Cork flooring

Cork flooring is cool again. Cork flooring is a natural product and it’s environmentally friendly because it’s harvested from the renewable bark of the cork tree without cutting the trees down. Thus, not only is it ecologically sound, but also it’s practical and it’s affordable..

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Vinyl floor

You can buy either vinyl floor tiles or vinyl floor sheets. They come in hundreds of different patterns, styles and colors. As with everything in life, you get what you pay for. Avoid the really cheap and thin vinyl floor covering - these get torn easily and they DO look cheap. Generally speaking, the thicker the vinyl sheet or tile the more durable it is. Also, make sure it has a poly-urethane coating to resist scratch marks, stains and dirt..

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Leather flooring

Leather is the latest luxurious material to use for floor covering. It looks good, it feels good, it smells good…but is it practical?..

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Rubber Flooring

Rubber floors have been used for years in hospitals, schools and factories because rubber is hard-wearing, practical and easy to clean. Rubber floors are made from polyurethane..

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Polished Concrete Floor

Polished concrete is the one of the must materials to use in a modern interior. Yet it’s a very old finish, the Romans used it extensively. It is an ideal choice for creating a sensual and seamless floor, particularly if you want to connect an inside space with an outer space. Finishes vary from high gloss smooth to ridged and textured - also you can add glass, cobbles, pebbles etc. Chemical stains can also be added to create the desired color. If you decide on concrete flooring indoors, install underfloor heating for a warm and sensual feel beneath your feet!..

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Laminate Wood Floors

Laminated floor is the cheapest solution if you want a wooden floor look. Laminates look OK in magazines and brochures - but in reality they look cheap and artificial. They just don’t have the woody feel (or even look!) to them. I generally advise people against using laminates. You should only use them if you want a quick and/or short-term make-over of an unacceptable space or you want to sell your home and need to stage it… otherwise spend a bit more on a proper wooden floor..

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Wood floors

If you want to create a sleek interior, a new wood floor can add considerably to the overall look. You can choose between soft wood, hardwood or veneered wood (also called engineered floor), but before you pick your floorboards from a catalogue carefully consider the following issues: traffic, style, maintenance and price..

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Wood is like wine - it matures and improves with age. If you live in an old house and have the original floorboards in good shape – you are lucky. There is nothing more beautiful than old, good–quality floor boards or an old parquet floor. Old floorboards fit or complement any design style, or can be the main feature in an interior. Maintenance is easy – it only needs regular vacuum cleaning and the occasional mop-up. If you spill something you just wipe it off with damp cloth. Long term maintenance isn’t that hard either - every five years or so they should be sanded and sealed with a good quality varnish..

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I keep going on about not using carpets in a home. Why? Because unless you’re a single, obsessively tidy individual, carpets are impractical, unhygienic and require hard maintenance, as they get dirty/spoiled/ burned and wear out easily. So what is the alternative? The best material to use on floors is wood. In the following articles I’ll write about different type of wooden floors. But firstly, I briefly summarise the qualities and properties of wood and why it’s so suitable under our feet..

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