What styles are available with hardwood flooring?

One of the great benefits of solid hardwood flooring is that there are hundreds of domestic and exotic species from which to choose, not to mention all the stains and textures. That means you can have any decorating style from classic to antique. Think about patterns, too; most of us already know about parquet, but chevron and herringbone designs are hot right now.

White oak: the chameleon of styles

This flooring is brown and not white. Some designers say it will affect interior design because it's versatile, offering classic, contemporary, California coastal, cottage, modern urban, or reclaimed looks.

There's a distinctive open grain, making it porous and accepting stains well, and it is made extra light or dark (almost black). It can also be flecked, a technique used on this species to produce delicate, long curves and more pronounced fluctuations, resulting in some beautiful contrasts.

Three big styles

1. Antique: Use the hand-scraped texture on your wood flooring. With marks like burns and scrapes, hand-scraped surfaces expose the natural grain pattern, making the wood look weathered, rustic, and reclaimed.

2. Classic: Domestic species, like maple; white or red oak; hickory (pecan), etc., are warmer, more traditional wood looks.

3. Exotic: This can be easily accomplished just by using exotic hardwood. These woods are usually harvested in locations like Africa, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, and Brazil and are dark, dramatic, and, some say, more contemporary with distinctive color tones, textures, and grains.

Some examples of exotic species are Brazilian cherry, which has burgundy undertones and is sometimes stained to be blazing red. African Sapele Is dramatic and elegant with a crimson/chestnut color with streaks, ripples, and speckled patterns.

The design consultants at our hardwood flooring company

We?ll work closely with you to help you get the best hardwood flooring for your needs and style and give you a free wood flooring quote. If you live in Irvine, Newport Beach, Corona del Mar, Corona del Mar, or Fountain Valley, come into the Avalon Wood Flooring showroom in Santa Ana, CA.