St. Louis, MO, Oct. 18-- No matter what your lifestyle, there's a wood flooring option to meet your home's decor and your budget.
Today, wood floors come in a variety of colors, styles and price ranges. Choosing theright floor for you is simply a matter of deciding which look you like best.
Light colored woods make a room seem more open and airy. These woods lend themselves to a more modern look. Typical light wood species include ash and maple.
Medium colored woods make a room seem more warm and cozy. These woods lend themselves to a more casual look. Typical medium wood species include hickory and oak.
Dark colored woods make a room seem more stately and refined. These woods lend themselves to a more formal look. Typical dark wood species include mahogany and walnut.
New to the scene are exotic species, which can run the gamut of colors. Bubinga, which originates in Africa, can appear pink, red, or reddish brown with purple streaks or veins. Australian Cypress ranges from cream-colored sapwood to honey-gold heartwood, with dark brown knots holes throughout. It
looks similar to knotty pine, but is much harder. Santos Mahogany, which originates in South America, is a dark reddish brown. Purpleheart, which originates in Mexico, has a brown heartwood that will age to a deep purple or purplish brown. Burmese Teak, which originates in Asia, varies from a yellowish brown to a dark golden brown.
For a totally unique look, Wenge, which originates in Africa, will age to a very deep brown, almost black, color.
To explore the possibilities available with wood floors, visit the Design a Room section of the NWFA's consumer web site, http://www.woodfloors.org
Using this interactive feature, you can select different wood species to see
how they change the mood and look of a room.
