Is parquet floor....Traditional or trendy/tacky?

[Freshlasagnesheet]

Dh and I have finally saved enough money to change floors and paint etc.

We have kids and dogs, so I want something low maintenance and something timeless and traditional. I don’t want a passing trend as I won’t be able to change floors again in a long time.

I mentally settled on light wood parquet, as was told light wood is less likely to show scratches. But now seeing parquet all over Instagram?

Has herringbone parquet become trendy to the point we will look back and think it’s become tacky? Should I just go with classic dark wood planks?

Help please!

(Also not a jab at anyone with parquet, I obviously love it too)

Surely parquet is traditional if it's original or at least typical of the period of the house, if not it's a style choice like most other things

Everything I’m seeing is navy kitchens and herringbone Karndean at the moment.

I think they look lovely, which probably means in three years it’ll be an obvious Lockdown Look 👀

Yes I’m seeing a lot of F and B Hague blue and herringbone. Which I do think is absolutely lovely. Just worried about the trendiness aspect...

I think it all depends on the style of your house. If you let house is an old house then parquet wood flooring would look timeless, if it looks like wood. If on the other hand you are in a new build it may look a little trendy. I think the edging of the flooring is important to whether it looks classic or trendy.

I have a new navy kitchen and herringbone laminate floor - I was taken in by Insta!!

It's bloody expensive, lots of similar products out there that aren't parquet.

I'd say parquet is traditional, we've found a lot of it by removing carpets in our 1930s semi. It scratches like fuck though, not sure I'd go for it if I had dogs.

I LOVE herringbone but do think it suits an older house rather than a new build

I've just seen that the recreated to look original are £60 per square yard, not inc VAT.
How much must the real stuff, not the wannabe, be? It's eye watering

Thing is, I wouldn't say parquet belongs in a kitchen (I thought more showy bits of the house would have it) - if you were going traditional it would be tile or stone?

But it depends how much of an ear you want to give to snobs! If you wanted a chandelier in there too I'd say crack on!

I personally don’t like it, think it’s very old fashioned.

I’m very lucky because I have original 1960 parquet which I have renovated. That was expensive enough! Only did a metre square that had bowed and sanded and stained the rest, £250!!!!

My boss has parquet flooring in two bedrooms and it's amazing. They have a lovely big house with high ceilings. It would look odd in our tiny cottage

@Porcupineinwaiting does the scratching show a lot though? I’d be interested to know. I like dark wood also but worried the scratches would show compared to light wood.

@Devlesko how have you managed to recreate the look? I agree it’s pricey but thought it’s worth the investment...

Just having second doubts now that my Instagram is inundated with herringbone

Ours is medium oak and yes it shows. Esp bad in doorways and high travel areas. It does to an extent depend on how it's sealed also. Ours is meant to be retreated every year and tbh we dont cause it's an utter chuff.

Parquet flooring is traditional,and looks nice. It looks more stylish than all these wooden plank floors that you see everywhere. You should always go with what appeals to you,and not take any notice of trends and all this instagram stuff. Parquet is fine with children and dogs as I have experienced. Its not like you have some badgers in the house, who dig and scratch up everything, like they have done in my garden lawn !!

I think it is very nice in the right house.

If the parquet isnt original then its tacky

Our parquet is 100 years old and looks great! Very hard wearing old oak. Timeless and blends well with modern fixtures & fittings

It’s not my favourite look, truth told, but that’s just me. It’s your house. Go for it if you like it. Who cares how long it will stay in fashion. 🤷‍♀️

I have a pale oak floor and while I love it, it shows dirt like you wouldn’t believe. Be ready with the hoover.

My entrance hall is original 1930's parquet. We've had it professionally re sanded and polished twice in 12 years and it could now do with another touch up so it's not the best if you want maintenance free flooring. Don't think it could ever be described as tacky though.

Karndean parquet put down here five years ago in our large kitchen area. Its the busiest part of the house and has had three dogs, four toddlers and various adults stomping around. It's brilliant, easy to clean and very hard wearing.

I really wanted parquet but it is incredibly expensive and time consuming to lay- we were quoted over £10k and to take about 3 weeks, as opposed to engineered wood at around a grand and 2 days work. I'd have parquet (in proper wood) if I could afford it!

I'd say parquet is traditional, we've found a lot of it by removing carpets in our 1930s semi.

I am so jealous. When we were looking at houses when we bought this one there was a gorgeous house with original parquet flooring in the hallway and one of the sitting rooms. We were so tempted. I'm going to get parquet in this house at some point, it's absolutely timeless. Assuming that is OP means solid wood parquet and not plastic imitation parquet.

Parquet is the long black woolly coat of flooring. Classic and will never go out of style despite it being trendy.
Herringbone is gorgeous!