A cleaned and polished hardwood floor is identifiable by its glossy finish. Some hardwood floors look almost wet when they’re cleaned and buffed. They’re known for this look, and people spend a lot of money to achieve it. So, why are matte finish hardwood floors all the rage at the moment? There are a few reasons. They’re child friendly, pet friendly, and they look great with a rustic design scheme.
Children and Pets
The gloss on a floor is simply how much light it reflects. A high-gloss finish will reflect more light than a satin finish. However, when the floor is scratched, it reflects less light. Those scratches will be very visible. Similarly, dust and dirt don’t reflect as much light. So, dust or dirt on a glossy floor will stand out. It will be even more noticable if the floor is dark. If you live with kids or pets, you know how quickly a floor can get dirty. If you want to keep a floor glossy with kids or pets, you need to clean it regularly. Alternately, you can choose a matte finish.
A matte finish already reflects less light than a glossy finish. So, if it gets scratched or dirty, it won’t be as noticeable.
Rustic Design Scheme
The rustic look reflects the look of older types of construction, especially those from working class builders. A rustic look might be typified by rough-hewn wood, hammered steel, and tarnished brass. If you’re going for that look, a glossy floor doesn’t really match. Glossy floors are a luxury that not many people would have been able to afford. However, they might have had wooden floors. If they did, they were likely matte finished wooden floors.
Wider Range of Color Options
Obviously, matte floors come in the same colors as glossy floors, but the range of colors that look great is different. Black and white both look great in a glossy finish; however, gray is a little bit more difficult to balance. If you want a gray floor, you might consider a matte finish. It looks a little more natural. The same is true for greige, green, and other cool colors. A glossy floor with green tones could look great, but it could also become too much. In many ways, it seems easier to find a good balance with a matte finish because it doesn’t pop so much. The floor is more subtle, which gives you more latitude to be bold with color.