Sunday, July 12, 2009

Trends in Hardwood Flooring

Hardwood floors are a beautiful and distinctive way to add a luxurious sense to your home. In today's housing market, more and more people are looking to improve the overall look and feel of their homes instead of selling them. Homeowners are finding that hardwood floors offer a unique way of accomplishing a stunningly fresh décor that gives their home a whole new appearance.

In the past, there wasn't much in the way of options for hardwood flooring. It was sold either with a natural lacquer finish or with a darker lacquer color to add a little richness to the look of the room. However, today's hardwood flooring is available in a variety of stains and colors. Some of the options available are cherry, nutmeg, caramel and cinnamon. The color stain is applied to the hardwood before the finish, or colored with lacquer to produce a richer color while still showing the natural grain of the wood.

Some designers and homeowners prefer a more vibrant and colorful room. Hardwood can also be tinted green, yellow, red, blue, purple - just about any color - to complement the other colors in the room to create a truly distinctive and unique look.

The manufacturing process for hardwood flooring has also changed over the years. The way each piece of wood is manufactured and handled has an effect on how it will look on your floor. Some woods, such as maple, come in different styles with unique graining like birds eye maple, which has the small knot rings that looks like eyes, or tiger mark maple, which has stripes of graining resembling tiger stripes. Quarter-sawn wood like oak has graining that runs vertical and makes for a more durable and resilient wood.

A manufacturer may use special treatments or use different pieces of wood to create a one of a kind look. The lower grade hardwood contains a high number of knots and streaks, but can be perfect for achieving a country or rustic look. You can select hardwoods that have been hand-distressed for a more worn, lived-in look. If you'd prefer a darker look, you can consider hardwood styles that have been naturally darkened through a steaming process.

Homeowners have easy access to types of wood from all over the world, from South America to Europe, Africa, Russia, the United States and Canada. These different species of woods can offer unique colors, patterns and textures to a room and will add an original and unique touch to your home.

Hardwood floors can be an attractive addition to any home. Familiarize yourself with the latest trends in hardwood flooring and you'll be able to create a beautiful room with your own unique style that expresses your personality and individuality.

Tag : Hardwood,Flooring,Hardwood Flooring

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