Flooring advice please

9 years ago

We just bough a ranch style house in Florida that has 9 different styles of flooring. I have no design or artistic talent so I need some advice. First of all should all the floors be the same throughout the house? Secondly, we were leaning towards wood floors but not sure if we should do porcelain tile wood, engineered wood or hardwood? And lastly, would you go light wood or dark wood? The ceilings are not vaulted so I don't want to feel like we are closing in the rooms. Thank you in advance, your advice is appreciated!

Featured Answer

T. J.

9 years ago

I have a 1st floor condo with 9 miles of trails outside my door and I wanted a flooring that could take muddy shoes, wet shoes and so on. I did wood looking porcelain tile and I'm so happy with it! It costs more to lay, but you'll have no upkeep at all. I've dropped a bottle of wine and pyrex on the tile from a table and the tile didn't even chip. I wanted a cohesive flow, so I used the same tile throughout the entire condo, and I find the place looks bigger. I went with a medium barn wood look that has golds and greys in it (it hides dirt!!)

The options are endless, and I haven't met a single person that regretted going with the wood looking porcelain tile.

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Comments (10)

Lljcnp
Original Author
9 years ago
It is beautiful!
PRO
LampsUSA.com
9 years ago
I agree for a cohesive flow select the same flooring type for all areas.
PRO
KLH Designs
9 years ago
Light wood would look nice.
PRO
User
9 years ago
Tathalia, your floors are GORGEOUS. I love that weathered look.

Lljcnp, while you don't have to have the floors the same throughout a house, it makes for nice flow. Someone else actually asked about wood-look tile and my response was basically, "Only if you live in Florida." So you could definitely go with that option.

Tile works in beachy, tropical climates because of the low maintenance, like Tathalia said. It's a great selling feature if you ever decide to move, but most of all it's really easy to keep clean.

That said, if you're not right on the beach, you're not dealing with tracking sand so much, and you could easily use a laminate instead - the cost would be a little lower, but you can still find a phenomenal array of options for appearance. (Sorry for the phrasing, my brain isn't quite awake yet.)

If you're planning to redo the whole house, I would recommend using the same flooring everywhere but the bathrooms and, possibly, kitchen. If you go with laminate or wood-look tile, however, you could use the same flooring in those areas, too.

What sort of design aesthetic do you like? Traditional? Modern? Beachy? Nautical? (Yes, beachy and nautical are different. :D) We could offer some better options if we know more about your design taste.
PRO
User
9 years ago
Okay, case in point, that it's too early and the coffee isn't kicking in yet. But I looked at your photo in an enlarged view and think your furniture definitely says cozy beachy aesthetic. I would look for sand-toned flooring, something a little warm, but not too red.

With that in mind, here are some laminate and wood tile suggestions. Find your favorite 2-3, get samples, look at them in your space with your furniture, and then have fun!

Engineered Floor Planks, Titan Gray, 22 sq. ft. · More Info

Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring, Wood Look, Noret, Full Sample Plank · More Info

Kronoswiss Noblesse Nordic Ash 8 mm D8007WG Laminate Flooring, 22.94 Sq. ft. · More Info

Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring, Wood Look, Nordland, Full Sample Plank · More Info

50 Pieces of 6x40 Salvage Musk Matte Porcelain · More Info

10 Pieces of 6x40 Salvage Honey Matte Porcelain · More Info

8"x32" Dakota Legno Porcelain Tiles, Set of 7, Grigio · More Info
Lljcnp
Original Author
9 years ago
Lydia, we bought the house furnished. The furniture in there now is not staying. Yuck! All of our furniture in our Ohio home is traditional, dark wood with lots of antiques. I don't think our furniture will look nice is a Florida home. We want to make this house look more farmhouse or a beach feel. I have always had dark hardwood floors and would like to try something new but a little nervous about it.
Phyllis Fox
9 years ago
Sand in Florida isn't only on the beach, the soil is sandy and loose- go for the porcelain tile.
I used the light sand colored wood plank porcelain in our build in Florida with exception of MBR and guest bedroom and it has worked well at ease of care and looks great. With many sliding doors it is outdoor living here and the floors need to be able to stand up to that.
PRO
User
9 years ago
Try looking up photos on Houzz with light flooring. In Florida, it will work much better than it would in an Ohio home.
T. J.
9 years ago
For those who think it's only for a southern state, it's not. I live in Minnesota! Granted I live above a heated garage, so the flooring doesn't get cold, but if you have heated floors, you'll be fine. Also, there is always wearing slippers :-)