There is a fine line between cramped and cozy.

When choosing a floor for a small room or area, you need to make compromises between functional and aesthetics.

Factors to consider:

• Color – Cool colors recede, while warm colors advance. However, if you love dark colored floors consider offsetting the flooring with lighter, cooler tones on your walls and furniture. These contrasting colors are both visually complementary and help prevent a feeling of claustrophobia.  If you want to eliminate the horizon line in your area, where the floor meets the wall, try using low contrasting colors.
• Keep it simple – Chose woods that contain consistent color and subtle graining. Avoid woods with wide colorations, plank to plank (Hickory). Wide planks are more advisable over strip flooring.  Fewer seams mean fewer lines and wider planks will have more going on. And consider the use of simple parquet patterns, as they keep your floor from appearing busy.  Remember to always use the same material when decorating adjoining rooms
• Enhancing the illusion of size – Place planks parallel to the longest wall of the room. This expands the space visually. Use of Chevron or Herringbone patterns diagonal to the walls direct the eye outward, creating a more expansive feel.
• Empty or Vertical Space – Hang shelves and cupboards, freeing up and exposing your precious floor space. Use the same subtle border or accent pattern on both the floor and walls to create dynamic unity.
• Finishes – Opt for glossy flooring finish rather than flat or matte textures. Satin and high gloss finishes brighten up even dark colored floorings.
• Textures – Grains introduce small amounts of patterns and tend to soften the look of the flooring. Rustic textures hide any imperfections and allow the seam to visually blend in.

Having a small space doesn’t mean that you can’t create a beautiful space.