Beautiful Hardwood Flooring Alternatives HGTV Stars Can't Get Enough Of

There is nothing wrong with a classic hardwood floor. But sometimes you just want (or need) something a little different, and many of your favorite HGTV stars agree. Each host, designer, or contractor mentioned here is typically a fan of hardwood floors. Yet, they also know that the classic material has its time and place in the home. 

Sometimes, the amount of wood you would need for the size of your house would completely blow out your budget, so you need to pick something else. In other cases, it's just not compatible with your lifestyle because of how easily it can scratch or warp. Or, you might just live in a colder climate and find wood a bit too stark underfoot during the longer winters. Whatever your reasons for avoiding hardwood flooring, there are plenty of other HGTV-approved materials to use in every area of your home. These are the beautiful hardwood flooring alternatives HGTV stars just can't get enough of.

If you have an older home and want to make it seem a bit more lived-in or period-appropriate, but still keep it chic, consider reaching for restored brick as a great alternative to hardwood flooring. In Season 8, Episode 11 of HGTV's "Home Town," Erin Napier decided to remove the existing timber floors and install brown brick instead. "This is the most local brick we could find, from an old school that was torn down in Hattiesburg which I thought makes an interesting story. And I love the imperfection of reclaimed brick because no one else is gonna have a floor that's exactly like this," she told the homeowners on the YouTube recap. 

As she explains, if you want something unique, there is nothing better than a material that is going to be different from anywhere else out there. Each vintage brick is likely to be a little different from each of its neighbors, adding character and style to the space. To find materials local to you, start by contacting local dumps, salvage yards, or even brick sellers that might have leads. Online resources like Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist are also viable options. If installing a brick floor is too intense or costly, you can create a similar look with porcelain tile like this option from The Home Depot.

In Season 6, Episode 12 of their show "Property Brothers: Forever Home" the design duo shared their love for luxury vinyl planking, sometimes called LVP or luxury vinyl flooring. The idea is that while hardwood is a great choice, their designer eyes would prefer consistency in flooring materials over the type of material instead. "I have a rule: You should never see more than two types of flooring from any one place in your home," Jonathan Scott told viewers "So we're laying the luxury vinyl flooring throughout the entire main living areas." This change was to give the home more visual harmony.

However, you may not have the budget to replace all of your flooring in your home. Or, you might still want to keep carpet or tile in certain spaces. In that case, choose LVP in a similar shade to the area's other flooring to create a more seamless vibe.

Mike Holmes is no stranger to using beautiful hardwood in the remodeling projects that he saves. However, for living spaces, he actually tends to prefer carpet over chilly options like wood or tile. His main reasoning is that carpet tends to be cheaper to install than hardwood and it's more soundproof, too. This is especially helpful for upstairs spaces when you'd like to keep the noise in the rest of the house to a minimum. 

While Holmes doesn't mind hardwood when used in certain circumstances. "Radiant in-floor heating is the most energy efficient and environmentally friendly way to heat your home," he told HGTV, adding that it's a great option under hardwood. "However, if you are not planning to install radiant in-floor heating, you may want to go with cozy carpet to keep your feet warm during the winter at a fraction of the cost," he continued. Keep in mind that it's not just the carpet that can have a big impact on the warmth factor. So make sure to select the right quality carpet pad to help better retain the temperature in your home.

While the Scotts are known for loving hardwood and advocating for consistency in flooring choices, what is a designer without a little bit of contradiction? "We love this grand entrance," the brothers posted on Facebook. "We cut into the existing hardwood flooring and replaced it with a crisp white hexagon tile, which allowed for a smooth transition into the living room. What do you think?" While the comments on the post were divided about the look, the brothers seemed proud of their creative way to set the entry hall apart.

If you would like to recreate the same look at home, you can use any type of tile. While planks or squares might be easier if you are newer to DIYing, a non-traditional shape like the pictured hexagon shouldn't be a problem for a more seasoned pro. Nevertheless, for a perfect tile installation, keep in mind that the shape, color, and size of tiles all impact the visual appeal of a room. So, be sure to ask yourself what kind of look you would like to achieve, a dynamic contrast or a more subtle transition.

Hardwood is a beautiful flooring option and is loved by many designers, including Hilary Farr. However, she doesn't love it for all of her clients, and for a very specific reason. "I look at the [hardwood] floors in this house, and they really do need replacing," Farr said in Season 2, Episode 7 of her hit show "Tough Love with Hilary Farr." The homeowners in question were a busy family with pets and were simply too hard on their hardwood. "The thing is, they really shouldn't be hardwood again," she continued. "With their dogs and their lifestyle, hardwood is not the best solution. Which works out for me, because I have an LVP that's going to look great and cost half as much."

This is because the natural makeup of hardwood is prone to swelling, warping, and of course, lots of scratching from sharp nails. While homes with hardwood tend to be a selling point, they won't be if the floor is significantly damaged. If you have dogs, cats, or active kids running around the house, Farr cautioned that you should avoid hardwood and choose a more durable alternative. However, not all LVP products are created equal and the warranties each manufacturer offers can give you insight into its durability. So look for one that promises to stand up to wear, stains, and water for decades to come.

According to Jasmine Roth, if you have your heart set on hardwood, but your budget simply isn't following suit, you can use LVP to fill in the gap. During the "Second Chances," episode in Season 4 of "Help! I Wrecked My House," her clients were faced with this exact dilemma. The floors the client liked ended up being LVP, which came with the added bonus of being significantly less expensive than using hardwood for the same number of square feet. "To save money, we'll use luxury vinyl plank," Roth said later in the episode. She then revealed that the LVP was $5,000 total, while wood would have been at least $15,000. 

Overspending is definitely a design mistake Roth thinks you should avoid. If you are struggling with loving the wood look but not its price, ask for an LVP quote from the vendor of your choice. Or if you're looking for more cost-savings, check retailers for great deals on in-stock inventory during the winter when they might lower prices due to decreased demand. You can also check retailers like Costco that often offer lower prices on flooring like LVP to its members.

Whether you live by the beach or simply love the feel of coastal vibes, David Bromstad knows that it can be hard to resist the charm of weathered wood. But if you're looking for more resilient materials, he has the perfect alternative. "Another option, although not as warm, is porcelain tile that has the look of wood," he told HGTV. "I have seen them in every color of wood and texture you can imagine and they look amazing. They obviously are not as warm as the feel of wood, but are both durable and practical."

The great thing about these tiling options is that, just like natural hardwood, they come in just about any color you might want. Look for options that simulate your favorite species like mahogany, chestnut, or cedar. That way, if you have your heart set on a softer wood look like pine, you can recreate the same vibe with more durability using tile.

Breegan Jane of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" fame is vocal about loving parquet flooring because of how the wood's design moves the eye around a space. It can trick the brain into thinking a space is bigger, brighter, and more open than it might originally seem. Plus, this effect can also be created with tile, especially in wet spaces like the kitchen or bathroom. "You can also take advantage of patterns with tile in order to gain a little grip on your bathroom flooring," she wrote on her blog. "I laid subway tiles in a herringbone pattern to do this, and it gave the floor a little more personality."

If you plan to retile your bathroom or kitchen, you can steal this strategy to get a variety of looks. Go with a solid color for a more subtle touch of interest. Or, if you want to make a bold statement, you can opt for contrasting colors for a modern take on classic checkerboard flooring.

When time and money are of the essence, LVP is an ideal option, according to Page Turner of "Fix My Flip" fame. "It looks like real wood but is less expensive, more durable, waterproof, and good for pets," she shared during the "Two Bros With Tujunga Woes" episode. Her clients only had 30 days to completely renovate an outdated, rundown home that needed some major TLC. If this sounds a bit like your project, hardwood is just going to be too much of a hassle.

In fact, if your home is in the right area, LVP can add significant value to a potential resale down the line. "I see million-dollar-plus houses putting in this type of flooring," Turner later said. You don't need to worry about LVP seeming cheap, especially if you choose a quality product. And even though it comes at a lower cost than hardwood, it still has a similar high return on investment.

HGTV power couple Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent have an exquisite black and white checkered tile in their home's second-floor landing. "The floor always drove us crazy. It was never the floor that we would have picked," Berkus told Architectural Digest in a YouTube clip when speaking of the area pre-renovation. "This is the floor we always wanted," he continued. "It's antique Spanish concrete tiles. They're 200 years old." 

While you don't have to choose vintage tiling for your home, it is certainly a sustainable choice. However, you can get a similar look with more accessible materials like new ceramic tiles. Or, if you'd like an even simpler and budget-friendly project, options like the Nexus 12 Inch Vinyl Tile by Achim Home Furnishings, are peel-and-stick and easy to install.

While Chip and Joanna Gaines might be best known for their love of shiplap, Chip showed off his creative chops with a clever concrete trick on Season 5, Episode 3 of "Fixer Upper." The home needed a new front porch, but the couple decided not to use hardwood. While plenty of decks and outdoor spaces are made of timber, and they can work well as long as they are properly weatherproofed, it isn't the only option. Instead, Chip poured a slab of concrete and used a tool to press the shape of planks into the surface. With the right stain and a creative flair, the concrete porch floor looks like hardwood, but without the maintenance requirements.

To recreate this at home, ensure that the ground you intend to use is level. If not, you can use additional dirt to level it. Next, frame the area and fill it with concrete mixed with water according to the manufacturer's instructions. Before it dries, use a stamp like this Realistic Wood Concrete Texture Mat to give it the look you want.