If you have pets or kids (or both) then your flooring likely takes a daily beating. I know this for a fact. Despite the fact we have a no-shoes policy in our home, our 2.5-year-old carpet is already riddled with Play-Doh scars, matchbox car tracks, and the occasional Sharpie stain (don’t ask). This, of course, is very disconcerting for me since I recently learned that savvy homeowners are treating their floors as a fifth wall.
According to interior designers, floors have become a huge element in design and in the resale of a home. In fact, in 2005, more than $24 billion was spent on floor coverings, according to data from Home Depot research. Twenty-four-billion seemed a bit high to me, but then I learned that the new trends in flooring are ceramic tile, stone tile, and wood—the large numbers soon began to make sense.
If you don’t have the means to afford the popular hard surface flooring options, don’t despair. Stone and wood flooring are not the only trends. Several older floor types are making a comeback. Believe it or not, shag carpeting is hot again. Flooring companies are reinventing the carpet by incorporating new colors and textures. Experts say tight weaves, shag, and textured carpet are gaining in popularity, especially since they are being made with new fibers, which make them easier to clean. That’s good news for those of you who love the retro-look, however, if you happen to live in a house with the original shag carpeting, this may not necessarily mean your home free. Carpet experts say it is a good idea to update your carpeting every 8-12 years.
If you are a sucker for old school flooring you’ll be happy to know that linoleum is also making a comeback. A number of companies are selling vintage linoleum. Some are also copying and reissuing old linoleum patterns, but it comes with a steep price tag. Some good news: Hard surface flooring has become such a popular option that manufacturers are producing less expensive alternatives to pricey Italian tile, marble granite and wood. You can now by vinyl flooring that looks like wood.
What’s in your home? Do you prefer hard-surface flooring or carpeting?
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