Are your carpets starting to look a bit dusty and dated? Perhaps you’ve got little ones who are constantly spilling juice on your cream coverings or traipsing mud in from the garden? If so, you’ve probably thought about upgrading to laminate flooring on several occasions.
While there are endless possibilities when it comes to laminate flooring, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed – but it’s not suitable for every room in the home. For example; bathrooms and kitchens will often require more moisture resistance, whereas busy areas, like the hallway or landing, will need hardwearing yet comfortable flooring.
Therefore, it’s a good idea to take a room-by-room approach, as opposed to picking one style and using it throughout the house.
Here we offer a few top tips to help you to choose the right flooring for each room:
Bedroom
When it comes to choosing laminate flooring in the bedroom, you need to tread carefully (literally). Laminates can be quite rigid and, if installed directly on the subfloor, they can be pretty noisy when walked on. But there’s an easy way around that…
Use laminate flooring underlay to add an extra layer between the laminate and subfloor. This will instantly enhance underfoot comfort and reduce the transfer of sound between various levels within the house. You could also place rugs on top of the laminate boards.
In terms of colour, it all depends on the décor. Grey laminate flooring is a favourite for modern bedrooms whilst oak laminates are ideal for shabby-chic styles. And for minimalistic rooms, you could go for a bright colour – like white oak laminate – to give the space a light and airy vibe.
Bathroom
Laminate flooring is widely used for bathrooms and, believe it or not, is a better option than solid hardwood. However, this is a room that is prone to moisture and splashes, so you’re going to want to opt for a 100% waterproof product.
You have a number of choices when it comes to choosing bathroom flooring. You can either embrace a more natural aesthetic and choose a dark wood grain or keep things cosy with a warm wood colour. You’ll find a host of modern tile-effect designs that are perfect for the bathroom or ensuite too.
Kitchen
The kitchen is undoubtedly one of the busiest rooms in the house and sees more spillages, stains and wear and tear than any other. With that said, you’re going to need a high-quality, reliable floor that offers excellent resistance to moisture and is easy to clean and maintain.
Tile effect laminate flooring gives the illusion of real ceramic tiles and works particularly well in modern kitchens with a minimalist aesthetic. And, best of all, any spillages or accidents can be quickly wiped away with a damp cloth or mop – meaning your kitchen floor will look as good as new for years to come.
Living room
The living room is a hub for lounging and socialising with friends and family. However, for some people, it’s treated more like a showroom and reserved for special occasions only. Either way, you don’t just want to pick flooring that complements the interior décor – exuding style and sophistication – it needs to be comfy to walk on too (both barefoot and with your fluffy slippers on!).
Given that this is one of the rooms that is redecorated most, it’s worth choosing laminate flooring in a light, natural hue. These tend to complement any colour scheme and style, meaning you won’t have to change the flooring every time you repaint.
Hallway/landing
The hallway is more than likely the first thing you see when you step over the threshold, so it’s only right you want to select laminate flooring that looks great – replicating the appearance of wood flooring, stone flooring or even tiles. But, much like the landing of your stairs, it’s also an area that gets a lot of foot traffic, so you want it to feel just as good as it looks.
Bearing this in mind, it’s recommended you go for a product with a thick layer of melamine resin. And to ensure underfoot comfort, choose a good quality laminate underlay – like the ones available at Carpet Underlay Shop.