When it comes to modern Australian households, the living room is perhaps the most important space in the entire home. It is the zone in which you’ll entertain guests, spend time with your family, and where you’ll kick back on the recliner after a long, hard day at work.
But with so many options on the table, how do you know which floor you should select for your home? Here’s how – read our advice below, formulate an opinion, and go forth to pick the most suitable floor for your living room!
Laminates
If you want wooden floors minus the price tag, or you’re simply hoping to refloor your living room on a budget, laminates are probably the go-to option for you. The Quick-Step Impressive Ultra ranges boast a number of laminate floors that create the illusion of authentic wooden floors with one major exception – they’re not real wood! Due to this simple fact, laminates are nowhere near as expensive as real timber floors, and yet they still retain the timeless appeal and gorgeous appearance for which their genuine counterparts are most widely known. In addition to this, laminates are a hardy flooring option.
They can withstand a high volume of traffic, they’re scuff-resistant, and spills can be wicked up from their glossy surface without leaving the trace of a stain. Moreover, in the rare instance that a laminate floor somehow gets damaged, it is relatively easy to repair. All you need to do is pry up the damaged lengths of laminate and replace them with new ones, making it super easy to maintain the integrity and quality of your living room floor. Cost-effective, spectacular in appearance, and highly durable, Quick-Step’s Impressive Ultra laminate floors will suit a whole spectrum of buyers, from the budget DIYers to the thrifty investor looking for an indulgent, high-end look at a fraction of the price.
Natural and engineered woods
There are few floors that speak of timeless elegance quite like the classic wooden floor. The Australian Select Timbers range boasts a number of real wooden floors that are guaranteed to enhance the liveability of your living room, as well as attributing to it an element of opulence that will evoke floor envy from any guest who happens to drop by. Available in a variety of species, designs, tones and dimensions, the options for a timber floor are virtually endless.
The lengths and widths of timber can be customised to suit your living room’s needs, meaning no matter how large or small the space might be, you can have yourself a real wooden floor in your living room with a most extensive lifespan. Once the final product is installed and polished off to a beautiful, supple sheen, your living room will exude an air of supreme natural beauty and comfort. Stains and spills are of no concern to a robust wooden floor, although something to keep in mind is that their hard surfaces are susceptible to chipping and denting, and if they’re not lacquered by an expert they might swell and warp in humid environments.
If you’re reluctant to purchase wooden floors due to the risks outlined above, then an engineered flooring option might be for you. Sharing the natural beauty and appeal of solid wooden floors, engineered wooden floors come with a few attractive bonuses: the topical layer can be refinished if it’s damaged, and its multi-layered composition means it’s more resistant to warping.
 Vinyls
Although not quite as popular or majestic as their laminate cousin, the vinyl flooring option is a great alternative for anybody looking to fit out their living room on a budget. Like the laminate products described above, vinyl flooring is available in a range of colours, designs and patterns that mimic natural woods and stones. It also has some of the stain and scuff resistant features that make laminates such an attractive purchase.
However, its surface might have a slightly plasticky finish, making it less attractive to the buyer, and if it gets damaged the whole section typically needs to be replaced as vinyl floors are usually cut out and laid in sheets to match the floor plan of whatever room in which they’re installed (although some products are now available in tiles). Nevertheless, vinyl is a great option for those looking to refloor or update on a budget.Â
Carpets and natural fibres
In most Australian homes, carpets and natural fibre floor coverings are usually relegated to bedrooms and offices. But due to advancements in technology and styles, these flooring options are now making a comeback in modern living rooms. Buyers are no longer limited to the outdated, retro styles of yesteryear’s carpet. Now, homeowners have at their disposal a whole gamut of colours, patterns and designs that are consistent with the flavours of contemporary house designs, making it an appealing option for anybody looking to update their living room floor.
Furthermore, you no longer need fear stains if you’re one of those people who enjoy a glass of red wine in front of the television or who play host to kids that like to create a mess. This is because new polypropylene technology has drastically increased carpets’ ability to resist stains, and to stand up to the test of everyday use. This means that people with cold toes can now have the warmth and comfort of carpet underfoot all year round, as well as a living room floor that is stylish and up to the task of resisting once disastrous stains and spills.
Natural Stone
If you have the cash and you’re looking to indulge in a high-end look that speaks of luxury and eminence, then natural stone floors are for you. Hard-wearing marble, granite, limestone and slate are all sure to add a dimension of unrivalled majesty to your living room that other flooring options only dream of offering. If stone floors are sealed and treated properly, they will serve as an asset to any living room and ramp up the overall value of the home in which they’re installed. However, it is important to recognise that stone floors are probably the most expensive of the flooring options, and therefore likely to cost you should you choose to invest in them.Â
Tiles
Usually more suited to water prone areas like the bathroom, laundry and kitchen, tiles are becoming increasingly popular as a flooring option for the living room. They are typically more expensive than laminates, but just as easy to maintain when it comes to the upkeep department. A simple vacuum and mop once a week will bring back that newly-purchased gloss which makes them look so supple and shiny. Like laminates, they are also highly durable; just beware for those of you with cold feet – tiles are notorious for losing heat quickly, so they’re likely to be cold underfoot, particularly at night and during the winter.Â
At the end of the day…
You need to select a floor that is robust, comfortable, easy on the eye and in line with your budget. Our personal recommendation for a floor that ticks all the boxes in terms of appearance and lifespan is Quick-Steps Impressive Ultra ranges, but if you’re still unsure on the floor which best suits your home, get in contact with a professional or ask a consultant at In Floorings Rockdale Showroom.