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Designer Aniela Thorman has criticized the widespread use of herringbone flooring, comparing it to the “Live, Laugh, Love” decor trend. Her argument is that mass-market vinyl imitations and the pattern’s use in neutral, modern homes have weakened its association with heritage interiors; the source also says some designers still support herringbone.
Designer Aniela Thorman has described herringbone flooring as the “Live, Laugh, Love” of 2020s interiors, arguing that its mass-market use—particularly in imitation materials and neutral new-build homes—has made the once-luxury pattern feel overfamiliar. The critique does not establish that herringbone is broadly out of style: Livingetc’s report presents it as a debate about how the pattern is used, and says other designers remain in favor of it.
Thorman, of @foundry.interiors, told Livingetc that a surge in luxury vinyl tile (LVT) has helped turn herringbone into a readily available design shortcut. As she put it, “Because herringbone has become so accessible, mass-market manufacturers lean on it as a shortcut to make cheap materials look ‘high-end.’” Her criticism is directed at the pattern’s use in lower-cost products as well as at the design choices surrounding it.
Thorman also argues that the pattern can look out of place in some contemporary homes. She said herringbone was originally associated with heritage buildings and grand proportions, and that synthetic finishes, grey tones and modern box-shaped interiors can undercut that association. In her view, longer, straight-plank timber can suit some modern rooms better because it visually elongates walls and expands the space.
The Livingetc report describes herringbone as a wooden-floor pattern with a history dating to the 16th century, and traces its adoption among French aristocracy to earlier Roman stone formations. It also includes a case for retaining the pattern: herringbone can add movement and rhythm to a room. The supplied report excerpt ends before giving the full arguments from designers who support it, so it does not provide a complete account of that side of the debate.
How Mass-Market Flooring Shapes Perception
The dispute is relevant to homeowners and renovators deciding whether to install a widely used flooring pattern. Thorman’s position suggests that the question is not simply whether herringbone is fashionable, but whether its material, scale and setting suit a particular home. A pattern associated with luxury can read differently when reproduced in inexpensive vinyl or paired with a stark, neutral interior.
Her comments also speak to the role of online design trends. Thorman told Livingetc that people can be funneled toward a single popular option instead of considering what a building’s architecture calls for. That is her professional judgment, not a measured finding about consumer behavior. The report offers no survey or sales data showing that herringbone demand is falling, and it does not establish a broad shift in design preferences.
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From Heritage Pattern to Popular Finish
Herringbone is formed by arranging short rectangular pieces in a repeated zigzag, or V-shaped, layout. Livingetc says the style has historical associations with European heritage architecture, where it was used in prestigious settings. The pattern’s established reputation helps explain the force of Thorman’s comparison: she is objecting to what she sees as its routine, mass-market use, rather than claiming it has no design history.
The report links that wider availability to LVT flooring, a lower-cost alternative to traditional hardwood. It says replicas promise a similar organic appearance, though Thorman considers some interpretations poor substitutes. The article also notes that herringbone can work in period homes with features such as crown molding, while a straight-plank floor may better complement some modern spaces. These are design assessments, not universal rules for either type of home.
““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, in comments reported by Livingetc
Is the Pattern Actually Falling From Favor?
The report does not show whether herringbone flooring is losing popularity among buyers, designers or manufacturers. It provides no market figures, survey results or time-series data to support a claim that the style has gone out of fashion. Thorman’s “Live, Laugh, Love” comparison is an attributed opinion, not a consensus finding.
It is also unclear from the supplied excerpt how the designers who favor herringbone qualify their support. The article begins a section on those in favor but the material provided ends before their comments appear. Readers therefore cannot assess the full range of arguments or compare the designers’ views in detail from this source alone.
The Debate Turns on Room and Material
Livingetc’s report sets up a comparison between Thorman’s criticism and the views of designers who still use herringbone. The supplied material does not include the full pro-herringbone discussion or indicate a specific follow-up, survey or design-industry milestone. For now, the confirmed development is a designer’s critique of how the pattern is commonly applied, rather than a documented change in the market.
For readers planning a renovation, the debate points to practical questions rather than a definitive trend verdict: what material is being installed, whether the layout fits the room’s proportions, and how it relates to the home’s architectural details. The report offers no universal recommendation; its central point is that context shapes the result.
Key Questions
Has herringbone flooring officially gone out of style?
The report does not establish that it has. Aniela Thorman’s comments are an opinion, and the source provides no sales data or survey showing that the pattern is broadly losing popularity.
Why did Aniela Thorman compare it to “Live, Laugh, Love” decor?
She said herringbone has become so accessible that mass-market manufacturers use it to make cheaper flooring look high-end. She also objects to its repeated use in modern, neutral homes.
Does Thorman oppose every herringbone floor?
The report does not say that. Her criticism concerns the pattern’s materials and setting; she says it can suit heritage buildings and argues that some modern spaces may work better with straight-plank timber.
Can herringbone still work in a modern home?
The report presents the issue as a matter of design judgment, not a strict rule. It says herringbone can bring movement and rhythm to a room, while Thorman believes straight planks often suit modern spaces better.
Source: livingetc.com
