In the last decade, classic carpets with geometric patterns are leaving city apartments; they are becoming an attribute of solid country life. The modern consumer gives preference to new materials that allow us to get rid of the banal idea of the standard of prosperity and comfort.
In addition to the annoying uniformity, apartment owners consider the ability of carpets to accumulate dust to be a big disadvantage. It causes allergies and worsens the course of pulmonary diseases. These products have to be taken outside and cleaned frequently. This procedure is not easy and takes time.
Floor in the living room of the house. What is the best way to make it?
The flooring market is developing dynamically, and their choice today is many times greater than even 5-10 years ago. However, some materials do not lose their relevance over time, which is actually a good sign for us - once you lay such a floor in the living room, it will not go out of fashion in a few years.
What materials can we use for the floor in the living room:
Parquet
For several centuries, parquet has been considered the best material for flooring. Of course, like everyone else, he has his shortcomings, but there are many more advantages.
Covering the floor in the living room with parquet can be classified as an exclusive solution. Such floors look impressive and expensive, especially in classic-style interiors, but parquet is expensive, so not everyone can afford it. Of course, the cost of parquet flooring and its quality depend on the wood used. Which wooden floor for the living room can be considered the best?
There are two types of wood: soft and hard. For example, the cost of parquet boards made of pine (soft wood) will be inexpensive, but we should take into account that the service life of such a floor leaves much to be desired. And in 10 years it will have to be repaired.
If maximum durability is important to you, it is recommended to choose parquet boards made from hard woods, such as oak or teak. Of course, they will cost more, but in this case we will overpay for quality and long service. We get a hardwood floor that not only looks good, but is also extremely durable, allowing it to last for decades without needing repair.
When considering options for wooden parquet for the living room, pay attention to the installation methods. There are various methods such as brick or herringbone that are associated with a specific pattern. The process of laying parquet is complicated; without the necessary skills, you can waste more than one day with them and end up laying them incorrectly, so it is better to entrust this task to specialists.
Floor wood panels (laminate)
Wood panels are a cheap alternative to parquet, and thanks to modern technologies, in appearance they are practically indistinguishable from it.
Another advantage of laminated panels is that they are easy to install, so you can install the laminate yourself and without the expense of hiring builders. Of course, you should approach the purchase of this material wisely - today there are a lot of counterfeit products on the market that are very cheap, but quickly lose their appearance.
What you need to pay attention to when choosing a laminate:
- Class - it is indicated on the packaging. For the living room, it is optimal to choose panels of at least 31.32 class;
- Thickness - this indicator directly affects the durability of laminate boards. For use in the living room, you should choose panels with a thickness of at least 8 mm, otherwise they will quickly become unusable;
- Abrasiveness is a measure of abrasion resistance, i.e. how quickly the laminated layer wears off. It is indicated on the packaging using the symbols AC. For the living room, it is recommended to buy laminate flooring marked at least AC4;
- Underlay - When choosing a damping base and elements, it is better to avoid the cheapest solutions - this will make the floor in your living room less noisy.
Ceramic tile
You don’t often see tiles in living rooms today; the fashion for them has passed. However, this is a very beautiful and practical material that can be made in various textures and patterns and imitate other materials, such as wood, marble or stone. Ceramic tiles look especially good in large and spacious living rooms, especially if they are non-uniform and have different patterns.
In addition to their beautiful appearance, ceramic tiles are easy to care for and any type of dirt can be easily removed from them. However, it is worth considering that, firstly, laying tiles is a complex and painstaking job. Secondly, floor tiles and wall tiles are completely different materials. Floor tiles need to be heavier, thicker and more durable, otherwise they can crack with minor damage, which happens quite often in living rooms.
Carpet
Laying carpet in your living room can be simple, quick and inexpensive. In addition, this material is warm and pleasant to the touch. Carpet and various types of carpets are optimally used for small living rooms; with this type of flooring, they become warmer and more comfortable.
However, this is where all the benefits of carpeting in the living room end. Carpet gets dirty very quickly, it can easily be burned with boiling water or a cigarette, or ruined with a glass of wine, which will require you to replace the flooring in the entire room. In addition, this is a short-lived material, it wears out quite quickly when there are large crowds of people (and the living room is just such a place), and after 5-7 years it may need to be replaced.
So, we can already decide on the material. Let's consider a few more practical recommendations related to the choice of flooring for the living room in the house.
Which floor to choose for the living room: light or dark?
Choosing the color and texture of the floor is an interesting and challenging task. If you think this is simple, go to any construction hypermarket and ask to see what kind of floors they sell. Many buyers are confused by such a huge assortment and end up buying the coverings that the seller recommends, and when they start putting them in their living rooms, they realize that the shade could have been different.
How to avoid making such a mistake? Well, first, take a close look at your living room: the color of the ceiling, the color of the walls, the color of furniture, curtains, doors and various accessories. Are they in harmony with each other? If so, then you need to choose the flooring to suit their style (if not, then just renovating the floors won’t do the trick).
Then you can go to the store and select flooring for your living room. Note that both light and dark shades have their pros and cons, it all depends on the design of the rooms.
By choosing a light floor for the living room, we can visually enlarge and expand its space - so this solution is optimal for small rooms. Moreover, such a floor will blend well with the surrounding interior and will not be particularly noticeable, so it can be installed in both rustic and modern-style rooms. Having laid a light floor in the living room, we need to take into account other decorative elements. It is recommended to pay attention to “light” furniture. However, wall colors should not be shiny; muted shades will look better.
Dark floors are usually made from tiles or parquet - and are a good choice for spacious living rooms. It goes very well with elegant decorations and finishes made of stone, glass or metal. When using a dark floor, we have many more options for arranging a living room - it is suitable for all types of furniture and interiors (except for too dark walls), unlike a light interior.
What floor to choose for a living room combined with a kitchen?
Today, in many homes, the living room is combined with a dining room or kitchen. When choosing a flooring material, we must consider these two areas. What flooring will be best for the living room and kitchen?
In such situations, the optimal solution would be to lay a ceramic tile floor. Thanks to this solution, we get the effect of a certain consistency between both rooms, which “merge” with each other. Thanks to different patterns, as well as materials imitating wood or stone, we can perfectly combine both spaces.
If you don’t like tiles in the living room, you can choose another solution: lay tiles in the kitchen and dining area, and lay parquet or laminate in the living room. However, it is important to choose the right texture and color of these flooring materials so that they do not discord with each other.
It should also be taken into account that when choosing flooring for the kitchen, dining room and dining area, it must be moisture-resistant, resistant to high temperatures and easy to clean. In addition to the above-mentioned ceramic tiles, terracotta, porcelain stoneware and even wood are often used in decoration - however, this must be of a high quality variety (preferably larch or beech).
Types of finishing materials
When choosing which floors are best to make in an apartment, not only the rough base is taken into account, but also the finishing coating. There are many types of such materials, differing in cost, appearance and installation rules.
Laminate flooring has a low cost, an interesting appearance, and can also be installed in the living room or bedroom.
Cork is an environmentally friendly material that is perfect for any interior, but it is not allowed to be installed in rooms with high humidity. It is characterized by high cost.
Ceramic tiles are considered an ideal choice for rooms where there is a high level of humidity, so they are often installed in the bathroom or kitchen, and they are moisture resistant, durable and attractive, but the downside is the coldness of the coating.
The carpet is represented by a special fleecy material, the creation of which can be made from natural or synthetic materials, and it requires regular cleaning and loses its attractiveness over time, but at the same time the softness of walking on the floor is guaranteed.
Parquet has a significant price, but has an elegant appearance, is resistant to mechanical shock and is created only from environmentally friendly raw materials.
The choice of a specific material depends on the preferences and financial capabilities of the owners, so the answer to the question of which floor is best for an apartment will be different for each person.
Which floor to choose for a heated living room?
Not every type of flooring is suitable for underfloor heating. The wrong choice of material can lead to deformation of the floor, so you need to choose ones that conduct heat well. Undoubtedly, the best solution in this case would be tiles (ceramic or stone). The heat from the floor will not harm them.
It should also be remembered that there are special floor panels on the market designed for use with floor heating elements. However, they cannot be glued together because they will be deformed. Some types of laminates can also be laid on heated floors.
The same cannot be said about parquet with a high shrinkage rate. Experts strongly do not recommend laying this type of flooring, as it deforms when heated. The same applies to thick wood panels. Beech and ash parquet should not be laid on heated floors; it is better to give preference to oak and teak, which should be additionally protected with lubricant.
Which covering is suitable for the bedroom?
What flooring is best for an apartment? Reviews from professional designers and builders suggest that it is advisable for each room in the property to choose its own floor covering, ideally suited to the conditions that exist in that room.
The bedroom is a room intended for rest and relaxation, so it is advisable to focus on creating the most comfortable and cozy environment. Therefore, walking on the floor should be pleasant and warm.
What kind of flooring is best to install in a Khrushchev-era apartment if the renovation is being done in the bedroom? The ideal solution for this room is carpet or parquet. To save money, you can use laminate flooring, which is of good quality and affordable. It is considered durable and attractive.
