Wooden flooring ideas for a stylish living room

Your living room is one of the main areas in your home where you can show off your individuality, from funky furniture to dramatic decor, and even picking a fun paint colour for your walls and furniture. But you might not have realised that the flooring you choose can be another way to sneak in your personal style.

Wooden flooring is one of the most modern ways to make your living room a fashionable and sophisticated lounge for you to relax in with friends and family. Whether you’re in the process of redecorating to vamp up your space, or you’re trying to figure out which is the best wooden flooring for living room interiors, we’re going to talk you through different wooden flooring ideas that you could use in your home.

In this guide, discover:

Laminate wooden flooring
Vinyl flooring
Luxury vinyl flooring
Engineered wood flooring
Different styles of wooden flooring
Carpet and wood flooring combinations

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Laminate wooden flooring

Laminate flooring is one of the most common modern floorings in British homes nowadays and therefore top of our wooden floor living room ideas. Laminate flooring comes in different types of wood designs, colours, and finishes, making it incredibly versatile. So, whether you prefer an aged vintage look or a traditional oak effect laminate floor, laminate could be perfect for your living room.

Not only does laminate suit a range of styles, it’s also great for those on a budget. Solid wood flooring can be expensive, and laminate gives you the look and feel of solid wood flooring, without the expensive price tag. Textured laminate can recreate the feel of wood flooring, and some laminate flooring types are embossed so that the impressions on the top layer match up with the grooves and whorls of the wood pattern on the decorative layer below.

Laminate flooring is also great for family homes where rooms can be very busy and full of life. When faced with the occasional spill on the floor, many of our laminates have amazing stain and water-resistant properties that make them perfect for coping with all the chaos of family life, whether you have pets, children, or both.

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Vinyl flooring

Vinyl is another amazing option for creating the effect of wooden flooring in your home. It comes in lots of different patterns, like herringbone, to give your home a more versatile and contemporary feel. We also sell slip-resistant vinyl floorings for areas in your home that can get a little slippery, like bathrooms and kitchens.

As well as having lots of different looks to choose from, sheet vinyl is also much cheaper and easier to fit than wooden flooring. Vinyl comes in large rolls that are spread out on the floor and sealed to the subfloor using adhesive. What makes it even cheaper is that most sheet vinyl doesn’t require any underlay underneath it to give it a nice spongy feeling – this cushioned effect is already built into the bottom layers of the vinyl roll! You can find out more about how to lay vinyl flooring in our DIY corner.

Vinyl’s water and stain-resistant properties means you can continue the effect of wooden flooring in areas where you might normally hesitate to put real wood floorings, such as kitchens and bathrooms. You don’t have to worry about cleaning your vinyl flooring half as often as real wood flooring either. Simply clean with a soft brush and damp mop every week.

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LVT flooring

Luxury vinyl tiles are fantastic for every room of the house because they’re comfortable, cushioned, warm underfoot, water-resistant, and most importantly, look incredible. Our luxury vinyl tiles are a little different to our sheet vinyl floorings, as they come in planks rather than large sheets that are rolled out and stuck to the subfloor.

There are many beautiful wooden flooring designs available - oak, whitewashed wood, aged wood – and even the most discerning eye will have difficulty distinguishing between LVT and a genuine wooden floor. Many different layers make up our beautiful range of wood effect LVT. A protective top layer protects the floor from potential damage and prevents scratches and stains. The acoustic layer reduces surface sound while adding comfort below the wear and tear layer, and a design layer delivers the look of an authentic wooden floor.

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Engineered wood flooring

Engineered wood flooring is the perfect option for those who don’t want to compromise on the look and feel of wooden flooring but would like a sturdier option that will last a little longer. Made up of a top layer of real solid wood, and then plywood layers underneath, engineered wood boards are the perfect combination of style and substance.

Don’t be fooled though - this is definitely not a cheap replacement for solid wood flooring! This flooring truly does look and feel like the real deal and will need just as much care as solid wooden flooring. Caring for your engineered wood flooring properly will make sure that it ages beautifully and lasts for years to come.

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Different styles of wooden flooring

As well as different wooden flooring types you could choose from, there are also a couple of different styles you could pick beyond the standard plank effect! Here are some wood flooring ideas featuring the most popular styles that you might just fall in love with:

Herringbone

Herringbone flooring is a pattern created with straight boards cut at 90-degree angles. These planks are laid with the short ends of each plank overlapping, to create an alternating pattern that is popular in both modern and classic home styles.

Chevron

The chevron pattern takes the same straight boards but cuts them at diagonal angles to place the short ends of two planks together to create an arrow shape. This creates a uniform pattern that closely resembles that of herringbone flooring, but with a modern twist. For more about the differences between the two styles, check out our chevron vs herringbone flooring guide.

Parquet Patterns

Parquet patterns can come in lots of different styles, from finger block patterns to the diamond shapes of Chantilly or the lattice of Chalosse. The style you pick will depend on your personal taste.

Carpet and wood flooring combinations

If you have an open plan living and dining space, or maybe you live in a studio apartment, then you might want to feature both wooden flooring and a carpet. Using a carpet alongside a wooden floor can help to create different zones, but it’s important to choose the right style of carpet to match your wooden flooring. Avoid choosing busy patterns or bold colours; instead, focus on different textures and complementary tones that blend beautifully with the wooden floor. Here are a few suggestions for carpet and flooring combinations:

Modern

For a modern look, go for a minimalist and understated carpet. Choose straight laminate or luxury vinyl planks in grey, then add a simple twist carpet in light or dark grey to help to balance the space. For something warmer, pair a light blonde wood with a cream carpet.

Rustic

If you’ve chosen aged or vintage wooden flooring, then the carpet needs to match. A loop pile carpet is great for bringing warmth and texture to a room, and there are so many different subtle designs to choose from. Pick a warm neutral like beige or oatmeal, making sure your rustic wooden flooring has complementary warm undertones.

Traditional

Where you’ve selected a more traditional style of wooden flooring like herringbone, you want to let the floor do the talking! Try to choose complementary materials - if you’ve opted for a real wooden floor like engineered wood, then a wool or wool blend carpet will continue that natural feeling underfoot. Neutral tones are great for a traditional look so go for mid brown oak herringbone alongside a stunning cream carpet.

Luxury

Luxurious decor is all about depth, contrast, and opulent finishes. For example, a plush saxony carpet for your living area next to a smooth, pristine laminate in the dining room feels very sophisticated. Mix in some metallic and velvet accents throughout both spaces to tie them together.

If you’re still a little unsure about which of our wooden flooring ideas for living room interiors would work best, you can try our handy flooring finder to find the perfect floor to suit your style. Or if you fancy an entirely new style, why not browse our selection of the best flooring for living rooms? Alternatively, explore our website for the different types of wooden flooring you could choose from, or check out our Ideas Hub for style inspiration and colour palettes you could use to complement your new wooden flooring.

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Published: 30-01-2025