Flooring not only acts as a foundation for the rest of your space but is a key element in shaping the feel of any room – rustic to refined. From hardwood, laminate, luxury vinyl tile (LVT), porcelain and marble tile, there is a huge range to choose from.
They should be able to resist the tumbles and spills that often attend family life (some, such as stone tile, more effectively than others).
Kitchen
Kitchens are high-traffic rooms that are especially hard on flooring materials, so any you choose should be able to withstand the conditions and clean up easily when they get spilled on. If you know beforehand what kind of traffic your kitchen will see — from a light cooking hub doubling as a home office to an open-plan space for family gatherings — you know what kind of material you need. Then decide what style will work best in your area.
Hardwood floors increase the market value of your home and can be easily cleaned and stain-resistant. They are a better long-term investment because they are hardier than cheap carpet, fray-resistant, easy to keep clean and cannot be infected by mould. And, as real hardwood flooring is often beyond the budget of many, modern laminate which is waterproof and looks the same is the perfect compromise.
Tile might seem an unlikely medium for bedrooms, but it’s a hardwearing, more moisture-resistant surface than most, and one that comes in a wide array of style options. Large-format light-toned tile will make your bedroom feel larger, while adding wood-look tile as an accent adds warmth to a spare bedroom. Mix up the texture with pattern – such as herringbone or chevron – and finish it off with some actual wood (reclaimed barn board or distressed pinewood flooring) for an extra wooden accent on your wood bedroom tile floors.
Bathroom
For a natural look-and-feel with a tight budget, however, there is nothing better than laminate – the perfect compromise between durability and maintenance, which these days are available in a wide range of trendy ‘wood’ and ‘stone’ finishes, which are indistinguishable from the real thing.
Carpet can be warm and attractive during winter months and soft to walk on; but it also traps dust and mildew more readily than other floor coverings. There are also options for colour, pattern and texture that complement any décor in any room.
A classic that never goes out of style, hardwood flooring is the top recommended material for increasing home value and desirability by realtors. Unlike carpets, hardwoods can be refinished, its color refreshed, and repeated treatments can double the lifespan of the floor.
Bedroom
Your bedroom is an intensely private space, and your choice of flooring can have a huge impact on how it looks and feels. When choosing the best floor for your bedroom, consider who will be using it and what, if any, special functional needs it needs to fulfill.
The living and kitchen areas are usually carpeted, which is very good for the bedroom areas as carpet is soft, it muffles sound well and feels good. It is always a good flooring choice if one is looking to sleep well. Hardwood also looks very good.Cleaning the carpet is worth it. It prevents allergies by retaining fewer dust particles and debris than hard floorings.
Hardwood flooring is a growing option for bedrooms that is both beautiful and increases the resale value of a home. Real estate specialists assert that hardwood is one of the top choices for adding value to your home. If you prefer natural flooring made of bamboo, eucalyptus woods and so forth; otherwise, if you go for engineered wood, laminate, there is a variety of styles available and they are durable, complimenting any decor scheme.
Living Room
Living rooms often become meeting points for relatives and friends to have family nights, game days and other celebrations. A comfortable and welcoming living space is often gained through its type of floorings.
View: Flooring in a room sets the stage for every other decor item you will bring inside. You have a finite amount of floor and have to remember that everything, other than paint, will go there. Decide how you want to feel in a room before you set about making it so. Do you like modern lines, such as a sleek wood look or a clean tile? Or do you like to call it a cottage and mix and match hardwoods and tiles? Adding countertops can help keep splashes and spills from ruining your floor.
Durability and maintenance: Your flooring in this room could be subject to extensive footfalls and should have the capacity to withstand stains and spills. If you a have a family? Your flooring should be able to withstand the knocks of children and pets as well as any other games you might play.
An extremely versatile wood for both an arresting installation and built-in protection would be waterproof hardwood – use it in its natural state, or sand and finish it, as this woodwork is easily refinished if scratched or otherwise damaged.