5 Flooring Trends Interior Designers Are Loving Now

By Mikki Brammer

With design of any kind, what goes around generally comes around—and flooring trends are no exception. In line with the fashion world’s current redux of the ’90s and Y2K, certain choices that were previously assumed a little passé are making a triumphant return. From wall-to-wall carpeting to a discerning touch of vinyl, here are the flooring trends that are top of mind for designers right now.

Though some designers are keeping concrete floors in regular rotation, others—like designer Travis London—are favoring materials like black marble. Here, it covers the floor of James Galanos’s Hollywood home, decorated by Philippe B. Oates.

Sleek concrete floors throughout a home have long been seen as a minimalist’s dream, and they remain stalwart in many projects. “When ground and polished, natural concrete exhibits variation and texture and a level of durability that can’t be beat,” Grant Kirkpatrick of KAA Design Group says.

Yet some designers have seen them wane in popularity in certain markets. “People are wanting more personalization and personality, and you just don’t get that with concrete flooring,” Miami-based interior designer Travis London says. So, what’s a concrete-averse minimalist to do?

“At the moment, clients are requesting marble—not in white, but in black,” London says. “It fits with the aesthetic in Miami,” where real estate is booming, “and creates a nice clean background, and the cleanliness is what I think they’re gravitating to.”

A Madeleine Castaing carpet from Patterson Flynn Martin covers a floor in Adam Charlap Hyman’s New York City apartment.

While carpet isn’t the top choice for everyone, those who count themselves as acolytes are embracing it with abandon (case in point: CeCe Barfield Thompson’s fairytale-ready design for the Hill House Home offices).

“A favorite go-to flooring choice of mine is wall-to-wall carpeting that I can create into custom sizes for area rugs,” Dallas-based interior designer Traci Connell says. “The patterns have become more chic and the durability has improved, while providing lush texture on the feet. Many of the carpet selections have pet protection properties infused into the fiber, which makes it a win-win—not to mention they are often wool, which is a cleanable natural fiber.”

Christine d’Ornano’s living room features an area rug by La Manufacture Cogolin.

Though it may sound obvious to pros, investing in flooring that lasts is a must. Still, you may need to make the case for your clients: Several of our experts mention steering customers away from choosing a surface or covering for purely aesthetic reasons—or to save money.

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“The tricky thing about floors is that it is very tempting to prioritize the ‘look’ over the functionality,” Kirkpatrick says. “But, as we know, floors must perform first and foremost, or they become very disconcerting to the homeowner.”

“People choose the cheapest option when they should think of the long term and also resale [value],” London says. While he personally advises clients against carpet, rugs can be a smart alternative. “When it comes to rugs, choose fibers that age well—silk is fragile, but wool is a great choice because the upkeep is easy and it lasts long and ages great. Nylon is basically indestructible. Make sure you get a rug with high knots to determine the durability.”

Rotem Eylor, director of Republic Floor, agrees that trying to save money upfront has its risks for clients later on. “Another mistake people have been making, especially in the last year, is using thinner flooring to cut costs. This makes [it] more exposed to the elements underneath it, like concrete. It can also cause shifts in your foundation as a house ages, and it will break down over time.”

A laser-cut vinyl floor mat by Arzu Firuz adds a bit of texture and contrast to the floor of this primary bath designed by Richard Mishaan.

Though it’s not the gaudy, sticky variety you might recall from your childhood, vinyl is no longer the dud it once was when it comes to interior flooring. That said, it’s important to still be discerning.

“Luxury vinyl plank is making a major comeback in vacation homes and commercial properties,” Connell says. “The look of wood has come a long way.”

While vinyl doesn’t have the best reputation from a sustainability perspective, many of today’s iterations are improving. Stone plastic composite (SPC) vinyl, for example, uses a combination of stone powder and polymers for its core—though some contain more plastic than others. In order to adhere to strict EU sustainability laws, Eylor says his company’s R&D department developed a product that is 90% stone powder and 10% polymers, making it one of the stronger and more stable in the industry, with lower VOC levels.

“SPC is definitely the fastest growing material in the market right now due to its easy installation and it being low-maintenance,” Eylor says. “The current style is French oak grain and clean looks that are moving away from the rustic feel. Coloring is moving away from gray and into light natural oak.”

At Ulla Johnson and Zach Miner’s Montauk abode, wood rules the kitchen—over tile or any other material. The space was renovated and furnished by architecture firm Studio Zung and interior designer Alexis Brown.

Despite the many alternatives, sometimes you can’t beat the charm of real wood flooring, our designers say. “My go-to at the moment is herringbone-pattern wood floors—I love a nod to the past, and they give you just that,” London says.

Connell points out that wood can also work in areas where you might usually use tile. “Since we have many lake house projects, our clients are looking for very durable products that can take the wear and tear of water from dripping towels and bare feet, spills from numerous house guests, and muddy paws running in from the lake,” she says. “We are suggesting prefinished engineered hardwoods that have a top wood veneer followed by a sealant that is water-resistant. You’d never know that water won’t harm it, and it’s much warmer on the feet than tile.”