The 5 Best Home Flooring Ideas and Options

Since the floor is a key design element to any room in your new home, you'll need to ask yourself a series of questions so you can be sure you select the right flooring based on design, location, lifestyle and budget.

The first step in choosing a floor is deciding what look and feel you want for each room and throughout your home. Remember your floor is a key design element so you'll want to spend some time selecting the right materials (wood, laminate, vinyl, carpet, cork, bamboo, ceramic and linoleum to name a few), colors, patterns, textures and even shapes for each room

APPROACH
Pros: Consider your home’s layout. Got an open floor plan? Using the same flooring throughout the space will create a clean, continuous appearance.

Cons: Forget about your home’s architectural integrity. By all means, make your home a reflection of your personal style. (Get inspired by these super-cool floor ideas.) Just keep in mind that staying true to your home’s innate style will pay off when it’s time to sell.


HARDWOOD
Cons: Hardwoods look very nice and have a great resale value. They are easy to clean and maintain and usually only require vacuuming.

Pros: Depending on the type of hardwoods you go with, it could cost you anywhere from rs300 to rs1200 per square foot. Engineered wood will cost you a little less. On top of the cost of materials, you will need to pay to get it installed which will likely run you in the hundreds or thousands of dollars.


DURABILITY
Cons: Keep your local climate in mind. Damp and humid weather can shorten a floor’s lifespan. For instance, hardwood can warp.

Pros: Underestimate wear and tear depending on where you’re planning to install new flooring. Drop a glass jar on ceramic tile and it’ll chip; heavy foot traffic will beat up pretty plush carpeting.

LAMINATE
Cons: Standing water will ruin laminate flooring. I learned this the hard way after having a refrigerator leak, and I ended up having to replace all the flooring in my kitchen. If the laminate does get ruined, unlike read hardwoods, laminate can not be refinished.

Pros: My favorite thing about laminate is that it does not easily scratch. And if it does, a little vegetable oil rubbed on the scratch will get it right out. It also can look like real wood or tile, and it can even be difficult to tell if it is real or not. Like hardwoods, laminate is easy to clean. You can even make your own cheap and natural house cleaners. It is also great for pets because they can’t scratch or stain it.

COMFORT
Cons: Consider comfortable flooring materials, especially in rooms where you spend a lot of time standing, such as the kitchen, and if you have small children or plan to age in place.

Pros: Contribute to household air pollution. Both traditional vinyl flooring and newly installed carpets can emit high levels of VOCs for up to 72 hours.