Floors… the largest surface in your home that can completely change your house. Not only can it change the overall aesthetic of your home, it can also change the way you feel about your space. Choosing the right flooring for your home can feel like a daunting task – we’re here to make that process easier. Whether you are building a new home or remodeling your current residence, there are a few factors to consider.
- What is the style of your home?
- What room are you choosing flooring for?
- Is it a high-foot-traffic area?
- Is there running water in the room?
- What are the colors and patterns in the space?
- What is your price range?
Understanding the needs of your home is essential to picking the right flooring for each room. Gone are the days of wet, odor-filled carpet in your bathroom or cold tile in your basement. We’re starting fresh! Check out our recommended flooring types below!
Hardwood
Hardwood is by far one of our top picks for a home’s flooring. Not only does it add warmth to your space, it also adds an element of elegance that many people desire. Hardwood is incredibly durable but can add a hefty price tag to your remodel, so determining your price range and aesthetic before adding hardwood to your home is key.
Depending on the type of wood, hardwood flooring can range from $6-$25 per sq ft. Exploring the different kinds of hardwood, as well as installation techniques, can help you with both design and cost. With its versatility, you can achieve many different appearances. From adding a farmhouse style with timber to creating a sleek modern look with a herringbone pattern, your options are endless.
One thing we recommend considering, before deciding on hardwood flooring, is to understand that hardwood is a porous material. As such, there is much more upkeep than other flooring options. Any prolonged water spots or pet nails can severely ruin the floorboards leading to the need to sand and restain – which can be costly. Even so, we love the look and feel of hardwood.
Some of our favorite spots to add hardwood into a home are:
- Entire house
- Main living spaces
- Dining spaces
- Home offices
Hardwood is also one of the few options that can add value to your home, be refinished several times, and last a lifetime. This is why you should never cover them up with carpet! What were we thinking in the 70’s?
Engineered Wood Flooring
The next best thing, if you are looking to add a natural look to your home, is engineered wood flooring. With a top layer of natural hardwood veneer laid on top of a high-quality plywood substrate, engineered wood flooring offers a more economical option.
Being a snap-and-go type flooring option, engineered wood flooring saves money and time on installation costs. It has a greater resistance to water and moisture, is less likely to warp with drastic temperature changes, and comes in around $4-9 per sq ft.
Due to how engineered wood flooring is designed, it can withstand some wear and tear. With the ability to mitigate moisture damage and be sustainable enough to withstand scratches, engineered hardwood is a great option to withstand damage from our fur family.
On the downside, if engineered hardwood is damaged, it is more challenging to sand down and refinish than hardwood floors. In most cases, planks need to be removed and replaced, causing a slight headache. Overall, some of our favorite spots to add engineered hardwood into a home are:
- Entire house
- Main living spaces
- Dining spaces
- Home offices
- Kitchens
- Bathrooms
Tile
Not into hardwood or engineered wood flooring? You just might be a tile person! Tile is a great, versatile, and durable option – particularly for rooms with running water. With the ability to choose different styles, shapes, colors, finishes, and more, you can completely change the aesthetic of your home. Whether going with a southwestern flair of terracotta tile or looking to add warmth with a fun mosaic pattern, your options with tile are endless.
Ideal for moisture-prone areas, tile can not only bring a clean and modern look to your home, but it can hold up under the strain of everyday life. Although tile can be made from glass, travertine, limestone, slate, and more, the most common types used are ceramic and porcelain. With ceramic tile being the most cost-effective option, it’s also guaranteed to be water and scratch-resistant. Tile is also easy to clean, easy to maintain, and long-lasting.
Just like any other option, tile does come with a few cons. Depending on the type of tile you choose, you may be spending between $4 to over $100 per sq ft. With higher installation costs and prep time needed, tile can be a costly option. In addition to price, tile can be unpleasant during our colder Colorado winter months. Due to this, many people will avoid using tile in more comfortable living spaces like bedrooms, basements, and living areas. Tile is much more common in areas like the kitchen and bathroom.
Some of our favorite rooms to add tile to are:
- Mudrooms
- Laundry rooms
- Closets
- Bathrooms
- Kitchens
- Entryway
Carpet
Carpet is an excellent option for those who want to add warmth to their space. Made primarily of synthetic fibers or wool in various colors and styles, carpet is a favorite flooring option for many reasons.
Moving away from the over-saturated shag carpet we all remember from our grandparents’ homes, carpet materials and designs have come a long way throughout the years. From ultra-soft carpet you can use in bedrooms to sculptured textures that are perfect for high-foot-traffic spaces, you can play around with several carpet options.
Carpet does, however, come with its disadvantages. As we mentioned in our last blog on best Pet Renovations, carpet is known for its hard-to-maintain appearance. From lingering smells to water damage, a lot can be hiding inside the fibers. Without the proper care and cleaning, carpet can easily get damaged and need to be replaced. Unlike other flooring options, carpet is not a ‘forever’ type of flooring as it will need to be replaced every 5 – 15 years. Luckily, price ranges between $2 – $10 per square foot and carpet is a much more economical option for those with smaller budgets. (https://homeguide.com/costs/carpet-prices-per-square-foot)
We suggest putting carpet in areas like:
- Bedrooms
- Basements
- Living rooms
- Runners on stairs
- Hallways
Overall, flooring can really change your home. By utilizing different options throughout your space, you can achieve different aesthetics and comfort levels per room, customizing your space making it truly feel like home. And, with more options coming to market every year, your opportunity for design is out of this world! In addition to the flooring types we mentioned, there are also flooring options that you can use like concrete, stone tile, resin, luxury vinyl, rubber, cork, and linoleum. Understanding flooring types, costs, and home design will help you determine the type of flooring that is for you.
Whether you are planning on a whole home remodel or looking to make some upgrades to your home, our team at Christie’s Design/Build Remodeling is here for you. Contact us for a complimentary consultation so we can discuss the home remodel that is best for you.
