As you build your home, the decision on which flooring options are the best for each room can be a bit overwhelming. While aesthetic is undoubtedly very important to your decision, you should consider several other factors, as well.
Durability/Functionality
While you want your home’s flooring to represent your style, let’s not forget that floors must withstand your lifestyle. Deciding whether to go with hardwood, tile, carpet, laminate, or an eco-friendly flooring like cork or bamboo, will depend on how the space will be used.
Some materials may be well-suited for high-traffic areas, while others would not be able to stand up to the same level of wear & tear. On the other hand, some are optimal for providing comfort while others are much more functional and can withstand environmental factors that can degrade flooring like water, humidity, and direct sunlight.
• Wood
Hardwood floors provide the durability you need, along with a natural feel that you may want. Traditional hardwood is a consistently popular flooring option among homeowners, and is highly recommended for use in kitchens, but definitely not in high moisture areas like bathrooms, laundry rooms, mud room, and basements.
• Tile
Made from ceramic, porcelain, or natural stone, tile is water resistant and easy to clean. It’s typically used in spaces such as bathrooms, laundry and mud rooms that need to stand up to frequent cleanings. Now available in a variety of faux-finishes—like wood and stone—the popularity of tile continues to grow. Get creative and combine tiles of various sizes, colors, and textures to create a unique flooring option for your home.
• Vinyl/Laminate/LVT
A synthetic material, vinyl is easy to clean and is highly water-resistant. It’s a natural pick for utilitarian spaces such as laundry rooms and mud rooms. Luxury vinyl tile, also known as LVT, is a vinyl product that looks like stone or ceramic tile, complete with gorgeous natural colors and a surface texture that feels like the real thing. Because it maintains the look of wood and tile with the durability of vinyl, LVT is quickly becoming a top seller. We often recommend LVT for finished basement areas or for clients who have large dogs.
• Concrete
Concrete floors are completely customizable and provide a great alternative to traditional flooring options. Color choices, textures, patterns, and finish options combine for limitless design possibilities. Plus, concrete is extremely durable, long-lasting and easy to maintain. If your home has existing concrete subfloors, exposing them and applying a decorative treatment is an environmentally friendly option, although pricey at times.
• Eco-Friendly Options
Eco-friendly flooring options, including cork and bamboo, are a growing trend. They’re perfect for those looking for stylish, functional flooring that’s also friendly to the planet. Cork and bamboo are two of the more popular green flooring alternatives because they are durable and can withstand wear and tear, and even moisture to a certain extent.
• Carpet
When comfort is key, carpet is a natural choice. It’s best used in bedrooms and living areas but should be treated to ensure that stains and soil don’t ruin your beautiful floors.
Your Budget
Your budget will certainly play a role in which flooring option you choose for your home. At the higher end of the price spectrum are exotic hardwoods and finished-on-site hardwood floors, as well as the luxury vinyl tile products that mimic the beauty of tile and wood flooring with durability of vinyl. Mid-range flooring options will include many of the domestic hardwood flooring options, as well as some luxury vinyl flooring.
Keep in mind that the cost of the flooring product is not the only thing that impacts the overall cost. Some flooring options are more labor intensive to install or require specialty work that might make it more expensive in the long run.
Aesthetics
Your flooring choices should stay consistent throughout your home and speak to your style. While flooring breaks are necessary at times, avoid mixing too many different materials. Keep in mind that certain types of flooring lend to certain styles, and how it is installed can impact the look even more. For instance, 12×24 tiles laid in a grid pattern tend to have a more contemporary look than an offset pattern.
Design Trends
Designing each aspect of your dream home – from the floors to the ceiling – can be a difficult process, but it doesn’t have to be. At Compass Homes, our team brings experience and endless creativity to your home, ensuring that it’s exactly what you want. And with our premium features, you can rest easy knowing that every detail exceeds your expectations.
The Compass Design Studio
We understand that buyers oftentimes have difficulty envisioning what everything will look like once it’s all together, which is why we offer clients access to our award-winning Design Studio at 3817 Attucks Drive in Powell, Ohio. Though the Design Studio may not appear to be huge, there are endless possibilities within its walls!
At Compass Homes, we’re passionate about our process-driven culture that allows our clients to enjoy building their new homes almost as much as they enjoy living in their brand-new homes! We are here to help guide you through the building process so that your home is uniquely yours, with more thought and quality per square foot. Contact us today to get started building your new home.
