Area Rugs, Hardwood, and Ceramic vs. Vinyl: Choices for Flooring

November 30th, 2009 | by granitestonemarble |

When decorating or re-decorating a home, flooring is one of the most vital choices to be made.  Flooring is one of the costliest sides of any decorating, re-decorating, and building project.  It is designed to last a very long time, so it's critical to make good choices the first time around.  What are some available flooring options, and what are the pros and cons of those choices?  Keep on reading for some valuable info that may aid anyone in making smart choices about their floors. 

One highly well-liked choice nowadays is hardwood flooring.  Hardwood is beautiful and durable, lasting generations if it is's correctly cared for.  With a wide selection of styles and finishes, hardwood could be a perfect choice for virtually any room.  On the negative side, it is pricey.  Exotic hardwoods are perhaps the most costly flooring selections on the market.  Installation is labor intensive, which adds to the already high cost.  In addition, hardwood must be properly cared for to be really enjoyed as intended.  Moisture is the enemy of hardwood, and most hardwood floors also must be refinished every so often.  It's best to have a professional take care of this.

Adding to the expense of hardwood is the indisputable fact that most of the people use it in association with area rugs.  However, this combination is a time-tested winner, for plenty of reasons.  Area rugs supply the heat and comfort of carpet, which hardwood lacks, and they can be relatively inexpensive compared to carpeting a complete room.  Area rugs provide the opportunity to make a statement with flooring that carpet doesn't permit, because they are smaller and can easily be modified.  Area rugs are quite helpful ; even in a carpeted room, they serve to add color and define separate areas of the room such as conversation areas and TV areas, for example. 

In rooms where hardwood and carpet aren't options,eg bogs and laundry rooms, a popular debate goes on between 2 choices, vinyl and ceramic tile.  Each has it's negative and positive qualities.  Ceramic is more expensive, but is also more durable.  Vinyl, while considerably less pricey, has a tendency to discolor simply, and if not installed properly, it can roll at the edges, leaving a particularly disheveled appearance.  Ceramic can also feel awfully cold underfoot, especially during winter.  Technology has come a good distance in making vinyl flooring look more like ceramic tile, and in a few cases, the difference isn't straight away obvious without a closer inspection.

 

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