A big design trend of the past few years has been deep, dark stained wood floors. Ebony floors can be found in homes that range from traditional to contemporary and everything in between.  On the opposite end of the spectrum from these super dark floors are ultra-light wood floors.  Pale woods like beech and ash as well as floors that have been lime stained or painted white are showing up on blogs and in design magazines.  Lime stained floors have a white, almost light gray look to the wood that recalls Scandinavian style and works well with both traditional and contemporary styles.

These light floors work well with contemporary and modern spaces in homes, apartments and lofts. This living room features very pale wood floors that perfectly suit the all white furniture scheme. The textured area rug helps break up the smooth surface of the floor.  Texture is important in monochrome or neutral spaces that don’t rely on colors for interest.  Sisal or jute would also bring texture to the floor without adding too much pattern or additional color.  Having just a pop of color in a throw on the sofa doesn’t take away from the white floors or furniture.

Lighter floors can be a bonus because they don’t show as much dirt as dark wood floors.  This is good if you have a pet or kids who track in dirt from outside.  With any flooring choice, wall colors and other features in the room should be taken into consideration to make the best choice.