How to choose the right flooring style: color, texture, and finish

Once you decide between laminate, wood, or vinyl, it's time to consider the style. Pergo offers a variety of aesthetic options for each of its floors, ranging from light to dark colors to hand-scraped textures. It’s important to explore all options and ensure that the floor will have the right look for your home. Let's move on to a few important aspects to help you make the right choice.

Start with some color

Is your room large or small? If you are installing a new floor in a large living room and feel that it's too open, then you'll want to choose dark boards. This is because darker colors create the illusion that the space is smaller than it actually is. It's perfect if you want to add some drama and create a cozy atmosphere. Consider chestnut and dark oak floors if you want to bring a bit of a darker feel to your home.

If your space is small, then you’ll want to lighten it up. Lighter colors tend to open up smaller areas, making them feel bigger and airier. A light shade can also brighten up a room, which is something different when you have darker-colored furniture. Look at maple and cream oak floors to achieve just that lighter tone.

Remember that natural light will also affect the appearance of the floor itself. Therefore, it's essential to test several samples and see how they look at home at different times during the day. Place each sample in the room where you want to install the floor and check it in the morning, afternoon, and evening. You might be surprised how much light can change the original color of the floor.

Consider the visual texture of the planks

After selecting the color, you will want to decide on its texture. This influences not only the overall appearance of the floor but also how it feels underfoot. Pergo offers several plank textures to choose from, some exclusive to laminate or wooden floors.

Smooth: Laminate / wood

Smooth is a simple texture that contains no grains or detailed woodworking. It is the standard texture for laminate and is easier to maintain.

Textured: Laminate

This look is designed for an overall more natural feel, evoking real wood. If you love wood but want the durability of laminate, then the textured floor is just for you.

Hand-scraped: Laminate / wood

This style mimics the natural appearance of real wood, adding more detail and visual appeal. If your style is rustic, then hand-scraped floors could be the right choice for you.

Wire-brushed: wood

Available only in wooden floors. All wood imperfections are showcased, contributing to its natural beauty.

Finish your search

The last thing to consider is the surface of the floor and the amount of sheen for each style. Pergo offers three main finishes, each with unique qualities. It's important to note that not all finishes are available on every floor, so keep that in mind as you finalize your selection.

Extra matte

Perfect if you have kids or pets, this finish has a great feature for hiding dirt, scratches, and imperfections due to its low sheen level. While not as vibrant as a glossy finish, you'll appreciate the easy cleanup. It's ideal for country style or European looks.

Gloss

If you want your floor to truly stand out, then a glossy finish is for you. With a high level of sheen, you'll notice every detail of the floor's appearance, and it has a heavenly glow. However, this glossy look also reveals imperfections and dirt, so expect maintenance to be more challenging. This finish is ideal for modern styles.

Satin

Satin can be considered the best of both finishes. The level of sheen is not as high as that of a glossy finish, so light does not reflect in a way that reveals any scratches. And like a matte finish, it is still easy to clean. This finish works well in most spaces.

Now that you have a better idea of what style of flooring to choose, take a look at the full range of floors from Pergo.