Picking flooring for your home is one of the most foundational choices you make for your space, literally and stylistically. And boy are there options—not only for materials (hardwood, ceramic tile, natural stone, terrazzo, the list goes on!) but for different patterns and applications, too. Simply switching the orientation of hardwood floor planks can completely change the feel of a room, allowing it to live larger, appear more modern, or masquerade as a historical residence. If you’ve seen beautiful herringbone pattern floors in a home you love, you know exactly what we mean.
“I truly think that herringbone floors are timeless and pair well with any style,” says Jennifer Hunter, an interior designer in New York City. “I use them in projects ranging from historical residences to very modern homes. It’s all about the mix—the floors are what provide the foundation for the home, but they take cues from the rest of the decor too.”
Herringbone floors have been trending in recent years, but they actually date back to ancient Roman times, when herringbone was the preferred pattern for stability and longevity. That being said, most designers and homeowners today choose it for purely aesthetic purposes. Herringbone patterns can breathe new life into classic materials, allowing you to bridge the gap between a traditional ethos and of-the-moment style.
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Looking to add herringbone pattern tile or wood floors to an upcoming project or your own home? Read on to learn everything you need to know about selecting, installing, and designing herringbone floors, including all the different materials you can incorporate into this classic application.
What Is a Herringbone Pattern Floor?
Herringbone floors have an easy-to-distinguish triangular pattern, but they can commonly be confused with a similar (yet less classic) chevron layout. Here’s the difference between herringbone patterns versus chevrons: While chevron floor planks or tiles are cut at an angle and meet at a peak, herringbone floors terminate in a traditional 90-degree angle and are set in a staggered diagonal pattern. “Parquetry—which generally refers to a variety of intricate wood floor layouts—became popular with French nobility in the 1600s,” explains Hunter. “Herringbone and other parquet flooring patterns became popular with society’s elite circles. The design made a significant mark on the world of interior design, becoming synonymous with luxury and elegance.” Another fun fact: Herringbone patterns resemble the zigzag bones of a herring fish, thus the name. The more you know, right?
Herringbone Pattern Material Options
Almost any flooring material you fall in love with can be laid in a herringbone pattern. From classic hardwood planks and perennially popular brick to more luxe choices like marble and natural stone, the timeless pattern looks fresh with each new application or material, ensuring no one home feels alike. “Because herringbone floors can be realized in many different materials, it’s important to think about the use of the space, the aesthetic of the home, and the scale of the space,” advises Hunter. These are some of the most commonly seen materials used for herringbone pattern floors.
Hardwood
Perhaps the most popular herringbone floor material is hardwood, thanks to its traditional feel and historical accuracy. While most wood herringbone floors have to be cut and laid piece by piece, an increasing number of flooring companies, such as Stuga Studio, are latching onto the pattern and creating easy-to-install, perfectly sized planks to help you (or your installer) achieve a dynamic pattern. Hardwood herringbone pattern floors look best in larger spaces like kitchens, dining rooms, or open floor plans. In the luxe cook space above, the team behind M Viamontes Architecture + Interiors paired herringbone wood floors with other high-impact finishes like burgundy cabinetry and Calacatta Viola marble.
Brick
Brick is another classic material choice for herringbone patterns, effortlessly playing into its historical feel. As with any tile or natural stone application that involves grout, the prominence of the herringbone pattern depends on the width of the grout lines and the grout color you choose. Want a high-impact look? Opt for contrasting grout and thick grout lines (or even overgrouting), as seen in the above kitchen by designer Dominique Delaney.