Design ideas for wood flooring
Wood flooring is a design feature in its own right and can transform a room, both aesthetically and functionally.
Just as with kitchen worktops, going on the hunt for practical pieces is one of the more difficult things you have to do as a homeowner. Where sofa beds and dining tables can be switched out or put into storage, the floorboards you opt for can't be given to a young person buying their first home or neighbour quite so easily.
Different homeware and furniture retailers specialise in different types of floor, so it can be hard figuring out what to buy and where to buy it. To help you begin your search, you'll find a list of our favourite wooden flooring retailers here:
Douglas Fir: If you're after douglas fir, head to Dinesen. The wood is more hard wearing than pine and available in long lengths as well as extra-wide planks. Our top pick is the white soap and lye treated option; dinesen.com
Hornbeam: If you like the look of this robust, pale hardwood, we recommend opting for Element 7. The retailer have plentiful supply of hornbeam, which is ideal for use in hallways and in kitchens (or any area where there is high footfall); element7.co.uk
Pine: Anyone looking for the cost-effective pine wood should look no further than Fine Oak Flooring (the name isn't a misnomer, they do sell oak flooring too but we prefer their range of pine). Be warned, this is the softest of softwoods, so it can dent fairly easily, which brings a certain lived in charm; fineoakflooring.co.uk
Bamboo: Whilst bamboo is technically a grass, it's much more environmentally friendly than wood as it grows faster. It’s also stronger than most hardwoods. The clue is in the name with this one, so Simply Bamboo is our first choice; simplybamboo.co.uk
Oak: The king of the hardwoods, oak is remarkable for its versatility – it can be stained to any shade, dark or light. Ecora has a fantastic range of oaks but we like the ‘Oak Natural Oiled’ best; ecora.co.uk
Larch: Any maritime fans will recognise the softwood larch. Often used in boat building–evidence of its strength–its grain works well in traditional interiors. Our go to place for this one would be Ted Todd; tedtodd.co.uk
Teak: Anyone looking for a rich, deep hued wood should look at teak flooring. With a high oil content that repels moisture, this darkly coloured tropical hardwood is ideal for use in bathrooms and in kitchens. Weldon offers a good range of teaks and, whilst it may be on the slightly more expensive end, you do get what you pay for in terms of quality; weldon.co.uk
Walnut: Any room that needs an injection of warmth will benefit from walnut flooring. With its rich tones and beautiful grain, this is a classically beautiful wood. Head to Havwoods for an extensive range; havwoods.co.uk
Experimenting with the width of floorboards allows you to play with the scale of a room and can dramatically transform a space. In larger rooms, wide boards can accentuate the size. Try Freeman Attwood for oak ones, Dinesen for douglas fir planks that measure up to 45cm wide, and Element7 for engineered wide planks in a range of timbers. Thin boards, on the other hand, can give spaces a neatness and make them feel manageable. Drummonds Flooring’s ‘Rustic Oak Floorboards’, £180 a square metre, come in a range of widths and have a weathered patina.
Take a look at these tantalising options - from parquet herringbone patterns and engineered oak boards to reclaimed wood and painted floors - with different styles suited to different rooms of the house.




















