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Interior designer Aniela Thorman has criticized the widespread use of herringbone flooring, comparing it to the “Live, Laugh, Love” signs of the 2000s. In a Livingetc report, she argues the pattern can look out of place in modern homes, particularly when reproduced in inexpensive vinyl, while the article also notes that other designers continue to support it.
Interior designer Aniela Thorman has called herringbone flooring the “Live, Laugh, Love” of the 2020s, arguing that mass-market imitations and repetitive use have made the once-classic pattern feel overdone in some modern homes. The criticism, reported by Livingetc, is a designer’s opinion—not evidence that herringbone floors have broadly fallen out of fashion.
Thorman, of Foundry Interiors, told Livingetc that the pattern’s growing availability in luxury vinyl tile (LVT) has changed how people see it. She said manufacturers use herringbone as a way to make less expensive flooring appear more high-end. The source report notes that vinyl can offer a lower-cost alternative to hardwood, but does not assess particular products or establish how common poor-quality imitations are.
Thorman’s objection is also about where and how the pattern is used. She said herringbone was historically associated with grand period architecture and can feel disconnected from modern, pared-back homes—especially when paired with synthetic materials or grey finishes. For many contemporary spaces, she favors longer, straight-plank timber, which she said can visually lengthen walls and expand a room.
The Livingetc report presents the debate as more complicated than a simple verdict that the style is out. It notes that some designers still favor herringbone for the movement and rhythm it can bring to a room. The supplied source excerpt ends before detailing those designers’ full arguments, so their views and examples cannot be described further here.
Why the Flooring Debate Matters
The argument matters to homeowners planning renovations because flooring is a substantial, difficult-to-change design choice. Thorman’s criticism points to a difference between rejecting a pattern outright and asking whether it suits a particular home: architecture, material, finish and room proportions can affect how the same layout reads.
Her comments also reflect a wider design concern raised in the report: when people rely on the same online references and popular products, interiors can become less individual. That is an interpretation attributed to Thorman, not a measured finding about homeowners or the flooring market. The practical takeaway from the debate is to assess the actual space and material rather than assume a widely seen pattern will work everywhere.
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From Heritage Pattern to Mass Market
Herringbone is a zigzag arrangement of floorboards. According to the Livingetc report, the pattern dates to the 16th century, drawing inspiration from Roman stone formations before French aristocracy and nobility adopted it for wood flooring. It became associated with elegance and luxury in Europe.
The article contrasts that heritage association with the pattern’s use in contemporary new-builds, including in lower-cost imitation materials. Thorman argues that the change in setting and material—not the geometry alone—is what has affected its reputation. The report gives no sales figures, consumer survey or industry data showing that demand has declined.
“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, interior designer at Foundry Interiors, as quoted by Livingetc
No Evidence of a Marketwide Decline
The source material does not establish that herringbone flooring is out of style across the industry. It contains one designer’s criticism and says that other designers continue to support the pattern, but the provided excerpt does not include their full comments. It also supplies no polling, sales data or broader measure of current demand.
It remains unclear how consumers are responding to Thorman’s view, how widespread the use of herringbone LVT is, or whether any particular material or finish is losing popularity. The report’s description of the pattern as overused should be understood as a design opinion, not a confirmed market trend.
How Designers Judge the Pattern
The discussion is likely to continue as homeowners and designers weigh the pattern against a home’s architecture, proportions and flooring material. The Livingetc article indicates that the case for herringbone is not settled: critics such as Thorman favor simpler layouts in some modern spaces, while supporters see value in the pattern’s visual movement.
No product announcement, industry decision or formal trend forecast is included in the source material. For now, the confirmed development is a debate prompted by Thorman’s comments; whether that reflects a wider shift in taste remains to be seen.
Key Questions
Who called herringbone flooring the “Live, Laugh, Love” of interiors?
Aniela Thorman, an interior designer associated with Foundry Interiors, made the comparison in a post discussed by Livingetc.
Why does Thorman criticize herringbone floors?
She argues that mass-market LVT imitations and repeated use in modern, neutral homes have weakened the pattern’s association with traditional, grand interiors.
Are herringbone floors confirmed to be out of style?
No. The source reports a designer’s opinion and notes that other designers still support the style. It provides no sales figures or survey data proving a broad decline in popularity.
What flooring does Thorman prefer in some modern homes?
She says longer, straight-plank timber can suit modern spaces because it may visually lengthen walls and make a room appear more expansive.
Source: livingetc.com
