Buying Guides · 6 min read

Flooring Trends 2026 into 2027: What Is In, What Is Fading and What Comes Next

Published 4 November 2026

Reviewed by our team, led by Adam Williams, Managing Director

Flooring trends move more slowly than paint or furniture, because most people expect a floor to last ten years or more. That makes it worth knowing which looks have staying power before you commit. Through 2026 the direction has been clear: warmer colours, more pattern, more texture and practical floors that cope with real family life. Here are the trends we think matter most, the looks that are starting to fade and what we expect to carry on into 2027. There is a separate section on kitchens, where most of these trends come together.

In this article

The Trends at a Glance
1. Warm Oak Replaces Cool Grey
2. Pattern Is Everywhere
3. Character Species Beyond Oak
4. Softer Stone Looks
5. Texture You Can Feel
6. One Floor Through the Ground Floor
7. Faster, Simpler Fitting
8. Colour and Paint Effects
Kitchen Flooring Trends
What Is Fading
Looking Ahead to 2027
See the Trends in Person
Frequently Asked Questions

Try the Floor Finder Order Free Samples

Flooring Trends 2026 into 2027: What Is In, What Is Fading and What Comes Next – Grosvenor Flooring

Key Takeaways

Warm, mid-tone and honey oaks have taken over from the cool greys of the last decade.

Herringbone, chevron, basketweave and parquet layouts keep growing, especially in hallways and kitchens.

Stone looks are moving towards soft limestone and warm, natural textures.

Species beyond oak, such as elm, larch, pine and chestnut, are becoming popular in pattern floors.

Waterproof LVT continues to replace tile and wood in kitchens, bathrooms and open-plan spaces.

The Trends at a Glance

Trend	The look	Best rooms	Format	GF example
Warm oak	Honey, golden and heritage tones	Living rooms, kitchens	Plank	Rydal Honey Oak
Pattern laying	Herringbone, chevron, basketweave	Hallways, kitchens	Short planks	Troutbeck Country Oak Chevron
Beyond oak	Elm, larch, pine and chestnut	Feature rooms	Herringbone, chevron	Keswick Chestnut Herringbone
Soft stone	Limestone and gentle marble	Kitchens, bathrooms	Large tile effect	Scafell Limestone
Quick-fit click	Rigid-core floors with underlay	Upstairs, refits	Plank, herringbone	Kingham Oak

1. Warm Oak Replaces Cool Grey

The biggest shift is in colour. For years, silver and ash-grey floors were the default in new kitchens and extensions. Now homeowners are choosing oaks with warmth in them: honey, golden, heritage and natural brown tones that sit comfortably with wooden cabinetry, green and terracotta paint colours and natural fabrics. Warm floors also make a room feel lived-in rather than showroom-new.

From our own range, Rydal Honey Oak and Langdale Heritage Oak in GF Glue-Down LVT and Inverlochy Oak and Devonshire Oak from GF by Associated Weavers all suit the trend. Our LVT colour guide explains how to pick a warm tone that will not turn orange under your lighting.

2. Pattern Is Everywhere

Herringbone has been popular for a while and it is not slowing down. What is new is the range of patterns people are choosing. Chevron gives a cleaner, more directional zig-zag. Basketweave adds a gentle, traditional texture that suits period homes. Classic parquet layouts bring a 1930s feel. In vinyl, all of these are practical in a kitchen or hallway.

GF Glue-Down LVT covers the lot. Try Rydal Honey Oak Herringbone, Troutbeck Country Oak Chevron, Staveley Bleached Oak Basketweave or Langdale Heritage Oak Basketweave. GF by Associated Weavers adds parquet such as Fife Oak Parquet. Our herringbone flooring guide covers sizes and laying patterns.

3. Character Species Beyond Oak

Oak will always dominate, but there is growing interest in timbers with a different grain or colour. Elm has a wild, swirling figure. Larch and pine are paler and more Scandinavian in feel. Chestnut is warm and rich. In pattern floors these species stand out without needing a bold colour. Our 0.7mm GF Glue-Down range includes Elterwater Elm Chevron, Glenridding Larch Herringbone, Eskdale Pine Herringbone and Keswick Chestnut Herringbone.

4. Softer Stone Looks

Polished, high-contrast marble is giving way to calmer stone: limestone with soft, worn edges, gentle veining and warm, sandy colours. These floors feel relaxed rather than formal and pair well with natural wood units. Real limestone is cold and needs sealing, so stone-effect LVT is a practical way to get the look. Consider GF Glue-Down Scafell Limestone or, for a little more veining, Helvellyn Marble.

5. Texture You Can Feel

Flat, glossy finishes look dated now. The preference is for matt surfaces with a grain you can feel, which look more natural and hide everyday marks. In vinyl that means an embossed surface. In wood it means brushed and oiled finishes. Read more in our textured LVT guide, or see real oak in our GF engineered wood range.

6. One Floor Through the Ground Floor

Open-plan living has made continuous flooring the norm. Rather than tile in the kitchen, wood in the lounge and carpet in the hall, many homeowners now run one waterproof floor through the whole ground floor with no threshold strips. LVT is ideal because it suits every room, including the downstairs cloakroom.

7. Faster, Simpler Fitting

Rigid-core click floors keep gaining ground for upstairs rooms, flats and quick refits, because they can often go over a sound existing floor. Our own GF Click SPC has a built-in underlay and includes click herringbone, so a patterned floor no longer has to mean a long, glue-down installation.

8. Colour and Paint Effects

A smaller but interesting trend is the painted floor: boards in soft white, black or even dusky pink. It is a bold choice best kept to bedrooms and creative spaces. Our Quick-Step Capture guide covers the painted laminate options.

Kitchen Flooring Trends

Kitchens are where flooring trends are most visible, because the floor has to look good next to new cabinetry and survive daily spills. These are the kitchen looks we expect to see most into 2027.

Warm wood looks with painted units. Honey and natural oak floors under sage, olive, navy or cream cabinets have replaced grey-on-grey schemes. Hawkshead Natural Oak and Rydal Honey Oak are good starting points.

Herringbone in the kitchen. Once a hallway floor, herringbone now runs through kitchen-diners. In glue-down LVT it is fully waterproof by the sink. Braithwaite Golden Oak Herringbone is a 0.7mm option for the busiest homes.

Stone looks instead of tiles. Limestone and soft stone effects in LVT give the look of a tiled kitchen without cold feet, cracked tiles or grout to scrub.

Contrast over matching. Wood-effect floors that contrast with wooden or painted units look more considered than a near-match.

One continuous floor. Kitchen, dining and family areas share one floor, so choose a colour that works across all three zones.

For the practical side of choosing a kitchen floor, read our best kitchen flooring guide. If you prefer real timber, see our guide to engineered wood in kitchens.

What Is Fading

Cool, flat grey. Still fine in the right scheme, but it is no longer the automatic choice.

High-gloss surfaces. They show every footprint and look less natural than matt finishes.

Heavily distressed rustic oak. Deep saw marks and strong grey washes are being replaced by cleaner, calmer grain.

Small tiles with wide grout lines. Hard to clean and busy to look at, especially in open-plan spaces.

Looking Ahead to 2027

We expect warm colours and pattern laying to keep growing rather than peak. Wider choice of species, more natural textures and the move to waterproof floors throughout the house all look set to continue. If you want a floor that will still feel current in five years, a mid-tone oak with a natural texture in a plank or herringbone format is the safest bet.

See the Trends in Person

Our 24/7 Altrincham Smart Showroom has GF floors laid at full size alongside the leading LVT brands. Request a door code online and visit when it suits you. GF samples are free if you would rather try colours at home.

Who leads our guides

Adam Williams

Managing Director, Grosvenor Flooring

Adam Williams is Managing Director of Grosvenor Flooring in Altrincham. He sets the standards our guides are written to and guides the team that reviews them, so the advice matches the floors we supply, the manufacturers' specifications and the way the fitters we work with install them.

More about Adam →

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Frequently Asked Questions

What flooring is most popular in 2026?

Wood-effect LVT in warm and natural oak tones is the floor we are asked about most, particularly for kitchens and open-plan spaces. Herringbone layouts continue to grow.

Is herringbone flooring still in fashion?

Yes. It has moved beyond hallways into kitchens and living rooms. Chevron and basketweave patterns are now joining it.

Is grey flooring out of style?

Cool, flat greys have lost ground to warmer tones. Soft greys with a touch of beige or brown still work well, especially with modern kitchens.

What is the most timeless flooring choice?

A natural mid-tone oak with a matt, textured finish in a plank or herringbone format. It suits most homes and is unlikely to date quickly.

What kitchen flooring is on trend for 2027?

Warm wood-effect floors, herringbone and soft stone looks in waterproof LVT, usually run continuously through the kitchen and dining area.

Are vinyl floors still popular?

Very much so. Demand keeps growing because LVT combines realistic wood and stone looks with water resistance and easy care.