Are you deciding between a dark floor vs a light floor colour? Choosing your floor colour is an important step in making your floor DIY dreams come true, and it can be difficult to choose a dark floor vs light floor colour. Although choosing a dark floor vs a light floor doesn’t necessarily affect all your decorating choices (since natural looking dark floors and natural looking light floors still go with just about anything), deciding between dark floor and light floor colours can greatly impact the atmosphere of your room. Here is our simple guide to help you make the important decision between dark floor vs light floor colours. 

Dark Floor Colour

A dark floor would be defined as anything darker than a mid-level colour. When thinking of dark colours, imagine them anywhere from black coffee to a single cream. Some examples of dark floor colours would be ebony, cherry, or mahogany. Dark colours tend to make rooms look cozier with more shadow. You can pair dark floors with almost any decor style, but they are often nicely paired with brighter, lighter rugs and furnishings.

Benefits of Dark Floor Colours

LONGER LASTING COLOUR

Dark colours absorb sunlight, which means that rather than getting ‘sun bleached,’ they keep their stronger pigment for longer. This means that your floors will look better for longer.

CLASSIC LOOK

Dark floors are a more classic colour palette, which means they tend to be in-style more often and for longer than incredibly light floors. Darker floors tend to make a room feel cozier and warmer. Darker colours also have an air of luxury, so they tend to increase a homes’ value.

HIDE IMPERFECTIONS

Darker floors hide imperfections in the wood very well. Issues like water damage, gaps, knots, the dark stain either hides or reduces the impact these issues have on overall appearance. 

Negatives of Dark Floors

LIGHT DEBRIS SHOWS UP MORE

If you have a lot of light coloured dust or debris, you may find you end up vacuuming and sweeping far more with dark floors. Dark floors tend to show every bit of dirt, so although they look beautiful when clean, it takes more work to keep them that way.

NOT AS PET FRIENDLY

Darker floors show scratches far more easily than light floors. If you have pets or are known to scrape your floors, these scratches will be quite visible on your floors.

COZY CAN SOMETIMES FEEL SMALL

Dark floors can sometimes make your room feel overly small if there isn’t enough natural light or open space. In smaller rooms like offices, a dark floor can look more uninviting that cozy.

Light Floor Colour

Light floor colours are brighter and lighter than any mid-tone. To go back to the coffee analogy, a light coloured floor would be anything lighter than a double double. Colours that look like pine, maple or oak would be considered a light floor. Light coloured floors really open up a space, and then look great with dark or light coloured decor. 

Benefits of Light Floors

VERSATILE AND EASY

Light flooring is incredibly versatile and looks good in almost any space with any kind of decor. The light floors can be paired with bright colours, light shades, or even darker shades (especially furniture). When it comes to light floors, you have to think a lot less about whether something will ‘go with the flooring’.

MAKES ROOMS LOOK BIGGER

Light floors make a room look larger, which is great for smaller spaces. The light colour reflects all the light in the room (natural and from fixtures) and it makes the space look airier and more open.

DUST AND SCRATCH CAMOUFLAGE

Light floors are great at hiding a lot of things within their grains. Dust and pet hair is far less noticeable on a lighter floor, and scratches are less perceivable as well. If you have pets, or don’t want to dust every other day, a lighter floor is a great option!

Negatives of Light Floors

FADE QUICKER

Lighter floors fade a lot faster than darker floors. Much like hair, a light coloured floor can be bleached by the sun, removing the colour and causing fade spots wherever there’s natural light. 

REMOVES THE DRAMA

One stylistic disadvantage to light floors is that they can sometimes reduce the drama in a room. If the flooring is too light, a room can feel one-note without the proper decor. If you love dramatic spaces with lots of contrast, a light floor may not be for you.

NOT WORTH AS MUCH IN RESALE

Light floors are not as associated with timelessness or luxury, and as such in resale value, a lighter floor isn’t worth as much. For some reason, homes with darker floors tend to be worth more on the market.

Main Flooring Factors To Consider

When deciding on dark floors vs light floors, there are a few things you should think about. No matter the flooring type (vinyl, laminate, hardwood), these factors will influence whether you should choose darker flooring or lighter. 

WHAT ROOM IS YOUR FLOORING BEING INSTALLED IN?

The space that your flooring is being installed in can greatly influence whether you would benefit from dark floors or light floors (or, if the colour doesn’t matter as much). Bedrooms are a space that can benefit from either floor type. Darker floors tend to be great in dining rooms, kitchens, and larger entertainment areas, whereas a lighter floor may be more suitable for smaller spaces. You may want to avoid lighter floors where there is tons of sunlight and windows, as that can cause your floors to fade.

WHAT IS YOUR HOME STYLE?

If you have a natural, cottage decor style, adding in a dramatic dark floor may look incredibly odd, and the same goes for the opposite. If you appreciate light and airy spaces, a lighter floor will be a better choice, and if you tend to gravitate towards cozier spaces with more dramatic shadows, consider the darker floor.

WHAT IS YOUR LIFESTYLE?

If you have multiple pets, small children, or an incredibly busy household, you may want to choose lighter floors to hide scratches and dust.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST?

In the end, you should always choose a floor colour that best reflects your style and preferences. If you really don’t like dark floors, don’t choose a dark floor just because the data told you too. Choose the flooring colour that makes you happiest, and will make each room feel like home. Floors make up a large percentage of the decorative colour scheme, so choose what you like.

LCF Flooring can help you with all your flooring needs! We have been in the industry for many years and will be able to advise you on what kind of flooring you should use for certain spaces and how to choose the right flooring for your style! Come by our showroom to talk to one of our flooring experts today!