Appeal of Oak Hardwood Flooring

Brown, Beige and Honey – Are ‘Warm Neutrals’ Taking Over from Grey?

Grey has been the most popular neutral for interior designs over the last few years, and is still in demand – but now it has a rival. Interior design experts say that “warm neutrals”, such as taupe and beige, are becoming increasingly on-trend, in both domestic and commercial interiors.

Beige might have once had a reputation for being a safe choice, but new spins are being put on the shade to make it feel more contemporary and cutting-edge. As with the current trend to use more green in interior design, shades of brown are often chosen partly because they have a natural feel and go well with natural materials such as stone and wood. Slightly warmer neutrals also feel comforting and tie in with the trend for “hygge”, a Scandinavian concept bringing greater cosiness into our homes.

Paint It Brown – Or Beige

Leading paint manufacturer Farrow & Ball has noted a movement towards brown-based tones, and recently launched a new colour, Jitney. This is a muted tone with a hint of sand, which it says in its publicity material “reminds us of lazy days by the sea”. Another leading paint company, Dulux, chose a deeper brown neutral, Spiced Honey, as its colour of the year in 2019, and has also come up with four complementary colour palettes, from calming through to vibrant.

Paints including a hint of brown often make the perfect backdrop for more vibrant colours. For instance, a light brown or taupe wall could be complemented by a soft off-white or cream for doors and other paintwork, such as sills and frames. As with greys, shades of brown can also be layered within a room, for instance with one deep honey or caramel feature wall and the other walls in white, with just a hint of beige.

Wood Furniture and Layering

Choosing a range of textures is key to creating a beautiful interior. As well as paints and wallpapers, wood furniture, beams and exposed brickwork or terracotta can all help to add to the brown/beige colour theme. These elements work together to create welcoming spaces where people will want to linger, whether in homes or commercial premises.

Neutrals with a touch of warm colour also perfectly complement pinks, peaches and oranges, which are all very popular at the moment. And, if you still love grey, it can also team well with browns or beiges – indeed, many beautiful pieces of furniture, and wooden floors, contain elements of both brown and grey.

Flooring

Natural wooden flooring, of course, covers the whole palette of browns. Xylo’s engineered oak flooring ranges include many different shades, from light oak to deeper shades and those which combine browns and greys. Our Victoria flooring is just one example, with Dark Stained Oak giving a deeper, richer brown, while there are also many lighter oak designs within the range, such as Brushed Oak and Smoked Brushed Oak.

You can also get the look and style of wood flooring by choosing from our Urban Click and Urban Herringbone laminate ranges. These vary from the light-coloured Oakmount/Charme Light Natural through to the deep, warm San Jose/Merbau Brown, both within the Urban Herringbone range. And our Dynamic Click quality vinyl flooring also features many varied shades of brown, along with other colour options.

Xylo Flooring works with house builders, developers, retail outlets and flooring contractors across the UK. To contact us and order a sample, follow the link above.

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