2024 Laminate Flooring Trends: 10+ Stylish Laminate Ideas
By Ari Ziskin
| Fact Checked By: Michael Ranta
Published: October 11, 2023 | Updated: October 11, 2023
Laminate flooring trends have maintained their status as the staple go-to wood flooring alternative for residential use. Tremendous advancements are being made in flooring technology, allowing the best laminate flooring to resemble solid hardwood more closely than ever before.
Real estate experts call laminate flooring one of the top options for increasing home value, preceded by natural hardwood, stone, and tile. Laminate flooring offers homeowners an affordable way to achieve their dream wood look.
To help you stay on top of the latest styles, we’ve compiled a list of laminate flooring trends and what you can expect to see in 2024.
2024 Trending Laminate Flooring Types
Laminate flooring was once considered a one-trick pony, copying simplistic wood looks and offering homeowners a low-maintenance wood flooring alternative. Statement-making laminate floors.
But with recent technological advances and laminate manufacturers stepping up their game, that’s not the case anymore. Yes, laminate is still affordable, but it offers a lot more.
Get ready to see laminate floors that rival the features of vinyl and the beauty of traditional hardwood.
Related Content >> Laminate vs. Vinyl Flooring |
Waterproof Laminate
Solid hardwood can be a lot of things, but waterproof isn’t one of them. That’s the beauty of laminate flooring! You can have wood-look flooring that is budget-friendly and can handle moisture.
The waterproof flooring trend is taking the world by storm, particularly with the influx of waterproof vinyl (WPC and SPC) flooring on the market.
Laminate handles water differently than waterproof vinyl. Laminate’s surface is waterproof, whereas WPC/ SCP vinyl is waterproof from top to bottom. If water gets spilled and is not cleaned up immediately, the laminate’s locking installation keeps moisture from the subfloor. However, if moisture comes up from below, or there’s a flood, the laminate can be damaged.
That’s right! You can have a DIY-friendly laminate floor that resists water. Even better – water-resistant laminate floors mimic all the current look and style trends of genuine hardwood and traditional laminate, giving you everything you could ever ask for in one sharp floor.
Will the waterproof laminate flooring trend last in 2024 and beyond?
Yes! Waterproof flooring is super hot right now across all types, and demand for waterproof laminate flooring will only continue to rise.
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American-Made Laminate Flooring
The desire for American-manufactured products extends beyond traditional items to flooring and home decor. In fact, some homeowners will pay top dollar for that title. In short, “Made in the USA” products signify support for local vendors.
To stay on top of growing demand, many flooring manufacturers are releasing products made in the USA.
Will the American-made laminate flooring trend last in 2024 and beyond?
We predict the demand for American-Made laminate flooring trend will be steady going into the future as people focus on buying more things locally.
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Stain-Resistant Laminate Flooring
If you think waterproof laminate is awesome, wait until you learn about stain-resistant laminate.
Everyone knows that spills happen. Whether they’re caused by kids, adults, or the dog, stains are inevitable. Laminate manufacturers wanted to make sure they had every base covered, and created laminate planks that are stain-resistant.
This means when accidents happen and are cleaned up promptly, your floor will not stain. It will continue to look fabulous and brand new.
Will the stain-resistant laminate flooring trend last in 2024 and beyond?
Who doesn’t want a floor that can resist stains? Life is unpredictable, so it’s always good to have a bit of insurance for your floors. That’s why stain-resistant laminate will be a lasting trend for many years to come.
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2024 Trending Laminate Flooring Textures
The days of smooth and shiny are gone. 2024 laminate flooring ideas will focus on rustic, characterized looks reminiscent of current wood flooring trends.
Expect to see scrapes, knots, burns, unfinished looks, and lots of color variance as we move towards a more comforting, homey style, veering away from sharp, modern elegance.
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Reclaimed Wood-Look Laminate Flooring Trends
Unique, durable, and green, with each plank telling a story, it’s no wonder reclaimed wood has taken off so quickly.
Often, reclaimed wood comes from decking, timbers, barns, etc. Although, now that it has become so popular, you will find reclaimed wood from unique sources like wine barrels and more.
Of course, laminate flooring cannot truly replicate the essence of reclaimed wood. Homeowners are not reclaiming laminate planks. Manufacturers are simply designing laminate planks to resemble reclaimed wood since it is so popular right now.
Reclaimed wood (usually) comes naturally distressed. Reclaimed wood-look laminate flooring mimics that with randomized scrapes, burns, knots, and more.
Will the reclaimed wood-look trend last in 2024 and beyond?
It’s doubtful. Unfortunately, the big push for reclaimed wood has a lot to do with it being environmentally responsible.
Laminate manufacturers will have longer life cycles with typical handscraped and distressed looks.
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Embossed in Register Laminate Floors
For the most natural-looking laminate floor, the embossed in register surface texture is the move for 2024 laminate flooring trends.
An embossed in register surface provides beautiful realistic wood textures by creating indentations to mimic natural wood grains that exactly match the image layer of the laminate plank. Adding a warm, realistic texture to your floor, registered embossing makes your laminate floors look like completely realistic wood floors at a lower price than solid hardwood.
This trend is huge in laminate flooring because of how realistic the indentions look on the plank. In 2024, the more convincing, the better.
Will the embossed in register laminate trend last in 2024 and beyond?
This texture of flooring will undoubtedly last 2024 and years to come based on its affordability and looks.
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Distressed Wood-Look Laminate
Weathered and distressed looks are pretty similar to reclaimed wood looks. Weathered looks often feature a more subtle wirebrushed texture, while distressed looks go all the way with the appearance of knots, burns, scrapes, the works.
The only difference is that distressed laminate looks are created by machines in a factory, whereas solid hardwood gets its distressed look naturally over time. This means you won’t get the unique characteristics of traditional distressed solid wood.
Instead, you can get the man-made distressed look at a fraction of the cost with distressed laminate planks. So you can have the trend and the convenience of easy maintenance all wrapped into one flooring.
Will the weathered and distressed wood-look laminate trend last in 2024 and beyond?
We believe there will always be a market for this type of flooring. It’s not something that every homeowner will love, but we predict it will stay relevant for the next 20 years.
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Rustic and Handscraped Wood-Look Laminate
Hand scraping makes each plank appear handcrafted and one of a kind. In the past, laminate flooring trends have merely been embossed to look handscraped. Newer planks have a realistic touch to fully compete with solid hardwood floors in both looks and texture.
Long, ingrained scrapes show in the finish, leaving the floor looking unique and rare. This look is often very expensive in solid hardwood, but notably less costly in look-a-like laminate.
Will the handscraped laminate trend last in 2024 and beyond?
This unique, individual, handcrafted look will stand the test of time. It looks expensive, and people love expensive things.
*Note: Many floors will claim to be hand scraped when, in reality, they have been etched by a machine. Make sure you’re purchasing your flooring from a reputable manufacturer to ensure things are true as they are labeled.
2024 Laminate Color Trends
The light flooring trend we saw in 2020 is still holding strong with beachy whitewashed looks. But you’ll see some warmer and medium-toned looks creeping in as well.
Of course, you’ll also see the familiar gray laminate floors. Gray is in for the long haul and will continue to top the trends charts for the next decade or so.
But what other color options are out there? Let’s talk about it!
Whitewashed Laminate Flooring Trends
The whitewashed look is more of a west coast trend that is starting to spread across the country. In addition to the coastal look, whitewashed floors are also excellent for the now-trending farmhouse-style homes, particularly kitchens.
Now, when we say “whitewashed” we don’t mean a smooth, finished white wood. The whitewashed laminate typically shows signs of wear with the darker colors peeking out from underneath. It fits right in with the 2024 aged and worn trends happening across all styles of flooring.
Whitewashed floors will make your home look brighter, bigger, and more relaxed. It can give that “beachy” feel or also an upscale contemporary feel, depending on the rest of your decor.
Related Content >> Farmhouse Flooring: 15+ Ideas for a Country Chic Home |
Will the white-washed laminate flooring trend last in 2024 and beyond?
If this trend lasts, it will be regional, at best. If you’re looking for light wood, we suggest going for a more versatile blonde wood instead.
Light Wood Laminate
As more homeowners embrace the light, airy feel in their homes, you will see a huge resurgence in light laminate wood floors. Blonde wood looks, in particular, can give you that light touch, with a timeless feel.
With light laminated wood, your decorating possibilities are endless. You can go for a chic, contemporary feel or a rustic, homey vibe, all without changing your floors.
Also, light laminate makes any room feel larger and more open, especially if you use large planks (but we’ll get to that later on). Unlike white floors, it is less likely to appear dingy and dirty, so it gives you the best of both worlds!
Will the light wood laminate trend last in 2024 and beyond?
The light wood look will become a trend-turned-classic before you can even think about switching it up to something new. If you like it, go for it! It’ll be a hit for quite a while.
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Gray Laminate
Gray wood-look flooring has grown exponentially over the last decade. Manufacturers tiptoed onto the scene, producing a few gray looks here and there to see how homeowners would respond.
Gray quickly became the most popular trend, not just for flooring, but for homes in general. Gray is just in!
In addition to looking chic and trendy, gray laminate floors set the tone of a cool, contemporary home. They give you a neutral backdrop for decorating in virtually any color. Aquas, greens, bright, bold colors, or even black and white – they will all go with your sleek gray flooring.
Will the gray laminate trend last in 2024 and beyond?
Yes! Gray will probably stay in style at least until it’s time for you to purchase new floors anyway.
High Variation Laminate
With improved flooring technology, it is now easier than ever to make your floors look more natural. In nature, no two pieces of wood look alike. The colors vary from plank to plank. Now, manufacturers can replicate this on their floors.
Will the high variation laminate trend last in 2024 and beyond?
As homeowners embrace this trend head-on, you will begin to see stores with entire sections dedicated to high variation wood-look colors. The challenge with something bold like high color variation is that it’s a particular aesthetic. Sure, it will probably be trendy for the next decade or so.
However, if you’re looking at resale value, be aware that not everyone will be too keen on this look.
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2024 Laminate Flooring Layout and Pattern Trends
In 2024, patterns are still thriving!
Unfortunately, many people still imagine the dated 1970s parquet floors when they think of patterns, but over the last decade, flooring patterns have shown tremendous growth in modern, contemporary homes.
Get ready to see lots of designs and patterns in 2024.
Herringbone Laminate Floors
If you are looking for something bold instead of a simple, streamlined floor, you’ll probably love this pattern. Herringbone is one of the most popular decorative patterns in homes today as it connects two planks at a 90-degree angle creating an intricate, angled design. This is the distinct difference between herringbone and the ever-popular chevron floor pattern, as shown above.
Herringbone flooring looks custom and can be as bold or subdued as you like. It can also create the illusion of a wider space, since the angle of the planks makes the layout more narrow.
Note: This may not be the trend to do your entire home in. However, long entryways, hallways, and bathrooms can look stunning!
Will the herringbone laminate trend last in 2024 and beyond?
While the herringbone pattern is very in right now, this trend isn’t likely to last forever, but it sure looks pretty while it’s here.
Chevron Laminate Floors
Just because it’s different from herringbone doesn’t mean it’s not trending in 2024. The chevron pattern has been doing its thing for the last 10 years, and it looks like it only gets better with age.
You can get laminate planks that have the chevron pattern on them to create the ultimate eye-catching floor. Pair it with light wood, and install in a dining room or breakfast nook, and viola, you are the trendsetter.
Will the chevron laminate trend last in 2024 and beyond?
This trend will last in 2024, but it also has a shelf life. We predict the chevron pattern will live on another 5-10 years before moving on to the next trend.
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Wide Plank Laminate Floors
This is one trend you can expect to see every year in every style for the foreseeable future. Longer, wider planks make your room look larger, more open, more cohesive, and less busy.
While shorter, thinner, planks give more of a traditional hardwood look, they will also start to look outdated for that same reason.
We recommend getting on board with the large and extra-large plank trend!
Will the wide plank laminate trend last in 2024 and beyond?
Manufacturers are only trending towards even wider and longer planks. This trend will soon become a classic staple and will likely last the test of time.
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Conclusion
As you can see, there are a lot of laminate flooring trends right now. There are plenty of different, unique options trending that will likely stick around for years to come, which means your possibilities are endless.
If you want something hot that will last for the long haul, we recommend going for a rustic-looking laminate in large, wide planks.
We currently have carpet (yuck) and want to do our dining room, great room and hall and stairs with water resistant laminate. Our style is rustic and we have a lot of oak trim in our home with a brick fireplace that has a cedar matte and bricks that are tan, grey, beige etc-earthy tones. We are seriously looking at a floor with variation and texture. We are sure we would like this style and color scheme but in 5-10 years if we move will potential buyers be turned off?
Here is one we are looking at.
https://www.houzz.com/discussions/3574806/aquaguard-laminate
Hello Constance!
We believe that grey, honey, and ashy browns tend to always stay in style since they’re neutral colors. Waterproof flooring is great, and though there is waterproof laminate, I find that there are more variations in textures in vinyl flooring.
TritonCORE is a great waterproof vinyl that features grey-toned finishes.
For more texture, this Mohawk Variations has both variation in color and texture.
Hope this helps!
I just love wooden floors.They make the house look so pretty and wonderful.This article will definitely help me renovate my house with these flooring trends.Thanks for sharing such great article.I am glad that I came across such amazing article.
Glad you enjoyed it, Emma!
Thank you, this is super informative!
Laminate flooring gives a very natural look. Thanks for sharing this blog.
Hey,
Thank you for sharing knowledge through blog on laminate flooring
I thought it was interesting how you said that technology is making it so that laminate flooring is able to resemble hardwood floor more closely than ever before. My brother was doing some electrical work in his home when he accidentally dropped a tool on his floor that completely destroyed it. He has always liked the look of hardwood floor, so it may be good for him to talk with a flooring contractor and see about installing laminate floors.
Absolutely! That’s too bad his floor was destroyed. If he would like to look into laminate flooring, we can help!
Thank you very much for the information (and the time you took to assemble all). I was looking (still are) for information on a rectangular design. I once saw it and I think it’s really nice, but I’m not sure how to create it… it basically creates a concentric set of rectangles.
Hi Ernest!
Thank you for your comment. I’m glad you enjoyed this post. Is it possible you’re looking for a parquet flooring design? While this pattern is a bit tricky to install, we do offer some peel and stick tiles that already have the parquet pattern. You can find them here: https://www.flooringinc.com/vinyl/tiles/wood-peel-and-stick-vinyl-tiles.html
I hope this helps. Please get in touch if you have any more questions!