Working With Patterns

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  Grain can vary a great deal from one plank to another.hardwood floor texture image by GoodMood Photo from Fotolia.com
  
  Select samples of wood floors that you like from a floor supplier. Examine several planks of each sample that you would like to consider, if several planks are not included in the sample piece. Wood grains vary not only from one species of wood to another, but also from piece to piece within the same species. Some grains can be felt with your hand, while others may feel smooth. Remember that any wood grain adds a pattern to your room's decor.
  
  
• 2
  The wood grain of the floor should work with fabric patterns that are near it.guest room image by monamakela.com from Fotolia.com
  
  Test the wood grains of your selections against other patterns in your room. Take into account other wood in both architecture and furniture. Compare the wood grains to any patterned area rugs to be used in the room, up close and from a distance. Study the combination of wood grains with patterned fabrics that will be near the floor, such as full-length draperies, ottomans and skirted sofas or chairs.
  
  
• 3). Eliminate from consideration any wood grains that appear to "fight" other patterns near them. The two patterns will look "busy" next to each other. Sometimes this occurs because the wood grain and the other pattern are too close in size or shape. For example, if knots or rings in the wood are similar to a leaf or oval pattern in a fabric, the combination will look odd.
  
  
• 4). Decide whether you would like to see a distinct grain pattern. You may decide to choose a wood with a very fine grain if there is already a lot of pattern in your room.
  
  

Pay Attention to Colors

• 1). Select colors of wood samples that appeal to you on a gut level. There will likely be several colors to choose from in each type of wood whose grain is appropriate for your room.
  
  
• 2). Look at your favorite samples in the natural light of your room at different times of the day and in artificial light at night. Select light to dark woods based on your findings. A light floor will help lighten a room, while a dark one will absorb light and make the room look darker and feel cozier.
  
  
• 3). Hold the wood samples next to the walls in your room. The floor and the walls account for the two largest surfaces in the room, and they need to work well together. Notice how each color of flooring looks with your walls -- whether solid color or patterned. Sometimes the color of a floor can alter the apparent color of a paint or a wallpaper pattern. For example, a very yellow or golden wood may bring out the pink in an otherwise neutral-looking wall color.
  
  
• 4). Consider the colors of the wood legs on any furniture that will rest directly on the floor without a rug. Choose a very different color wood for your floor to contrast with the legs if you want them to be noticed, as in the case of a decorative leg.