Woohoo! New year.. new flooring? Whether you’re moving into a new house, getting ready to sell or giving your place a makeover, we’ve narrowed down some flooring options that will help you find the perfect fit both short-term and long-term. While trends come and go, these versatile options are easy to style as accessories become more affordable.
Vinyl
Holy hell. There’s actually such thing as amazing vinyl now. No longer is it the tacky flooring in your grandma’s house that is covered in crumbs and dented from that time you and your cousins dropped a vase on it (oops). It now has the ability to give you the look and feel of floorboards or natural stone at a fraction of the price. It’s also super durable, so it’s perfect for families, pet owners and high heel enthusiasts. There’s places like Carpet Court now who take it to the next level by adding a special layer to the vinyl, which makes the surface scratch, scuff and stain resistant as well as waterproof! Hallelujah.
Long live vinyl.
Pros:
- Stunning designs that we’ve never had before
- Great alternative to hardwood floors or tiles
- Super durable – it’s perfect for families, rental properties, pet owners and high heel enthusiasts
- Inexpensive
Cons:
- Not ideal for outdoors or indoor/outdoor areas
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Carpet
Carpet, our old soft, squishy friend. How cosy is carpet?! This is a crowd-pleaser. You can lay on it, sit on it and save your toes from freezing over in winter. Sure, it might stain easier than other flooring options but there’s a tonne of carpet cleaners and stain removers these days that the headache of getting things like red wine out are a distant memory. Other than that, carpet is generally really easy to maintain. Vacuuming and the occasional clean are all it takes to keep it looking sharp. There’s also so much variety when it comes to carpet – you’ve got fibre (nylon, wool, polyester), pile, coloured or textured – the list goes on! Carpet also provides great insulation, so you’re using far less energy to keep your house at the right temperature, leaving you with more money to splash out over Mad March.
Pros:
- Saves money – carpet provides great insulation so you’ll saving you money on energy bills, which frees up some coin for The Adelaide Fringe and Mad March
- Enormous variety
- Easy to maintain
- Cosy as hell
Cons:
- Will need to make sure you have an amazing stain remover on hand when you open a bottle of red
For more styling inspo, check out these:
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Timber
If we had to describe timber in one word? Sexy. It’s smooth, it’s cool, and it just flows from room to room, like a Victoria’s Secret model at a black tie event. Timber is also pretty timeless – it’s one you won’t get sick of as trends change. It’s also pretty easy to keep clean! What we love about timber most though is that you can show off your style – whether you want classic timber, distressed white, dark wood, light wood, wood made into designs like parquetry… you name it. And they all look amazing. If you’re eco-conscious but love the look, don’t fret. You can find great quality timber made from natural and renewable materials too.
Shiver me timbers, you’ll love it.
Pros:
- Looks incredible and goes with everything
- Variety, variety and more variety
- Timeless
Cons:
- Everyone becomes a loud walker
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Rugs
Rugs mean versatility! You can literally change your mind and rug every season if you so choose, and boy is that a whole lot easier (and more cost effective) than changing your entire flooring every couple of months. You want to brighten your home with a splash of colour for the summer months? There’s a rug for that. You want to make your home dark and moody in winter when you’re chilling in front of the fireplace? There’s a rug for that too. Rugs can also be a perfect solution for hiding ugly flooring in rentals where you don’t have the luxury of choosing your flooring.
Pros:
- Change your mind as often as you like
- Options are limitless (size, colour, texture)
- Perfect for renters
- Hide ugly flooring or stains
Cons:
- Size might not always suit the space you want to move it into (e.g. moving rental properties)
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Laminate
Similarly to vinyl, if you’re after the look of hardwood at a fraction of the price, laminate could be a sweet alternative. It’s easy to clean, water resistant and inexpensive. It’s super easy to do it yourself, and equally as easy to remove without damaging the existing flooring (you can even remove and replace a single slat if all of the others are still perfect). Laminate features an extra layer of protection that withstands stains and spills and combined with a moisture barrier underneath, it can even be used in rooms such as laundries, bathrooms and kitchens.
Pros:
- Similar to vinyl
- Easy to clean
- Inexpensive
- Can use it in laundries, bathrooms and kitchens
Cons:
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Bamboo
Bamboo is hot stuff and it’s eco-friendly! Kind of like George Clooney or Leonardo Dicaprio (they’re attractive and into saving the environment). Bamboo flooring is hard-wearing, versatile, and incredibly distinctive. You probably won’t see it at many of your friend’s houses. If you live in a tropical or humid environment where you can’t use timber, it’s an ideal alternative, as it expands and contracts with temperature changes (not to mention, it’s cheaper). Bamboo is also a fast growing and renewable material source, so you’ll never have to worry about the world running out any time soon.
If you’re looking for an environmentally-friendly option that looks fresh, bamboo is your go-to.
Pros:
- Eco-friendly
- Similar price to hardwood flooring
- Looks amazing
Cons:
- High heels, pet claws, and furniture legs can potentially scratch the surface
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If you want more styling inspiration and advice, you can’t go past the legends at Carpet Court.
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