Flooring Focus: Embracing European White Oak with the StyleLife Collection
Crisp, clean and modern looks can be found in many of 2020’s go-to design trends, especially in Scandinavian styles, and the LL Style team has written about them before.
And while minimalist accessories, such as floating shelves, metal wire mirrors, pendant lighting and geometric patterns, can accentuate this aesthetic, from our perspective, the overall tone of the room truly radiates from beautiful flooring.
A perfect example is European style White Oak flooring, which features a tighter grain pattern, smaller growth rings and a more uniform color than American White Oak. As a prime differentiator, the European oak design presents a clean color undertone within its grain allowing it to work in harmony with other popular color palettes like beige, sable and gray.
This sleek pattern, light undertones, and wide planks not only set it apart from other flooring options, it also helps to create a calming space because there are fewer seams and the floor has a more fluid look. Because of its practical design, European Oak also lends itself well to a warm minimalistic look. This practicality is a key element of the pared-down aesthetic that celebrates simple detail by allowing the natural materials to shine.
The cut technique of European oak flooring is also a key trait that sets it apart from the rest. Instead of cutting in a grid pattern to yield the most wood, logs are sawn by cutting straight through the log in a parallel pattern. This technique helps maintain the uniqueness of each section, as well as a finer, wavy grain.
In our world-wide search to explore flooring styles, the LL Flooring style team was inspired by this European look and created the StyleLife Collection.
These oak floors embody the elegance of European style so much that they were named after major European cities like Athens, Barcelona and Florence.
The floors included in the StyleLife collection feature bold, 7 ½-inch wide planks with a 4mm veneer — the thickest LL Flooring offers — providing added durability. The character of the floor is further enhanced with light wire brushing to add texture and offers the look that is native to the European oak woods and floors.
“The StyleLife Collection is all about form and function while creating spaces for relaxation and reflection,” said Katie Allen, trend and style director for LL Flooring. “The elegant design, timeless character and uplifting tones will enhance any space and showcase a bold, beautiful look.”
So whether you’re looking to create a relaxing oasis, designing a sleek and modern studio, or upgrading an existing room with a cleaner and more seamless feel, look no further than the European White Oak engineered hardwood floors in LL Flooring’s StyleLife Collection.