From coloured tiles to crazy paving, the latest flooring ideas will sweep you off your feet
Soft, organic carpet, exotic tiles or weathered floorboards – whatever your choice, the floor covering in your home drives your interior’s design, uniting the space. Here, quality is just as important as style. It’s time to let your flooring do the talking.
“There’s a celebration of the authentic in flooring this year,” says Katie Scott, director of Sticks + Stones Design. “Natural aesthetics and materials lead the way with a focus on sustainability and locally made materials. When it comes to natural stone, think limestone, travertine, or even crazy paving paired with organic textures.
“Tiles get creative, in bold patterns and colours that hint at exotic destinations abroad, filling homes with character. Carpets hold aesthetic appeal, either in warming palettes oozing quiet luxury, or blocks of colour that pops, try splashes of bright pink and cobalt blue. It’s time to bring a little luxury into the home.”
Five Flooring Trends of 2024
Go natural
From the top: Tussore Lupine Carpet, $170 (sqm), at Flooring Xtra; Kensho Zen Carpet, $57 (sqm), at Flooring Xtra.
If there’s one word that defines our homes right now it’s “natural”. Wood and fibres are taking an eco-friendly stance – after all, doesn’t it feel so good having fewer synthetic products in the home?
Loop pile, organic wool carpets in unbleached finishes (not dyed) are holding appeal, it’s as if they’ve just come off a sheep. Stone and timber pair perfectly in the same room, drawing on the natural world.
This rhetoric rings true when it comes to tiles, too – think crazy paving and natural stone finishes in organic shapes and mismatched sizes and arrangements.
Square or rectangular stone tiles in warm neutrals are far from rigid, with soft, tumbled edges evoking a sense of a time gone by.
We’re left with a home that feels perfectly imperfect, its restful hues ensure us a tranquil setting.
Checkerboard flooring
From the top: Insta Star Cross Tile, $149.90, at Tile Depot; Monaco York Vinyl, $67 (sqm), at Flooring Xtra.
Harmonious, orderly and a little bit Parisian bistro, checkerboard flooring never went completely out of fashion, it just stepped out of the limelight. Now it’s back in full force with a simple pattern that’s easy on the eye, be it black and white or another winning colour combo.
Make it as creative as you like, pair a soft pea-green with a warm cream, throw in dusky pink as a third hue, or try turquoise, navy and white.
Suitable with neutral or coloured walls, what better choice for a touch of Europe in the home?
Brushed floorboards
From the top: Natural Rustic GL19 Timber, $75 (190mm x 19000mm), at FloorCo; Nature’s Oak Aspen Grey Timber, $150 (sqm), at Flooring Xtra; Urban Berlin Timber, $157 (sqm), at Forte; Quick Step Amato Wintry Forest Oak Extra Matte Timber, $160 (sqm), at Flooring Xtra.
When it comes to floorboards right now, opt for rustic and weathered over shiny and perfect. Take your pick from the array of genuine or engineered timber with a matte, wire-brushed finish and earthy palette that oozes texture and is resistant to wear and tear.
We’re not shying away from knots or natural markings in the wood, but rather embracing the tactile character they bring to a room.
Patterned tiles
From the top: Monaco Magili Vinyl, $67 (sqm), at Flooring Xtra; Monaco Shalimar Vinyl, $67 (sqm), at Flooring Xtra; Arts Seurat Matte Tile, $115 (sqm), at Tile Warehouse; Monaco York Vinyl, $67 (sqm), at Flooring Xtra.
Vibrant, creative designs are catching our eye in tile flooring right now, from Art Deco to Mediterranean styles and geometric shapes. We’re seeing them everywhere from laundries to sculleries and powder rooms.
While the most common place to look for colour and personality is on the walls, a patterned tile brings another layer of drama. What’s more, tiles are easy to wipe clean. We’re also seeing tiles being used in varied sizes and layouts, as opposed to evenly stacked, even pairing with timber in some parts of the home.
Coloured carpet
From the top: Waikiwi Pure Marigold Carpet, $355 (sqm), at Cronz; Eyelet Half Gold Carpet, $355 (sqm), at Cronz; Galet Sienna Carpet, $184 (sqm), at Flooring Xtra; Galet Sage Carpet, $184 (sqm), at Cavalier Bremworth; Softology Suave Carpet, $80 (sqm), at Flooring Xtra.
From dark mossy green to cobalt blues, bold-coloured carpet is making itself at home on its own or colour-blocked in the form of a rug on a neutral carpet.
To achieve the latter, simply request that your carpet retailer produce a rug in the same carpet but with a rich hue. Get creative and go for a colour you love. Not only will it bring character to your home but it’ll make your interior feel warm, comfortable and cosy.
Text Catherine Steel
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