Depending on the nature and size of your project, there are a number of things that it can be tempting to do when choosing your flooring. The first, and the most obvious, is to choose based on looks alone. After all, you’ve gone to the trouble of decorating and perhaps even renovating the space, so why would you want the finishing touches to let all of that hard work down? The second, is to find that your budget has gone on all of the other elements that go towards making a house a home, before you’ve even thought about what runs beneath your feet!
Good News!
The good news, firstly, is that you don’t have to compromise; choosing the perfect flooring for your home is not a black-and-white choice between style and budget. We’re fortunate, in the world of flooring, to have plenty of incredible brands to choose from, with countless styles and types of flooring available between them. That said, there are some important considerations to make when furnishing your floors to suit the rigours of a life here in Cornwall, considerations that necessarily change depending on the room you’re updating.
The heart of the home
We’ll start in the kitchen – the heart of any home. While larger kitchens can be used as a canvas on which to splash colour and vibrant design, smaller spaces can actually benefit from more neutral, natural materials, which in turn make them feel more spacious. In terms of affordability versus durability, again, this is no longer a simple choice between the two; there are plenty of affordable choices available within the market, such as laminate and Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT), which are just as hard-wearing as more traditional materials like wood and stone. Still, it’s an important point to consider, depending on your budget, as is the safety of little ones should you have a family to worry about. If so, slip-resistance and hygiene are both paramount, particularly if your children are still crawling or toddling. Similarly, if your babies are of the ‘fur’ variety, then scratch-resistant materials are key to longevity! In terms of style, while wood flooring is without doubt the ‘classic’ look, it can be expensive. Again, vinyl and LVT options can take some of the sting out of this, and they also offer a superb alternative to natural wood or stone tiles, their realism of design ticking a lot of boxes for home-improvers seeking a cost-effective but authentic alternative. They’re also hard-wearing and easy to clean – invaluable after a day spent exploring a rain-soaked coastline.
Is there a 'right' choice?
Into the living room and again, an important factor in your decision will be the room’s size, with bold colours and elaborate textures only serving to overwhelm smaller spaces. Style-wise, there’s really no ‘right’ choice, however the age and character of your home may well dictate the range of options that make it to your shortlist. Old, larger homes, for example, are often quite malleable in terms of the styles, patterns and colours you choose to adorn them with, however something traditional is often the one that works best. Similarly, traditional carpets and stone floors can look out of place in smaller, newer homes, where something more contemporary would be more suitable. Depending on the number of residents, you will also want to think carefully about durability. If there are only two of you, you needn’t worry so much about high levels of traffic, but if there are children or pets running around, a vinyl floor that’s easy to keep clean, and that doesn’t loop or catch on pets’ claws, might be a better choice.
Form or function
By this point you may well be sensing a pattern. For most of the ‘public’ spaces of the home, the same considerations usually need to be taken, the key difference lying in the purpose each room serves. The dining room and kitchen, for example, will each benefit from anti-slip materials, as will the bathroom. The bedrooms, however, call for something a little more cosy, be it the warmth of natural wood paired with a deep-pile rug, or a full-blown woollen carpet in which to sink your toes on those Cornish mizzly mornings.
Working from home
But what if you work from home? Suddenly, that spare bedroom becomes a necessarily practical space. Alternatively, it could be your kitchen that now serves as your Monday-to-Friday haunt, or even your living room. If it is your living room, then you’ll most likely agree that in the face of heavily laden desks and the catching wheels of your office chair, the cushioned, carpeted idyll is suddenly no longer idyllic! Instead, laminate flooring can be a much better option, being affordable, easy and quick to install, as well as providing an easy-to-clean base for your home office. And if you are still attached to the warmth your carpet provides, not to mention its absorption of sound that can be a lifesaver to those sharing the house with you as you switch from Zoom call to Zoom call, then you can always try a harder wearing option, like Malabar Two Fold. This beautiful solution from Cormar Carpets is naturally textured and resilient – a subtly stylish alternative that promises not to obstruct those procrastinating chair spins!
Making the right decision
In short, choosing the right flooring for your home is entirely dependant on both the space available to you, and the way in which you use your home and the rooms within. Ultimately, the best practice is to consult the experts, so why not get in touch via the form below and pick our brains?
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