Why Patterned Wood Floors Are the Design Detail Everyone Wants Right Now

Wood floors painted and stained in geometric patterns are popping up everywhere, and the effect they have on a room is impressive. Checkerboards, diamonds, octagons—you name it—create incredible movement and interest, which can make even the simplest room feel special, even if there’s not much else going on. Wood floors that have been stained in interesting patterns create a sense of architecture and rhythm, bridge traditional elements with modern ones, and can even help a space feel larger.

Add Drama and Durability with Wood Stain

Patterned stained floors have a sort of understated drama. Their tonal, lower-contrast patterns create structure and grid-like drama in spaces small and large. The best part of using stain instead of paint is that it keeps the wood looking like wood, preserving the grain and texture. It also holds up better in high-traffic zones like entryways, mudrooms, or kitchens, as the wood soaks up the stain, versus it just sitting on top like paint.

Combine Old and New

Patterned wood floors have a bespoke, artisan look without costing a ton of money, while still remaining playful and personal. The floor treatment can transform a boring space, refresh a worn-out floor, or pay homage to the history of a home—sometimes all at the same time. In the breakfast room of this 1820s Charleston home, interior designer Betsy Berry used a patterned treatment to marry the new floors with the original pine floors elsewhere in the house. The finished effect looks like it could be original, bridging old and new. For a worn-in look, the floors were first lightly distressed, then an octagonal pattern was stenciled and stained on top.

Introduce a Sense of Architecture

Patterned floors create a sense of structure while drawing the eye throughout the room, which helps visually enlarge the space. In transitional spaces like entryways, mudrooms, or other pass-through spaces, floor patterns can help create a “zone” or give a lesser-used space a high-drama moment. 

Love the look but don’t want to overhaul your floors? Check out Mirth Studio’s Charleston Timbers Collection ($29/sq. ft.), which offers patterned planks in a plethora of patterns and colors. They’re made of engineered hardwood and install via click-and-lock, even over an existing hard floor.