Tag Archives | Flooring

Bathroom Flooring Ideas Guide: Designs and Material Options

There are a whole host of different materials, and design options when it comes to bathroom flooring ideas. In this post I go over design ideas and the pros and cons of different materials, hopefully to help you choose what kind of flooring to use.

Design Ideas

Color

The color choice of your flooring will play a big role in how the bathroom feels. The floor takes up so much space, you see it everywhere, so the color and design style is important. To create a bright and spacious feeling bathroom use neutral and light colored flooring. Like marble, white, tan or light grey flooring. Darker colored flooring, like slate grey or black, will make the space feel cozy, smaller, but also more luxurious – just like the bathroom in picture (1). Have a look at my mood board post here for ideas on overall color schemes for a bathroom.

If you have a small bathroom and want to create a spacious feeling bathroom to use floor tiles that blend with the walls – just like in picture (2). Using large tiles, the same for the floor and the walls, is ideal for a small bathroom – as it creates a unified look. Also keep the floor design the same throughout a small bathroom. If you have a larger space you can divide up the floor design – for example having the tiling inside the shower different than the rest of the bathroom.

Size

Interior designers debate whether the size of flooring tiles makes a difference in a space feeling larger or not. But one thing is for sure, and that is large tiles create a more modern and luxurious looking bathroom. They also use less grout meaning a cleaner design. But they are more expensive and harder to install.

Design Options

It is easy to get creative with the flooring design. Mix square tiles with rectangle ones (3) – or use different sized tiles to create different patterns (4). Or use tiles that are 2-3 different shades of one color. There are also insets – little diamond tiles that are fitted at the tips of larger square tiles – seen in picture (5).

Don’t forget about floor trim as a final touch. If you have a small bathroom space, it might be best not to use any trim. As you want to create a continuous, uninterrupted design to make the space feel bigger.

For the top 8 bathroom remodeling design ideas, have a look at my post here: The Upgrade: Top 8 Bathroom Remodeling Ideas and Design Tips.

Safety

Look for flooring options that are textured and a little bit rough as these help in preventing slippery floors. This is ideal if you have young kids.

Bathroom Flooring Options: Materials

Here are some quick design notes on the different kinds of materials you can use for your bathroom flooring. Things to consider when choosing what kind of flooring to use: cost, durability, ease to install, how slippery it will get, does it work well with underfloor heating, and the design style.

Concrete

Concrete is an inexpensive flooring option for the bathroom. It can also be stamped to look like hardwood, tile, or even stone. It can be polished to create a more refined look and stained to create a different color. You can even design graphics on it or have glow in the dark parts. Go for a textured finish for a more non slip finish.

Another good thing about concrete flooring is that it works well with underfloor radiant heating.

Tiles

Tile is always a classic choice and for me would be the best flooring option. It is more expensive than most bathroom flooring options, but with it you get the authentic porcelain or stone finish. You want to get specific bathroom tile flooring as it will have moisture protection. I wrote a lot about the different design options when it comes to bathroom floors above (mixing sizes, colors), most of it relates to tiles. This shows how versatile it is in designing your floors.

You have a lot of design options when it comes to tiles. This is because you can essential design the floor piece by piece if you wanted to. You can use different sized floor tiles, or different colored pieces to create designs. You can create borders, outline the shape of the room, or even create paths with different tiles.

With tiles you have the porcelain kind or stone. Stone tiles are durable, and can be textured to make the floor not so slippery, but they will be cold on the feet in the winter. For a spa like feel, use river rock or pebble stone tiles – especially inside the shower (8).

For a vintage style, go with a herringbone or chevron design pattern. Or use black and white tiles.

Laminate

Bathroom laminate flooring is cheap, easy to clean, soft, and durable. You can find laminate in all kinds of design styles from wood to tile.

Vinyl

When I hear ‘vinyl’ I think of a plain rubber looking floor. But vinyl flooring comes in all sorts of designs. From hardwood looking floors, to tiles, marble, and stone. Vinyl is inexpensive, easy to install, and highly resistant to moisture. You can get it in sheets or tiles. It also feels warmer than stone, tile, and concrete in the winter time.

Home Depot has a huge collection of vinyl flooring designs which can be seen here.

Hardwood

Hardwood is a classic choice. It brings warmth in a bathroom and will always be an elegant design style. It does need protection, and some maintenance. But if properly cared for, hardwood can outlast other bathroom flooring materials.

It can be expensive though. Salvaging barn wood or hardwood from houses that are being remodelled is one way of getting inexpensive pieces.

Carpet

Carpet is a viable flooring option in a bathroom. You don’t want to use any ordinary carpet though. There are carpets that are specifically suited for the bathroom. They are water and mildew resistant. You can get them in tiled pieces for easier installation. The good thing about bathroom carpet, apart from it feeling great, is that it is warmer on the feet compared to other materials in the winter time.

Cork and Bamboo

For eco friendly bathroom flooring go with cork or bamboo. Bamboo flooring is durable. Both bamboo and cork flooring are resistant to mold and naturally repel moisture. They are also warm on the feet in the winter – and they look great.

Mats

Don’t forget about simple bathroom rugs or even teak/bamboo mats. These can be placed by the shower door, to keep water off of the floor and to protect the feet from feeling cold. 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8

Flooring Ideas for the Bedroom

Yup, there are a ton of different materials you can use when it comes to bedroom flooring, everything from tiles (stone, clay), woods (teak, koa, bamboo), cork, marble, laminate to concrete and carpeting. The best flooring option for your bedroom will be based on these few criteria: cost, durability, and heating needs (tiles are better for homes in hotter climates – laminate can be a better choice for bedrooms that will need under floor heating). In this post we are not going to talk much about what material to choose, but instead we’ll go over creative flooring design ideas – like arrangements and using different shades of tiles or wooden planks.

One thing to remember when choosing the style and color of the floor that you want to have laid down, is that it will play a big role in the overall color scheme of the bedroom. Having dark walls and dark flooring will create a cozy intimate feeling room for example. Light colored walls and light colored flooring will create a bright and spacious bedroom. Have a look at some of our bedroom color scheme posts to see some color combinations.

Going With Tiles: When it comes to tiles there are the simple, rustic designs. You can even get tiles that mimic hardwoods (1) (2). Then there are decorative and patterned designs which give a more vintage and traditional look (3).

There are a few things you can do with tiles to create a more unique floor design. One idea is to use different sized tiles to create the layout – like mixing square and rectangle tiles. Or how about laying out a border to break up the floor design? Another great look is if you were to use two slightly different shades, for example a brown and a slightly darker brown – this creates a timeless patterned look.

Designing with Concrete: A finished concrete floor is one of the more cheaper flooring options. This doesn’t have to be the sterile and industrial grey texture that it is known for. You can make it look more modern by having it polished – it can even be stained to create a color (4). Concrete can also be stamped to resemble hardwood planks and tiles.

Under Your Feet: Modern Flooring Ideas

Wooden Bedroom Flooring Ideas: When it comes to laying down wooden flooring, the go to design is to lay long planks in a parallel formation – which is a simple way of going about it. Then there are parquet floors, where a mosaic arrangement is made with short wooden pieces. The most famous parquet pattern is the herringbone (5). Other patterns include the ones seen in pictures (6) (7) (8) and the more chevron style seen in picture (9).

The patterned arrangements mentioned above can be done with a single shade of wood, or you create a even more patterned effect by using two or more different wooden shades (10).

Rugs: One last bedroom flooring idea to put to use are area rugs (11). These can help soften cold floors (and soften the floors of kids’ bedrooms), and they can also add a pop of color or add to the color scheme of the bedroom. 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11

March 23, 2013 in Bedroom

Attractive and Easy to Maintain Kitchen Flooring Options

The kitchen is typically one of the busiest areas of your home so you’ll want to choose flooring that is not only attractive, but durable. Here are the most common, easy to maintain types of kitchen floors that look great and are easy to maintain.

Tiles: Tiles are typically the first option in kitchen flooring for many homeowners. Tiles are available in hundreds of colors, materials and styles including:

Ceramic is a classic option for any kitchen design as seen in pictures (1) (2) and (3). For example, when tiles are alternating dark and light, it provides a classic, traditional look.
Vinyl kitchen tiles are inexpensive, durable and a great option for do-it-yourself homeowners who enjoy updating on a regular basis. Vinyl tiles are long lasting, but inexpensive to replace for new designs (4) (5).

Laminate: Laminate floors are a great alternative to expensive hardwoods. Laminate floors usually make the space appear larger and because of its durability, it is an excellent option for busy kitchens (6 – IKEA Pine Effect Laminate Flooring) (7).

Hardwood: This has been one of the more favored kitchen flooring options for centuries and continues to be a popular choice. There are several different types of woods to choose from, some of which are better suited for specific kitchen designs (8) (9 – with a herringbone layout pattern). Some of the most common wood options include:

Maple, which is typically a narrow plank floor, is used in kitchens with a rustic design. It can either be stained or left in the natural color. Maple is also easy to refinish.
Walnut is naturally dark in color, however, for an old-world charm, the wood can be stained darker. Walnut is a great option for kitchens with a modern as well as rustic look.
Pine is used often in kitchens with various designs. It is easy to maintain and can be stained or left in its natural color. Lighter pine floors can make a small kitchen look larger as well as give it a clean, crisp feeling.
Under Your Feet: Modern Flooring Ideas

Concrete: Quickly becoming one of the most popular options for kitchen flooring concrete is a great alternative to tile or stone and is very durable as well as versatile (10). Faux grout lines can be added to give the concrete the appearance of stone tiles (11). It can also be painted over or stained to give it some color (12), and polished for a more luxurious look.

Other Kitchen Flooring Ideas: Cork is another durable flooring option, one that is easy to maintain and can be stained in any color to match the design of the kitchen. For a more eco friendly kitchen floor, rubber is a great option. Rubber flooring is typically made from a variety of recycled items such as old tires – and is very durable.

An Added Layer: A carpet runner is a quick and easy way to add a splash of color to the kitchen as well as provide protection for soft wood floors (13) (14). These should be placed by cookers and sinks, places where you stand a lot, to avoid excessive wear on the flooring around those areas. It also helps prevents the floor from getting slippery. 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11/12/13/14

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February 21, 2013 in Kitchen

Flooring Ideas For a Basement

There are a number of basement flooring ideas and options to choose from, and the decision on which one to use will come down to what sort of room/space you creating (home theater, playroom, kitchen, etc.), the style you want, and also the climate you live in (different types of flooring are better for hot vs. cold places).

Tile: Ideal for homes in warmer climates but can have under flooring heating for cold climates. Good for basement family rooms and kitchens.

Concrete: This is one of the cheapest options. You can have it polished, acid colored, painted, and even stamped to add more styling. It cannot be heated from under, so it is best for warm climates.

Under Your Feet: Modern Flooring Ideas

Wooden Flooring: Hardwood flooring creates a cozy and warm space. It is ideal for basement bars (8 Different Basement Bar Ideas and Designs). Wood laminate flooring would work for a basement gym.

Carpet: Carpet or even carpet tiles is the best choice for homes in cold climates, though it is one of the most expensive choices. It is also great for the sound quality in basement home theaters (Designs and Ideas For a Basement Home Theater). Area rugs are an alternative to having an entire floor carpeted.

Some softer flooring options include laminate, rubber and cork – which would be great for playrooms or home gyms. 1/2/3/4/5/6/7