How to Select the Perfect Flooring for Your Home
Living in Texas there are some design challenges. in finding the perfect flooring to update your home. We have clay soil, and pier and beam structure housing. Coupled with the possibility of living in a home that is not brand spanking new, how do you select the perfect flooring to upgrade the overall look? There are all sorts of elements that go into figuring out what’s best for you, your family, and the overall environment.
Most flooring that is found in older homes is either standard build basic beige carpet, an oak laminate floor, or a dull 12 x 12 ceramic tile for kitchens and baths. So how do you go from basic flooring in your home to something that says wow, your home is how old? It has to be safe and within your means.
It’s no different than finding the perfect dress, the perfect accessories, and the bag that pulls together a look. Everyone wants that Instagramable look, but realistically no one lives like that. When it is as intimate as your home, it’s more personable. When you think about replacing any flooring in your home you must think about the traffic in each room, comfort levels underfoot, and wearability.
Most flooring, high-quality flooring lasts up to 25 years. There are so many more options today other than wood, tile, and carpet. Luxury vinyl flooring is huge right now. It looks exactly like wood flooring or even some cases, marble tiles. It’s very sustainable and easy to install if your current flooring or base flooring is in good condition.
Laminate flooring is not the same as it was 25 years ago when they had limited warranties and warped when a sprinkle of water touched it. The newer floors emulate real wood floors; cuts, distressing and all. They are reasonably priced and come in an array of styles and wood tones. The best thing is that is easy to care for and water beads right off of them.
Let’s not forget how tile flooring has evolved. You don’t have to use the standard beige tile anywhere anymore. Your tile can have personality, color, and pattern. You can you more than one shape. Newer styles come in wood-like planks. It’s better to select a larger size tile to save on costs. So, 18” x 18” or 12” x 36” tiles are best for larger spaces. Tiles are not only for the kitchen or bathroom. They can be used in laundry, mudrooms, and small entry spaces.
Cork flooring, like vinyl flooring, is very sustainable. The pricing is the same as some wood flooring, but the care and warranty outweigh the costs. Again, the installation is not as costly as natural wood or tile. They are usually sold in large squares or planks like wood flooring.
When thinking about your home's style, light to medium tone oak or maple floors are great for traditional or midcentury-style homes. If you have a more modern living space, you can do a darker wood tone. In some cases, you could go bright white or pickled oak in modern and contemporary spaces. In family-friendly spaces, I’d do a medium wood floor color and tile with a pattern that’s not too busy. My rule of thumb is if you have a pet that sheds a lot, try to pick a color that comes close to your pet’s hair color. The rule is the same for area rugs and upholstery fabrics.
Once you have established what flooring you are going to use. be sure to get the best installers and tradespeople to do it. It's more than just flooring tile and grout. It’s underlayment, sealant, spacers, and then grout. It’s about making sure you have contrast, color, and pattern. Whatever type of flooring you choose, it ground the space and solidifies the style in a room.
Recommended flooring stores: www.flooranddecor.com/, www.wayfair.com, www.lumberliquidators.com, and www.nfm.com also try habitat for humanity restores. Some stores will actually let you purchase samples to try out before you buy.
Credit: construction2style.com, designedsimple.com, maidenhome.com. lowes.com, realhomes.com
flooranddecor.com, ziatile.com, wayfair.com, thetileclub.com, thelilypad.com
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