HGTV's Christina Haack Always Follows One Rule Before Installing Flooring

Lighting is important in every living space. That's why design experts always choose the perfect lighting to align with or enhance the interior of a home. However, there are times when we also need to make adjustments to certain elements in our space to match the lighting. Take, for example, the flooring. Aside from artificial lighting, natural light plays a role in how our floors look. Depending on the time of day, the shade of our flooring may appear darker or lighter, and when this happens, it might clash with other interior features.

To prevent this from happening, HGTV star Christina Haack follows one simple rule: She checks how the flooring color changes in sunlight at different times before choosing the material to use. It's typical for most homeowners to test paint colors in various lighting to avoid unexpected tones. The same principle applies to Haack's flooring tip, as it also helps determine the right hue so the flooring stays cohesive with other interior elements, no matter the lighting conditions.

Haack also previously suggested using the same flooring throughout the house as one of her key tips to make a home look larger. While mostly true, you should consider how each space may have different conditions throughout the day. When choosing a flooring material for your home, conduct Haack's sunlight test in each room to see how it would appear to your eyes.

Since light dramatically affects how your flooring appears, it's wise to choose the best flooring options for your home with the help of Christina Haack's sunlight test. Morning and evening sunlight may bring out warmer tones, while midday light could cast whiter or bluer hues on your flooring. Without testing, you might end up with a shade that clashes with your walls, furniture, or overall interior design once installed. Haack's rule ensures you'll avoid that pitfall.

In Season 1, Episode 6 of her HGTV series "Christina in the Country", Haack showed how useful her tip was while working with a couple restoring a fire-damaged home. When the clients asked if red oak flooring would pull a different shade in response to light, Haack said, "There is a potential that it could pull a different color. Here (under the shade), it doesn't look like it would pull anything, but if we put it in the sun, it gets redder."

Borrow or purchase small sample flooring planks, and move them around different areas in your house over a few days to see how natural sunlight, overcast, and artificial lighting affect them. A gray-toned laminate may look sleek in a room with little natural light but appear brownish in a sunlit living room. Similarly, a pale oak might seem crisp in the morning but turn yellow under afternoon light. Performing Haack's test will give you a clear idea of how your flooring color behaves throughout the day, and this can save you money in replacement costs in the long run.