Simplify!

2022 Flooring Guide is a summary of considerations when shopping for flooring. How does a homeowner balance budget, design, and installation? If your main floor has a variety of flooring products, consider picking one flooring that can unify the look. In the past, high traffic areas were covered with tile, and lower use areas were covered in carpet or wood. Today products are more durable and that opens a wide array of options. The photo at the top of this article is an example of luxury vinyl plank that was used throughout the main floor. The house had stairs and split-level rooms which made it necessary to have a product that features seamless transitions and stair nose.

Why is the color palette important?

The trendy color right now is sage green. Click on the link to see a Sherwin Williams option. Of course, you can disregard the trend and pick any color. Looking at trends is a fun way to start. But why consider the paint color when you are purchasing flooring? Because the largest portion of your room’s color palette are on the walls and the floors. It makes sense that those colors work together. How do you know if your colors are working together? One way is to decide what look are you trying to create. The least risky choice is a neutral color palette. It is a very popular choice, and it is a common look for rental properties. Neutral means that the main colors in the room are light and have low contrast. A practical approach is to go with neutral colors on the walls and floors then bring in contrasting furniture or artwork. It is practical because it is much easier to switch out furniture and artwork than flooring and wall color. On the other hand, if you want your floor to make a statement. Like the house featured in this article that uses dark wood luxury vinyl plank to ground the large open ceilings and light from the windows. The owner chose to create contrast and pull the elements of the room into a unified color palette. So, in general, there are two ways to approach the color palette: one, find strong contrasting colors that work together, or two, limit the palette to toned-down colors with subtle contrast.

How to decide on color?

To help decide whether to go with the contrasting approach or the neutral approach to color of your flooring is respond to these statements with a score of 0 or 1 with 1 being strongly agree.
1. The main floor gets lots of natural light from windows and high ceilings.
2. The walls are painted with light colors.
3. The furniture colors are light.
4. There are no dark hallways.
5. The floorplan is open. The living room, kitchen, and dining room are all visible from the front door.
6. The stairway is large and prominent.
A total score from 0 to 3 indicates that a low contrast color flooring is a good place to start. A total score of 4 to 6 indicates that a stronger contrasting floor color may be appropriate.

A few general rules to think about or break:

1. Light colored and subtle patterned carpet works well with colorful furniture.
2. A room full of light-colored furniture would invert the rule above.
3. Avoid matching the main color of the room with the floor.

Which is best hardwood, laminate, luxury vinyl plank, or carpet?

When budget is the first concern carpet, vinyl, or laminate are very cost-effective.
Where the current trend is a concern, luxury vinyl plank, and engineered wood are trending up in 2022. At Saddleback Carpet & Flooring our experience is that most customers want a good quality floor at a reasonable price. We want to show you the options that fit your budget and your house. The best choice when it comes to a long-lasting product that has a low installation cost is luxury vinyl plank. Carpet is also an excellent choice because it has improved durability and stain resistance. It also is cost effective to install. Laminate has also improved and is now available with waterproof core. Engineered wood also is available with waterproof core. Engineered wood and solid wood both have higher installation costs.

Important considerations for flooring are:

How much sunlight is hitting the floor?
How much traffic does the area get?
Are there transitions required? Such as stairs, doorways to other surfaces, fireplaces, or…?
Do the risers and trim moldings need to be replaced?
How does the flooring product hold up under testing? Here’s a link to a Consumer Reports article.
Conclusion. This is the start of a process.
Our goal at Saddleback Carpet & Flooring is your 100% satisfaction with your flooring. This article hopefully gave you a few things to consider. We want to help you decide which product is best, that’s why we offer a free measure and consultation. Please take advantage of our experience when you evaluate flooring options. We are happy to bring samples to your home. Also, a visit to our showroom will help you find more options to consider.