We go into hundreds of homes a year, and one question we are repeatedly asked is “How do I update my floors, when I have existing stained cabinetry and trim that I do not want to replace”. This question is typically in reference to gunstock or honey oak stained cabinetry, which is very prevalent here in The Ozarks. We’re here to let you know that it IS possible, and here’s a few tips to help you out!

Bring in a cabinet door, drawer, or piece of trim

It’s amazing how you can look at your own home every single day, then get in our showroom and instantly forget what “shade” of gunstock oak you have. Bringing in a cabinet door, drawer, or piece of trim will help us to find potential floors with similar tones to match your existing wood work.

Variation is key

When looking for a new floor, look for a floor with variation in color. Typically when a floor has a higher variation, it’s more likely that one of the tones in the floor will coordinate well with your existing cabinetry, allowing the space to look like one cohesive thought. Rarely do you want your floors and cabinets/existing wood finishes to be the exact same.

Some of our favorite high variation hardwood floors for pre existing gunstock/honey oak wood work is natural hickory, natural acacia, and our in-stock Raphia to name a few.

You could also go with a luxury vinyl or laminate floor for extreme durablity (kid proof, pet proof, water proof, life proof). There are plenty of luxury vinyl and laminate floor options that coordinate as well, including (but not limited to) our in-stock Virtue Oak, in-stock Venado Oak, and in-stock Antique Pine.

Take samples

The lighting in our showroom will be different than your lighting at home. We always recommend taking a few samples home with you to see how they look in your atmosphere. If you take your first round of samples home and don’t love it, take pictures and bring them back! Any of our commission-free team members will be happy to guide you in the right direction. It may take a few tries, but we want to help you find a floor that you will love for years to come.

Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, it’s your home, and you should choose the floor you love! These are just a few tips to help you along the way if you’re considering updating your floors but you’re not sure where to start.

Any further questions? Please reach out to us! Give us a call at (417) 883-4720, email us at flooring417@gmail.com, or visit our showroom at 2516 W Battlefield Rd. Springfield, Mo 65807. We always offer free local estimates on jobs we will be installing, this is another great way to get started. Sign up for a free estimate here.