Redecorating your home can be quite the challenge, whilst it is also exciting there’s a lot of things that you need to consider. In fact, when it comes to this point a lot of people overthink the little things and overlook the bigger factors that could make all the difference in the long run; that’s right, we’re talking about your floor!
The floor is the very base of your home so why is it neglected so much? Probably because we forget, we’re so used to walking across it that we fail to remember how long it has actually been installed. Your floor can be the foundation for your decor and really set the tone for how you choose to build upon it, i.e. with furniture and furnishings.
But how do you choose the right flooring? Well, this is the first challenge that you’re faced with and in order to answer this question there’s a lot of things that you have to take into consideration. Let’s start with your budget, of course it would be nice if money was no object but unfortunately it is. Once you have measured the room in which you want the new flooring installed then you need to pick the flooring itself, there are so many types and of course they each range in cost but that is a matter of personal preference. Once you have chosen the material then you need to assess whether you will be fitting the floor yourself or hiring someone to do it for you, after all, this all adds to the final cost.
So that’s the budget crossed off, but what else do you need to consider? Well how about the traffic in which the floor is going to receive, not road traffic of course – foot traffic! If you’re installing a new floor in busy places such as a hallway, kitchen, or bathroom then you need to consider a durable material simply because these tend to be more communal areas and will be more likely to become worn or damaged.
However if you’re looking at replacing a bedroom floor then you can consider materials that might be a little lighter or softer because they won’t be faced with such a heavy footfall. Whilst reflecting on this it is worthwhile mentioning the impact that children and pets can have on a new floor, they may be tiny – but their damage can be mighty. When mulling over a new floor you really need to take things like this into account, different materials have different durability, the most pet and child friendly are things like vinyl, laminate, hardwood flooring and tiles.
As mentioned before, your floor is the base of your home and from this base you can really set the tone for your decor. A lot of people tend to create their design theme by drawing on a neutral tone set by the flooring itself, now there is often a bit of confusion when the word ‘neutral’ is thrown into the mix but despite what people may think, neutral doesn’t have to mean boring. By choosing a neutral floor, i.e. white, light brown grey or any other earthy tone, you’re allowing other furnishings to be accented. Think statement pieces and bright furniture, the world is your oyster – THE FLOOR IS YOUR OYSTER.
