One of the hottest trends in decorating can be found right under your feet. Your floor!!
These days' attitudes have changed towards flooring. No longer is it necessary to stick to the old fashioned norm of wall-to-wall carpet. There are so many options available now to suit your lifestyle, budget and taste. Modern trends mean it is quite acceptable for living room floors to be tiled, bathrooms to use stone floors and for kitchens to have wooden flooring; all it takes is a little imagination.
When choosing your new flooring there are certain things you'll need to think about. Do you want it to blend with your overall colour scheme or make a bold statement that becomes the focal point of your room. How often will the room be used? Who uses it? Will the flooring be exposed to sunlight, children or animals? How do you want it to feel underfoot?
There has never been more flooring choices than now, with the latest looks featuring patterns and textures to complement your decorating scheme. Your flooring can be lush and luxurious, smooth and sensual, rustic and robust, yet still naturally tactile. If your flooring feels right, then everything else falls into place.
But which type to choose? The guide below offers information and flooring ideas for any home.
Carpets
Carpet still remains a popular choice and can add warmth and colour to any home. Interior designers and home owners can use coloured carpet instead of the usual beige to create exciting spaces. Numerous textures, patterns, and colors make carpet the focal point in many interior design plans. Instead of boring plush carpet, consider the ‘new neutrals' in a textured weave carpet. Beige and tan are being replaced with soft green, pale yellows and shades of blues. Retro colors are making a big come back for those of you who prefer dark warm floors. Look for carpets in delicious colors like chocolate and kiwi.
If the room your putting your flooring down in is used a lot you'll need a carpet that can take the wear and tear. With any carpet you purchase always make sure you invest in a good quality underlay, as this is essential for achieving a good fit and feel, as well as providing insulation and reducing noise.
The most luxurious carpets are made from natural wool. These are strong, durable and come in some fantastically rich colours. Patterned and striped flooring are still very fashionable, however bear in mind that you may tire of these designs quickly and it may be better to add striking designs through rugs and soft furnishings.
Natural flooring
Sisal, sea grass, jute, plant fibre and cork all fall under the title of natural flooring. They can sometimes feel a bit rough underfoot but create a great contemporary finish. They are also environmentally friendly and are good for allergy and asthma sufferers.
For eco friendly flooring, cork is a fantastic choice. Cork floors are the latest decorating sensation. Walking on cork is like walking on air - because cork is 50% air!
Cork, is a natural product that warms and enriches any interior. Cork flooring always blends in well with other decorations and furniture and comes in a wide range of colors, from its familiar honey tones to green, red, chocolate and black. No cork trees are cut down, only the bark is peeled without destroying the tree, and it grows back within nine years, ready to be harvested again. Whether in a child's room, family room, music room, kitchen, or bathroom - a cork floor is always a good choice. It is tough, resilient and water resistant. It absorbs sound and provides acoustical excellence.
Bamboo flooring is the revolution in the design world. It's brighter than pine, more light weight than oak, and brings a tropical glow to any room. Bamboo is ideal for small spaces as it will make the room feel light and airy.
Just mention "bamboo floors" and many people will imagine strips of uneven cane or round poles, which would seem difficult or uncomfortable to walk on. The fact is this relatively new type of flooring is as flat as any other hardwood or laminate floor as we know it. With the help of recent technological advances, manufacturers are now turning bamboo stalks into high quality ultra smooth flooring on a grand scale in order to meet the fast growing demand for this exceptionally stylish floor covering.
Bamboo flooring gives you the natural beauty of wood in your home, without any negative impact on the environment.
Wooden Floors
The choice of solid beautiful real wood flooring has never been wider, with richer and grainier woods being increasingly popular. Today's hardwood floors are adding old world elegance with a new twist, moving more toward distressed planks, wider widths, and the introduction of exotic woods.
As with all flooring buying the best quality of wood will bring elegance and a touch of class to any room in your home. If your room gets a lot of traffic, choose a harder wood such as oak, ash or maple that will tolerate the wear and tear.
