Say Goodbye To These 6 Flooring Trends In 2026
Flooring styles change more quickly than you might expect. What feels trendy today could feel outdated sooner than you’d like, kind of like those shag carpets from the ’70s we all try to forget.
As tastes shift and new materials take over, some once-popular choices are starting to lose their appeal. Let’s take a look at six flooring trends that probably won’t stick around much longer. Just note that style is subjective, and what feels outdated to some may still suit others’ preferences or needs.
1. Gray-Toned Wood And Laminate Flooring
If you’ve walked into any home built in the last decade, you’ve probably stepped on those ubiquitous gray wood floors. The cool, contemporary look that once screamed “I’m updated!” now whispers “I’m dated.”
Gray-toned wood simply reached peak saturation. Everyone installed it thinking it would never go out of style. Homeowners are now gravitating toward warmer, more natural wood tones that bring authentic character to spaces.
Designers like me are breathing a sigh of relief as we watch this trend fade. Those cool grays often made rooms feel clinical and lifeless, like living in a black and white photo without the charm.
2. Faux Distressed Wood Planks
How quickly we fall out of love with things we once adored! Those artificially weathered wood planks designed to look like they were salvaged from a 200-year-old barn are losing their charm fast.
Faux distressed wood often looks exactly like what it is, fake. The repetitive patterns and uniform “distressing” started feeling contrived rather than characterful. Homeowners increasingly prefer either genuinely aged reclaimed wood or clean, honest new materials.
This trend became a victim of its own popularity, appearing in every farmhouse-style renovation until it lost all sense of uniqueness. Authentic materials with genuine character are making a welcome comeback.
3. Cool-Toned Tiles And Stone
Did you jump on the cool-toned tile bandwagon? Those icy blues, grays, and whites that dominated bathroom and kitchen floors are rapidly losing ground to warmer alternatives.
Cool-toned stone and tile created spaces that often felt stark and unwelcoming despite their clean aesthetic. The clinical feeling these materials brought to homes contradicts our current desire for warmth and comfort in interior spaces.
Warmer terracottas, creams, and earth-toned tiles are surging in popularity, bringing that sun-baked Mediterranean feeling into homes instead. These colors connect us to nature in ways that sterile cool tones never could.
4. Wall-To-Wall Carpet In Main Living Areas
Where once we cushioned every footstep with plush wall-to-wall carpeting, main living spaces are increasingly showing hardwood, luxury vinyl, or tile.
Wall-to-wall carpet traps allergens, stains, and odors in ways that hard surfaces don’t. Many homeowners discovered this the hard way during extended periods at home. The difficulty in deep-cleaning these soft surfaces has pushed many toward alternatives.
Area rugs over hard flooring now offer the best of both worlds. The warmth and comfort where needed, with the ability to remove, clean, or replace them as required.
5. Herringbone And Chevron Overload
It’s time we talk about our collective obsession with zigzags! Herringbone and chevron patterns exploded across floors everywhere, from entryways to bathrooms, creating visual interest that’s now becoming visual noise.
Herringbone layouts require more materials and installation expertise, making them significantly pricier than straight-laid floors. The pattern also dates spaces quickly, as it’s so strongly associated with the 2015-2025 design era.
This doesn’t mean the pattern is disappearing altogether. Instead, we’re seeing more subtle approaches gaining ground, think larger planks, gentle variations in tone, and more organic arrangements that won’t scream “2020s renovation” a few years down the road.
6. High-Gloss Finishes
Though they once dominated luxury homes with their mirror-like shine, high-gloss floors are sliding out of favor faster than socks on a freshly polished surface. Their reflective properties initially wowed homeowners seeking that ultra-modern vibe.
High-gloss finishes show every speck of dust, fingerprint, and scratch with merciless clarity. The maintenance nightmare has finally caught up with the aesthetic appeal. Most clients now tell me horror stories about constantly cleaning these surfaces.
Where we once sought that wet-look shine, matte and satin finishes are taking center stage, offering sophistication without the high-maintenance relationship.
