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Interior designer Aniela Thorman has compared herringbone flooring to the “Live, Laugh, Love” décor trend, arguing that mass-market vinyl versions and trend-led use have weakened its appeal. Livingetc’s report also presents the case for keeping the pattern, with the debate focused on material, architecture and how the floor is used—not a confirmed end to the style.
Interior designer Aniela Thorman has called herringbone flooring the “Live, Laugh, Love” of 2020s interiors, arguing that mass-market versions have made a once-classic pattern feel generic. A Livingetc report presents her criticism alongside arguments from designers who still support the look, framing the question as one of material and fit rather than confirming that herringbone has fallen out of style.
Thorman, of Foundry Interiors, told Livingetc that the growth of luxury vinyl tile, or LVT, has helped turn herringbone into a widely available design shortcut. In her view, manufacturers use the recognizable layout to make lower-cost flooring appear more high-end. The report notes that vinyl can offer a less expensive alternative to hardwood, but says some imitations may look like a poor reproduction of natural timber.
Thorman also argues that the pattern can feel mismatched in some newer homes, particularly when it appears in synthetic materials and grey finishes without the architectural features traditionally associated with it. She says straight-plank timber may suit modern spaces better, in part because its linear layout can visually lengthen walls and expand a room.
The article does not treat that opinion as a consensus. It gives space to herringbone’s supporters, including the view that its angled pattern can add movement and rhythm to a room. The report’s central distinction is between rejecting the pattern altogether and questioning how it is selected, what it is made from, and whether it suits a home.
Why Flooring Choices Signal a Design Debate
The dispute matters to homeowners because flooring is a substantial, long-lasting design decision, and herringbone is often used to suggest craft, history or luxury. Thorman’s criticism draws attention to the gap between that association and inexpensive imitations that borrow the pattern without the material or architectural setting she believes gives it meaning.
It also challenges the tendency to copy a look simply because it is common in online images or new-build interiors. The report does not establish that buyers or designers are abandoning herringbone. Instead, it raises a practical question for anyone planning a renovation: whether a floor’s material, proportions and visual character work with the particular room, rather than with a general trend.
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From Heritage Pattern to Mass-Market Look
Herringbone is a zigzag arrangement of flooring pieces. The Livingetc report traces the wooden-flooring style to the 16th century, describing how French aristocrats adapted a pattern inspired by stone formations associated with Ancient Rome. It became linked with luxury and elegant European interiors.
Thorman’s argument is that the pattern’s current reputation has been shaped by its widespread use in contemporary homes, including through lower-cost LVT. She contrasts that use with period properties, where herringbone may sit alongside features such as crown moulding and other historic details. The source does not provide sales figures or industry data showing how common the flooring is, or whether its popularity is rising or falling.
“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, designer at Foundry Interiors, as quoted by Livingetc
No Sign of a Settled Design Consensus
The report offers a debate among designers, not evidence of a broad market shift. It does not include consumer surveys, sales figures or industry data showing that herringbone flooring is going out of fashion. Nor does the supplied material identify all of the designers supporting the pattern or provide a complete account of their arguments.
It is also not clear how much of Thorman’s criticism concerns the zigzag layout itself and how much concerns cheap-looking finishes, grey tones and unsuitable settings. The available account suggests those factors are central, but it cannot establish how readers or the wider design industry will respond.
The Choice Comes Down to the Room
Livingetc’s report points readers toward weighing both sides rather than treating one designer’s verdict as a final ruling. For people choosing flooring, the questions raised are whether the material looks convincing, whether the pattern complements the home’s architecture, and whether another layout—such as straight-plank timber—would better suit the room.
No formal decision, industry announcement or follow-up milestone is described in the source. The debate remains a matter of design judgment; whether herringbone feels dated or enduring will depend, in the arguments presented, on how and where it is used.
Key Questions
Has herringbone flooring officially gone out of style?
The Livingetc report does not establish that it has. It reports one designer’s criticism alongside support for the pattern, without market data or evidence of a consensus.
Why did Aniela Thorman compare it to “Live, Laugh, Love” décor?
Thorman says the growth of mass-market LVT has made herringbone widely available and, in her view, can turn it into a generic way to make cheaper materials look high-end.
Does Thorman object to every herringbone floor?
The account centers her criticism on the pattern’s use in synthetic or grey finishes and in homes where it may not suit the architecture. It does not establish that she rejects every material or setting.
What flooring does she say may work better in modern spaces?
Thorman says longer, straight-plank timber can be better suited to modern rooms because its linear look may visually lengthen walls and make a room feel larger.
What is the case for keeping herringbone?
The report notes that supporters see the pattern as a way to bring movement and rhythm to an interior. Its suitability depends on the room and the design choices around it, according to the debate presented.
Source: livingetc.com
