What Type of Flooring is Right for You?
By Rebecca Wardon, Interior Design Manager
When building a home, the toughest decisions can be right under your nose… or your feet, rather. We’re talking about flooring. Do you go with hardwood? Luxury vinyl plank? Carpet? Tile? We’re here to help. Here’s what you need to know about flooring.
WOOD AND LVP
Hardwood always has been and always will be a great choice for your floors. But with the technology available to us nowadays, you can get the same classic look with more durability and less maintenance. That’s right, we’re talking about luxury vinyl plank (LVP) flooring.
More and more customers are becoming knowledgeable about LVP, and we’ve made blogs about it before, so stop me if you’ve heard this before. But all it really comes down to is lifestyle. If you’ve got children in the house or even just a big dog, luxury vinyl plank is the way to go. It’s scratch-proof, dent-proof, spill-proof, and easy to clean.
But there’s still something about hardwood floors. It’s a timeless look, and for a lot of customers, it’s a necessity. Which is great! I love hardwood floors. Just be sure you’re willing to take care of it and understand that it’s going to build character with scratches and knicks throughout its lifetime.
CARPET
Carpet is another type of flooring that often comes down to lifestyle. There are many different types of carpet, but in general, durability comes down to pile (the length of the carpet) and thread count (the thickness of the carpet). A short carpet will last you longer than a long carpet, and a thick carpet will last you longer than a thin carpet.
But it’s not that simple. Let’s say you have a busy household with kids and pets. You might think you need a high-level carpet. But the truth is kids and pets can take 5-10 years off the lifespan of a carpet, so you won’t get the most out of your flooring. It’s better to choose a more economical carpet to get through those messy years and upgrade when it comes time to replace it. Because we’re not here to spend all your money, we’re here to find the best way to use your budget and fit your lifestyle.
TILE
Tile is a great option for “wet” spaces like your bathroom, your mudroom, your laundry room, or your kitchen. And we’ve got plenty of tile options for you to look at in our Design Studio. But it’s important to use tile wisely, because it can quickly run up your budget.
There are other great waterproof options like luxury vinyl plank for the “wet” areas of your home. And we’ll work with you to make sure you’re getting the most out of your budget, while still getting the materials and designs you really want.
ONE QUICK DESIGN TIP
When building a home, you’re often going to use a combination of all of these flooring options. And I often see one big mistake when it comes to mixing materials. Do not, I repeat, do not put different wood tone materials next to each other.
Let’s say you want to run hardwood through the main living spaces in your home but plan on using a luxury vinyl plank in the master bathroom. In this case, the master bedroom should almost always be carpeted to break up that space and keep the LVP away from the hardwood. Because no matter how close you match the style, it’s going to look like a mistake every single time. Keep this in mind when picking flooring and designing your home.
If you want to learn more about our flooring options or if you already know exactly what you want, contact a Bielinski New Home Consultant today.