Today, our guest blogger is Jennifer Lutz, a home décor blogger for the Home Décor 101 series. She has put together various design options for hardwood floors to add interest and break out of the design box.

With so much time devoted to improving how our homes look, it's no wonder many of us think of them as our own personal masterpiece. We take care of even the smallest of details, making sure that everything goes well together for beautiful, comfortable places to live in.

One of the many ways we can highlight the beauty of our living spaces is by picking the right flooring for different rooms in the house. Here are some unique wood floor designs that will further highlight one of the biggest surfaces in your home:  

Floors that Provide Visual Interest

Checkerboard Floor

If you want a break from the monotony of just one kind of floor finish, but don't want a retro diner feel in your home, use two species of hardwood for your floor. This floor design has the appearance of tiles, so your guests will be pleasantly surprised when they find out that beautifully finished pieces of hardwood are responsible for your checkerboard floor.

Pair up maple and walnut for contrasting shades, or if you want light-colored floors, choose pine and oak. Traditional Bathroom by Other Metro Media and Bloggers Kasey Buick

stain it to achieve a checkerboard look. If you want the natural, warm tone of wood, but you're also yearning for a pop of color, paint a checked pattern on your floor instead.  

Herringbone Pattern

The zig-zag herringbone pattern, so called because it resembles the skeleton of a herring, adds a rich visual texture to any room. A herringbone pattern using maple or pine hardwood, or any other light-toned wood, makes a room appear larger. When installed diagonally, the pattern appears continuous, creating an illusion of a bigger space. Contemporary Bathroom by Eden Prairie Interior Designers & Decorators Jaque Bethke for PURE Design Environments Inc.  

Textured Floors

Bamboo

Environment-friendly homeowners will be glad to know that bamboo flooring helps lessen their carbon footprint without sacrificing the style of their home. This type of floor is similar to hardwood flooring and is also resistant to moisture.

Homeowners with pet dogs or cats know how hard it is to maintain scratch-free surfaces in their home. Textured bamboo floors will do the trick. Because of its dents and broken lines, scratches will go unnoticed.

A Fusion of Elements

The natural charm of hardwood can further be enhanced with tiles. This type of flooring combination looks good in your foyer or in your dining room. For a truly rustic look, use earth-toned tiles along with your choice of hardwood. If you prefer dark hardwood, you can install light-colored tiles to offset the dark tone. Mediterranean Hall by Scottsdale Design-Build Firms Fratantoni Luxury Estates   These are just some of the flooring designs you can explore to achieve a look you want for your home. Complement your rooms with any of these floor ideas and see how significantly it can change how your spaces look!

Jennifer Lutz blogged about Home Décor and related subjects for www.christmastreemarket.com. She produced the Home Décor 101 series on their blog.      

Follow Team Floors To Your Home on Pinterest flooring store on Google+ Local