Herringbone Flooring: Facts and How it Adds Beauty to Your Home

When people first began thinking about interior design and decorating, terminology was most likely pretty simple. Floors, walls, ceilings, not much to it, I’d say. After some time, however, more intricate designs began to surface. Intersecting tiles, wallpapers of all colors and patterns, and of course more options in flooring. The absolutely divine interior design choice of the day is what is referred to as herringbone flooring. This is the kind of flooring where hardwood planks are arranged in a zigzag formation that ends up looking like repeating W shapes that fit together and span the entire length of a room. As opposed to more simple hardwood flooring, this can add a very elegant and refined look to an otherwise bland looking room.

The herringbone style is under the purview of hardwood parquetry, which is the practice of creating mosaic patterns with wood planks. The design has been around for thousands of years, dating back to use in ancient Rome. Herringbone is extremely similar to the chevron style of flooring, but in chevron style, the planks are arranged in V’s that flow perfectly from front to back and side to side compared to the continuous W shape that spans the entire length of the floor typical of herringbone. While the herringbone style can be technically made from any material, in modern times herringbone flooring refers nearly exclusive to oak flooring in the herringbone configuration. The pricing typically starts at around $24 per square meter up to $43 per square meter for typical consumer flooring choices, but more intricate designs can be lavishly expensive.

Why would you choose to go for parquet hardwood flooring? Firstly, hardwood flooring of any kind is highly resistant to moisture, damage, and stains. Herringbone flooring, in particular, is a step up from the typical hardwood flooring option of planks put side by side by adding a textured and eye-catching design to the floors of any room. Movement of the planks over time is practically non-existent with herringbone as all of the planks fit snugly into each other which keeps everything in place. Rooms, where humidity is a consistent issue, are amply provided for with herringbone floor as the hardwood is stained and finished to resist any moisture buildup.

From a design perspective, herringbone serves to make a room appear slightly smaller, which works great for rooms that would appear under-furnished otherwise. Large living rooms and basements are well served by herringbone flooring to make a more cozy and comfortable vibe to an otherwise empty feeling room. The style gives off a refined, old-world vibe that suits traditional homes best, it does not lend extremely well to minimalist modern style homes but instead serves to give off an almost Victorian-era style of refined beauty. The configuration is subtle enough to not detract from the entirety of the room’s design but still creates visual interest.

Whether herringbone flooring is right for you or not is dependent on the space in which you want to employ it in. Large spaces are best served by the herringbone flooring option, with corridors and small rooms not being able to pull off the intricate design very well. Those who seek a traditional look for their home should consider herringbone flooring above all other options.