Trends in the hardwood flooring
exclusive wood flooring
At the beginning of the second decade of the 21st century, ecology stops to be a trend and becomes the imperative in all segments of life. This is especially visible in the field of civil engineering because different researches have shown that even 40% of damaging emissions of CO2 in the world comes from that field. Because of that, more law regulations and plenty of projects are trying to fix a very bad situation.
In Europe, Germans and Scandinavians have accomplished the most. They have high standards and demands, as well as strongly developed ecological consciousness of the population. Of course, there are also projects of passive houses which spend a minimum of energy. A significant step forward is a commitment for owning a passport for energy efficiency.
Although it is not a trend anymore, ecology has an influence on trends in architecture and interior decoration, by returning wood as the most desirable material. During the centuries, wood has been a reliable and healthy material and a constant decorative element in the interior. It was so because of the heterogeneous quality of the rings texture which make each piece unique and because of the warmth of the colours which changes and matures over time. And certainly, as special wood qualities are endless possibilities of machining, from rough and raw usage to the finest machining which can be felt with fingers.
Return to wood in the interior combined with technological innovations has brought to the expansion on the hardwood flooring market, especially with ready multilayered parquets. Multilayered structure of machined parquets made possible the use of large formats because of its extraordinary stability. Therefore, we have width from 90 to even 400mm, length from 1m to 5m, which gave the interiors a new dose of monumentality.
American Oak
Oak nouveau charcoal
A chronic light deficiency, conditioned by the geo position of the Scandinavian peninsula, together with the wish to live in concurrence with nature, have conditioned the appearance of interiors with large glass surfaces which enable free transfer from interior to exterior, and their interlace. Those interiors are spacious, usually in simple lines, very functional, light and warm.
Parquets made of light types of wood, such as ash, maple, birch and all variations of oak in large formats and quieter selections of wood dominate in these interiors. Directly connected to them are modern, minimalistically decorated spaces, of completely derived shapes and colours, in which black and white contrast dominates. The premises sometimes tend to appear cold and artistic. They are more typical of Scandinavian and northern parts of Europe. All nuances of hardwood flooring, from snowy white to grey and black are desirable. Oak is the most important type of wood here, but other types such as ash, larch, wenge and thermally treated wood can also be used.
Contrary to these artificial spaces are rustic and romantic interiors. In them, a craving for natural look and a step away from industrial production is present. Handmade objects in the blend of traditional and modern, imperfectly machined on purpose and slightly raw looking give charm to these premises. Natural and ecological materials are dominant: cotton, flax, wool, terracotta, stone, bricks, wood, etc.
Oak vivo castle
Parquets are rustic to a high degree with big knots, cracks, of non-machined and overly natural looking, of big formats and often in the combination with different width. Final machining varies: shaving to get imprint saw on the surface, brushing to emphasize the structure of the rings, obligatory chamfers to emphasize each and every board, white or black washing, paint bronzing and oiling. Almost by the rule, these parquets are never lacquered in the final phase. Oak is without competition, but sometimes conifers are used: larch, fir, pine, omorika, etc. This trend is very present in central Europe, and it is spreading to western and southern Europe.
The trend which is coming is natural and completely clean – the products and interiors made of natural materials, respecting highest ecological standards, with perfect production process and pure selection of wood without knots and stains. With flawless design, these spaces look for flawless, simple parquets.
Glamour and luxury are always trendy, especially for those successful ones for whom the space in which they work or live is just one of the symbols of power. In these interiors, dark, shiny surfaces are present, in combination with inevitable gold colour and neo-baroque elements. The inspiration is often looked for in the golden era of Hollywood and it is combined with the most modern and the most advanced technical equipment.
Parquets in these interiors are usually of small, elegant formats. Wood is carefully selected and texture is more even and calmer. The surface is usually lacquered or UV oiled to get a more sparkling look. French scheme (or Hungarian fishbone), various mosaics or other schemes with regular repetition are usually present. The most common type of wood is again oak, but with other exotic species such as doussie, jatoba, iroko, wenge, kempas, afromosia, bubinga, sapeli, etc.
Hardwood flooring
Trend which goes along is non-emphasized luxury, the one which insists on top quality and machining of the materials and specially chosen and designed pieces of furniture or parts of interior. Advanced technologies are present in interior, however they are discreet and maintain high quality of living and not its advertising. This is a global trend, and in a way, a world for itself. Parquets are made of the best species of wood and with natural final machining. Again, oak is the most common choice.
Whatever trend people choose in their interior, it will be a reflection of themselves, their wishes and dispositions. It is important for people to feel good in the atmosphere they created.
