Making a small room appear larger might sound like a job that only the TARDIS can achieve, but it’s really as simple as taking advantage of some tricks of optics and the way the human brain perceives things. Just like common optical illusions, smart design can utilize color and lines to make objects and rooms appear larger or smaller than they actually are. Taking advantage of some of these simple tricks when you get new floors installed can result in marked differences in the apparent roominess of your home.

Fewer Seams in a Room Make a Room Seem Larger

Tile and hardwood flooring (or any type of wood-look flooring) present various possibilities for using simple illusions to give the appearance of a larger room. If you’re deciding on new tile or wood flooring for a room that feels cramped, one very popular suggestion is to choose the largest size of either product that still meets your needs. So, for hardwood, consider wide-plank wood flooring, which would be any wood-look product whose individual planks are seven inches or wider. When choosing tile, something in a large format—longer than 15 inches on the long side—is recommended.

The larger and longer the tile or wood plank used in a room, the fewer seams there will be across the total floor. That lack of busyness gives the impression of a larger continuous surface, making a room feel more spacious.

Proper Hardwood Orientation Can Lengthen a Room

Another consideration is the orientation of your wood planks in relation to the dimensions of your room. By having your wood flooring installed parallel to the longest wall in a particular room, the leading lines of the floor draw your attention to that dimension, emphasizing its length.

On the flip side, it’s not recommended to use busy hardwood patterns in a smaller room. That means no complex borders or decorative inlays, and you might even want to stay away from herringbone and other elaborate hardwood floor installation styles.

Choose the Same Product for Every Room on a Floor

It’s common practice in many renovations to have the floors in every room in a home replaced all at once. If a plan like this is on your horizon, there are a few design tricks that you can use to help give the appearance of more space throughout the home.

First, consider using the same flooring in all of the rooms. This consistent look reduces the contrast between each room, creating a uniformity that gives the illusion of a larger continuous space.

Extending that same flooring to the shared hallways can further increase this illusion. And if taking this tactic, you may, in some cases, be able to omit the threshold strips that are typically used in doorways to cover the seam where two different flooring types meet. Going without a threshold will further add to the illusion of one larger continuous space.

Choose Light Colored Floors

One common idea that runs through nearly all facets of interior design is the concept that lighter colors tend to make a room feel larger. Surfaces finished in whites, yellows, and pastels reflect light and create an airiness that can increase the apparent spaciousness of a room.  While this theory is often used to determine paint shades, it’s equally applicable to the color of your floors. When redoing a small bedroom or office, consider options like a cream carpet or a light wood-look floor to keep it from feeling too cramped.

Keep the Floor Clutter to a Minimum

While this is not directly related to the specific flooring products you choose, it’s a helpful tip that can actually be achieved at no cost. Keep as much of your floor open and as visible as possible. Ever stood around in an empty apartment after you’ve packed everything up before a move? The space probably looked significantly larger than it did when it was packed with furniture, plants, and knick-knacks. Every significant item you leave resting on your floor ends up being a double-whammy. It physically reduces the available space in any room, and it also makes a room look and feel smaller. Next time you consider filling an empty space along your wall with something, just for the sake of placing something there, think about how it might make the room feel more crowded.

Choosing new flooring can be a long, stressful process. Add in some more complex design theories like the ideas listed above, and it can feel like a dark art. At Empire Today®, we understand that difficulty, and we are here to help. If you’re just starting out on your floor shopping journey, check out our Room Visualizer to get a better idea of how a particular floor will look in any room in your home. Or, simply schedule your no-obligation in-home estimate, and a flooring professional will visit you with a full assortment of products from Empire®, letting you see and feel them in the comfort of your own home.

The post How to Make a Small Room Look Bigger with Flooring appeared first on Empire Today Blog.

Want to learn more about how that will manifest in new flooring trends? Keep on reading to get a taste of what we expect to be some of the most popular flooring in new homes and renovations in 2024.

So Long, Sterile. Say Hi to Character!

One of the overarching themes that will be running through most interior design and flooring trends is the embrace of surfaces that have more character than many of the leading products in recent years. Neutrals like grey and beige—and their suitably named sibling “greige”—have been among the top flavors so far this decade, but their reign looks to be ending. While we still expect them to be imminently popular, they’ll no longer be the obvious choice when compared to options with a literal personality.

So, what exactly does “character” mean and how will it be reflected in new flooring trends? Here are a few things that we expect to be popular in 2024.

Carpet with Warmer Tones and Bolder Patterns

In the carpet world, we will be seeing “less sterile, and more warm and livable looks,” according to April, our lead carpet buyer. Expect to see more flooring in “colors that are very earthy and natural, while pulling from a tranquil palate.” That should mean a return to the deep browns and strong tan tones that had fallen out of favor in recent years. Hues like this still offer much of the design flexibility of a plainer neutral, while still adding a cozy character to a home.

Consumers are also ready to embrace bolder patterns in their new carpet. While styles like the traditional pin dot pattern have long been popular in formal spaces, 2024 looks to be the year that more audacious visuals are embraced. Styles like chevron patterns or adventurous mixtures of colors add extra depth and personality without sacrificing comfort.

Natural Hard Surfaces Will Take Center Stage in 2024’s Flooring Trends

With rustic and farmhouse aesthetics among the top trends in recent years, natural surfaces have never really been unpopular. But in 2024, those styles will continue to evolve by embracing an even more natural, unpolished appearance. Glossy finishes will take a backseat while matte finishes come to the forefront. Natural wood will be a top pick in the wood-look floor sector, while wide-plank hardwood will continue to be hot.

In the tile world, natural stone looks will be a trending floor style. At Empire Today®, we expect this to be a great opportunity for stone-look flooring alternatives to shine. While the internet and other free resources make it easier for everyone to keep up with the hottest flooring trends, some of those trends will simply be out of reach for those on modest budgets. While slabs of slate or chunks of travertine may make your kitchen look like something out of a design magazine, those materials will also usually come at a price that reflects their prestige. However, the average consumer can still achieve a similar trendy aesthetic by opting for stone-look floors in the luxury vinyl tile or ceramic and porcelain tile product lines.

Move Over Minimalism, Make Way for Maximalism

The maximalist design movement has been picking up steam for a few years now. Some see it as a reaction to the general collective anxiety of the last few years, others simply as a way to make our living spaces cozier and more joyous. For so many, what used to be a place we spent only half of our day is now often a space we rarely leave. Whatever the reasoning, it means fewer people are concerned with a design that is specifically curated to impress visitors and instead are more interested in having their homes be fun and directly reflect their personalities. Many industry insiders expect 2024 to be the year that maximalist design crosses over to flooring trends.

This is seen in the growing embrace of bolder patterned carpets but will likely manifest itself more in the hard-surface world, where improvisation and creative installation methods are more easily achieved. Think of designs like hardwood laid in a herringbone pattern, a mix-and-match approach to tile floors, and an embrace of more artistic and colorful tile designs. Tile and wood floors’ versatility also means that maximalism can be applied in controlled doses, like a colorful ceramic tile backsplash in an otherwise conservative kitchen or a unique pattern of hardwood flooring integrated into a traditional wood floor installation.

Durability, Sustainability, and Eco-Friendliness

And of course, trends can include more than just aesthetics. We expect to see the continued growth of flooring trends that are not directly related to design, but instead practical and functional attributes.

The quest for environmentally-friendly materials continues to grow in all areas of modern life, and we’ll see that reflected in flooring trends—driven both by consumer desires and manufacturer’s initiatives. Empire® continually works with our suppliers to ensure that we can offer our customers the most sustainable and innovative flooring products. That can include carpets crafted using 30% less water than typical in the dying process, or wood-look floors made from increasing amounts of recycled materials.

Stemming in large part from the increased amount of activity the average home sees, overall durability and ease of maintenance continue to be important factors in our customers’ final flooring decisions. We expect our manufacturing partners to continue pushing the envelope in these areas, with innovations like anti-microbial carpet fibers or hard surface floors with improved coatings against scratches and wear.

Overwhelmed by Flooring Trends? We’re Here to Help

While the idea of DIYing your floors or other elements of your home’s interior can sound exciting at first, it’s not always a walk in the park. From coordinating the visual elements to ensuring you choose the most appropriate product for each room, shopping for flooring can sometimes feel like a dark art. And the actual flooring installation can be even more difficult. That’s why it’s so valuable to trust the pros. Empire’s FREE In-Home Estimate is a stress-free, no-obligation opportunity to be guided through the entire process. Contact us today to schedule yours, and you’ll be quickly on your way to taking part in the year’s hottest flooring trends.

The post Flooring Trends for 2024: The Year of Color and Character appeared first on Empire Today Blog.