9 Outdated Flooring Trends We're Leaving In The Past

If you want to keep your home updated and follow the current trends, there are several things you need to consider. These can range from swapping outdated kitchen lighting to making sure you opt for timeless furniture pieces. And there's one key element you'll want to assess: your flooring. The material you choose plays a huge role in setting the overall mood and theme in your home. New flooring is also a costly home upgrade, and so you want to make triple sure you're not installing a style that's already starting to feel stale and which will immediately timestamp your home. 

To help us learn more about some outdated flooring options that are best left in the past, we reached out to five home and design professionals. Here, you'll find the exclusive quotes they shared with House Digest that highlight trends we're probably all better off saying goodbye to. We'll also share some tips for what you can do to give your floors an upgrade, even if you're working on a tighter budget.

If you walk through the main level of many homes, you'll find two (or sometimes more) flooring types. People often opt for hardwood or carpeting in the living room and tile or vinyl in the kitchen and entryway. Terri Brien, owner of Terri Brien Interiors, exclusively tells House Digest that there's a reason this trend was popular. The principal designer explains, "Clients share their fear that wood will fail in the kitchen or sustain too much water damage, opting instead to transition to tile or stone." Despite this, Brien says that the time for this trend has reached its expiration date. She explains that "changing materials mid-space compartmentalizes the home, making each area feel smaller, disjointed, and ultimately, less high-end."

Instead, she recommends installing the same flooring material throughout the entire main level. "I remind my clients that historic homes and museums throughout Europe have had the same wood floors for centuries — proving that with the right finish and care, wood can absolutely stand the test of time, even in a kitchen." 

Of course, there are some things to know before buying hardwood floors for your kitchen, such as the fact that certain woods are more durable than others. If you're worried about the floors sustaining damage in a high-traffic area, hickory, brown maple, and white oak are among the hardest choices out there. And if moisture is a concern, go with an engineered hardwood with a waterproof barrier.

Take a look at your bathroom floors. Are they covered with relatively small tiles? While once trendy, this is a design choice that Brien recommends ditching. "Another outdated flooring belief — like the myth of not wearing white after Labor Day — is that a small bathroom requires small tile. If you have a large-scale tile running throughout your main living areas, don't disrupt the flow by suddenly switching to a smaller tile in the powder room just because the space is compact," she explains.

Instead of making this mistake when laying tiles in your bathroom, opt for larger ones, even for those tiny powder rooms. According to Brien, "Continuing the larger tile creates a more seamless, polished, and modern aesthetic." Plus, this can even make these compact spaces feel larger than they are. Lots of small tiles also means lots of grout lines. This can make the floor look disjointed and make the room feel tighter. Conversely, with larger tiles, there will be fewer grout lines. The effect will be a sleek and more seamless look, which can trick the eye into thinking that the room is larger than it really is. And if you want an even more seamless, upscale look, you can continue the tiles up onto the walls. One of the reasons why you should tile the walls of your powder room is that tiles reflect more light, which is often in short supply in small bathrooms. Totally tiling the walls of a bathroom is also fast becoming one of the tile trends that are dominating 2025.

Hand-scraped wood flooring is another once-popular trend that you'll want to reevaluate. If you're not familiar with hand-scraped wood floors, they're pretty much just what they sound like: hardwood floors that have been scraped (often by hand) to add depth and definition to each plank. According to Brien, this look is out. She says, "...hand-scraped wood flooring is another trend that instantly dates a space. This screams early 2000s and lacks the refinement of today's more natural finishes." Brien also highlighted that the planks show every scratch because they are typically polished.

Whether you have hand-scraped wood floors and are ready to leave them behind, or are simply looking for a trendier alternative, Brien suggests opting for a matte brushed option. "We've moved on to wire-brushed wood, which is more current and more forgiving for everyday life," she explains. These offer a matte finish that does a much better job of hiding small imperfections, keeping your floor looking its best for longer. If you're not familiar with wire-brushed floors, they go through a unique production process. Each plank is brushed with a steel wire, which is what gives it that textured look that Brien highlighted. Both engineered and natural hardwood floors are available with this brushed look. You'll also be able to choose from pieces with a lighter or heavier texture (depth of the brush strokes) to match your design preferences. 

Before you finalize the decision to add wire-brushed floors to your home, you might want to consider a potential downside. Because of the grooves left from the wire brush, these can be a bit more challenging to clean. Dust and other debris can build up in the little trenches in the planks, so a regular vacuum and mopping routine is key.

It's pretty safe to say that gray is a classic color when it comes to interior design. However, the trend of using it absolutely everywhere is over, and all-gray finishes are starting to feel pretty stale, particularly on the floor. Brien explains, "Any flooring that is overly muted and grayed is out! This includes wood, laminate, vinyl plank, and wood-look tile. Don't get me wrong, gray is timeless in the right balance, but from 2015 to 2020, we saw an oversaturation of gray everything, making these floors instantly recognizable as a trend rather than a classic choice."

When replacing these muted gray floors, Brien recommends a warm honey to a soft brown wood tone. These colors will retain their appeal for many years to come, preventing the need to refinish or replace the floors yet again. Consider something like this Lifeproof Fresh Oak Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring. It offers that warm brown tone that Brien recommended, and could easily work in a variety of different spaces.

If you currently have a gray floor and aren't ready to rip it out just yet — there some budget-friendly tricks you can try to move the focus from your floor and alleviate the gray look. For instance, trendy tones like brown and taupe are both wall paint colors that will compliment your gray floors and help make your home feel current. You can also invest in some large warm-toned rugs that will play nicely off the cool tone of your flooring and help to break up the grayness. 

Imitation distressed and reclaimed wood floors were popular not that long ago. Many people opted to install them when trying to give their home a rustic or farmhouse feel. However, according to Brien, these imitation styles don't jive with current design trends and principles. She says that their presence in a home will instantly date it. "This applies to wood, vinyl plank, laminate, and wood-look tiles," explains Brien.

So, does that mean that you're out of luck if you were envisioning a more rustic look for your living space? Absolutely not! "If you're drawn to a timeworn aesthetic, opt for authentic reclaimed and refurbished wood flooring instead," shares Brien. She recommends working with a reputable flooring reclamation and restoration company to help you achieve this look with top-quality materials and craftsmanship. "Unlike manufactured distressing, genuine reclaimed flooring adds character and a sense of timelessness without looking overly themed or outdated," she says. 

The reason genuine reclaimed flooring is superior to imitation styles comes down to the unique look it can create. Imitation distressed wood floors are mass-produced. This means that the markings and patterns on each piece will likely be similar, giving the planks an inauthentic feel. Genuine reclaimed wood, on the other hand, offers greater variance. The nail holes are not identically sized, the cut patterns vary from plank to plank, and other imperfections are true imperfections (not the same random marks on different planks). If you don't have the budget to install genuine reclaimed wood flooring, you can also consider a slightly more affordable material (such a regular hardwood), and include distressed wood in other, slightly less expensive ways, such as through furniture or shelving made with reclaimed lumber — or by using salvaged wood to create a gorgeously rustic DIY accent wall for any room in your home. 

Glossy tiles, vinyl planks, and other flooring types also don't have a home in modern design, according to two of our experts. These floors were once appealing because of their ability to reflect light and trick the eye into perceiving that a room is bigger than it is. They also come with downsides that are making today's homeowners opt for better alternatives. Mark Sanchez, the founder and real estate manager of Tropic Residential, explains to House Digest during an exclusive interview, "Every little scratch, footprint, and speck of dust shows up instantly, which means you are constantly cleaning just to keep it looking presentable."

Bertha Sanchez, an interior designer and the owner of Floor Coverings International of Southwest Denver, agrees. When speaking exclusively with House Digest, she says, "Instead of high-gloss, many homeowners are opting for matte or satin finishes that provide subtle elegance without overwhelming the space. For example, matte porcelain or ceramic tiles can add depth and character without the glare." 

Beyond considering a matte or satin finish over a high-gloss one, Mark Sanchez highlights textured flooring as another suitable alternative. "These styles hide imperfections better and create a more natural look that works in any home," he explains. You can even keep with your current color scheme if you're still happy with it. But, by choosing a less glossy and more textured finish, you'll instantly modernize the look of your kitchen, living room, or bedroom. Textured flooring also provides better grip underfoot, reducing slip hazards and making it a practical choice. Things like tumbled stone (real or imitation) and encaustic tiles are very much in vogue right now, and both of these options have a decidedly matte finish. 

Some materials that were once very mainstream are now completely out of date. "Laminate flooring used to be a go-to option for budget-friendly homes, but these days it's starting to feel a bit outdated compared to other choices like hardwood or vinyl plank," Mike Otranto, the CEO and founder of Wake County Home Buyers, tells House Digest during an exclusive interview. While the generally budget-friendly price was certainly part of the appeal, many customers were attracted to the assortment of colors and finishes, the relative ease of cleaning, and the overall durability of laminate flooring. 

Bertha Sanchez also highlights installing vinyl flooring, specifically luxury vinyl planks (LVP) and luxury vinyl tiles (LVT), as a better option to consider. Thanks to technological advancements, she explains, "LVP and LVT now convincingly mimic the look and feel of hardwood or stone, offering an upscale appearance at a more affordable price point." 

Beyond its more upscale look, Sanchez explains that vinyl is also known for being resistant against water and general wear, which means homeowners can use it everywhere from high-traffic areas to bathrooms and kitchens. It's also a great choice if you're trying to figure out how to design your home with sustainable materials. Sanchez explains, "Newer vinyl products often incorporate low-VOC formulations and sustainable manufacturing practices, making them a more responsible choice for those concerned with environmental impact and indoor air quality."

You're not alone if you have solid black tiles or bright white tiles covering your bathroom or kitchen floor. During an exclusive interview, Laura Brophy, the principal designer and creative director at Laura Brophy Interiors, tells House Digest, "For years, glossy white or jet-black tiles were seen as the epitome of modern luxury." However, times change, and so too do design trends. Today, Brophy explains that  "these monochrome extremes can feel harsh and unforgiving, making spaces appear either too sterile or too dark."

Brophy recommends opting for soft tones, such as those inspired by nature, instead of such stark tile colors. She says, "Think warm taupe, creamy beige, and muted terracotta." To give your space an organic and inviting tone, she highlights limestone, textured concrete, and travertine tiles as some materials to look into. If you don't have the budget for a complete flooring replacement right now but are ready to ditch those solid black or bright white tiles, consider these FloorPops Canyon Peel and Stick Tiles as a temporary replacement. They offer a muted and textured look that mimics real stone. 

While hardwood floors offer many benefits, they also come with some downsides like vulnerability to moisture that may lead consumers to hesitate. For this reason, some homeowners turned to wood-look tiles. However, according to Bryonie Brooks, the cofounder and director of BBH Life, this is another flooring type that you're better off avoiding if you want to be on-trend. "While faux wood tiles are low-maintenance, they often lack the warmth and charm of real wood, and the synthetic materials used aren't always eco-friendly," Brooks told House Digest during an exclusive interview.

As a more sustainable alternative, she recommends considering true natural wood or cork flooring. Both of these materials are made using renewable resources and are biodegradable. If you haven't considered cork flooring before, you might want to. Not only is it eco-friendly, but it is also softer to provide more cushioning beneath your feet. Cork is also known for its insulating and sound-dampening properties.

However, while cork or natural hardwoods can be a better option for many living areas, they still won't be the best choice for a bathroom. Instead of opting for faux wood tiles, Brooks says, "For moisture-prone areas like bathrooms, try sustainably sourced engineered wood or eco-friendly luxury vinyl that mimics wood but with a lower environmental footprint."