6 Types of Flooring on Their Way Out, According to Real Estate Agents

Interior design styles come and go, and flooring is no exception to that rule — just think of your grandparents’ shag carpeting. Still, with so many different styles of flooring on the market these days, if you’re looking to update your floors before putting your home on the market, it can be confusing to know what buyers want to see. I polled some real estate pros to see which flooring trends their clients aren’t loving right now.

Pets, kids, and general upkeep fatigue have caused many hopeful homeowners to turn their noses up at carpeting. “While carpet provides an affordable option for many homeowners, vinyl tile flooring has become a very popular alternative that is still affordable but a lot lower maintenance,” explains Brandon Zellers, a Realtor with Spears Group in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. “It provides a more modern look to the home — sparking many homeowners to remove carpeting to elevate their property for themselves and future prospective homebuyers.”

Deep, dark hardwood colors are on their way out. “The floors that are an espresso brown or almost black are just too much, and people want light and bright,” shares real estate agent Jennifer Baptista. “It is also easier to tie in a room with a color scheme with lighter sides of brown.”

According to Bonnie Heatzig, executive director of luxury sales at Douglas Elliman in South Florida, saturnia marble is out — and lighter porcelain flooring or wide-plank European white oak floors are in. “The saturnia marble carries a very yellowish tone and is typically installed in Mediterranean-style homes,” she says. “These were very popular in the early 2000s, but the trend is to go cleaner and wider.”

While hardwood floors are pretty timeless, a lot of people are opting out of using them because they can be hard to maintain when something goes wrong. “I am also seeing less real wood that can have expensive problems when damaged,” explains Jeff Lichtenstein, founder and president of ECHO Fine Properties.

Gray floors have had their moment, according to Shane M. Graber, a broker with Graber Realty Group, but that moment has passed. He believes that luxury vinyl flooring is taking over instead. “Today’s new, fresh luxury vinyl tiles and luxury vinyl planks are more durable, look more natural, and can be used in high-end homes,” he says. “Bonus: the more popular brands are waterproof!”

Porcelain is the new ceramic, according to Graber, especially if it’s rectified porcelain, where the tile is cut to allow virtually no grout line when installed. “This gives a clean, seamless look. While porcelain floors are not new, the shiny porcelain tiles of yesterday are out! Instead, use a matte finish for a more natural stone look.”