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Designer Aniela Thorman says herringbone flooring has become overused, particularly in inexpensive luxury vinyl tile and neutral new-build interiors. The criticism is about how the pattern is applied, not a confirmed industry-wide shift or proof that the flooring is no longer fashionable.
Interior designer Aniela Thorman has described herringbone flooring as the “Live, Laugh, Love” of the 2020s, arguing that mass-market versions and repeated use in neutral new-build interiors have made the once-classic pattern feel predictable. The claim, reported by Livingetc, is one designer’s assessment—not evidence that herringbone has broadly fallen out of fashion.
Thorman, of Foundry Interiors, says the pattern’s growing availability in luxury vinyl tile (LVT) has changed how people perceive it. In her view, manufacturers use herringbone as a familiar way to make less expensive flooring appear more high-end. She argues that poorly executed synthetic versions can look unlike natural timber and weaken the association with traditional craftsmanship.
She also links the pattern’s reputation to its use in modern, ultra-neutral homes, including spaces with grey flooring and stark black-and-white palettes. Thorman says herringbone was historically associated with grand period buildings and can feel out of place in contemporary homes without comparable architectural detail. She recommends considering the building itself rather than selecting a flooring pattern simply because it is popular.
For some modern rooms, Thorman says, straight-plank timber may suit the architecture better. She argues that longer boards can visually elongate walls and make a room appear larger. Livingetc’s report also presents the case for keeping herringbone, noting that designers who favor it see the pattern as a way to add movement and rhythm. The supplied report excerpt does not include the full arguments or responses from those designers.
How Flooring Choices Shape a Room
The discussion matters to homeowners and renovators because flooring is a major, often costly part of a room’s design. Thorman’s criticism offers a reminder that a pattern’s effect depends on material, finish and architectural setting, not only its popularity. A herringbone layout in natural wood in a period home may read differently from a grey imitation installed throughout a new-build.
Her comments also speak to the influence of social media and repeated design references. When the same look appears widely online and in new construction, it can become familiar enough to feel generic to some viewers. That is a design opinion rather than a measured change in consumer demand, and readers should not take one designer’s comparison as a definitive verdict on the style.
The practical takeaway is not that homeowners must avoid herringbone. Rather, the pattern should be judged against the room’s proportions, existing details and chosen material. A design can feel distinctive when it suits its setting, while the same layout may seem formulaic when copied without regard to the home.
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A Historic Pattern in New Homes
Herringbone is a zigzag arrangement of rectangular flooring pieces. The Livingetc report traces the pattern’s history to 16th-century Europe, describing how French aristocracy and nobility adopted a layout inspired by stone formations associated with Ancient Rome. It became linked with luxury and elegance, particularly in buildings with period architectural features.
The pattern’s present-day popularity has also brought it into homes with very different materials and proportions. According to Thorman, the spread of lower-cost LVT replicas and recurring use in contemporary neutral interiors has changed the look’s associations. That history helps explain her critique, but the report does not provide sales figures or trend data showing how widely consumer preferences have shifted.
“I called it that because of the massive influx of LVT (luxury vinyl tile) flooring. Because herringbone has become so accessible, mass-market manufacturers lean on it as a shortcut to make cheap materials look ‘high-end.'”
— Aniela Thorman, interior designer at Foundry Interiors, as quoted by Livingetc
No Industry-Wide Trend Data
The source material does not establish that herringbone flooring has gone out of style across the interiors industry. It reports one designer’s opinion and says other designers are not all ready to dismiss the pattern, but the supplied excerpt ends before their full arguments appear. It also gives no survey results, sales data or wider market research to confirm a broad change in taste.
It is also unclear how consumers distinguish between natural timber and LVT when choosing herringbone, or whether demand varies by country, price point or type of home. The critique is directed at particular applications—especially synthetic materials and neutral new-build settings—not necessarily every herringbone floor.
The Pattern’s Case Continues
Livingetc’s report frames the issue as a debate between critics and designers who still value herringbone. The next useful development would be the full responses from those supporters and any evidence about how homeowners are choosing flooring. Until then, the available reporting supports a narrower conclusion: Thorman believes the pattern is overused in certain settings, while its broader popularity remains unconfirmed.
For anyone planning a renovation, the immediate decision is specific to the home: compare the flooring material, board direction, room dimensions and architectural features before settling on a pattern. The designer’s comments raise questions about fit and repetition, not a universal instruction to replace or avoid herringbone.
Key Questions
Has herringbone flooring gone out of style?
The report does not show that it has broadly gone out of style. It presents Aniela Thorman’s opinion that the pattern feels overused in some modern interiors, particularly when it appears in synthetic flooring and neutral new-builds.
Why does Aniela Thorman compare herringbone to “Live, Laugh, Love”?
She says widespread use, including in mass-market LVT flooring, has made the pattern feel predictable and can give inexpensive materials a high-end appearance. The comparison is her critique, not a measured industry finding.
Does the criticism apply to all herringbone floors?
No. Thorman’s comments focus on how the pattern is used, including its pairing with synthetic materials and grey finishes in contemporary homes. The report also notes that some designers continue to value herringbone for the movement and rhythm it can add.
What flooring does Thorman suggest for some modern spaces?
She says longer, straight-plank timber can suit some modern rooms better because it may visually elongate walls. That is a design recommendation, not a rule for every home.
Source: livingetc.com
