Inland Empire Flooring Trends We're Seeing in 2026
Trends are slow in flooring - these are 2 - 5 year arcs, not seasonal. Here's what we're actually installing across the Inland Empire this year.
1. Wider planks, especially in white oak
5", 6", 7", and 8" planks are dominant. Narrower 2-1/4" strip is rare on new installs. White oak has overtaken red oak as the most-requested species - roughly 60/40 in our work.
2. Lighter, cooler stains
The dark walnut and ebony era is over. We're finishing 80% of our refinishes in natural, white-washed, or light grey-brown tones. Matches the lighter wall colors and grey furniture that's currently dominant.
3. Matte and ultra-matte finishes
Satin used to be the default. Now ultra-matte (1 - 5 sheen) is the request on most refinish jobs. It hides scratches, dust, and sun fade better, and matches the modern aesthetic.
4. LVP gaining serious ground
5 years ago, LVP was the budget option. Now we install premium LVP in $800K+ homes - wider planks, embossed-in-register textures, mineral-core stability. The look-and-feel gap with hardwood has closed dramatically.
5. Mixed flooring throughout the home
Hardwood in living/dining/bedrooms, LVP in kitchens/baths/laundry, color-matched so the transition is subtle. Used to be unusual; now it's our most-quoted whole-house plan.
6. Engineered for slab homes
In Fontana, Ontario, Eastvale, and other newer-construction cities, engineered hardwood has fully replaced solid for new installs. Solid is becoming a "raised-foundation only" install in the Inland Empire.
7. Less carpet, period
Owners are tearing out carpet faster than at any point in the last 20 years. Allergies, dogs, or just modern aesthetic - carpet is getting rare in main living areas.
8. Stair upgrades during refinish
Adding hardwood treads when refinishing is now a default add-on. The whole-house consistency sells itself once we show samples.
If you're thinking about a project this year, reach out for a free estimate - we'll bring current samples and walk through what's working in homes near you.