Decorating & Design
September 12, 2019
Hot Look: The Floor Trend We Can’t Get Enough Of This Fall
Some design trends just lend themselves to fall weather: velvet furnishings, dark and moody autumnal colors, chunky throws and lavish drapery. The textural interest of herringbone adds a depth and richness to floors, while elevating your fall accessories at the same time. This classic treatment has a pedigree with proven staying power. Here are some of the best examples of herringbone floors we’ve seen over the years (and they serve as proof of this flooring’s enduring popularity).
When paired with a patinated evergreen curio cabinet, this rustic rural kitchen’s dreamy herringbone floors ooze country chic.
Red oak herringbone floors stand up against this bold kitchen’s cool-toned cabinetry and notice-me tile behind the range.
In this colorful entryway, moody floors provide the perfect backdrop for an antique bench and fuchsia rug to sing.
In Bonnie Brooks’ former Victorian home, blond oak herringbone floors play an important role when it comes to establishing the Parisian, Haussman-style apartment feel Bonnie wanted to recreate.
Watch the dramatic renovation on H&H TV.
This kitchen demonstrates that not all herringbone has to be wood. Two tones of ceramic tile are laid in a herringbone pattern to draw the eye from the kitchen into the nook beyond. The effect is light, while the materials are durable.
This space nods to Continental style as well. Designer Denisa Nica’s was inspired by a trip to Europe for her West Coast condo. Accenting the herringbone floor with cobalt blue velvet furnishings and gold finishes delivers an opulent, European effect.
Gracious white oak herringbone floors add so much character to a renovated Toronto home. For a layered, eclectic look, don’t match the finish of the floor with the wood furnishings. “I always play extensively with texture. It adds depth and dimension to a room,” says designer Sam Sacks.
In the foyer of the 2017 Princess Margaret Showhome, Brian Gluckstein created impact by juxtaposing oversized dark marble herringbone tiles with pale walls. “If the stone has a subtle striation, you can lay it in a more dramatic pattern, like herringbone.”
Gluckstein chose a porcelain tile for the bathroom, laying it in a herringbone pattern to elevate it. “Porcelain tiles can have loads of impact if they’re laid in an effective way,” he observes.
Herringbone (inspired by a visit to a Paris museum) lends itself to the historic, rustic vibe in this Montreal dining room. The wide planks and bleached finish highlights the wood grain and suits humble accents like the wooden ceiling beams and linen upholstery.
The 2016 Princess Margaret Showhome by Gluckstein has a definite Old World vibe. The herringbone floors in the sapphire study have a mellow, bleached-out quality that makes this new-build look like a heritage property.
See more of the jaw-dropping space on H&H TV.
In this Toronto bungalow, designer Sarah Hartill chose a smoked finished for the new oak herringbone floors when she renovated. The darkness of the floor creates extra drama when contrasted by the pale Carrara marble on the waterfall island.
Sarah’s mid-tone dining table seems to melt into the flooring for a seamless effect in a small space. The strips of flooring contain a variety of tones for interest, so the beauty of the woodgrain is even more evident.
Herringbone can take on a distinctly industrial, Brooklyn vibe in this kitchen designed by Trish Johnston. The stone floor strips lead the eye to the beautiful steel patio doors, and the pattern makes this narrow space appear a bit wider.
In her cottage, designer Allison Willson (shown) put a relaxed take on herringbone by using chunky, travertine strips in the kitchen. The greyed tones of the marble are a good match for the grey-blue island, and the stone feels cool underfoot.
In designer Ingrid Oomen’s Toronto kitchen, herringbone oak floors are richly stained to contrast the lightness of white cabinets and full-height bistro tile. Their classic character matches the apothecary-style island and vintage-like pendants.
Luxe marble herringbone floors in Ingrid’s bathroom are the focal point for the neutral palette. Sunlight bounces off the flooring to increase the room’s brightness.
In this handsome conservatory-style hallway, designed by Gluckstein for the 2013 Princess Margaret Showhome, a dark herringbone floor grounds the space, acting like a dark frame for the walls — much like those on the photos assembled on the gallery wall.
In this Calgary home, designer Nam Dang-Mitchell demonstrates her love of herringbone (along with her other go-to, chevron floors). Here she used limestone floor tiles set in an elongated pattern to enforce the home’s earthy palette and create a sense of movement.
The dark-stained herringbone floor highlights the traditional vibe of designer Betty Theodoropoulos’ stately Toronto home. In the kitchen, it’s a fitting complement to the traditional cabinetry and contrasts the white millwork.
Theodoropoulous used herringbone floors stained a warm walnut to help marry the Old World grandeur of the room’s panelling with contemporary furnishings in her dining room.
The owners of this iconic Habitat 67 apartment by Moishe Safdie love the Scandi-style blond oak hardwood herringbone floors. For them, they embody a Nordic spirit that was augmented by a contemporary white Bulthaup kitchen.