Wooden flooring trends, from parquet and plank designs, to ‘outside-in’ trend and oiled floors.

Combining flooring styles
There are many benefits of engineered flooring. They are more resistant to fluctuations in temperature and humidity than solid wooden floors, making them easier to install and once installed, the real wood creates a warm, homely feel to the space. Wood floors also create calming environments due to the connection with nature. Biophilia is defined as an instinct to connect with nature and all living things and this connection to nature has been found to support mental health and cognitive functions. The use of wooden materials in flooring and furniture has been seen to have a positive impact on our wellbeing, promoting a natural ambience.

There’s also been suggestions wooden flooring regulates air humidity in a home while some woods can be anti-bacterial. Pine, oak and larch showed the highest capacity in preventing the growth of bacteria on its surface.

Parquet flooring
Parquet flooring has become incredibly popular recently, having quite the revival. This structured design was first seen in the 1600s and has morphed into a modern, visual statement piece. Parquet is the design of placing short planks of wood diagonally, coming together at 90 degrees at the end.

Plank flooring
Plank flooring is the traditional way of laying flooring in long narrow strips and remains popular. A much simpler design, plank flooring keeps a space consistent while bringing natural tones into the home. Plank flooring can also be used to frame the parquet flooring.

Mix and match flooring
With the growth of natural textures and finishes and the trend ‘outside in’, many are opting for wood flooring, often mix and matching different laying styles to create more of a statement.

‘Outside-in’ trend
The trend ‘outside-in’ brings together the tones, colours, and textures of the outdoor environment. By reflecting nature inside, you can achieve a tranquil space and a seamless transformation from the outside to in.

Oiled flooring
Atkinson & Kirby has also noticed the market is embracing oiled floors. In keeping with the trend ‘outside-in’, finishing flooring with oil gives it a more natural look which works well with the rise in popularity of ‘imperfect’ natural sourced materials instead of synthetic ones.

Oiled flooring makes the upkeep of the parquet or plank flooring easy as it ensures the wood is durable while still maintaining its natural colouring and enhancing the grain. Flooring can still undergo the national ageing process while being protected by the oil. The oil penetrates deep into the structure giving it strength and durability from within. On the surface, the oil enhances the beauty of the natural texture and colour of the wood.

The ‘matte’ and ‘barely there’ look retains the authenticity, while also preventing unwanted stains from reaching the wood – making it a lot easier to fix as you can simply do a spot repair on the planks that need it. Oiled floors are low maintenance and antistatic, meaning they do not accumulate dust, and the matte and low sheen advantages of oiled floors hide any dirt that rests on top.

Top tips for oiled floors
This technique is ideal for those who prefer low maintenance flooring. The oil can easily be reapplied when needed, without the need for sanding the floor first and small scratches can also be easily repaired with reapplication of oil.

Atkinson & Kirby have recently released five new colourways of plank and parquet flooring that are easy to install and will instantly make a statement. Each floor enhances the natural character of the wood, with a heavier brushed finish to enhance the grain and is 15mm thick to keep in with the current popular sizing. The new colourways include Katsura Oak, Nanzen Oak, Noma Smoked Oak, Congaree Oak and Verdant Smoked Oak.

Combining these two distinctive styles of plank and parquet flooring, offers many benefits:

• Adds contrast and dimension
• Helps to visually divide areas or create zoning within a space
• Form a unique design by adding borders and creating pathways with different patterns
• Add continuity through colour matching to existing wood shades in the space

Atkinson & Kirby are on hand to help with all your flooring needs. With guides, practical advice and customer support, they can recommend what would work best for you and your project.
www.akirby.co.uk
Josh Burbidge is md at Archwood Group