Choosing the Perfect Flooring for Your Home
Selecting the perfect flooring can be
challenging because it’s a significant part of the overall design and there are
innumerable options available. Choosing the flooring is not just about a
selection, it’s also about combining materials to complement your style and
balancing your budget to create a cohesive polished look. But the right
flooring can make all the difference, enhancing the look of any space and
adding value to your home’s overall value.
Selecting flooring is also difficult because it’s a sizable investment, the
largest only after kitchen and washroom renovations. Plus, products now are
spectacularly well made, which means they can, in theory, last 25 years.
Since choosing the right flooring for your home is such a big decision, here
are three things that really have to be considered when making your decision.
Think About the Future
What is the intent for the property? Not all property investments are the same,
in fact, there are actually four typical investments types. The first two types
of investments are income property and force equity. If you’ve purchased a
property for these investments, you will want practical and neutral flooring
that will last the test of time and appeal to many tastes. The third type is
the five-year flip. Invest in modest flooring that will offer a healthy return
on the investment. The last type is the dream home. You’ll want to pay top
dollar and invest in the best flooring products that appeal to your
aspirations.
Ask Yourself “Why?”
Why are you shopping? Ask yourself what made you decide to change the floors.
This can be a number of reasons some practical, some emotional. Is it to
improve the functionality of your family (practical)? Or simply to make the
space more stylish and impress your friends (emotional)? Maybe it’s for resale
because you’re selling the property (practical)? As you can imagine, the floor
you might select for the kids to drive their toy cars and Tonka trucks on,
versus the elegant magazine-worthy living room that makes your snobby sister-in-law
jealous, will vary greatly. One may be cost-effective, but hardwearing with a
finish that is forgiving to scratches and dents. The other, a pricier more
precious floor that in itself becomes a noteworthy feature.
What Style and Look Do You Want?
Now to the fun stuff. There are 3 catchall style categories that can be used to
categorize the style of your flooring: Classic Contemporary – Traditional
Flavour, Tailored, Hotel Finishes and Elegant Lines Natural Organic –
Authentic, Natural Materials, Soft Warm Finishes and Rustic Modern Industrial –
Youthful, Modern, Functional and Edgy Search through designer inspiration or
browse sites like Pinterest and Houzz to find out which style category appeals
to you and your home. Then use this inspiration as a jumping off point to
select the detailed elements of your flooring like color, finish, material and
tone. By breaking your flooring selection into these three steps, the shopping
process can be much more enjoyable.