Kelly Ripa's glossy black kitchen floor has everyone asking: are dark floors back?

For a decade, the "safe" kitchen floor was pale: white oak, light gray vinyl, cool stone. So when Homes & Gardens showed Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos's Upper East Side kitchen on October 2, with a high-gloss black wood floor designed by William Sofield of Studio Sofield, it got people talking. The magazine called it an unorthodox choice next to all the pale oak we're used to seeing.

It also got people searching. In Google Trends, "kelly ripa dark kitchen flooring" appeared as a breakout search linked to "flooring" in the US over the past month. Breakout means the search grew by more than 5,000%.

So, are dark floors actually coming back? Here's what the trend data and the flooring industry say, and what to think about before you go dark.

Flooring retailers' 2026 trend reports point the same way as the 2027 paint colors: warmer and richer. Floor Coverings International lists honey, caramel and chestnut wood tones replacing cool grays as the top trend. It also lists:

Pattern: herringbone, chevron, parquet and checkerboard stone, especially in entryways and kitchens
Wide planks and large tiles with fewer seams, which make rooms feel bigger
Waterproof luxury vinyl plank (LVP) and laminate for kitchens, mudrooms and basements
Floors chosen for real life: pet-friendly, easy to clean, durable

Search data backs up the practical side. The most-searched flooring terms in the US are still "vinyl flooring," "laminate flooring" and "LVP." A true black-lacquered wood floor is a design statement. A deep walnut- or espresso-look plank is the version most people will actually buy.

Dark floors: the honest pros and cons

Why people love them

They add warmth and contrast, especially with light cabinets or white walls.
They make pale furniture and rugs pop.
Flooring brand Parador argues that dark floors hide everyday dirt and scuffs better than light ones in busy areas.

What to know before you commit

Gloss shows everything. Any high-gloss floor, dark or light, shows dust, footprints and fine scratches more than a matte one. A matte, satin or wire-brushed finish is the low-stress way to get the look.
Light-colored pet hair stands out on a dark floor.
Dark rooms get darker. In a kitchen without much daylight, pair a dark floor with light walls and good lighting.

How much flooring does a kitchen need?

Take a 12 × 15 ft kitchen (you only need to floor the open area, so leave out the base cabinets and the island if you're working around them):

Floor area: 12 × 15 = 180 sq ft
Straight lay plus 10% extra for cuts: 198 sq ft
With planks sold in 20 sq ft boxes: 10 boxes

Fun fact: The trendiest pattern is also the hungriest. Lay that same kitchen in herringbone and the extra for cuts jumps from 10% to about 20%, so you'd need 11 boxes instead of 10, because every row ends in an angled cut. Pick "Herringbone" in the flooring calculator and it adds the extra for you.

Before you order

Measure each area separately (kitchen, hallway, pantry) and add them up. The square footage calculator handles L-shapes and odd corners.
Order from one batch. Dye lots vary, and dark colors show it most. Check that the batch numbers on the boxes match.
Keep one spare box. If a plank gets damaged in five years, the exact color may not exist anymore.
Let it acclimate. Most manufacturers ask you to leave wood and many laminates in the room for 48 hours before installing. Check the box.

Try your own room in the flooring calculator. It works out boxes, underlayment and transition strips, with a shopping list you can take to the store.

Sources

Homes & Gardens: Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos's dark kitchen flooring
Floor Coverings International: 7 flooring trends for 2026
Google Trends, US, past 30 days: top and rising searches related to "flooring" (checked October 15, 2026)