Choosing flooring for a room can be a difficult task. For one thing there are so many styles to choose from; and, secondly, much like walls in a room; the floor covers a large surface area. So, get it right and you’re laughing, get it wrong and it’s a costly and time-consuming mistake. Perfect flooring can complete a room and of course shows off your taste and style, so it’s important to get it right first time. You should also be considering what function the room has, as you wouldn’t choose the same flooring for a kitchen as you would for a bathroom.
Here are a few basic questions from West End estate agent, LDG on what you should be asking yourself before going ahead with your revamp…
What Look do I Want to Create?
Before you buy any flooring, you need to think about the style and tone of the rest of the house. Is your home sleek and modern with very little clutter? If so, your choice of flooring needs to match that ‘feel’. If perhaps it’s a cottage with fire places everywhere, maybe wood flooring would be more appropriate than tiles. You need to be as thoughtful about it as you would if you were repainting the walls, or adding accessories to a room.
How Large is the Room?
Depending what space you have to fill will also define your choice. Firstly, you should consider the size and shape. If the room is small you may not want to choose a dark colour as this will only make the room seem smaller and pokier. Secondly, remember to ask how much light enters the room. If you have a lot of natural light throughout the day you’ll have more styles to choose from as you’re not limited when it comes to colour, e.g. both light and dark colours will suit the room. Try to consider what impression you want to give; for example, do you want the room to look modern? Or do you want to create warmth by using mid-toned materials? It’s always worthwhile ordering some samples and trying them out during different times of the day.
What Materials should I Use?
With so many choices, it can be difficult to know what’s what. Obviously there’s wood and stone to consider. Oak is classic and quite traditional. But should you want to be a bit quirky, why not try to incorporate elm or hickory in your design choice? If you like the wood effect but can’t really afford it, you could opt for laminate flooring. This is very popular choice as it comes in a range of effects, is cost effective and unlike real wood it won’t morph in high temperatures or damp weather. Laminate flooring doesn’t just imitate wood, it can also be made to look like marble or ceramic. It’s also stain and scratch resistant and won’t fade over time.
How Practical is it?
This obviously goes back to where you are going to put the floor. If it’s a ‘high traffic area’, like the hallway, durability will be important. If it’s going to be placed in the kitchen or bathroom it will need to be water resistant as these floors are often cleaned and suffer from spillages.
Whatever you choose, just make sure it’s right for you and your circumstances, and you can’t really go wrong. However, remember that it’s important to do the research first, don’t just buy the first or second style you see, really investigate.
Happy hunting!
