“If you fall, I’ll be there.”
― Floor
Your home’s flooring can beautify your home in subtle but significant ways. Floors are like small wildflowers of a meadow: together, they give an impression of prettiness, but it’s when you look at them closely that you see their true beauty and individuality.
Whether you prefer the cool feel of natural stone or tile, the shades of deep walnut, the softness of carpets, or the easygoing flexibility of laminate, beautiful flooring can be easier to achieve than you think.
In this post and infographic (below), get inspired and discover the right flooring for you!
Wood Flooring
The Beauty Factor
Wood flooring is durable, elegant, distinctive, and warm. Solid wood flooring oozes sophistication and luxury. Maple, oak, pine, walnut, cherry, and hickory all have different coloring, and you can get a lot of natural variation in the grain as well.
Wood flooring can be finished with matte, satin or high gloss, depending on what part of the house it’s being used in. It can be refinished several times, making it a long-lasting favorite among homeowners.
Disadvantages
Depending on the brand, laminate may look more artificial and its surface will feel harder than solid wood. Scratches and dents are more easily visible, but thanks to the veneer, the surface is more resistant to them). You can’t refinish it more than once.
Where to Use It
Like solid wood, laminate looks great in living rooms, hallways, kitchens, bedrooms and playrooms. You can also use laminate in basements.
Laminate (Engineered Wood) Flooring
The Beauty Factor
Laminate flooring is made of wood composite topped with a real wood veneer. It mimics the look of solid wood at a more affordable price.
Laminate is stable underfoot and pretty tough. It’s easy to install, often coming with click-together strips that make a quick and durable flooring option.
Disadvantages
Depending on the brand, laminate may look more artificial and its surface will feel harder than solid wood. Scratches and dents are more easily visible, but thanks to the veneer, the surface is more resistant to them). You can’t refinish it more than once.
Where to Use It
Like solid wood, laminate looks great in living rooms, hallways, kitchens, bedrooms and playrooms. You can also use laminate in basements.
Vinyl Flooring
The Beauty Factor
Vinyl flooring is a value option that’s easy to install and maintain. Vinyl offers a wide variety of looks, from mock-wood or stone to geometric patterns and bright, vivid colors.
The quality of the vinyl floor matters, not just for looks but also for its durability. As a resilient and waterproof material that’s also easy to clean, it’s a popular choice for busy families.
Installation is usually click-in or glue down, and it can be installed directly on top of a good subfloor.
Disadvantages
Vinyl won’t ever look like wood, despite its variability. It can get damaged by sharp objects or heavy furniture, and direct sunlight can fade the colors.
Where to Use It
Vinyl is easy to clean, versatile, and is impervious to water, so it’s ideal for kitchens, bathrooms, basements, playrooms, dens, and garages/workshops.
Tile (Ceramic or Natural Stone) Flooring
The Beauty Factor
Tile flooring is as variable as it is beautiful. Tile flooring is very durable, resistant to water, and easy to maintain.
It comes in a wide variety of colors, styles, sizes, shapes, and textures, with glazed and unglazed finishes, perfect for decorative accents.
Flooring can be marble, granite, slate, limestone or other natural stone materials. More expensive ceramic tiles are made of porcelain, while more affordable tiles are made of white/red clay.
Disadvantages
Tiles can be very hard underfoot, and you need to maintain the grouting. If clay tiles break, the red clay beneath the surface where it’s been broken will be quite visible. Stone tiles can show marks of scratches and stains.
Where to Use It
Popular in kitchens, bathrooms, hallways, family rooms, and outdoor walkways (ceramic tiles are glazed, so they offer great protection from scratches and stains).
Bamboo, Cork, and Linoleum Flooring
The Beauty Factor
Bamboo (from grass), cork (from wood), and linoleum (cork powder and linseed oil) flooring are eco-friendly choices that use renewable resources and are made of biodegradable materials.
They offer incredible warmth and beauty, and a soft surface underfoot. Linoleum is a bit more resistant to scratches and scuffs than cork and bamboo, and comes in a wide array of color.
Disadvantages
None of these materials are as durable as wood. Cork, bamboo, and linoleum can get dented and get scratched more easily than vinyl and wood. Linoleum colors can fade in the sun.
Where to Use It
If you like it, anywhere! Living rooms, hallways, kitchens, family rooms, playrooms, and bedrooms. But don’t use them in damp areas like bathrooms and laundry rooms.
The Beauty Factor
Carpet flooring remains a favorite in US homes. There’s a huge variety of styles, colors, patterns, and textures, and it’s one of the most affordable flooring options, depending on the quality. Carpets can be warm and very soft underfoot and can absorb sound for an added bonus.
The only natural fiber material for carpets is wool; nylon and polyester are the other options.
With carpets, you need to look at the weight (how many fibers) and density (how closely packed they are). Ideally, you want high weight and high-density carpeting.
Disadvantages
Carpeting isn’t as durable as some of the other flooring options. It can also show more signs of stains and wear and tear. It’s not a good option for people with allergies.
Where to Use It
Carpeting is a good option for bedrooms, playrooms, living rooms, and other areas where warmth, sound insulation, and softness are needed. Carpet flooring is also non-slip, so useful for staircases and nurseries, where steadiness is critical.
Finishing touches: Make it beautiful
Whatever your choice of flooring, you can make it beautiful and integrated into the overall design of your house. With the right floor in place, even if you change your décor, the flooring will act as its support and help make it shine.
Check Out Our Infographic!
