Choosing the style of a house involves making a series of difficult decisions, among them, the colors chosen for the walls and floors, as they have a leading role: they will lay the foundations for the choice of furniture and other decorative elements and accessories.
In the case of the walls, the options are practically endless, since we have alternatives for all tastes (paints and wallpaper offer all kinds of colors and designs).
In addition, if we get tired or want to give a new look to the house, we can do it in a simple and quite affordable way.
However, when it comes to floors it is very different, since we will not normally change them. On the other hand, the floor must have certain properties that ensure its cleanliness and functionality. In addition, we must remember that floors have a fundamental relevance in the overall atmosphere, since the materials, colors and finishes we choose will cause different sensations in the same space.
The importance of choosing a light or dark floor
When choosing the floor during a home renovation, there are many questions that arise.
The material
The first one is what material do we want.
A common choice is natural wood flooring and laminate flooring, which are synonymous with comfort and warmth.
Wooden floors adapt to all styles and are available in a variety of shades. On the other hand, laminate floors offer very good aesthetic results, with a great resistance, have a cheaper cost and require less maintenance than natural wood.
Another great option for flooring in the home is porcelain tiles. This is an increasingly demanded material if we have wooden furniture as they provide different contrasts and textures. They are also resistant, functional, and offer a variety of finishes.
Finally, tile floors have displaced more traditional natural material floors such as marble or stone, as their resistance and appearance are a strong competition. Even so, these are still an interesting flooring option in addition to rasilla tiles or hydraulic tiles, highly demanded for more rustic or vintage environments.
→ You may be interested in: How to clean hydraulic tiles.
The color
If the material is the first step when choosing a floor for the home, the color is the second one, and no less important. In fact, choosing a light or dark floor is not a trivial matter:
- Light floors help us to create relaxed, fresh and bright atmospheres, and tolerate a greater overlapping of colors.
- On the other hand, dark floors bring an elegant and sophisticated character to the space, becoming a part of the decoration.
Functionality and performance are also associated with floor color, especially in terms of wear and hygiene. In this sense, dark and light floors have more similarities than differences, as both tend to accumulate more dirt when compared to mid-range tones, such as grays or pastel colors.
Finally, if what you want is for the floor to help you define the decorative style of your home, here are some keys:
- Light-colored floors expand the light and are associated with brighter decorations, typical of minimalism, Nordic style, Ibizan or the aesthetic romanticism of Shabby Chic.
- Dark colored floors absorb natural light and generate intimate and cozy atmospheres, and we can see them in rustic, colonial and industrial style houses, and in more contemporary environments.
Keys to make the best choice
Here are the main advantages of light or dark floors in your home.
Advantages of light floors
- Lighting
Light floors have the ability to brighten any room. Therefore, if we like dark furniture, light floors will help us to create contrasts.
- A feeling of spaciousness
White and light-colored floors make rooms appear larger from an optical point of view.
If you opt for parquet or laminate and, especially in small rooms, it is advisable that the strips are placed vertically or in the direction in which the light enters to increase the feeling of spaciousness.
- Serenity
White and light-colored floors convey tranquility, which is why they are often used in areas such as bedrooms.
- Timelessness
White is timeless. Light floors are considered refined and go well with any style of furniture, admitting all kinds of shades. That is why they are versatile and can be installed in the kitchen, bathroom, hallway or dining room.
Advantages of dark floors
- Presence
Dark floors have more presence. In fact, as we have already mentioned, they tend to become part of the decor.
If you are looking for a floor with character, dark shades will provide sobriety and elegance.
Of course, we recommend that you do not overload the walls and that the decoration of the room is minimalist.
- Intimacy
Presence and intimacy can go hand in hand, and proof of this are the dark wood floors, which turn every room into an intimate and cozy space.
It is true that the feeling of spaciousness with this type of flooring can be diminished, which is why they are especially recommended in larger rooms. In any case, there is a trick: choose dark baseboards, so, at least you will have visually gained a few centimeters.
Does this mean that choosing a light or dark floor depends only on the type of house or space? Not at all! At L’Antic Colonial we have given you some tips, but in the end it is up to you: rules are made to be broken, and we invite you to look for ideas that will inspire you and help you find your own style.
And if you are looking for the best floors, visit our website and browse our product catalog.
