It is something that is often left out when making over a home. Even if you have spent a fortune on painting new furniture and new furnishings, many people will overlook the flooring in their homes.
This is, of course, a bit of an error, as the flooring is responsible for being walked on, absorbing moisture, and upping the appearance of any room. Have you ever seen a room that looked nice but had bad flooring? Not likely!
So, while it is often overlooked, any interior designer will tell you that when it comes to designing your home or gutting it, you need to look at the flooring as a starting point, as you can then build the rest of the look around it. However, there is more to this than just aesthetics, and for many people, there are many other considerations when it comes to choosing a different type of flooring for their home.
If you are puzzled or concerned, don’t worry. There are some key things to think about when it comes to changing your home’s flooring, which will be discussed here.
The Material
There are, of course, many different materials that can be used in flooring, all the way from wood to stone or tiles from a company like Quorn Stone. These will often vary in price based on the amount that is being put down and the type that is used. For instance, marble flooring is going to cost a fortune compared to slate tiles, so you will need to consider the cost, the maintenance, and the amount that is being put down.
Some materials are hardier than others, which is going to be important if the flooring is being laid somewhere that has heavy foot traffic.
The Function
The floors in any home have a shared purpose at the base; to keep your footing level and to offer structural security. However, based on the room that the flooring is in, it may need additional functions. For instance, flooring in a kitchen needs to be hardy to absorb moisture while preventing mold and also to be hardy. This is precisely why stone is so common in kitchens, as it ticks all of these boxes. A living room, depending on the climate, is more likely to benefit from wooden flooring, as structural stability is the core purpose of this flooring type.
Maintenance
Most people want a marble floor, but do you really have the time for the required maintenance? Maintenance is something that needs to be thought about when laying any kind of floor. For most people who are busy with work or families, there is simply no time to make sure that their granite floor is not cracked. So, if you fall into this camp, it may be best to invest in a more robust kind of flooring that can be covered with carpet. Many families that have young children invest in wooden flooring as it is minimal maintenance and holds its value if it is not dampened, and it just goes with most kinds of furniture and décor.
Style
While wooden floors can be paired with almost any look, if you are interested in stone flooring, you will need to also consider its color and style. Most stone flooring is neutral and is usually white, black, or grey, but if you want stone flooring that is colored, you will need to ensure (for your sanity) that it blends in seamlessly with the rest of the room. This will also be helpful if you are planning to sell your home in the future, as décor that is a bit mismatched can cost you a bit when it comes to estimates and sales.
The Climate
It is safe to say that for most countries, it is getting hotter. While this may not seem to make much of an impact when it comes to choosing the right kind of flooring for your home, it is important to consider how a hotter, damper environment will impact the material that is chosen.
For instance, while wooden flooring is pretty hardy, in order to keep it damp-proof, it needs to be varnished, or it may rot, and the wood may warp. That’s not exactly a desirable trait to have on a floor and is precisely the reason why few people install wooden floors in their kitchens or bathrooms.
So, if you are stuck, make sure to check with floor fitters about which kind of material will suit the climate you live in and assess the most affordable type to meet your needs.
