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Anderson Tuftex’s 2027 Floor Forecast, developed with The Harris Poll, found that nearly 40% of surveyed homeowners shopping for flooring and interior designers said they were choosing warm, natural honey-toned hardwood. The survey group reported far less interest in medium or chocolate brown floors, but the results do not establish a nationwide shift in flooring purchases.
Nearly 40% of respondents in Anderson Tuftex’s 2027 Floor Forecast said they were choosing warm, natural honey-toned hardwood for flooring in new or renovated homes, according to Apartment Therapy’s report on the survey. The finding points to demand for warmer wood finishes among the surveyed homeowners and interior designers, though it does not by itself show that Americans broadly are replacing dark floors.
The forecast was created by flooring manufacturer Anderson Tuftex in partnership with The Harris Poll. Its survey included more than 250 working interior designers and over 500 homeowners who were actively shopping for new flooring. The company also drew on its own sales data, although the report does not provide detailed sales figures or explain how those figures compare with earlier periods.
In the survey, 13% of respondents said they were investing in medium or “chocolate” brown wood. The report says fewer respondents selected other finishes, including smoky mid-tones, cool gray wood and ashy hues with silver or gray undertones. It does not give separate percentages for those categories, or specify whether respondents could choose more than one preference.
The manufacturer identified white oak, pecan and ash as popular wood types among both designers and homeowners. It highlighted finishes called “Flaxen,” “Barley” and “Fawn” as examples of shades that fit the warm, honey-toned look. These are product and finish references from the manufacturer, rather than independent rankings of all flooring sold in the United States.
Warm Finishes Gain Survey Attention
Flooring is a major, relatively costly part of a renovation, and its color can shape choices about wall paint, cabinetry and furnishings. The survey offers homeowners and design professionals a snapshot of what a group of active flooring shoppers and working designers say they prefer. For people planning a project, the result may be useful when weighing warm wood against gray, pale or darker finishes.
But the finding is best read as a preference within this survey sample, not proof that a national market-wide change has taken place. The report does not publish a past survey comparison, a full breakdown of respondents, or sales data showing whether honey-toned floors are gaining market share. It also does not establish that dark wood is falling out of favor among all homeowners.
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How the Forecast Was Assembled
Apartment Therapy’s account describes the forecast as Anderson Tuftex’s first flooring forecast, produced with The Harris Poll. The company surveyed designers and homeowners who were already shopping for flooring, and supplemented the survey with its own sales data. The report’s findings therefore reflect both stated preferences and company-provided sales information, but the article does not detail the sales analysis.
The report connects interest in honey-toned floors with a broader return of honey oak in kitchen cabinetry. That is the article’s design context, not a conclusion established by the flooring survey. The survey details provided do not include the field dates, geographic distribution, sampling method, margin of error or full questionnaire, limiting how precisely readers can interpret or compare the percentages.
“Nearly 40% of those surveyed indicated that they are actively choosing warm, natural honey wood tones when buying hardwood flooring for new and renovated homes.”
— Anderson Tuftex, as described in Apartment Therapy’s report
Survey Limits and Missing Comparisons
The reported findings do not show whether honey-toned floors are outselling darker finishes across the United States. The survey covered active flooring shoppers and working designers, not necessarily a representative sample of all Americans, and its dates and methodology are not included in the source material. The report also gives no historical baseline to establish whether preferences have changed.
It remains unclear how Anderson Tuftex’s sales data aligns with the survey responses, what share of sales each finish represents, and whether the named shades are company-specific product offerings. The headline’s suggestion that Americans are “trading” dark floors for honey tones is stronger than the available evidence: the reported survey indicates stated interest, not confirmed replacement behavior or a nationwide market shift.
More Market Data Needed
Anderson Tuftex’s 2027 Floor Forecast is the next reference point described in the report, but no release schedule for further findings is provided. A clearer picture of the trend would require published survey dates and methodology, comparable results from earlier years, and sales data broken down by finish and market.
For now, homeowners considering new floors can treat the figures as one manufacturer-sponsored survey signal rather than a rule for choosing materials. The forecast does not predict how long the preference may last or establish which finish will perform best in a particular home.
Key Questions
What did the flooring survey find?
According to Apartment Therapy’s account of Anderson Tuftex’s forecast, nearly 40% of respondents said they were choosing warm, natural honey wood tones for hardwood flooring in new or renovated homes.
Does the survey prove Americans are abandoning dark wood floors?
No. It reports preferences among surveyed designers and homeowners shopping for flooring. It does not provide national sales comparisons or evidence that people are replacing existing dark floors.
Who took part in the survey?
The forecast used a Harris Poll partnership and included more than 250 working interior designers and over 500 homeowners actively shopping for flooring, according to the report. Further details about the sample and survey dates were not included.
Which wood types and finishes were highlighted?
The report names white oak, pecan and ash as popular wood types, and identifies “Flaxen,” “Barley” and “Fawn” as examples of finishes in the warm, honey-toned palette.
Source: apartmenttherapy.com
