Treat Your Fifth Wall To An Update, Flooring Part 1 of 2

Next to what you put on your walls, your flooring has the next biggest impact in your homes interiors appearance.  As your homes grounding, it can either unify or divide your space.  

Quite simply, when we pay attention to the flooring, it sets the tone of the room or home.  When we are shopping for a home we usually remark on the flooring as soon as we enter the house. 

Tips for choosing the right flooring for your space:

• For a unified look, you may wish to use one type of flooring product throughout the home; this will also visually increase the size of your homes interior.
• Look for flooring that provide a neutral base which will accommodate a wide range of colours and styles so you won’t be limited in your decorating choices now and in the future.
• As you would with a painting sample, get as large as flooring sample as possible and test it under your lighting conditions.  Review it in the morning and at night.  Usually the wrong flooring sample will be instantly obvious, just as the right ones will sing to you. 
• The popular wider plank floors, offer a more casual and relaxed look to homes.

How to I choose the type of flooring
Tired of the ceramic flooring in their kitchen, one of my clients wanted to refresh and unify their floors in their open concept home.  They were using the Okanagan Palate for richness and warmth and had over 900 square feet to cover, so we narrowed the options to these:

Solid Wood
A classic with its natural warmth and richness, which can be sanded and refinished several times if necessary.  However, it can dent easily and maybe not the best for busy kitchens.

Engineered Wood
A rich and a good choice, according to Rick Johnstone, of Strong Roots, flooring specialist “if the client is choosing a floor over 3 ¼ wide or it they are installing it over concrete or radiant heat”  “They are designed to have more structural integrity, which means they will expand and contract less.”  However, it is not always a less expensive option than hardwood.

Luxury Laminate
If they want to pay less for a wood look the better laminates from “Germany” are an excellent option.  They are “high quality with no harsh chemicals” which can irritate eyes, nose and throat. Laminates have come a long way and wear well. 

Consumer’s Reports researches the floors formaldehyde levels.  From reviewing their research it is well worth it to pay more for the better quality and know that where the product is manufactured and what protection standards are in place.
Luxury Laminates, can be installed right over their existing floors, which means no floor removal costs, no need for glue or fasteners.   It resists stains and sunlight, but is not dent proof.

Is refurnishing your floors an option? With tips on working with a flooring installer.

By Louise Lambert
Westside Weekly, February 10, 2017