Perfectly flat, solid-colour floors – especially in very dark or very light shades – show every speck of dust, hair and crumb. You end up noticing dirt constantly, which can be tiring if you don’t have time to clean all the time.

A gently patterned floor – with subtle variation in tone, grain or texture – breaks up the visual field. Everyday dust blends in more, so the floor looks “normal” for longer between cleanings. This doesn’t mean you stop cleaning; it just means you don’t feel like the house looks dirty five minutes after mopping.

Wood-look floors, stone-look tiles, or even lightly speckled finishes are good examples. They still look neat and stylish but are more forgiving of real-life use than a pure, shiny black or bright white slab.

It’s a clever way to reduce visual stress without actually lowering your hygiene standards.