Inspiration Underfoot: Flooring

Each week, we aim to translate insight from Sweeten experts into information you can use to make better decisions about improving your home. This week and next, let’s take on flooring. I might be biased, because new floors were the very first step I took in renovating my tiny East Village apartment, but I cannot possibly think of a better way to get a bigger bang for your buck. If you are looking to transform the way your home feels, you can do it with new floors in less than a week’s time. For proof of its impact, scroll through these flooring selections some of our favorite homeowners have made in the last year. Next week, check back for the full low-down on the process and cost of re-doing your floors.

In Williamsburg, Katie and Elliot renovated with Mirage Knotty Walnut floors throughout the first floor of their townhouse. The natural knots and irregularities serve as a counterpoint to the clean cabinet lines and modern lighting fixtures. I’m always amazed at how simple white walls set against warm wood tones makes a space feel clean, bright, and relaxed.

Kyle and Angela replaced their Clinton Hill parquet with white oak, left unstained. The simple color and texture of the new floors is such a smart complement to the custom walnut millwork, saturated green accents, and mid-century modern decor that makes this home so unique.

In Hell’s Kitchen, a homeowner combining three apartments unified the space with a custom engineered white oak floor from Master Floor, an Italian company. The planks are pre-finished with a matte effect, which keeps your eye focused on these incredible views and amplifies natural light throughout the apartment without adding any glare.

In the kitchen of their Brooklyn row house, Allison and Jovito chose a porcelain tile, finished to look like wood. For extra visual impact, they laid the tile in a herringbone pattern. Porcelain was an especially smart choice for these cat owners: tile is more durable than softer wood materials and is easy to keep clean in a high-traffic area.

In Chelsea, this homeowner, an architect and designer, kept the wood floors that were original to the iconic London Terrace building but transformed them with a matte black finish. The decor choices throughout this apartment are so glamorous – this dark matte finish helps diversify the feel and gives a little bit of grit and texture to the space.

In their Williamsburg entryway, Katie and Elliot left the concrete floor intact but re-painted it with gray, creating a neutral and super functional spot to drop shoes and contain everyday items.

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Floored by these photos? Let us know which is your favorite in the comments below! And stay tuned – I’ll be on the ground next week with budget basics and expert guidance to help you plan your floor renovation!