You’ve finally made the decision to update your home, but find yourself stuck when it comes to choosing flooring. Narrowing it down can be stressful and confusing. How can your decide which flooring is right for your home?
To begin with, think about your lifestyle and the way in which you use your home and/or the room you are looking to refurbish. Are you looking to do yoga in the family room, host lots of dinner parties, allow the dog to run around freely, or have the kids and their friends have picnics inside? Depending on what your lifestyle looks like and the use of the room, you will need to choose something that reflects that. Regardless, opting for a floor that is durable, comfortable, and that enhances and blends well with the look of the space is important.
Balancing your needs with your style is what you should be considering, as mixing practicality with your personal taste is where the decision lies. Once you have that figured out, choosing flooring options will be a lot more fun and straight-forward!
Before thinking about styles and materials, ask yourself these questions – how many people are going to be regularly using the room? How much traffic will the floor receive? Are children and pets going to be using it? How long do you want your floor to last? How often do you want to clean the floor? These simple questions will help you in determining which flooring is right for your home.
HARDWOOD
If you are simply just changing the floor and not the entire room, be sure to choose a floor that compliments the current furniture in the room, and one that goes with the overall decor and look of your home. If you are redoing the entire space, think about the textures, colours, and finish that appeal to you. Hardwood floors are more durable and will last a long time, as well as add value to your house. If you are planning on having many people come in and out of the room, perhaps do yoga, or are a cook who loves to spend lots of time in the kitchen, consider hardwood floors. They’re more comfortable to stand on for long periods of time, stand up to lots of traffic, and provide a warm and inviting feel to the area.
CARPET
If you are looking to save some money and conserve energy, carpets are a good way to do that. They have insulating properties that help with naturally cooling and heating your home, compared to hardwood floors. For those of you with children, carpets provide a warm and inviting space for the family to gather around, and anti-skid surfaces are a safe way for your young ones to play without hurting themselves. The many different styles of carpets can enhance your room and add warmth.
TILE OR VINYL
Keeping your lifestyle and budget in mind, tile or vinyl is a great option for those with young children, pets, or for areas that will have exposure to water, spills, and or other liquid materials. Perhaps you are an artist who works from home, or live in an area that might be exposed to moisture. Tile is a good option for bathrooms where your kids may leave behind puddles of water, in the laundry room, a studio, and in the front hall. Mud rooms where your kids and pets may track in dirt from playing outside do well with tile or vinyl flooring as well.
Choosing which flooring is right for your home isn’t as hard as it seems and once you’ve answered a few of these key questions, you’ll be on your way to glorious new flooring!