Choosing the best flooring for different rooms
Every room in our home performs unique roles which call for specific fittings and fixtures. Bathrooms and shower rooms incorporate tiling to protect their walls against water splashes, whereas a tiled bedroom wall would look peculiar. Living and dining areas often have recessed ceiling spotlights, but you wouldn’t expect to find these in a conservatory or integral garage.
Flooring choices also vary by apartment. Images of burgundy carpet around a toilet bowl or peeling kitchen floor tiles will send shivers down the spines of people who remember these phenomena from the 20th century. Equally, if your wet shoes have ever lost traction on a tiled hallway, you’ll appreciate the value of grip in areas near external doors. As a result, different rooms around the home benefit from specific flooring choices – something your Cruden Homes’ sales executive will be happy to discuss with you.
These are our recommendations for which flooring materials work best around the home. Ultimately, your home is your own, and you can lay sparkling granite floor tiles across every floor and cupboard if you so desire. Just bear in mind it may not be the smartest choice…
Carpet. Best for: bedrooms, staircases, landings
Carpet is the softest and most tactile option on this list, especially when fitted above a heavy-duty underlay. As such, it’s ideal for keeping little toes warm in children’s bedrooms. It optimises grip when going up and down stairs, while reducing the literal and metaphorical impact of any falls. Loop carpets are affordable, whereas pet-friendly twist pile carpets tend to resist pulls. There’s a plethora of materials, colours and easy to clean options available nowadays, too.
LVT (Luxury Vinyl Tiling). Best for: entrance hallways, kitchens
Hallways tend to lead a hard life, with high heels, shopping bags and muddy boots routinely passing across them. LVT is the modern day, very durable and much better looking equivalent of laminate. It’s incredibly hard wearing and offers a grippy surface despite giving dirt and mud nowhere to hide as a mop passes over it. A quick wipe and vacuum will keep LVT looking like new, while the hard surface helps minimise dust build-up – useful for allergy sufferers. LVTs come in such a vast range of colours and finishes, they are now popular choices in almost any room in the home. Many LVTs come with 25-year warranties, too.
Solid wood. Best for: living rooms, home offices
Leave your heels in the hallway where they can’t cause dents, and revel in the myriad colour schemes and character offered by solid timber. Herringbone parquet looks opulent, solid oak is timeless, and hard timbers will easily resist the pressure of office chairs rolling across them. They also dovetail nicely with wooden desks. Choosing flooring to match statement sideboards or dressers is a clever design touch, lending a classy aura to any apartment.
Tiles. Best for: family bathrooms, en-suites
In areas with high moisture levels, tiles deliver durable protection against steam and water splashes. Glossy porcelain tiles add hotel-suite chic to any en-suite – always ensure floor tiles have rougher surfaces so you can step out of the shower safely. Grey or coloured grout is a modern alternative to white, which has a propensity to discolour over time.
Vinyl. Best for: utility rooms.
Utility rooms lead a hard life, and a cost effective, traditional vinyl’s wipe-clean nature makes it ideal for areas hosting wet shoes, litter trays or occasional spillages. A well-cushioned vinyl floor is a fine alternative in bathrooms where children are routinely stepping out of the bath – less slippery than tiles and more hygienic than carpet. Install high-quality underlay beneath it to achieve a surprisingly comfortable floorcovering.
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