When you’re planning a renovation, there are always tons of choices to be made and picking just the right flooring is usually one of them. In considering what flooring to select, you might want to consider what the flooring trends for 2023 are going to be. In this blog post, we’ll talk about the top 2023 trends and give you some guidelines on how to select the best flooring for your home.

What to Consider First

No matter what the trends are, the first consideration you have to make when selecting flooring is the space it's going into. If it's going to be a space that can be prone to moisture, such as a bathroom or kitchen, you need to ensure that the flooring that you select is moisture resistant or even waterproof.

Is noise reduction or warmth something you need to think about with your flooring choice? For example do you normally walk around in bare feet or socks and therefore prefer to have something warm, cozy or plush to walk on. Would you prefer a stone tile flooring but get your “warmth” from in-floor heating?

Many of my clients have a very creative side and therefore self-expression in their choice of flooring becomes very important. Certain types of flooring will be more conducive to let your most creative side flourish.

Although it's not always a first consideration, you should also consider how long you plan on staying in the home. Whether we're providing a quotation for flooring or doing a kitchen or bathroom renovation quote, I always ask our clients how long they plan on staying in the home. My suggestions will be very different if the plans are 2-5 years versus 10 to 15 years. If you're planning on only being in the house for 5 years or less, you'll want to stay very neutral with your flooring options and opt for a mid-range price point for your flooring. If your plans are to stay in the home for 10 years or more then go wild and pick out the flooring that you are going to be the most happy with.

What’s Generally on Trend for 2023?

I spoke to Michelle Souter-Ulch, President of Dodd and Souter Flooring in Whitby, Ontario. Michelle had some great insights into what we can generally expect to see in 2023.

Michelle commented, “We are finding many manufacturers are adding light and natural colours to their Luxury Vinyl and Hardwood collections. Longer, wider planks are becoming more popular and we are starting to see the herringbone pattern show up in many collections.”

Knowing that there are still many clients who love to have carpet in some areas of the house such as living rooms, bedrooms and basement living space, she let us know what to expect for carpet trends, “Patterned carpet has become more popular over the past few years and continues to see a lot of growth. As for colour we are seeing more neutral tones in carpet.”

Michelle added, “You can see a real connection in the hard surface and soft surface products. As far as colour goes we are seeing more natural tones and colour palettes.”

Top 5 Flooring Trends You Can Expect to See

1.Wooden Floors

Wood floors of all types are back on trend and with good reason. Wood floors have a natural beauty, durability and are environmentally friendly. We'll be seeing more regular hardwood flooring, engineered hardwood and distressed wood. Wood is warm both in feel and look and it comes in many different types of grains, colours and wood (such as birch, oak, ash, maple and walnut). It is very practical and convenient and even offers a bit of noise reduction between floors.

One of the other things I love about a wooden floor is, it is very easy to put a couple of throw rugs down in appropriate spots. Many of my clients will put hardwood flooring in the bedroom and put a throw rug on either side of the bed or at the end of the bed. Wooden floors are also fabulous in living rooms where a large throw rug arranged in the middle between chairs or sofas draws everything together in the room and adds some texture and interest.

2. Combined Options

Although it's not something I normally recommend to my clients, combining a couple of different types of flooring in one space works well in a multi-functional space. For example if you have a large open concept on our main floor, you could install a tiled floor in the kitchen bleeding in to highlight wood flooring in the dining area. This will distinctly separate the space but still connect it with its design.

The main reason I don't usually recommend combined options to my clients, is because it breaks up the space and stops the eye flow. If you've got a large enough open-concept space however, this plan will work very well. Many of my clients want something to delineate one space from another. I've even seen my clients scrape all of the stucco from some of the spaces in their home but leave the stucco in the dining room so that there's a clear separation from their open-concept kitchen.

It all comes down to personal preference. Do you want your open space to look like one big open area that is simply multifunctional or do you want to clearly and distinctly separate one space from the other? If so, having two different types of flooring to clearly separate the two areas will create that look.

3. Stylish Tiles

We're going to be seeing a lot more tiles in 2023. There's always tons of designs for tiles but we're going to be seeing less of that carrara marble look and more stylish designs. For example you can create a faux leather, stone or wood look out of ceramic or porcelain tile. You can even find tiles with different intricate designs that when laid out on your floor, will create their own geometric patterns and textures.

One of the advantages that I really like about tiles is that they are super easy to keep clean. You can simply sweep them or wash them with even just a solution of water if you have an antimicrobial mop. Personally I love the Norwex mop system as I never have to use any harsh chemicals or cleaners. Simply use warm water, rinse the mop head and hang to dry. When necessary, you toss it in the washing machine and it's good to go.

One of the disadvantages of tiles is that they are cold and hard to the touch. There's really not a whole lot you can do about that other than install in floor heating which many of our clients have us do, particularly in bathrooms.

4. Vinyl Plank Flooring

This is one of my personal favourite types of floors and it's still going to be on trend in 2023. There are so many advantages to vinyl plank flooring. It is 100% waterproof, comes in so many different designs and styles which can mimic tile floors as well as hardwood floors. From a financial point of view, it is a very cost-effective alternative. It is so easy to keep clean with just a quick sweep or wash and is super quick and easy to install.

vinyl plank flooring in a basement with a throw rug centered around the seating area in the living room

Vinyl plank flooring is going to be hugely popular in kitchens and bathrooms. Although we're likely to see more hardwood flooring in bedrooms, vinyl plank flooring is a great alternative for bedrooms as well. Many of my clients are opting for the house to be done in vinyl plank flooring.

5. Bold Coloured Carpet

Although we're not seeing as many rooms with carpet, the ones we will be seeing might have more bold colours. We're even starting to see bright coloured furniture pairing with bold coloured carpets. Contrasting colours, floral designs, rich shades and geometric designs will be prevalent in carpet styles. On the opposite end of the spectrum, we're also going to see some very natural and organic tones lending to a sense of calm.

If you’re looking for a boho inspired decor, I recommend carpet in a neutral tone, upholstered furniture with red textiles. Looking for a little bit of luxury? Consider plush and velour carpets.

In summary…

There are lots of different floor options that are currently trending that will offer you a beautiful and durable floor that will stand the test of time. If you’re in the market for some new flooring, go to your local flooring store to see some of the new patterns, designs and trending floors. You can often take home samples to look at in your home under your own lighting. Be sure to look at the flooring options at different times of the day as it will look different under different types of light. Also, if you’re planning a renovation that will include a change of lighting (such as from floor lamps to pot lights), keep this in mind when selecting your flooring.