2021 Laminate Flooring Trends: 13 Stylish Laminate Flooring Ideas
To help you stay on top of the latest styles, we’ve compiled a list of laminate flooring trends and what you can expect to see in 2021.
2021 Trending Laminate Flooring Types
Laminate flooring was once considered a one-trick pony, copying simplistic wood looks and offering homeowners a low-maintenance wood flooring alternative. Statement-making laminate floors.
But with recent technological advances and laminate manufacturers stepping up their game, that’s not the case anymore. Yes, laminate is still affordable, but it offers a lot more.
Water-Resistant Laminate
Solid hardwood can be a lot of things, but waterproof isn’t one of them. That’s the beauty of laminate flooring! You can have wood-look flooring that is budget-friendly and can handle moisture.
The waterproof flooring trend is taking the world by storm, particularly with the influx of waterproof vinyl (WPC and SPC) flooring on the market.
Laminate handles water differently than waterproof vinyl. Laminate’s surface is waterproof, whereas WPC/ SCP vinyl is waterproof from top to bottom. If water gets spilled, and it’s not cleaned up immediately, the laminate’s locking installation keeps moisture from the subfloor. However, if moisture comes up from below, or there’s a flood, the laminate can be damaged.
That’s right! You can have DIY-friendly laminate flooring trend that resists water. Even better – water-resistant laminate floors mimic all the current look and style trends of real hardwood and traditional laminate, giving you everything you could ever ask for in one sharp floor.
The desire for American-manufactured products extends beyond traditional items to flooring and home decor. In fact, some homeowners will pay top dollar for that title. In short, “Made in the USA” products signify support for local vendors.
To stay on top of growing demand, many flooring manufacturers are releasing products made in the USA.
Stain-Resistant Laminate Flooring
If you think waterproof laminate is awesome, wait until you learn about stain-resistant laminate.
Everyone knows that spills happen. Whether they’re caused by kids, adults, or the dog, stains are inevitable. Laminate manufacturers wanted to make sure they had every base covered and created laminate planks that are stain-resistant.
This means when accidents happen and are cleaned up promptly, your floor will not stain. It will continue to look fabulous and brand new.
Reclaimed Wood-Look Laminate Flooring Trends
Unique, durable, and green, with each plank telling a story, it’s no wonder reclaimed wood has taken off so quickly.
Reclaimed wood simply means taking old building materials and re-using them. Essentially, recycling.
Often, reclaimed wood comes from decking, timbers, barns, etc. Although, now that it has become so popular, you will find reclaimed wood from unique sources like wine barrels and more.
Of course, laminate flooring cannot truly replicate the essence of reclaimed wood. Homeowners are not reclaiming laminate planks. Manufacturers are simply designing laminate planks to resemble reclaimed wood since it is so popular right now.
Reclaimed wood (usually) comes naturally distressed. Reclaimed wood-look laminate flooring mimics that with randomized scrapes, burns, knots, and more.
Embossed in Register Laminate Floors
For the most natural-looking laminate floor, the embossed in register surface texture is the move for 2021 laminate flooring trends.
An embossed in register surface provides beautiful realistic wood textures by creating indentations to mimic real wood grains that exactly match the image layer of the laminate plank. Adding a warm, realistic texture to your floor, registered embossing makes your laminate floors look like completely realistic wood floors at a lower price than solid hardwood. This trend is huge in laminate flooring because of how realistic the indentions look on the plank. In 2021 the more convincing, the better.
Distressed Wood-Look Laminate
If there is one consistency in 2021 flooring trends, it is that character is in.
Weathered and distressed looks are quite similar to reclaimed wood looks. Weathered looks often feature a more subtle wire brushed texture, while distressed looks go all the way with the appearance of knots, burns, scrapes, the works. The only difference is that distressed laminate looks are created by machines in a factory, whereas solid hardwood gets its distressed look naturally over time. This means you won’t get the unique characteristics of traditional distressed solid wood. Instead, you can get the man-made distressed look at a fraction of the cost with distressed laminate planks. So you can have the trend and the convenience of easy maintenance all wrapped into one flooring.
Rustic and Handscraped Wood-Look Laminate
Hand scraping makes each plank appear handcrafted and one of a kind. In the past, laminate flooring trends has merely been embossed to look handscraped. Newer planks are given this realistic touch to be able to fully compete with solid hardwood floors in both looks and texture.
Long, ingrained scrapes show in the finish, leaving the floor looking unique and rare. This look is often very expensive in solid hardwood, but notably less costly in lookalike laminate.
Laminate Color Trends
The light flooring trend we saw in 2020 is still holding strong with beachy whitewashed looks. But you’ll see some warmer and medium-toned looks creeping in as well. Of course, you’ll also see the familiar gray laminate floors. Gray is in for the long haul and will continue to top the trends charts for the next decade or so. But what other color options are out there?
Whitewashed Laminate Flooring Trends
The whitewashed look is more of a west coast trend that is starting to spread across the country. Well, some parts.
As that relaxed, California vibe is spreading, so are the floors that come with it, and white-washed laminate is at the top of the list.
In addition to the coastal look, whitewashed floors are also excellent for the now-trending farmhouse style homes, particularly kitchens.
Now, when I saw “whitewashed.” I don’t mean a smooth, finished white wood. The whitewashed laminate typically shows signs of wear with the darker colors peeking out from underneath. It fits right in with the 2021 aged and worn trends happening across all styles of flooring.
Whitewashed floors will make your home look brighter, bigger, and more relaxed. It can give that “beachy” feel or also an upscale contemporary feel, depending on the rest of your decor.
With wood floors, many homeowners opt to whitewash the floor themselves as a DIY project. However, with laminate, we recommend buying pre-whitewashed floors. Manufacturers are selling lots of whitewashed laminate flooring options to meet the demands of this trend.
Light Wood Laminate
For years, lighter floors were viewed as outdated or inexpensive. That is no longer the case, not by a long shot!
As more homeowners embrace the light, airy feel in their homes, you will see a huge resurgence in light laminate wood floors. Blonde wood looks, in particular, can give you that light touch, with a timeless feel.
With light laminated wood, your decorating possibilities are endless. You can go for a chic, contemporary feel or a rustic, homey vibe all without changing your floors.
Also, light laminate makes any room feel larger and more open, especially if you use large planks (but we’ll get to that later on). Unlike white floors, it is less likely to appear dingy and dirty, so it basically gives you the best of both worlds!
Additionally, light wood is on the newer end of the trend spectrum, so you won’t see too many homes that have gotten the memo just yet. That means, if you jump on board soon, you will look like a total trendsetter once it takes off.
Gray Laminate
Gray wood-look flooring has grown exponentially over the last decade. Manufacturers tiptoed onto the scene, producing a few gray looks here and there to see how homeowners would respond.
Gray quickly became the most popular trend, not just for flooring, but for homes in general. Gray is just, in!
In addition to looking chic and trendy, gray laminate floors set the tone of a cool, contemporary home. They give you a neutral backdrop for decorating in virtually any color. Aquas, greens, bright bold colors or even black and white – they will all go with your sleek gray flooring.
Will the gray laminate trend last in 2021 and beyond?
Yes! Gray will probably stay in style at least until it’s time for you to purchase new floors anyway.
High Variation Laminate
With improved flooring technology, it is now easier than ever to make your floors look more natural. In nature, no two pieces of wood look alike. The colors vary from plank to plank. Now, manufacturers can replicate this on their floors.
As homeowners embrace this trend head-on, you will begin to see stores with entire sections dedicated to high variation wood-look colors.
You will see some floors that incorporate bright colors with their neutrals. Plus, it’s a great conversation starter!
Laminate Flooring Layout and Pattern Trends
Get ready to see lots of designs and patterns in 2021.
Herringbone Laminate Floors
If you are looking for something bold instead of a simple, streamlined floor, you’ll probably love this pattern. Herringbone is one of the most popular decorative patterns in homes today as it connects two planks at a 90-degree angle creating an intricate, angled design. This is the distinct difference between herringbone and the ever-popular chevron floor pattern, as shown above.
Herringbone flooring looks custom and can be as bold or subdued as you like. It can also create the illusion of a wider space, since the angle of the planks makes the layout more narrow. So you can be trendy, and give your space a major upgrade!
Herringbone patterns with longer planks are going to be super hot over the next year, especially among young homeowners. This may not be the trend to do your entire home in. However, long entryways, hallways, and bathrooms can look stunning.
Chevron Laminate Floors
Just because it’s different from herringbone, doesn’t mean it’s not trending in 2021. The chevron pattern has been doing its thing for the last 10 years, and it looks like it only gets better with age.
You can get laminate planks that have the chevron pattern on them to create the ultimate eye-catching floor. Pair it with light wood, and installed in a dining room or breakfast nook, and viola, you are the trendsetter.
Wide Plank Laminate Floors
This is one trend you can expect to see every year in every style for the foreseeable future. Longer, wider planks make your room look larger, more open, more cohesive, and less busy.
While shorter, thinner, planks give more of a traditional hardwood look, they will also start to look outdated for that same reason.
I recommend getting on board with the large and extra-large plank trend!
There’s a lot going on in laminate flooring trends right now. There are plenty of different, unique options trending that will likely stick around for years to come, which means your possibilities are endless.
Article Written by: ARI ZISKIN
