Choosing a hardwood floor is an exciting journey that allows you to find the perfect floor for your space.  At Mullican, we provide a wide variety of possibilities that allow you the freedom to choose a flooring as unique as you are, but sometimes it can be hard to know where to start!

Your personal style may line up more with some finishes, stains, and wood species than others.  Here are some of the more popular hardwood floor aesthetics to inspire you:

Wirebrushed Floors

Wirebrushed Floors are treated in a way that brings out the depth and natural beauty of the wood grain.  Their deeper textures make them a good fit for rustic or farmhouse styles as well as more modern, relaxed looks.  Exceptionally durable, these floors add an inviting feel to any space.

You can find wirebrushed floors at Mullican in a variety of tones and plank widths.  Shop our wirebrushed floors.

Gray Blends

Gray Blend Floors provide a beautiful, neutral base for home décor.  Gray tones have a calm, tranquil feel, and they can hue cooler or warmer depending on the stain.  Gray tones can provide a neutral background for bright colors to shine in your space, or they can set the backdrop for a serene retreat.

You can find a variety of floors with gray tones at Mullican.  Shop our gray blends.

Natural Finishes

Natural Finishes are a time-tested look that will never go out of style.  They show off the unique and organic beauty of each species and bring the warmth of natural wood into your home.  Natural finishes can complement both modern and traditional designs and are welcoming in both urban and rural settings.

You can find natural finishes in several different wood species, each with its own characteristics.  Shop our natural finishes.

Dark Tones

Dark Tones anchor your space with a bold foundation.  They can provide contrast to minimalist design with lighter furniture or serve as the backdrop to a maximalist aesthetic.  Dark flooring brings depth to your home and stands out against white molding and trim.

You can find dark tones in various plank textures and widths.  Shop our dark tones.

Light Tones

Light Tones reflect natural light and make spaces feel larger and more open.  Light tones have an airy feel and complement pastel or earthy colors as well as natural wood furniture.  They can also provide a pop of contrast in rooms with dark walls or cabinets. 

You can find white tones in several different wood species, each with its own unique undertones.  Shop our light tones.

White Oak

White Oak is a popular wood species with a closed grain and yellow-to-gray leaning undertones.  The wood has a smooth look and features natural variations like mineral streaks and knots.  White oak has a refined feel and looks elegant with a wide variety of treatments and finishes.

Our white oak products come in wirebrushed treatments, gray blends, natural finishes, dark tones, and light tones.  Shop our premium white oak flooring.
 

Harvested from the Appalachian Mountains, Mullican Flooring’s Oak species collections exhibit natural color variations, mineral streaks, and small knots that add character to any room.

A high-quality and durable hardwood species, Oak exudes a warm, rustic feeling and shows a discernable grain.  Oak offers greater resistance to visible indentations, making it a good selection for high-traffic areas or active spaces.

Our prefinished and unfinished selections of high-quality solid Oak hardwood are available in several grades and widths and include both Red Oak and White Oak flooring.

Red Oak vs. White Oak Hardwood Flooring

Did you know that you can identify Red Oak and White Oak trees by their bark characteristics and leaves?  Red Oak trees tend to have smoother bark and pointed tips on the end of their leaves, while White Oak has deeper grooves in its bark and rounded tips at the end of its leaves.  The differences between the two kinds of Oak don’t stop there—they can affect the appearance of your hardwood floors.

The primary differences between Red Oak hardwood flooring and White Oak hardwood flooring can be found within the color, graining, and water resistance of the species.

Red Oak has a subtle, pink-like tint that is lighter than White Oak and that develops into warmer red tones with a natural finish.  White Oak tends to have a darker, yellow-like to gray tint that can be complemented with a variety of stains.  As they each begin as two different colors, Red Oak and White Oak absorb stains differently.  With lighter stains, it is easier to see the difference between the red undertones of Red Oak and the yellow undertones of White Oak.  Darker stains decrease the difference between the two colors.

With regard to graining, Red Oak has more prominent grain patterns than White Oak hardwood, but White Oak has more mineral streaks and a smoother look.  The tighter grain pattern of White Oak makes it slightly more water resistant than Red Oak.

Crafted from the highest-quality and selection of Oak hardwoods, Mullican offers a variety of prefinished solid, prefinished engineered, and unfinished Oak hardwood selections for a beautifully designed space.  From traditional, smooth finishes to contemporary, hand-crafted textures and wider planks, Mullican can provide the right Oak flooring for you.

Shop Red Oak or White Oak.

The variable weather conditions and long winters of Scandinavia have inspired design choices that maximize functionality and coziness, as well as the impact of natural lighting.  The highlight of this décor is the natural wood flooring that brings the outdoors in, reflects light, and provides a simple yet solid foundation for the living space.

Here are a few principles of Nordic design that have inspired us to create beautiful, natural hardwood flooring for your home:

Lighter Colors

Lighter colors reflect natural light, making small spaces feel bigger.  Pale whites, greys, tans, and other colors transform with changes in lighting to create bright, happy spaces or muted, tranquil ones.  Whatever the weather outside, these brighter finishes create a pleasant, cozy home.

Hygge

Hygge is the Danish word for coziness and comfort.  In the harsh winters, the home should be a safe, warm retreat.  Hygge is achieved by including a variety of natural textures in the home—from sheepskin blankets to hand-knit woolen sweaters to soft leather surfaces.  Handcrafted, functional items such as pottery, baskets, and rugs are especially important for achieving that cozy feeling.

Functional Simplicity

For people living in small spaces, combining functionality with beauty is a must.  Nordic design does away with visual clutter to highlight a few, beautiful and multi-functional items that will each be used and appreciated.  This lends to a calm and serene aesthetic that is grounded in the natural rhythms and rituals of daily life.

Nature

Because the winter often means that there will be more time spent inside, it is important to bring nature into the home.  Nordic design blends interior and exterior through natural hardwood furniture and flooring, other natural textures in accessories and finishes, and the calming greenery of living houseplants.  No matter the time of year, the inside of the home is a beautiful retreat.

Sustainability

Nordic design emphasizes not only the beauty of nature but also the importance of taking care of our natural world.  Efficient, ecologically friendly construction is the norm in Scandinavian countries, and the materials used inside the home should be equally sustainable.  All our hardwood flooring is sustainably harvested and manufactured to honor the natural environment.


Our new Nordic Naturals collection is inspired by northern landscapes and the principles of Nordic design.  To bring the beauty of natural simplicity into your home, shop Nordic Naturals.
 

The kitchen is the heart of the home.  From the daily rituals of cooking and eating to the joys of hosting friends and family, the kitchen is where we make memories and bond with those we love.  Such a special place deserves both beauty and functionality, as well as a comfortable surface to stand on.

Hardwood flooring has traditionally been thought of as a poor choice for kitchens because of its sensitivity to moisture.  However, new technologies like engineered flooring provide a more stable surface that is appropriate for variable moisture conditions.  Constructed from several layers of solid wood bonded together in a cross-ply construction, engineered flooring comes in a wide range of finishes and styles to help you create the kitchen of your dreams. 

Solid hardwood flooring can also be a good choice for the kitchen, even though it moves more dramatically under higher moisture conditions.  If you choose a solid hardwood floor, consider buying unfinished solid hardwood that can be finished and sealed at the site.  This will help seal between the planks to create a more moisture-resistant surface.  Both our solid and engineered products come in a variety of styles to meet your needs. 

Given that the kitchen is a high-traffic area, you might consider a flooring with a brushed or distressed treatment that will hide dirt and wear more easily.  Or perhaps you might choose a character grade product that features more natural knots and wood variations.  Whatever you choose, it is important to keep your hardwood floors clean, wiping up spills immediately and regularly vacuuming to extend the life of the finish.  

If cared for correctly, hardwood floors will last for the life of your home, adding value to your house and providing a beautiful foundation for spending quality time with your family.  

Shop Mullican flooring.
 

Each species of wood has slightly different characteristics and variations.  When choosing a floor, it is important to consider the relative hardness, grain patterns, and natural undertones of different species of wood.  These three factors can help you determine the right wood species to fit your space and style.
 
We want to help you make the right decision for your home!  Here are some of the key features of the most popular species we offer:
 
WHITE OAK

Did you know that oak floors are by far the most installed hardwood species? 

White Oak can be a great pairing for any style, with greyish-brown undertones that pair well with both warmer and cooler finishes.  When treated with a brushed finish, the natural grain adds fantastic character to the floor.  White oak has smaller grain patterns than other species, creating a greater variety of texture in the wood—from tight-knit grain patterns to larger, more defined grain streaks.
 
White Oak is known for its high durability and is a great choice for active households.  Its Janka Hardness rating is around 1360, higher than Red Oak.  It is also slightly more moisture-resistant than Red Oak, as it is a closed-grain wood.  

Both White Oak and Red Oak are mildly photosensitive.  All wood species are photosensitive to some degree, meaning that they will change color under exposure to ultraviolet light.  Mildly photosensitive species show very little color change with sun exposure.
 
You can take home beautiful White Oak floors from our Castillian, Wexford Collections. 

RED OAK

Red Oak presents a unique warmth with red and rust-colored undertones that are complemented by a prominent grain pattern.  Red Oak’s natural features contribute beautifully to rustic, traditional, and modern styles.  Though Red Oak has a lower Janka Hardness Rating than White Oak, sitting on average at 1290, its detailed grain pattern seamlessly camouflages any normal wear and tear. 
 
Find beautiful red oak floors in our St. Andrews, Devonshire, and Hillshire Collections. 

If you want to learn more about the differences between red and white oak, click here.

MAPLE

Did you know that bowling alleys typically use Maple hardwood?

Maple hardwood has a delicate grain pattern and naturally pale, blonde undertones, lending perfectly to a mid-century modern style.  Its simple and consistent pattern makes it a versatile and seamless addition to any space.  Maple hardwood ranks high on the Janka rating, with an average of 1450, and is well known for being one of the more durable species.  Maple is a mildly photosensitive wood.

Though the floor is durable, its fine grain pattern makes it prone to visible scratches.  If you are interested in Maple flooring, be sure to keep your pets’ nails trimmed and follow our floor care guidelines. 
 
Find beautiful maple floors in our Chatelaine, Muirfield, and Hillshire Collections. 

HICKORY
 
Hickory ranks near the top of the Janka Hardness Rating, with an average of 1800, making it a great investment for a long-lasting floor.  You can find natural knots and stunning grain patterns with light and dark variations across the boards, adding considerable character to your home.  Its intrinsic beauty lends well to rustic or natural styles.  Hickory is a mildly photosensitive wood.
 
Find beautiful hickory floors in our Chatelaine, Muirfield, and Knob Creek Collections. 
 

Perhaps you’ve just bought an older home, or maybe you’re remodeling one you have lived in for some time.  You know that there is nothing that beats the beauty of that old, original hardwood flooring.  Except maybe the beauty of the new hardwood flooring that will complement a new addition or replace dingy tile or linoleum.

If you want to preserve the beauty and historic charm of your space, how should you select a new flooring to complement the old?  The answer will depend on your style, the style of the hardwood flooring at the time the house was built, and the pre-existing finishes in the home.  However, there are some common features found in different historical styles.

This guide is not meant to be exhaustive, but it should provide some basic guidelines for matching historic hardwood in your home.

Farmhouse

The farmhouse style has a long history, from early settler homes to more recent country abodes.  If you’ve bought an old farmhouse, you’ll likely notice that the original wood floors have a wide plank, with either a natural or painted finish.  The floors will also likely have a good bit of character from small dents and scratches, and maybe a few stains left over the years.

To find a flooring that complements the original aesthetic, look for a wider plank, some distressing, and perhaps even an unfinished flooring that can be painted and finished with a unique historical color or stain.  For a refined farmhouse aesthetic, shop our Wexford collection.

Victorian

Victorian styles vary widely, from the whimsy of Queen Anne to the grandeur of the Second Empire.  Elegant Victorian homes often feature delicate parquet flooring patterns with different colors of wood to add depth and intrigue to the borders of the room.

To translate Victorian sensibilities into a modern setting, consider using narrower planks in different colors to create a unique pattern on your floor.  Depending on whether the original trims and moldings were shellacked or painted, you might choose either a darker finish or a natural color to complement your home.  Shop our narrow plank collections.

Early 20th Century

While Victorian styles were on their way out by the early 1900s, the new styles of the 20s and 30s made use of similar dark wood finishes, simplified somewhat from the excesses of the Victorian period.  From Tudor Revivals to Colonials to Craftsman Bungalows and more, original hardwood features are the highlight of these homes.

Like Victorian styles, early 20th century homes often have narrower planks.  Unlike Victorian styles, they rarely feature delicate carvings and parquetry, instead favoring bolder and more streamlined built-ins, mantlepieces, and floorings.  Most often, the hardwood is a beautiful medium-brown color.  Shop our medium brown stain collections.

Mid-Century Modern

Mid-Century Modern styles feature a streamlined look that combines modern shapes with natural finishes and materials.  The homes are often constructed to allow natural light to fill the space, providing a great opportunity to highlight the rich grain and natural depth of hardwood flooring.

Depending on your space, a warm brown natural finish might complement your period furnishings, a lighter natural finish could provide contrast for darker furnishings or walls, and a variegated natural coloring could really make the floors stand out in a well-lit space.  To find the right fit for your mid-century modern home, shop our natural finishes.

Each historic home is unique, and the right choice will depend on the individual home.  Whatever your needs, Mullican offers a wide range of finishes, plank widths, and styles to complement the original flooring.