How flooring can set the look and feel of your home

The spring season is once again upon us, as many of us are feverishly exploring design magazines for inspiration and the latest trends to give us a direction for our next project or renovation. Not wanting to compromise, we aim to create a magazine-worthy look in our homes. When designing a space, many of us look to fabrics and colours as our inspiration. But why not look down and get inspired by your floors instead?
Flooring is one important aspect of your home that should not be overlooked. Whether you notice or not, flooring can make a large impact to the overall aesthetic of your space. When it comes to the more permanent finishes in your home, such as flooring, it is important to find materials, styles, and colours that suit your functional needs, while complementing your style.

Huge expansion in options

For several years now, we have witnessed a huge expansion in flooring products, colours and finishes. We are all familiar with traditional hardwood and engineered. Traditional hardwood, due primarily to the installation method, is not a customary option for condo living. Engineered wood, on the other hand, can be a great option for condo flooring. Much like natural hardwood, engineered wood floors add wonderful warmth and elegance to a space, but with the added benefit of being lighter in weight for condos.
The trend has moved away from the cooler, grey-toned wood to soft natural warm tones, rich walnuts and a resurgence this year of rich, deep colours such as espresso. While the lighter tones are a perfect neutral foundation that integrates well with anything from a more minimalist, organic style to traditional; these warm yet darker tones can create a sense of luxury, drama and sophistication.

Technology has expanded and now more than ever, the “faux” options of flooring look more and more like the real thing, and can also be a less costly option for your home. They are not only highly durable with waterproof options, but beautifully texturized to appear natural looking while being low maintenance.

Laminate, which has been around for quite awhile now, is a hard surface flooring that is manufactured using material such as medium- or high-density fibreboard which forms the core. Luxury vinyl, on the other hand, is a soft surface flooring product that is flexible. It comes in a variety of installation options, providing not only a great look but comfort, as well. Luxury vinyl is available in an abundance of fantastic options that have the look of wood, stone or other natural material.

Vinyl composite core, on the other hand, combines the best features of laminate and luxury vinyl. Boards are rigid planks that click together like laminate but are constructed from a water-resistant vinyl composite material that gives them the flexibility of vinyl flooring that can be installed anywhere – even bathrooms and laundry rooms. By using longer, wider boards for your flooring, irrelevant of the product type, you are not only creating a more contemporary feel that draws inspiration from European design, but it can also give the optical illusion of making your space appear larger; especially if you continue the same floor throughout your entire space. This is especially alluring in smaller spaces such as condos, so don’t be afraid to think big in your flooring selection.

Durable and affordable

While on the topic of “wood” floors, we should not forget parquet as an option. Parquet flooring is pretty much a mosaic of wood pieces combined to create a pattern. The most common patterns for parquet are basketweave, diagonal and herringbone. Parquet flooring was trendy in the 1970s and 1980s, however, we have seen a resurgence in recent years. The modern version of parquet is a classic, luxurious, “Euro” look for flooring that is durable and affordable.

Flooring often does not get the attention it deserves, and though it may seem a bit unconventional to imagine that flooring could, in fact, be the root of the designs for your space, with today’s flooring options, it’s definitely possible. Your floors are a core part of your home, setting the stage for your design and decorating. Beautifully worn, 100-year-old floors tell a story of their previous life while still inspiring a vibe of eclecticism and current design trends. Herringbone floors feel elegant, sophisticated and well-curated. Warm toned, wide-plank floors can create an inviting and cosy vibe, while the lighter blonde tones can convey a more contemporary feel.

Whatever style, texture and colour of flooring you have, it undoubtedly has inspired the look and feel of your home.