Choosing A New Floor

Is it time to give that tired kitchen floor a face lift? Are you looking for just the right finishing touch for your new living room? The floor you choose can brighten a dark room, make a small one appear larger, or set the mood and tone for the rest of your decorating. There are so many flooring options available on the market these days that you're biggest problem will be deciding which floor you like best! Here are a few suggestions to ease your decision process.

With all those choices available, how do you decide what type of floor fits your lifestyle and design sense the best? There are a number of factors to consider, including the mood you want to set, the style and colors of your furnishings, and what the room will be used for. The perfect floor for your work-in kitchen may be too dark for your bright and airy living room, and the floor that you love for your living room could be too formal or too delicate for your back patio. Rest assured though, that there is a perfect choice for every room in your home.

Things To Consider When Choosing a Floor

How much traffic will the floor get?

The amount and type of traffic that your room will see should be one of the largest deciding factors in the kind of floor that you choose. A family room floor with a ping-pong table and busy, active life needs a floor that will stand up to lots of foot traffic and the occasional spill. In addition, you want a floor that won't show wear, will be comfortable underfoot, and easy to care for. Vinyl floor tiles or linoleum might be your best choice there, though a good, durable wood laminate floor might do well, as well.

What's the moisture level? Is the floor likely to get wet or is the room naturally 'damp'?

Some floors just aren't suited for damp areas. A basement playroom with a high moisture content, or a bathroom are seldom candidates for a solid wood floor, though there are some choices in wood laminates that might work if finished properly. Instead, you might choose slate or ceramic tiles with area rugs for the bathroom for a dramatic look that wipes up well and keeps its gloss for years.

What's your personal style? What mood do you want in your room?

Want a luxurious feel? A thick pile rug over polished wood is a classic, elegant look that is pure luxury. A floor to accent a spare, modern style? Stone or slate, polished to a high sheen is a beautiful backdrop for leather and steel furniture and ascetic lines. A wooden parquet floor can be a dramatic focal point in an open foyer, or can lend a touch of Continental elegance to a formal living room. Wooden floors can hit any mood from rustic to royal, and the choices of color, pattern and style in vinyl or ceramic tiles can fit any active room in your home.

Garry John contributed much of the content to http://www.flooring.eu.com - flooring - and http://www.wood-flooring.gb.com - wood flooring.

---

How to Layout Recessed Lighting

One of the most important principles to understand when designing a recessed lighting layout is beam angle. In recessed cans, the light is produced in the shape... Read More

Old House Remodeling: Removing Old Tile and Glue

When you live in old house like I do, remodeling is always a challenge and a surprise. I am currently involved in a major kitchen remodel. Our... Read More

Buyers Guide To Heavy-Built Mailboxes

If you are tired of replacing your mailbox every few months due to vandals or just poor quality construction, you need a heavy-built mailbox. Some of the... Read More

Log Homes - Finding the Perfect Log Home Plan

One of the first steps in building a log home is deciding on a floorplan. Many people spends months, or even years, searching for the perfect plan.... Read More

Solar Energy Advantages Disadvantages

Many of us know that solar energy is a good thing, but few really understand why. Therefore, I compiled a comprehensive list of solar energy advantages and... Read More

Do You Have a Master Bedroom? You Shouldnt! Tips for Remodeling Your Bedroom

The word "master" is an antiquated term that suggests control, domination, and inequality, and in today's cooperative partner and/or single parent household, the label "master suite" has... Read More

How To Clean Your Air Conditioner Like A Pro

Jack Frost is nipping at our nose and Santa Clause has just left. The eastern seaboard has just received their third blizzard for a total of over... Read More

Luxurious Whirlpool Baths Aren?t Just for the Rich and Famous

A Jacuzzi has been popular since the 40's. We stopped taking the evening bath and are now taking more morning showers, but these wonderful whirlpool baths revolutionized... Read More

The Benefits of Steel Storage Buildings

Steel is gaining in popularity as a building material due to the many options it offers, its strength, and its affordability. Steel storage buildings are one of... Read More

How to Select Exterior Shutters

Installing exterior shutters is a relatively quick way to add style and color to the outside of a house. Historical and modern houses alike benefit from the... Read More

Whats Underfoot? A Quick Guide to Patio Surfaces

Patios and terraces have always been popular outdoor spaces. Whether a Parisian courtyard or a rooftop alcove, only porches and sunrooms beat out these paved (or semi-paved)... Read More

Power Tools and HAV - Hand Arm Vibration - Prevention is Better Than Cure

Power tools are some of the most useful devices ever invented, but by their nature of concentrating and directing force you need to be prepared for the... Read More

Home Inspection Basics

The Home InspectorWhen you think about it, it is a bit odd. A person hires a stranger to snoop around another stranger's house for a couple hours... Read More

Feng Shui Tips For Your Home Office

Did you know that over 50% of women now run their own home business or work from home? Get your compass out and find the following directions... Read More

The Right Bathroom Accessories Will Make Your Bathroom Unforgetable

Bathrooms aren't just about the basics but are about the bathroom accessories! Bathrooms have become places to relax and unwind. They are not just for doing your... Read More

How to Remodel A Small Bathroom

Not all bathrooms can be lavish spaces with whirlpool tubs and two separate vanities. For some bathrooms, space is at a premium and knocking out walls is... Read More

Plastic Applied to the Picnic Table?

There are many styles of picnic tables on the market, but what kind of material is best for durability and safety? Powder coating has been an accepted... Read More

I Need What Part?

One of the first things you learn as a homeowner is that you may own your home, but you don't actually live in it full time. You... Read More

The Versatile Reciprocating Saw: The Power Tool of Your Dreams

A reciprocating saw is simply one of the handiest tools you can own. These tools are great for applications in the home or the jobsite. Milwaukee actually... Read More

Building a Garage Addition to Your Home

One of the most rewarding home improvements I made to my house was to build a garage addition. For years I contemplated building a garage addition while... Read More

The Wireless Home

It was only a few years ago that Real Estate agents and Builders were promoting the "Wired" feature as a must have when buying a new home.... Read More

How to Use Do-It-Yourself Toxic Mold Test Kits

VANCOUVER, CANADA. Many homeowners, landlords, renters, property managers, business owners, and employees want to know, and need to know, the precise identities of the various toxic mold... Read More

10 Things You Can Do Now To Prepare For Hurricane Season

The 2005 hurricane season is right around the corner and runs for six months from June 1, 2005 to November 30, 2005. According to a recent survey... Read More

How To Choose The Perfect Granite Work Surface

My Grandmother used to say to me "Nothing cheap is good and nothing good is cheap". This ring true when dealing with the purchase especially on the... Read More

Useful Home Products Will Help Your House Sale Profits

Even if you've never been involved in the sale of house before and yours is about to go on the market, you probably know enough about the... Read More

Window Shutters On A Budget

While there is great value in installing custom-made interior wood window shutters, sometimes they are still too expensive for certain applications. Some alternatives ? including poly or... Read More