Flooring for the Family Home
Posted June 6, 2024
It goes without saying that family life is busy, fast paced and sometimes messy! So, when it comes to flooring, you need products that can handle all of this and more, while also being low maintenance and providing the aesthetic you want to achieve. In this blog we look at some things to consider when choosing flooring for your family home and share our top product picks that fit the bill.
Before diving into the details, here is some general advice from our knowledgeable team of flooring consultants. Flooring is much harder and more expensive to change or replace compared to other elements of your home such as wall colour or curtains. With this in mind, we recommend making your flooring selections first and then basing other decisions on this rather than the other way around. If you are renovating or completing a room revamp, it is important to think about other elements of the room. Are you also going to change wall colours and window treatments, or are you leaving these as they are? If working in a bathroom, kitchen or laundry, are you replacing bench tops and cabinetry or will they remain? This can have an impact on both the type and colour of flooring you choose to help in creating a space that is balanced and harmonious. The last thing you want is different elements of your space to clash and seem not well thought out.
Our team of flooring experts advise choosing flooring first in your design scheme and then making other selections based on this as flooring is more difficult and expensive to replace compared to paint colours or curtains.
In a home with children and pets, you need flooring that is highly practical. Of course you want it to look great but it also needs to perform and endure for years to come, otherwise what’s the point? The famous maxim “form follows function” from architect Louis Sullivan comes to mind here. Spills, scratches, dirt and dust are simply part of everyday life with young ones and furry friends so it’s important that your flooring, whether that be carpet or hard flooring, can stand up to what life throws at it and that’s it’s also easy to clean and maintain. So with that in mind, let’s take a look at some of our flooring favourites for family homes!
Looking at carpet in particular, in recent years there have been some fantastic advances in technology. This means that stain and fade proof carpets are now an accessible option for homeowners. A customer favourite in family homes, Bravo by Belgotex offers incredible appearance retention as well as a 15 year living warranty. This 100% Stainproof Solution Dyed Nylon carpet delivers the practicality and durability needed for a family home and with 14 stunning colours, also delivers plenty of style. Often misrepresented, wool carpet can also be a great choice in family homes. Being a natural fibre, wool carpet has many amazing characteristics – it is hypoallergenic, stain resistant, renewable and insulating, just to name a few. Kensho loop pile wool carpet from Bremworth is a gorgeous range that offers all of these benefits at an amazing price point. Loop pile carpets also offer superior durability and excellence in appearance retention meaning your carpet looks newer for longer. Loop pile carpets have seen a comeback in the last 5 or so years and we believe they are well and truly here to stay. As well as being durable, they also provide a stunning aesthetic, adding subtle texture and timeless style to your space.
Bravo (above left) from Belgotex is an excellent solution dyed nylon carpet offering incredible appearance retention without compromising on style. Kensho (above right) is a stunning wool loop pile carpet from Bremworth that delivers comfort, durability and a gorgeous aesthetic all at an amazing price point.
Now on to hard flooring; where practicality is just as important to consider as it is with carpet. Like carpet, hard flooring has seen some very clever technological developments in the last decade especially. Laminate flooring is a great choice for family homes as it provides the high end look of timber without the high end price tag while still delivering amazing performance. The Oasis Wide range from Woodland Lifestyle ticks all the boxes for family living with its stain proof and scratch resistance properties as well as offering a 20 year residential warranty. With this quality flooring, you can have peace of mind that your floors will not only look amazing for years to come but that they’ll continue to perform too. It is also easy to clean, perfect for busy families that are on the go and without a heap of spare time.
Oasis Wide laminate (above) from Woodland Lifestyle is ideal for family living with its excellent durability and low maintenance. Images feature Husk Oak.
Flooring for a family home need not be complicated. By choosing quality products that are durable and hardwearing, you really can’t go too wrong. Keep practicality front of mind and you’ll have floors you love and continue to enjoy for years to come. If you’re after expert advice or would like to see the products we’ve recommended, pop into our showroom and have a chat, our team would love to see you. Alternatively, if you’re unable to make it to our showroom, feel free to give us a call on 0800 4 CARPET or email hello@theflooringcentre.co.nz, we’re here and happy to help!