Soon set for a living room makeover? With the living room likely being the hub of your home and a hive of activity each day, your floors need to balance beauty, with durability. Thankfully, this isn’t a case of either, or – here’s how you can have both, with no compromise.
Won’t somebody please think of the planet?
Carpets sap world-resources and demand much Co2 to make it into your home. By contrast, eucalyptus and bamboo floors are taking the interior design world by storm – presenting an eco-friendly and beautiful alternative to production and manufacturing-intensive carpet.
Other green-friendly options for your floors include recycled glass tiles, cork flooring and reclaimed bricks that can be laid in basket-weave, herringbone, or running-bond patterns for a wonderfully rustic look.
Minimalist vibe? Consider concrete
Who would have thought that concrete floors could have looked so chic? These are increasingly being seen in the hottest of homes, and are especially effective in minimalistic rooms where statement furniture is given the attention that it deserves.
Concrete is super cheap, too, and can be customised with staining or scoring to create a look of stone tiles.
Always chopping and changing your mind?
If you’re always re-inventing your living space and changing your rooms to reflect the latest trends then you should opt for a medium-brown stained wooden floor, which can easily adapt to the majority of interior design directions.
Like to bring the outdoors in? Choose slate tiles
For a homely, earthy and natural feel, there may be few as ideal a flooring option as slate. It’s easy to look after, seriously durable and an ideal option for the home with pets.
You will need to add in a few carefully placed rugs however if you want to introduce a little comfort and warmth over the colder months.
Lucky enough to live in a large space? Tap into this season’s trend of bold blacks and whites
Spring 2017 is introducing black and white blocks of colour for the floors in our homes.
A checkerboard of polished or matt black and white tiles can work well in a large living room with high ceilings, while black and white lines can elongate spaces and widen the look of a room (the lines should run horizontally across the longest length of the room).
Talented crafter? Consider painting your floors
Spring 2017 has been a pretty notable season within the interior design world for floors – patterns have become more vibrant, while brighter colours have been introduced. For those who are talented crafters, geometric patterns created from rectangles of contrasting colours can create a playful, unique space.
If you go down this route, just remember to complete your floor with a few coats of polyurethane to protect your work and ensure durability for the years to come.
Are you sitting comfortably?
Where you’re working with a large space, or a space in which numerous living areas exist (such as a living/dining area in an apartment) you can create defined seating areas by layering a small rug over a larger rug. This creates a focal point around which you can arrange your seating, while a dining table and chairs can be positioned on a single, large rug.