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chantal_stephenson

Help me decide on main floor flooring

We are moving to this house. Ideas on flooring for the living/ dining/ kitchen? Would likely also run it into the bathrooms and laundry room down the hall. Keeping the cabinets as is (they're more maple coloured in real life) and trip. Possibly updating countertops and appliances at some point. Budget is a consideration but also wanting durability and longevity. Not too trendy.
Thanks!

Comments (7)

  • last year
    last modified: last year

    Cohesive flooring is always a good idea, but I don't think it's adviseable to run the same floor in EVERY room. As an example, hardwood would look great in your main living areas and possibly kitchen, but you mention bathroom and laundry room -- I wouldn't put hardwood in a bathroom nor a laundry room. Is your laundry room also a main entry point? If so, tile would be a good choice, much better choice than hardwood. I could also see hardwood in living area, tile or linoleum/marmoleum in kitchen area, in your layout the kitchen is a separate, distinct room. I'm a fan of tile in the kitchen, but I know many are not.

  • last year

    Thanks, good things to consider. If hardwood in great room what colour would you do? Try to march the trim? I prefer lighter floors as I find they don't show dirt and prints as much.

  • last year

    "If hardwood in great room what colour would you do?"

    The most important thing is the tone, not the shade -- the tone of the color you choose should harmonize with the other wood. Doesn't have to be exactly the same color, but the tones should align (e.g. don't mix a purpled-tone floor with a yellow-toned wood).

    IMO light wood floors are going to look to "floaty" and be a visual weight mis-match against your trim and kitchen cabinets. I'd start by looking at something mid-range in terms of color depth. You need the floors to stand up against the rest of it.

  • last year

    rip the carpet out of living. pull up the vinyl in the dining space. replace those two areas w new carpet. Leave the kitchen vinyl for now. what is in the bath and laundry room that makes it necessary to change. I would get a new top for the island . Carpet will warm up and provide sound insulation in the huge room w high pitch ceiling and sound also coming down from the upper space. there are great durable carpets now and by leaving the kitchen for now you can spend on a better pad. I think I would hate the " barn like" feeling of hardwood all through there.


  • last year

    Here's what's in the bathroom currently. It's fine to leave for now, I just thought if we're doing most of the rest of the main floor it would be good to do it all at once.


    Yes the sound dampening is important to keep in mind. I was thinking a living room rug over whatever floor we pick. We have a toddler though so dining room carpet is a no-go. This will be our everyday eating space.


    I like the idea of hardwood or maybe lvp in living and dining and tiling the kitchen, as tile would be easier to find a fit with all the different wood tones in there. Probably tile the bathrooms at the same time.

  • last year

    Do you like carpet? I don't due to the ICK factor and my allergies. Hardwood and tile are so much better for people with allergies, and you can easily keep them very clean, especially important if there pets and/or kids in the picture. If accidents happen on throw rugs, easy enough to take them to the laundromat.

  • last year

    Congratulations on your new home! You are smart to choose flooring first and to think about unifying the entire space with a single flooring. I think you have two options that are durable and can be used in all those spaces. One is tinted concrete in whatever color you like. It can even be stamped to look like slate or anything else you imagine. The other is a rectified porcelain tile that has a good slip resistance rating. Either of those options will be chilly without radiant heating. Good news is that electric radiant heating can be installed under either of those two options. Either of those options will make the room echo without some sound-dampening items in the room. There are plenty of options to suit your tastes.