Design trends are continually shifting, and what was all the rage a decade or two ago has become outdated. This seems to be the case with gray floors, as this once-trendy floor color can make your home look dated. Fortunately, there are ways to revamp your outdated gray wood floors without replacing them — by using area rugs, paint, furniture, and lighting.

The trend toward warmer, neutral colors is one reason why designers don’t recommend gray floors. Another reason is that gray can pose challenges when matching paint and furniture colors. Grays can be either warm or cool, and you need to determine your floors color temp and the undertone to coordinate decor with your flooring. Natural woods are more versatile and work with various colors and design styles. 

If you recently bought a home with gray floors or have grown tired of them, you could replace them, but new flooring installation is expensive. New wood flooring installation can cost between $2,400 and $7,000 per room, or more if you are installing high-end wood. The exact cost varies depending on the type of flooring and size of the room. Instead, you can make a few less costly changes to take the focus away from your gray flooring and overhaul your interior design style.

One thing that makes gray flooring so problematic is that it takes up so much of the surface area of the room. Cover the floor with area rugs to update the room’s look without replacing your flooring. In smaller rooms, one large rug may be enough to cover the floor and warm the space. A large room or an open concept home with gray floors throughout may require rugs in different areas.

Textured area rugs add dimension and visual interest to the room, especially those derived from natural fibers such as jute, seagrass, wool, and sisal. These materials offer durability, sustainability, and a variety of interesting and beautiful textures. Rugs in solid colors or multi-colored patterns can work with gray floors, so you can find something perfect to fit any home decor style and preference.

When choosing area rugs, start by determining the tone and undertone of your flooring. Warm-toned gray floors work well with warm shades of taupe, soft yellow, burgundy, and bluish pink. Cool grays pair well with sage green, navy blue, and cooler neutrals. Further, it’s not just about what you add. Rearranging the furniture to cover more of the floor or removing other gray features from the room can help reduce the overall amount of gray in the space.

Adding statement lighting and layering your lighting is an easy way to shift the focus in the room away from the gray floors. Many options are available for statement lighting, such as unique floor lamps, trendy chandeliers, oversized table lamps, or nature-inspired fixtures in organic materials like bamboo or rattan. Avoid cool-toned LED lighting, which can make gray floors appear even more gray and saturated. Instead, choose warm white or amber bulbs. 

As with choosing colors for area rugs, it is helpful to understand how to perfectly match furniture with gray flooring. If you want to warm the space with rich, warm colors, consider browns, tans, greens, burgundy, or other earthy shades. For a bolder statement, go with purple or red jeweled tones. Unless the time has come for a new living room set, you don’t have to replace all your furniture to warm the space. Adding a few colorful throw blankets and pillows, a wood coffee table, and rattan accents can make the space feel warmer.

Paint can also help you take the focus away from the flooring. An accent wall in one of the best paint colors to complement your gray floors can become a new focal point. Other ideas include adding more contrast to the room to draw attention away from the floors with an interesting and unique piece of wall art. A few simple changes can revamp your decor and make the floors seem less dated.