Gray hardwood floors are, in my opinion, hella cool. We do a ton of them. Let’s just get that out there. But are they a passing style trend, or are they here for the long run?
Remember that Gray is a Neutral, like brown or tan…it goes with anything. We do different shades of gray, as well as gray/brown mixed floors frequently, and in all different types of homes. The grayer and less brown that you go, the more your wood floor will skew toward a modern, contemporary style. If your home and furniture are more traditional but you want to modernize things a bit, I would suggest more of a brown / grey or a medium brown stain with a slight gray undertone.
4-Color Custom Gray Blend
5” White Oak installed & finished in Dix Hills, NY in 2018 with custom gray stain and Satin Bona Traffic HD water based polyurethane.
Bona Driftwood Stain & Satin Bona Traffic HD on Red Oak in Nesconset, NY. This kitchen went from drab to fab, with a more contemporary cool style. These floors bring in a dramatic modern edge to this home.
3-color custom blend on Red Oak for a customer in Huntington, NY 2018. Finished with Bona Traffic HD. This lighter, softer gray imparts more of a driftwood tone.
Pro Tip: Adding Weathered Oak to any brown or dark brown stain will give you a hardwood floor with more depth and more of a transitional style, as it gives a slight grey undertone to any stain. If you like gray, but aren’t ready to go all the way gray, try blending any color stain with Weathered Oak! Instantly brings floors into the modern era. :)
Grey floors are easier to keep clean than dark brown hardwood floors because they show less dust. Lighter gray floors can make a room feel open and airy, while darker gray stains can visually reduce the space. Dark gray floors do make for a dramatic contrast with light-colored walls, and dark gray hardwood floors also provide a perfect backdrop for brightly colored furniture and accents, such as red or teal. Gold and honey tones also complement dark gray hardwood floors.
8” Character White Oak installed & finished in Syosset
Love this rich dark gray!
Bold colors really work on dark grey floors! Melville, NY project completed in Spring 2017.
Combine light gray floors with lighter, neutral-toned furniture and accents for an instant beach house style. Cream, beige, silver and sage go very well with light gray wood floors. Camel tones also work very well with a light gray-washed floor, and they impart a shabby-chic, vintage look to a space.
Above photos display Woca Penetrating Oils on basket weave White Oak flooring in Northport, NY. Get the layered gray and white look with Woca pre-treatments and Woca Hardwax Oils! This is a perfect choice for a beach house. Project completed in 2018.
Gray hardwood floors can look contemporary and sleek, or warm and rustic depending on the grade of wood (see Different Grades of Hardwood Flooring) and shade of gray chosen. We frequently mix 4 different colors together to come up with the perfect tone of gray for a hardwood floor! Your flooring contractor should be able to mix colors together to achieve the desired shade of gray. Gray floors are not easy to do, so make sure you hire a reputable hardwood flooring professional.
Can you pull off gray hardwood floors in your home? I always think it’s best to think about furniture and décor when considering a grey floor. In my opinion, dark, traditional wood furniture and décor do not work well with grey. Grey floors are more of a transitional style, and can look odd when paired with heavy traditionally styled furniture. Heavy yellow-ish or orange-ish woodwork / trim around windows or doors does not look good with gray hardwood flooring. If you want to go gray, you need to make sure your trim colors will complement the new style. Orange-brown colored molding will look exxxtra dated when paired with new gray wood floors.
New gray floors + old orange cabinets
We strongly suggest changing trim and cabinets to complement the cool tones of a gray wood floor!
Grey floors have more of an urban, modern look…think funky furniture or minimalist contemporary styles. Turquoise and sky blue work very well with gray, and also white can be very striking depending on the shade of gray. All pastel colors are lovely with gray tones, and really pop against the cool contrast of a gray wood floor.
Do you have an urban style? Gray floors will work very well with an industrial-themed décor or concrete walls. Think exposed duct work or pipes, metal furniture, exposed brick…gray hardwood floors of medium to darker grays work very well with this type of style.
Wide plank grey floors of any shade are a fantastic base for a very modern or minimalist style. Simple, compact furniture looks great on top of wide plank floors. Thin metal or wooden legs on furniture are very striking on top of wide planks. Wide plank rustic (lots of knots and color variation) light gray floors also work very well for a modern farmhouse décor. Choose a warm or light gray to complement this modern rustic style.
As I say to our clients all the time, personal taste is unique to you! At the end of the day, if you just love gray floors, you will love them with any décor. Make sure to pick a reputable contractor. Grey floors are not easy to achieve…the sanding must be perfect and the color is not an easy one to apply evenly. Grey floors are very striking and cool. All your friends will compliment you on your awesome, unique style. In our opinion, hardwood floors that have been stained gray are here to stay!
