Explore the 7 Most Common Wood Flooring Patterns & Styles

Our home isn’t just where we spend most of our free time—it reflects our personality and style. Every detail of our home decor serves a purpose, and the flooring is no exception. The floor is often the first thing visitors notice when they step inside, and as they say, first impressions matter. A beautifully designed and intricate wood flooring pattern can set the perfect tone and create a welcoming ambience.

Considering how much time we now spend at home, many of us are seeking comfort, functionality, and a visually pleasing interior. Recent statistics show a surge in home improvement projects, particularly those focused on wood flooring, as homeowners seek to enhance their living spaces.

Parquet flooring has stood the test of time, maintaining its popularity over the decades and even seeing a resurgence in recent years. Known for its timeless beauty and elegance, parquet flooring, which dates back to its origins in the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles, continues to be a symbol of luxury and style. Its intricate patterns bring character and old-world charm to any space.

If you're planning to invest in parquet flooring, you may feel overwhelmed by the wide variety of patterns available. Each parquet pattern is the result of craftsmanship, talent, and skill, and offers its unique benefits in terms of style and appearance. To help you choose the perfect pattern for your home, we've compiled a list of the seven most popular parquet flooring patterns that are sure to complement any interior and add a touch of sophistication.

Regular Flooring Patterns

Straight pattern

The straight pattern is the most common and recognisable wood flooring layout. In this design, the boards are laid from wall to wall in a parallel formation, side by side. For smaller rooms, you can enhance the sense of space by laying the boards along the longest wall to create the illusion of a larger area. Conversely, in larger rooms, the boards can be arranged to accentuate specific features of the space.

This design remains popular for a reason: it’s plain, simple, and highly effective. The straight pattern offers a clean and uncluttered look that works well in any home. Its simplicity ensures that it doesn’t overwhelm the room's interior, making it ideal for minimalist spaces or homes with already prominent décor.

Thanks to its versatility, the straight pattern fits seamlessly into all types of interiors, from cutting-edge contemporary to classic and traditional styles. Whether you're aiming for a modern aesthetic or a more timeless feel, the straight pattern is a reliable and stylish choice.

Diagonal pattern

The diagonal pattern is similar to the straight pattern, but instead of being laid from wall to wall, the boards are installed from corner to corner. This design adds a unique twist to traditional wood flooring and requires a higher degree of skill and precision to execute properly.

To achieve a flawless diagonal parquet pattern, it’s important to hire an experienced installation specialist who understands the intricacies of this layout. When done correctly, the diagonal pattern can create an optical illusion in the room, making it appear wider or longer depending on the direction of the boards and the room’s layout.

This pattern is a great option if you’re looking to add visual interest to your floors while maintaining a subtle elegance. It works particularly well in larger spaces or rooms where you want to create a dynamic and open feel.

The Types of Parquet Patterns

Random Pattern

In the random pattern, the width of the blocks in each row can vary, with some being 4 inches, others 7 inches, and others 5 inches. While the board sizes differ, the pattern remains consistent, creating an interesting and visually dynamic effect. This pattern has the advantage of making the room appear larger, and it can be laid in either a straight or diagonal style, depending on your preference.

For the best results, it's recommended to install this pattern parallel to the longest wall or towards the main source of natural light in the room. This helps to emphasize the pattern’s spacious effect and enhances the overall look of the space.

The random pattern also offers an opportunity to add a lot of character and creativity to a room. By experimenting with different colours and textures of the wooden floorboards, you can create a truly unique and stunning floor, turning it into a work of art that complements your interior style.

Herringbone pattern

The herringbone pattern is one of the most popular wood flooring designs today, though it's not always ideal for smaller spaces as it can make them feel even more compact. Its zigzag formation offers both visual appeal and practical benefits. The way the blocks are arranged creates dimensional stability, as each piece presses against its neighbouring blocks, limiting movement and reducing the risk of gaps forming.

This pattern can be installed both parallel or diagonal to the walls, giving flexibility depending on the layout of your room. Its origins date back to the Ancient Romans, who used this structure for their roads, a testament to its durability and timeless appeal. Today, herringbone parquet remains a highly recognizable and stylish flooring option that adds elegance and depth to any home.

Chevron pattern

The chevron pattern shares similarities with herringbone but differs in key ways. Both patterns use equally sized wood blocks arranged in a zigzag formation, but the main difference lies in how the blocks are cut and laid out. In a herringbone pattern, the wood pieces are rectangular and meet at the ends, creating a staggered look. In contrast, chevron blocks are cut at an angle, creating a continuous straight line where the ends of the planks meet, forming a sharper and more uniform zigzag.

Like herringbone, chevron is a timeless and elegant pattern that exudes sophistication. However, it may not be the best choice for narrow halls or smaller rooms, as it can make spaces feel smaller and more cluttered. The chevron pattern shines in larger, more open spaces where its symmetrical design can enhance the room's grandeur, creating a more formal and refined interior.

Brick pattern

As the name suggests, the brick pattern mimics the look of traditional brickwork. This simple yet effective design can cover an entire floor or be used selectively in areas, surrounded by borders for a more intricate effect. The brick pattern is often paired with more complex parquet designs to create a unique and artistic flooring layout.

Alternatively, it can stand alone, bringing a clean and orderly look to the room. This pattern is a great match for modern, minimalist, urban, and industrial interiors, allowing for creative freedom in selecting furniture, colours, and textures. Its simplicity provides the perfect backdrop for bold and vibrant décor choices.

Basketweave pattern

The basketweave pattern is incredibly versatile, fitting seamlessly into any room, regardless of size. This design is most commonly crafted from oak or maple and can be installed parallel or diagonal to the walls, enhancing the room's aesthetic. While lighter colours are typically favoured, incorporating darker woods like walnut can beautifully accentuate the pattern and add depth to your flooring.

For those looking to express their creativity, mixing different wood species can result in a stunning and unique wooden floor that adds significant character and charm to any space. Once popular a few decades ago, the basketweave parquet pattern is now making a strong comeback, particularly in industrial and modern interiors, where it serves as a stylish nod to classic design.

Our flooring service comes with obligation-free site visit, quick quotations and free advice. Give us a call on 020 88309782 to speak to a member of our staff, who can arrange for a free assessment of your floor sanding or wood floor fitting service at a convenient for you time.