When you think of farmhouse flooring, you likely envision hardwood floors. The rustic kind, heavy on character and light on finishes. In reality, there is a lot of variety when it comes to farmhouse flooring, with different wood species, colors and widths fitting into the category. In fact, you may even opt for a wood-look laminate or luxury vinyl flooring that give you a very similar aesthetic, with price and performance advantages that you can’t get with hardwood.

Read on to learn more about farmhouse style and the flooring options that will ground these designs.

What is farmhouse style?

The style has roots in the American countryside. However, today it’s found from coast to coast in rural retreats and urban settings alike. There are a whole lot of reasons why farmhouse style appeals to so many people. It’s simple and welcoming, with a focus on natural elements and organic materials. There’s also a comfort level that comes from the vintage-inspired pieces and homage to times past. Another benefit for interior designers? The farmhouse style is extremely versatile. It can lean more rustic and traditional, or modern; and it works well mixed with many of today’s other leading contemporary design trends.

What type of hardwood floors are found in farmhouse style homes?

You really can’t go wrong when you choose natural-looking hardwood floors for your farmhouse style home. However, there are some options that will impact the overall appearance of your space. Consider the following characteristics to select the ideal wood floors for your home.

Color – There is a range of beautiful hardwood floor color options that can suit your farmhouse style home. Generally speaking, these colors tend to fall on the light and natural end of the farmhouse color wheel. Along with natural wood, you’ll find a plethora of white-washed and gray-washed wood flooring options. Along with suiting the farmhouse aesthetic, these light and natural options bring different benefits to your room. They can make your space feel larger, and they show scratches less than darker wood options.

Character of the wood – When it comes to hardwood flooring, there’s no need to cover up “imperfections” like knots and graining. Instead, this natural character of the wood is celebrated. Distressed looking hardwood flooring adds classic appeal and a one-of-a-kind feel that’s hard to beat. You can choose from different levels of distressing, including wire-brushed floors that offer an etched look and a beautiful coloring contrast.

Finishes – As is the theme, it’s better to stick with a more natural finish for farmhouse flooring. Matte finishes generally look more natural and, hence, suit the rustic farmhouse style better than finishes with a sheen.

Wood species – Popular domestic species such as maple, hickory and oak, more oak, and white oak(!) are common in farmhouse style homes. These species in general allow a lot of character to show through, and they work well with white washes and gray coloring for those that desire it. Cherry and red-stained woods are not typically found in farmhouse styles.

Plank width – It’s not just the color of hardwood floors that will affect the look and feel of your room. The plank width is a big factor in the overall appearance of your hardwood or hardwood-appearance floors. Traditional farmhouse flooring featured wide plank widths—as that was the easiest to make at the time with the tools that were available. While it’s easy to find thin planks today or go with a multi-width hardwood flooring, there are visual benefits to wide planks. Generally, they make a space feel, well, more spacious; and the accompanying lighter and brighter effect goes well with a farmhouse theme. For an authentic farmhouse style look, consider plank widths of 5 – 7 inches verses 2.25 inch planks that are common today. Some manufacturers even offer plank widths up to 9 inches for an especially spacious feel.

Hardwood-look flooring options

While there is nothing quite the same as authentic hardwood floors, there are some options that come pretty close, and even offer a myriad of other performance advantages. The two most common options are laminate and luxury vinyl plank (LVP) flooring.

Laminate – Advances in technology have not only improved the performance of laminate flooring, but also allowed for more realistic visuals. The benefits of laminate flooring include durability, scratch resistance, water resistance, ease of installation and maintenance, as well as comfort underfoot. Learn more about wood-look laminate flooring options.

Luxury vinyl –This isn’t yesteryear’s ordinary vinyl. Modern luxury vinyl flooring is sturdy, durable and moisture resistant. It’s easy to install and requires little maintenance. Luxury vinyl flooring is available in luxury vinyl tile (LVT) and luxury vinyl plank (LVP) options, with the latter offering extremely authentic looking hardwood style options. Learn more about the buzz around luxury vinyl flooring.

Still have some questions about what flooring is best for your farmhouse? Read on for frequently asked questions.

Should flooring match throughout the house? It can! Especially if you use a water-resistant or even a water proof flooring option, available through some laminate and luxury vinyl flooring brands. While authentic hardwood is susceptible to damage from moisture and shouldn’t be used in kitchens, bathrooms and high-humidity areas, laminate and vinyl flooring don’t have these same limitations. Choosing a single flooring option throughout your home provides cohesion and balance to your space, and it works especially well in open-concept homes that are popular in modern farmhouse style. If you do choose a real wood flooring, there are many options that work well in your high-traffic entryway and kitchens, including farmhouse style tile options.

Will my farmhouse style floors look dated over time? Since new flooring is a major investment, it’s important to choose a style that you love now, and is also versatile to suit design updates as your style evolves and your furniture and décor do the same. There is nothing quite like real wood floors, both in feel and appearance. However, there is a lot of variety in hardwood flooring, and some of the bigger trends, such as white-washed looks, come and go out of style. If you want to select hardwood floors that hold up against the test of time, it’s smart to choose flooring that is classic and timeless. Many farmhouse style floors fit right in this category, with their emphasis on natural-looking wood.

How do I achieve the “Modern Farmhouse” look? The farmhouse style that became popular over the last decade has evolved into similar, but distinctive genres, including “modern farmhouse”. Modern farmhouse design takes the casual and relaxed aspect of farmhouse style and adds some elements from modern design, including smooth lines and neutral color schemes. To create a modern farmhouse aesthetic, select flooring that falls less on the rustic side (i.e. less scraping and less driftwood looks). Authentic hardwood and wood-looks are still appropriate, with lighter and natural tones a nice choice for this aesthetic.

I don’t have it in my budget to get new floors. How else can I get the farmhouse look? There are lots of ways to curate a farmhouse look in your home, from adding shiplap to a statement wall to selecting farmhouse living room, dining room and bedroom furniture. If you want to give your floors a farmhouse update but aren’t ready to rip out your current flooring, consider a low cost and easy-to-change update: a new area rug. Area rugs can give your whole room a new look from the ground up. For a farmhouse style, consider any casual style area rug in mostly neutral colors. A rug featured a traditional motif with distressed styling, a natural jute/sisal area rug rich with an emphasis on texture, or a modern striped area rug are just a few options.

Learn more about farmhouse style:

Farmhouse Fresh

Love Farmhouse Style