Home Style Decorating

Flooring is a great way to update or change the look of a room or your entire house. There are many options when it comes to flooring and the key is to find the right one for a certain room. There are also many aspects to consider in choosing the flooring style and material. These are budget, lifestyle, room use/ traffic pattern and the theme or look of the room you are planning to place the flooring.

If money is not a problem, then well and good but if you are on a budget, then your choices will be limited. A thing to keep in mind is that medium grade installed carpet or vinyl runs about one-third of the price of hardwood or ceramic installed in the same space and installed laminate is roughly two-thirds of the price. If you are handy and undaunted by the task of installing the flooring yourself, then you can save a lot. This is provided if you have the right skill, tools, patience and free time required otherwise you have to rely on the professionals.

Brands and warranties also factor into budget considerations. The longer the warranty period, the better the floor and the higher the price. You do get what you pay for so if you want flooring that will last, look for a decent warranty along with brand recognition.

Choose a flooring that suits your lifestyle. Are you a growing family, on your own or a couple? Do you entertain a lot? Are you planning to move in the near future or putting down roots? Do you have the time and inclination to vacuum often or is the broom your best friend? Do you have pets? The answers to these questions will give you a sense of what flooring is suited to your needs.

• Carpet is warm, comfortable and cushy, usually well-warranted and stain resistant. A lower grade will show stains, wear and tear quicker than a higher quality grade, and Berber makes a great choice for kids and pets. Regular vacuuming and spot-cleaning will keep your carpet in good shape. For stain resistance, look for the Stainmaster Seal. Recommended brands: Richmond, Shaw, Coronet, National.
• Vinyl makes a practical cushioned floor for a bathroom, hallway or kitchen. It doesn’t hold odor and it’s easy to clean. It comes in a huge variety of patterns and looks, mimicking ceramic and even hardwood. While vinyl is surprisingly durable, with the current trends towards hard-surface flooring few choose it for a family or living room. Recommended brands: Armstrong, Tarkett.
• Laminate is a hugely practical, popular flooring choice. Plank flooring comes in every color, pattern and finish imaginable–your floor can look like bamboo, heritage oak or highly polished hardwood. Ceramic and cork are also available on a laminate tile tongue and groove backing for ease of installation. Durable, easy to clean, scratch and stain resistant, laminate can chip if heavy objects are dropped with a lot of force. Mop up spills right away because laminate does not do well in the wet. Recommended brands: Pergo, Laurentian, Armstrong, Wicanders.
• Ceramic tile makes a beautiful, practical choice. Available in a variety of tile sizes for floors, detail work and backsplashes. Ceramic is breakable and it is not cushy underfoot. If you put it in the kitchen, use a non-slip mat in the standing area. Recommended brands: Casa Roma, Centura, Olympia Tile.
• Hardwood is a classic flooring favorite. If you are concerned about scratches and markings go with a harder hardwood like oak, maple, cherry or bamboo. Eventually all hardwoods will mark, but marks are a characteristic of wood and floors can always be refinished. The variation in pattern and color that natural hardwood provides is timeless. Recommended brands: Bruce, Laurentian.

Fit the flooring with the room that you are planning to install it. While there are no hard and fast rules, the following is a list of common choices by area:

• Bathroom: vinyl, ceramic, laminate
• Kitchen: vinyl, ceramic
• Living room: carpet, laminate, hardwood
• Bedroom: carpet, laminate, hardwood
• Family room/ basement/ game room: carpet, laminate, hardwood
• Study: carpet, laminate, hardwood
• Hall: carpet, vinyl, laminate, hardwood
• Entrance: ceramic, vinyl, laminate
• Stairs: carpet, laminate, hardwood

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