How to choose flooring? Let me count the ways…

We want our floors to be safe, long-lasting, easy to clean and beautiful, setting the scene for the rest of our décor. Shopping for floor-options can however be dizzying. According to American Ari Ziskin of FlooringInc., there are five top flooring trends this year:
Wood-look flooring in laminate, vinyl and ceramic tile has been hot for years now. New luxury WPC waterproof vinyl planks, wood-look ceramic and porcelain tiles are perfect gems.



Waterproof flooring is now possible in vinyl, laminate and even carpet – ideal for busy homeowners, families and pet owners. Incredible new LifeGuard technology means you can now use carpets in any room in the house. They won’t soak up the water and stain or get mouldy; instead, you can easily clean up any liquids in seconds.Waterproof vinyl (WPC) flooring is DIY-friendly laminate flooring but still rare and hard to find. These floors mimic all the current look and style trends of solid hardwood and traditional laminate, satisfying your sense for the aesthetic.
Courtney Greger of My Flipping Job in the USA says: “The new vinyl plank floors offer the visual beauty of a hardwood floor with unparalleled durability. These can be 100% waterproof and will hold up under a lot of conditions.”
Textured flooring. Mimicking classic hardwood, there is handscraped, wirebrushed and fully distressed floors in wood, laminate and more. People want a floor that not only looks scraped and worn, but also feels that way. Handscraped flooring has long, ingrained scrapes and each individual plank appears handcrafted, unique and rare. Wirebrushed shows subtle, intentional wire scratches leaving the appearance of exposed wood on the surface. Distressed flooring looks as if it has been through a lot of wear and tear. Expect to see scrapes, burns,
knots, wormholes and more, giving these floors an aged, antique look.



Eco-flooring. Says Ari Ziskin: “Beyond looks, in 2020, homeowners want to know where their floor came from. Using renewable, recyclable and home-grown materials is huge right now.” Cork and bamboo also offer eco-friendly alternatives to solid hardwood. She predicts that consumers will demand more recycled materials and environmentally responsible options in future. “Using eco-friendly flooring in your home could increase the resale value.”
Blonde flooring. Light, airy, blonde flooring works with just about any decor and instantly makes your room look bigger especially if you use large planks. Lighter colours, wider planks and wood-lookalikes have taken over from dark floors. Gray, especially in slate, is still going strong.



Having said all that, it seems our smooth floors from yesteryear are still chic, elegant, classic and will probably never be totally out of style. That is some consolation for a cash-strapped nation.
If you still have a budget for a floor-revamp, see what this month’s advertisers have on offer.


Christine Stoman