Flooring Options For Your Home
The type of flooring you choose for a room can make or break the atmosphere that you are trying to create
. It is perhaps the single most important decision you will make regarding any spaces decor after all, not everyone is going to use every piece of furniture you have in a room, but everyone who enters is certainly going to walk on the floor.
This decision is made more difficult by the fact that there are countless flooring options available from which to choose. Should you go with a classic, sturdy hardwood floor? Maybe you would prefer a traditional limestone kitchen tile. Then again, you could always have the look of either with a more durable laminate. Wall-to-wall carpeting also offers many options to someone looking to change the style of their floors.
With so many decisions to make regarding what you are going to do with your floors, it is usually best to take a second to just stop, take a deep breath, and consider a few things. A little pre-planning will make your search for the perfect floor go much smoother, and can even prevent you from sticking yourself with a floor you did not really want.
The most important thing to consider is what you want your floor to say about the rooms personality. Are you going for a rustic, country feel? Hardwood may be the way to go, with beveled edges and very little finish. Wide planks can help add to the feel of being in a cabin or old-style farmhouse, as can the wide, bold grain patterns of a sturdy oak. A lighter shade would probably be a good decision in this case, though darker shades may work just as well. This type of floor is a great accent for any unfinished wood or leather furniture you may have.
Perhaps you want to keep that homey comfort, but want to step out of the country and have a more modern look. Carpet is highly customizable and can be tailored to any taste. With color options that are nearly limitless, you certainly will not have to worry about matching the carpet to your furniture. Carpet also gives a softer, more welcoming feel to a room. It is useful to create an inviting atmosphere that tells anyone who enters to kick of their shoes and relax for awhile. Carpeting is also some of the easiest flooring to install, as it comes in rolls that can be cut to specifications, rather than planks or boards.
Maybe you are not looking for comfort and rustic charm so much as elegance and sophistication. In that case, you may want to reconsider hardwood, but with a deep hue and high shine finish. Thinner planks laid out in a straight line or herringbone pattern can create the illusion of a larger space and give off the feel of an old Victorian ballroom. Selecting square edges for your planks will create a smooth, even area that will feel like one flat surface rather than a series of interconnected planks. Any wood with smaller, tighter grains, like maple, will add to the high class feel, and a glossy finish can give your new floor a dazzling mirror like quality.
Hardwood is not the only option for class and sophistication, though. In areas more prone to spills and moisture, ceramic tile or stone may still provide that look of elegance while providing a bit more durability. Limestone is a classic choice for kitchen floors as it can easily be kept clean and is naturally resistant to temperature changes, but still has that stylishness that you are looking for. Tiles can also come in many different materials, even glass, and can be embellished with designs and textures for that added personal touch.
Maybe all this talk of hardwood and limestone sounds great, but a little out of your price range. Not to mention you have kids running around that will do their best to test the durability of whatever floor you choose. In that case, laminate may be a great option. Laminate can mimic the look of just about any kind of hardwood or tile, but is much cheaper and easier to maintain. It is usually covered with a protective coat that gives it a glossy, classy looking finish, while making it water resistant and scratch resistant. This makes laminate a good decision for just about any part of the house where you want to keep that high class look, but are afraid that the floor might take a beating.
Changing the flooring of a room means completely changing its feel, but knowing what you want that feel to be when you are done goes a long ways towards helping you pick out your perfect floor.
by: Charly Dimatoni
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