scratch-resistant it is. Generally, dark floors may show scratches more easily than wood floors with a light tone, but this can be alleviated with the use of pads on your furniture and by selecting dark wood floors that have a thick top layer. For all wood floors, you can minimize wear by taking shoes off before entering the home.
The Impact of Dark Wood Floors on Ambiance
Dark hardwood floors have a sophisticated, high-end feel that may be appealing to you. On the other hand, lighter floors have a more casual feel. Dark wood floors can reflect light beautifully, but they also can make a room seem smaller and darker. This can work in your favor if you have a large room and want to create a cozier ambiance. However, if your room is small and has minimal natural light, dark or black wood floors can work against you. This does not necessarily mean that dark hardwood floors cannot be incorporated into a smaller, darker room. You can utilize other decorating techniques to create the perfect ambiance. For example, a lighter paint color, a light area rug, bright light fixtures and other decorating strategies can be used to balance the darkness of your wood flooring.
Decorating with Dark Hardwood Floors
Regardless of the flooring material that you introduce into your space, it will directly impact the decorating possibilities in your rooms. Light wood floors generally only correspond well with half of the color wheel, and this dramatically reduces the color possibilities for your home decor. In addition, light wood floors combined with light furniture and wall colors can give the space a washed-out look that may not be desirable. On the other hand, dark hardwood floors can generally be used in combination with a much wider range of furniture and wall colors. Dark hardwood floors may have gray, brown or reddish undertones, and these can dramatically blend well with lighter and darker colors. Keep in mind that the intensity of the natural and artificial light in each specific room of your home will also impact your color selection.
Choosing the Right Wood Flooring for Your Home
If you have decided that dark or black hardwood floors are suitable for your home, you should focus on a few important factors as you select the exact flooring material to install in your space. First, you will need to decide between engineered and solid wood flooring. Both of these types of wood floors have easy care requirements and will look amazing, but solid wood can generally be refinished many times over its life and may have increased longevity as a result. You will also need to pay attention to the plank length and width. Currently, many homeowners lean toward larger planks because they are faster and easier to install. Some homeowners also prefer the installed look of larger planks.
Several species of hardwood can be considered for your floor, and some of these woods may be considerably stronger than others. The wood species impacts the available coloring options of the stained or finished floor. The sheen of the wood should also be considered. Dark hardwood flooring with a glossy sheen can reflect more light, but it can also show more dirt than flooring with a dull sheen. The wood species also determines the graining and striations in the wood. For example, red oak has a pinkish undertone and deep graining. Lighter stains on red oak can highlight the grains while darker stains will buffer their appearance. Maple and birch are types of dark hardwood flooring that are often more expensive because they are not abundantly available. These species have minimal graining and striations, and this results in a smooth finish across most of the floor’s surface. Some wood species are naturally dark, so they are only available in darker tones. If you want Brazilian walnut, American walnut or several others in your home, you are limiting yourself to dark wood flooring only. Mahogany, American cherry and a few other species are darker woods that have red tones naturally. Regardless of how dark the stain is, these wood species will still have a crimson undertone.
Explore the Beautiful Options Available Today
The possibilities for incorporating dark hardwood floors in your space are incredible, and this means that you likely can find at least a few beautiful options that would look wonderful in your home. When selecting your floors, keep in mind that the flooring is only one of six sides in the room, and you will need to focus on colors and lighting across all sides of the space to create a truly impressive end result. Take time today to begin exploring the dark hardwood floors that may look amazing when they are installed in your home.
