White painted floors are a fashionable trend in interior design. Their growing popularity is explained by the fact that such floors look different in every home, giving the interior decoration individuality and unique style. Interior designers traditionally use white color to create an atmosphere of comfort and peace in a room. A bright room allows a person to feel away from external noise and bustle. In addition, the white floor becomes a bright accent that attracts attention and, being successfully integrated into the overall design, creates the impression of the owner of the house as a person with subtle taste and unconventional thinking.
White floor in the interior
White floor in interior design
Design features
- It is a well-known fact that white color expands boundaries, which means that using a light floor covering can visually enlarge the space.
- Using different textures and materials, the white tone will support the style of any interior.
- White color can become the main “highlight” of the room or serve as a background.
- White color, like any other, has cold and warm shades.
Art
In our opinion, it is artistic parquet that stands out most advantageously among other natural coverings. It is made from rare hardwood. When laying a parquet board, a real picture is formed that can add a sophisticated touch to any interior.
There are two main types of artistic parquet: picturesque and geometric . The first type of coating forms an unusual picture with many branches. In the case of a geometric pattern, the pattern is duplicated throughout the base of the floor covering. Geometric parquet is somewhat reminiscent of classic mosaic.
The beauty and chic of artistic parquet
Most often, artistic parquet is used to zone a room or, conversely, to combine floor coverings from different rooms into one. There are such varieties of artistic parquet boards and types of elements as:
- Mosaic . This is a repeating pattern, which is most often complemented by rosettes.
- Sockets . Such a complex pattern is laid out in the center of the room.
- Curbs . Designed in the form of geometric shapes or complex patterns (flowers, butterflies).
Incredibly beautiful drawings will not leave anyone indifferent
Types of finishing materials
Tile
Ceramic tiles are durable and easy to maintain. Technologies allow you to apply complex images, which means it’s easy to choose a design to suit your desired style. The material may differ not only in color, but also in texture.
A glossy floor will visually increase the area due to its reflective properties; matte tiles are easier to clean and look more comfortable in the interior.
Imitation of white marble will significantly save your budget, while in the interior it will look expensive and stylish. Disadvantages include fragility and low sound insulation. It is also advisable to install heated floors during renovations, since the tile material is cold.
Porcelain tiles
It is manufactured at a higher temperature, so it acquires higher strength and has a dense structure without pores, which allows the use of abrasive agents during maintenance. Externally, porcelain stoneware looks like tiles and is suitable for the kitchen, hallway, and living room.
Tree
A noble, eco-friendly material with a unique texture, color and pattern. Plank wood floors can match almost any style in the interior, while always looking stylish. However, there is a drawback to natural wood flooring: it reacts to the humidity in the room and may begin to creak over time.
The photo shows a bedroom with a painted wood panel floor.
Parquet always remains relevant and is suitable for decorating a bedroom, living room, or children's room. Another option is laminate. The color of white oak looks especially impressive.
The photo shows a modern living room with white parquet flooring.
White self-leveling floor
The main advantage of self-leveling flooring is considered to be maximum wear resistance; it is not afraid of damage of almost any nature. The application technology is performed without seams or joints. One of the disadvantages is the cold surface, which will be corrected by a warm floor.
The photo shows a minimalist kitchen with self-leveling flooring.
Carpet covering
Carpeted flooring looks cozy, but requires more maintenance. In addition to regular vacuuming, white carpet will require professional dry cleaning. Looks good in the bedroom, nursery and living room.
Painting
A simple but no less interesting way of finishing. In addition to simple plain painting, the floor can be decorated with a variety of patterns. For better adhesion of paint to the surface, the floor must be prepared and cleaned.
Cork floor
Cork is a soft, pleasant to the touch, environmentally friendly material that has many advantages. Cork has soundproofing properties, has a warm surface and lasts quite a long time. Cork also has orthopedic properties due to shock absorption. Suitable for decorating a nursery, bedroom and living room.
Vinyl
The coating has a lot of positive qualities. The material is as simple as possible when laying out and maintaining. It also has good heat and sound insulation. However, the material is not environmentally friendly and may lose color over time.
Flaws
Dust on a white floor is almost invisible, but all other types of dirt become immediately visible, which requires their immediate removal to maintain a neat appearance of the coating. Light-colored floors will require more frequent cleaning. But this drawback can easily turn into an advantage, given that the room will always be kept perfectly fresh and clean.
White kitchen design with white tiles on the floor
Important! All kinds of damage, such as chips, cracks, dents, scratches, stand out much more strongly on a white background than on a dark one. This nuance should be taken into account when planning redevelopment or rearrangement of furniture.
White glossy self-leveling floor
Glossy or matte flooring?
The texture of the coating can change the appearance of the room. In a small room it is better to use gloss, reflecting objects, they will visually increase the area of the room. This effect can be achieved using tiles, porcelain stoneware and self-leveling flooring.
The photo shows a children's room with a glossy white floor covering.
Matte floors will add coziness to the interior. Almost any floor finishing material comes with a matte texture, so there will be no problems with the choice.
Secrets of choosing white parquet boards for your home
The material for laying parquet consists of several layers, namely plywood, coniferous dies, and plates of valuable types of wood. All layers of this type of flooring are stacked on top of each other in a strictly defined order. The most expensive is the outer layer, which determines the wear resistance and aesthetics of the material. The remaining layers provide coating geometry, hardness and strength.
The outer layer of valuable wood is coated with varnish or oil. This preserves the brightness, color of the coating, as well as resistance to sunlight and ensures its durability. When choosing a material for parquet, you always need to make sure that the quality and appearance of the coating meets the established regulatory requirements; for this, do not forget to ask the seller for all certificates for raw materials and products.
Material selection and number of strips are necessary parameters for choosing this type of flooring. It can be (according to the number of lanes) one-, two-, three- and four-lane. According to this parameter, the material is selected based on the design solution of the room.
The color, cutting method, and the features of the top layer supply determine the selection of white parquet boards. According to the selection, the material for the floor of the room can be: premium (radial, select, natural), standard segment (select, rustic), economy class (robust). By cutting, there are radial, tangential or mixed methods for making such a wooden covering.
Photos in the interior
Kitchen
A white floor in the kitchen is not the most practical, but it is a very effective idea. The beauty of white is its versatility; it can be successfully combined with any shade. The set can be of any color. Suitable materials for the floor would be tiles, laminate, self-leveling flooring.
Bathroom and toilet
A white floor will make the bathroom and toilet look larger. It is worth using moisture-resistant surfaces. In addition to a single-color coating, white can also be diluted with other paints, for example, with patterns or wood imitation.
The photo shows a bathroom with a podium. The finishing is made of white tiles.
Living room
The flooring material is selected depending on the stylistic direction. Carpet, wood and vinyl flooring are suitable for a classic interior in the hall. In a modern interior you can use tiles, porcelain stoneware, wood and self-leveling flooring.
Bedroom
A white floor will fill the bedroom with air and make it more spacious. A white wooden floor will make the bedroom soft, and a carpet will fill the atmosphere with coziness.
Children's
In the nursery, it is better to use warm materials such as linoleum, carpet, and cork. A colored carpet looks harmonious on a light background.
Corridor and hallway
The flooring in the hallway must be moisture- and wear-resistant. A white wood-look marble floor or tiles in accordance with the interior style will look chic.
The photo shows a hallway in a modern style. The flooring is made of marble.
Light wood floor
Flooring is an important design element in a room and can create a strong visual impact in any room with the right wood species, shade and finish. Among all the floors in a light shade, wooden flooring especially stands out.
Tip If you already have hardwood floors in your home, all you need to do is sand the boards and then paint them to match the walls or furniture. If your parquet is made of some hard wood (for example, oak or ash), then pre-bleaching with whitewash will be required.
Creative, stylish and cozy room design
To avoid all that sanding and painting, light-colored flooring can be achieved by installing new engineered hardwood floors that have been pre-treated with whitewash or paint. Alternatively, if you like the look of wood but don't have the budget, then you can always go with stained vinyl or ceramic tiles.
You can choose wooden floors with different surfaces:
- glossy;
- artificially aged;
- with carving or painting to make the grain more visible.
Wood flooring gives a feeling of basic integrity, lightness and at the same time reliability. Light wood species that perform well as flooring can be the following:
- beech;
- ash;
- oak;
- Scandinavian durum varieties and many others.
These woods blend with traditional interiors, bringing a natural lightness familiar to many generations. On the other hand, their underrated, soft endurance complements the sharper lines of modern architecture. This is a classic flooring that will look confident and enhance any interior style with its genuine naturalness.
Light wood floors come in a wide range of shades:
- white;
- cream;
- beige;
- blue;
- gray.
Linen, cotton and other earth-inspired neutral tones look great here. These wood floors create a neutral canvas from which any style or design can be created. Keep your space monochromatic or mix it up with pops of color.
Dining room connected to living room
Combination with other colors
Black and white floor
The classic combination of black and white has remained relevant for a long time. For tiles, the combination can be in a checkerboard pattern, stripes, or with the addition of one color or another to the main background. Carpeting can have an elegant pattern.
White-gray
A softer combination that looks elegant on a marble floor, highlighting the natural pattern of marble in gray. Depending on the design, the combination can be in a classic and modern interior.
Red-white
Bold shade. Red, combined with white, it looks stylish and not pretentious. The interior may contain red decorative elements. Suitable for finishing floors in a modern style.
Why choose yellow?
In our opinion, you can make a room truly sunny and positive by using yellow birch parquet. A beautiful warm shade will perfectly complement the design of a children's room or bedroom. The material has a beautiful heterogeneous shade, where several warm shades intertwine with each other.
Parquet is always in fashion
Tip Yellow birch will help you save on repairs, and will not differ from oak parquet boards. Its cost is cheaper, and in color and texture it is not much different from popular varieties. You can find yellow birch parquet in the store of this type: country, natural, amber and amber natural.
What wall color should I choose? What wallpaper is suitable?
Seemingly simple at first glance, white color will add luxury to any interior, and thanks to its versatility, it can be combined with almost any wall shade.
- Light walls will become a continuation of the white floor. For a classic interior, light plaster with white baseboards or wallpaper with a discreet pattern are suitable. In a modern interior, you can use brickwork and wallpaper with patterns. One of the walls can be decorated with photo wallpaper with a three-dimensional image.
- The contrasting dark color of the walls will visually elongate the room. In this case, you can focus on texture and color.
- White walls will make the room as spacious as possible. To prevent the room from being boring, you can use unusual finishing techniques, such as relief panels, brickwork or wallpaper with a shiny surface.
- White floor and gray walls. To prevent the interior from being cold, you should choose a warm shade of gray. Wallpaper with strict geometric shapes will fit well into a high-tech interior, and paintable wallpaper is suitable for Scandinavian-style decoration.
- The deep blue color will attract attention. To create a marine style, you can choose striped wallpaper. You can highlight the area with photo wallpaper in blue tones.
- Shades of yellow create a light summer mood. Reflecting from the white floor, it will fill the room with sunlight.
The most beautiful shades
Pure white tone is not found too often in the interior. Its shades are much more popular. With their help you can give the atmosphere the desired mood and style.
We list the most pleasant tones for the floor:
- Snow white is essentially neutral, but is perceived as a cool shade. Its advantages are versatility in terms of combinations, a “festive” look and the ability to expand space. Even the Khrushchev building will seem larger than it actually is. Such a surface, especially glossy, reflects maximum light. The disadvantage of a snowy tone may be some coldness and excessive severity.
- a sky blue undertone if you add a little blue to a bucket of snow-white paint. This color is good for the floor, ceiling, and walls. He is classified as “cold”, but at the same time he is not so strict. It is recommended to use it in rooms with windows facing south. You can complicate this shade by adding a drop of black: then you get blue-gray .
- The gray-white coating looks calm and non-committal. This shade is easy to combine. A light gray floor of almost any texture is very practical and will suit any interior.
- A joyful and warming champagne shade suitable for both glossy and matte surfaces. In the first case, this will be an option for the classic style, hi-tech and minimalism. The second is a great way to decorate a room in Provence, shabby chic, or scandi style.
- The palest orange you can imagine is called antique white . It is classified as a warm beige tones.
- Pale beige will look great in a room with wooden brown furniture and coffee-colored wall decoration.
ADVICE. The juxtaposition of two different tones of white often looks ill-conceived, although experienced designers can reconcile some shades.
If you have difficulty with the combination, use the same color, but in different saturations. For example, go for a bluish flooring and slightly brighter light blue walls and ceiling. Some pieces of furniture may already have a more saturated shade of blue or even blue. Add monochrome colors here - gray and black - in any quantity. To create accents, another color, for example red, will be useful.
Warm floor shade - for those who value comfort
White and gray flooring in a gray bedroom with color accents
Combination with ceiling color
Finishing the ceiling with white will create symmetry in the room, in this case attention will be focused on the walls. A boring, flat ceiling can be decorated with stucco molding or plaster plinth.
Darker shades are best combined with the color of the wallpaper; the ceiling can become an extension of the walls. The black color of the ceiling will become the object of attention in the design of the apartment. To avoid creating a pressing sensation, it is better to use glossy materials.
Classic oak
The most common and no less reliable material is oak parquet. Any room in the house will look noble with such flooring thanks to its unique texture and pattern . When using solid oak, you can decorate a room in both light and dark shades.
Boiled oak can create a beautiful contrast with the walls. The solid wood here is of a dark shade. This coating will fit well into the style of the room in the form of classics or baroque.
It will look good in both dark and light colors
Standard oak parquet boards have a light beige shade. It is important to use flooring to furnish a room in a Scandinavian interior, where bright colors and neat lines are successfully combined. A light board will not look bad in a classic style.
Which skirting board to choose?
The baseboard for the floor is an important detail that should also be paid attention to during repairs.
- In a minimalist interior you can do without it; white skirting boards will suit classic and modern styles.
- In a spacious room these can be high plinths of unusual shape; for a compact room it is better to use small corners.
- A black plinth for the floor will separate the planes and look elegant; it will also look harmonious with black doors.
Choice of door color
Doors should be in harmony with the overall interior of the apartment.
- White doors will become a continuation of the room; it is better to use them in a bright interior.
- Dark door color and white floor. It can be combined in color with the color of the walls or contrasted against the background of light wallpaper.
- Wenge color is best used in warm interior colors; it looks great on a beige background.
Suitable furniture
Furniture can match the overall color scheme of the decoration or become a bright accent in the interior.
- In a bright living room with white walls and floors, a brightly colored sofa will indicate a relaxation area.
- If you choose furniture of the same color palette as the decoration, then you need to focus on details, such as pillows, decorative elements, dishes or textiles.
- Brown furniture will add coziness to the room. The interior will be complemented by a carpet, pillows and unusual lighting.
American walnut
American walnut flooring looks very unusual in interior design. You can choose parquet boards in various shades - from gray-brown to rich chocolate. In some cases, dark woods have a beautiful purple hue, which gives the room an atmosphere of mystery and sophistication.
Application of solid walnut board
The beautiful wave-like pattern of dies with curls is great for decorating a room. We do not recommend using parquet darker than American walnut in the interior. It is on American walnut that dust is not visible, and the rich chocolate shade of the parquet creates a beautiful contrast with the light walls.
Design
Inserts of other colors
Inserts of a different color can be distributed over the entire surface of the floor or form a three-dimensional pattern. On white tiles, piece inserts of a different color or with patterns look interesting. In a hallway, bath or entryway, tiles with uniform black corners look elegant.
The photo shows a classic kitchen, the tiles have discreet black and white inserts.
Chess
The classic combination for checkerboard floor design is black and white. This design is suitable for a room in a modern style and can be diluted with other shades in the design. The shade is chosen based on personal preference; for a calmer interior, light shades are suitable.
Patterns and prints
Patterns and prints on the floor are located in the central part of the room or area. The image will highlight the style of the interior. A similar effect can be achieved using self-leveling flooring, carpeting or tiles.
With texture
Tile and wood are used to create textured flooring. Laminate and wood panels convey the unique texture of wood. A completely different relief is applied to the tile; it can imitate natural materials or have an unusual pattern.
How to cover white parquet boards
- Varnish
Varnish is one of the most common types of protective coating, effectively protecting wood from exposure to water and mechanical damage.
The disadvantages of varnish include the fact that the protective layer closes the pores of the wood, and it stops breathing and natural air exchange is disrupted. White parquet boards covered in this way look unnatural.
- Parquet oil
To protect against moisture or sudden temperature changes, the floor covering is impregnated with a special oil, which consists of organic and mineral components.
In this case, you need to care for the parquet board more carefully than for surfaces coated with varnish, since with such treatment a protective film does not form; the composition penetrates into the pores of the wood. Deep oil impregnation significantly increases the life of wooden parquet.
- Wax
Wax is often used to finish the coating. It is made from both paraffin and natural wax. It is a completely organic product and does not interfere with normal air and moisture exchange between the tree and the surrounding atmosphere. At the same time, it forms a protective film on the surface of the parquet.
If it is necessary to renew an oiled or waxed coating, it is not necessary to scrape the floors. The protective layer of wax is the most wear-resistant and can be applied either over oil or on its own. In combination with oil, it makes the white parquet board play with colors and gives additional chemical resistance (to the effects of household chemicals).
The frequency of updating the oil or wax layer is at least once every two years.
- Parquet mastic
Flooring mastic, in addition to protecting against moisture and mechanical damage, reveals and emphasizes the natural texture of wood, increasing the aesthetic component of wood.
One of the main disadvantages of this type of coating is that floors treated with mastic are washed no more than 2 times a year.
There are 4 types of mastics for covering white parquet boards:
- Water-based mastics are environmentally friendly with excellent properties, but this type of coating is not suitable for all types of wood.
- Water-soluble compounds increase the resistance of the material to mechanical wear; they are not used for processing moisture-sensitive wood (white birch parquet board, white beech parquet board).
- Wax-containing mastics add a noble shine and protect the coating from moisture.
- Turpentine compositions are intended for types of wood that absorb moisture well. In specialized stores they are sold ready-to-use (in liquid form).
Some manufacturers offer mastics that have antibacterial properties.
- stain
Stain is a tinting, not a protective, composition for wooden floor coverings. It can be used to change the color of wood. As a rule, after its application, the parquet surface is additionally coated with varnish.
Manufacturers offer a wide range of different stains. For parquet boards, it is better to use wax or oil-based tinting compounds. You can use alcohol stains, in this case you need to be prepared for difficulties when using them; stains may appear on the floor surface if applied carelessly. In order to work competently with nitro stains, use a spray gun, since any brush will leave unsightly streaks. Moreover, this effect does not depend on the skill and qualifications of the finishing specialist.
In general, the uneven color of wood after using stain is the main disadvantage of this type of treatment. Due to the uneven absorption of moisture into the wood fibers, individual parts of the tinted material turn out lighter or darker. Modern designers are increasingly using this effect in interior design.
- Polish
Polish, like stains, is used to cover white parquet boards in combination with varnish.
Polishes may contain wax and polymer components. This treatment gives the wood shine, moisture and wear resistance; over time, the polish layer requires updating. For white parquet in a residential area, the coating is renewed about once a year.
Style decision
Modern
In a modern style, you can use both glossy and matte finishes. In the style of minimalism and hi-tech, marble, self-leveling flooring, and plain carpet look harmonious.
The photo shows a minimalist bedroom with wooden floors.
Loft
To finish the floor in the loft style, large tiles, laminate or matte self-leveling flooring with imitation concrete are used.
Classic
In a classic interior, the decoration is made of wood, tiles or carpet. The painted floor will complement the carpet.
The photo shows a classic bedroom with white carpet.
Scandinavian
The style is restrained and laconic; a wooden or self-leveling floor will be a good solution. Small rugs will add warmth to the interior.
Provence
In a Provence interior, a floor made of painted white boards, laminate with wood texture or tiles with an aged effect looks harmonious.
Interior styles and white floors
It is difficult to name an interior in which a white floor would be inappropriate. He gets along with both traditional and ultra-modern filling of space with equal success. Against its background, significant details of the style acquire additional prominence.
In what styles is white flooring especially popular?
- Classic - the severity of dark furniture will be emphasized by finishing with bleached parquet boards, laminate or linoleum with a print imitating light wood. Fluffy carpeting in the same shades will add softness and comfort.
- Provence - a charming composition of aged furniture and simple accessories will be complemented by a plank floor with white paint worn out by time.
- Loft - matte white floor - self-leveling, wooden, tiled will help dispel the gloom of concrete and brick surfaces.
- Marine - in combination with ultramarine, the white color appears especially bright and positive.
- High-tech - glossy coating will fill the room with light, create an effective contrast with any of the bright colors, maintain the shine of glass and the shine of chrome.
- Minimalism will be an excellent backdrop for furniture with strict outlines and a minimal set of accessories. Visually enlarges a small room.
- Scandinavian - will fill the space with reflected light, air, and help level out the gloom of cloudy days.
