Five Questions If You’re Floored By Choosing Flooring

Five Questions If You’re Floored By Choosing Flooring

There’s a lot to think about when it comes to redesigning a room, and flooring is probably one of the first elements you’ll want to get right. Like paint color and furniture, the flooring you choose will make a big difference, both in terms of appearance and functionality. That’s a lot of pressure, and you certainly wouldn’t be alone if you feel floored from thinking about flooring right now. 

But getting yourself in a twist is no way to ensure the best rooms, and you’ll want to iron out your flooring conundrum as soon as possible to keep your project flowing. That’s why we’ve got five quick-fire questions to ask yourself, which will hopefully lead to a decision. 

# 1 – What’s the Overall Purpose of the Room?

This question might sound boring, but trust us when we say that considering a room’s purpose is the first step towards finding flooring that works. This is because the best flooring for different rooms varies a great deal.

Let’s say you’re attempting to redecorate your living room. Comfortable carpeted flooring is probably your priority, especially if it creates calming acoustics. By comparison, your priorities in the hallway probably rest more on ease of cleaning, meaning that tiled or wooden flooring is probably a preferable choice. 

# 2 – How About Footfall?

Footfall should also factor in your deliberations here. After all, while you’ll probably want carpet in both your bedroom and spare room, one will experience daily footfall while the other probably doesn’t. As such, a plush, thick carpet with quality underlay is inevitably more important for your bedroom itself, while a cheaper or thinner alternative could work just as well in your low-footfall spare room.  

Be realistic about how much traffic each room is liable to receive, especially in heavy-use areas like walkways or entrances. Quality and durability are essential amidst daily usage, while you may be able to cut costs, or opt for less practical options in rooms that you use less than once a week or so. 

# 3 – What’s the Environment Like?

Your flooring choices are probably led by feeling more than anything else, but you’ll also want to factor in the environment to some extent.  After all, while a carpet might look great in your bathroom, moisture will soon see it going moldy and even lifting from the floor. Equally, vinyl in a heavy-use kitchen where you mop daily or even have condensation from cooking on the stove top could depreciate far quicker than, say, stone or wooden alternatives.

Know the environment you’re shopping for, and any potential problems that could come as a result. Then, you can be sure to select a floor that’s best suited to the challenge. 

# 4 – What’s the Project Cost?

We know that it’s boring to think of something as arbitrary as cost when you’re bringing your interior dreams to life, but with costs that vary by the thousands, this is a point well worth bearing in mind. After all, you need to both buy your flooring and find a flooring professional to install it, meaning that a few grand worth of difference could take your project into the realm of the unrealistic. 

So, consider cost to begin with, and know roughly where your budget lies. This will help you to eliminate luxury or budget flooring accordingly, which will make it more obvious what your options are, and thus which of those fits best with your interior intentions. 

# 5 – How Does it Look?

It’s surprising to us all that appearances aren’t the most important flooring consideration upfront, but the look of a floor should certainly factor in your deliberations, albeit at a later stage than you might imagine. 

Still, there comes a point where you just need to ask yourself: Does this floor fit with my overall interior styling? Because trust is, if the answer to that question is no, functionality, durability, and cost can’t help you fall in love. It really does need to look good and look well-suited to work.

Really, you want a floor that ticks all of the boxes we’ve discussed here. It should be suited to the room, its usage, and the general environment, while also keeping within your budget and ticking the style box. That might sound like a lot, and it is. But, it’s by no means an impossible goal. Simply answer these questions in order, get your thoughts straight, and finally settle on the flooring you’ve always wanted for each space.

Ready for a Refresh?

We are here to help! Nest with the Nelsons Interior Design Studio is at the ready to take on your one-room makeover, transform your whole main floor, or completely revitalize your home with a whole home refresh. Learn more about our design offerings to suite your project needs.

P.S. We have just 2 openings remaining for our Nest in a Day design package in May. Don’t miss your opportunity to transform your most in-need space in literally a day. You’re going to want to check it out!