Laying Different-Colored Laminate Designs Together

Combining Colors

• A great deal of laminate is either used as look-alike stone or look-alike wood. However, laminate can come in all colors of the spectrum. This means that you can assemble any combination of different colors. To choose the right colors for your room, you'll need to consider the colors you see in the room palette. In general, if the room is decorated in warm colors, you'll want to purchase warm-colored laminate flooring. And if the room is decorated in cool colors, look for cool-colored laminate flooring. To decorate in more complex color relationships, like complementary colors or analogous colors, refer to the color wheel for inspiration.

Patterns

• Laminate flooring often comes in interlocking pieces, making it easy to mix and match different patterns. Check that the dimensions of your tiles match up before purchasing enough for an entire room. Consider installing a checkerboard pattern, which is a classic two-tile pattern, or a pattern with three or more tiles in it.

Decorative Borders

• Frame the room with a decorative border in a darker or lighter color than the rest of the floor. When using wood-simulating laminate, consider installing a border that looks like a different type of wood. For example, oak flooring with a border of teak or walnut can look very attractive.

Laminate Wood

• Laminate wood can be laid down in sheets or in individual slats just like real wood. For a richer and more varied appearance, install laminates meant to look like two different types of wood. For example, by purchasing maple that comes in two but only slightly different stains, you will add a level of depth to your otherwise very uniform floor.