Flooring can have a dramatic effect in the appearance of a home, and contributes to the value of a house or its rent. The fact that we walk on floors does not mean that we should value them any less.

They are basically the surface area of a home, and therefore are noticed effortlessly with profound implications.

For instance, the type of flooring you use speaks volumes, and to a potential tenant it can imply, reasonable, expensive, comfortable, inviting, or distasteful.

So, are you thinking of refurbishing your floor, or are you in the process of building a house? There are diverse flooring options to choose from, but for now let’s take a look at a few of the most popular flooring styles.

Use hardwood flooring for variety and natural beauty
Hardwood flooring is durable and provides value and natural beauty to a home, for this reason they have been around for centuries.

Personally, they are my favourite flooring style! One can create different patterns with wooden slabs, i.e. zigzag patterns, circular patterns, square patterns and a lot more.

Different shades of wooden slabs add variety to the floor, and will prevent you from having one flat tone throughout the floor.  Although hardwood flooring is a timeless investment, it is not suitable for all rooms in a house, particularly bathrooms or kitchens. It goes without saying that water and wood don’t mix well.

Now that we have eliminated bathrooms and kitchens as ideal rooms for the use of wooden tiles, you may be wondering what rooms normally suit this style of flooring.

The living room and bedrooms are a good place to consider. A room that has hardwood flooring can turn out to be very appealing especially if you incorporate other objects that are constructed from wood, such as bookcases, cabinets and furniture.

To avoid a room from feeling dull and gloomy complement dark wooden floors with walls that are painted in light colours.

Ceramic tiles are common but classy

Ceramic tiles are the most waterproof type of flooring. The beauty about them is that they can be used as floor tiles, counter tops or on walls, both indoors or outdoors.

Ceramic tiles are one of the most common forms of flooring, and are usually filled into homes suited for the higher end of the market. They come in an attractive choice of colours and shapes. Finishes available include: matte, embossed, glazed and textured ones.

White tiles are great for simplicity and making a space seem spacious however bear in mind that once they are dirty it will become very obvious and for this reason I don’t recommend them for kitchens. A kitchen is an area where meals are prepared, and oil and water tend to find their way to the floor.

When these come into contact with our shoes the result is messy. If colour isn’t a problem for you, you may use slightly darker tiles in the kitchen.

Tiles throughout the house should correspond. They should enable you to move from room to room almost seamlessly. If you like variety, choose two different types of ceramic tiles which correspond in colour and pattern.

Use only plain tiles in some rooms, and in the other rooms, cover most of the floor with the same type of plain tiles, while strategically leaving out blank spaces. Fill in these spaces with the alternative tiles of a different colour or texture.

Choose marble floors for a sense of cleanliness

Marble tiles are associated with elegance, and exhibit a timeless quality. They come in colours such as white, grey, green, beige, and usually appear to have a veined pattern. Although they are expensive to purchase, a marble floor gives any room in your house a clean feel.

Marble tiles are cold and noisy when you walk on them; so take this into consideration if you have a high sensitivity to noise.

Cement Flooring can be used with rugs for a great effect
Cement flooring is probably one the most inexpensive forms of flooring. For finishing, they are usually painted in a different colour from that of walls, typically maroon. The only disadvantage is that with time, the paint will wear out.

Ultimately, you will find that the most commonly used areas of the home have become paint- less. If this happens, a fresh coat of paint should do the trick and restore the floor to its former glory!

Alternatively, rugs are a good means of concealing unflattering areas of a floor. If you discover that a particular spot keeps wearing out faster than other areas of the house, place a rug over it.

In colder countries, it is usual to fill up an entire floor surface with carpets, but understandably that isn’t the case in Rwanda. Rugs or carpets that only cover sections of a floor are more appropriate and common.

If you choose to use rugs for decorative purposes, there are several factors to consider. These include: placement, the size of the rug, the covered area, and whether or not a rug is appropriate for the area in mind.

Rugs are not limited to flooring types, and they come is an endless variety. A simple floor will correspond well with a patterned rug, whereas a plain rug can help calm down and bring balance to a floor that is complex.

Now, a key challenge is installing your flooring properly. If this area is familiar to you, it will be easy to install your flooring without the need to obtain help elsewhere. However, if it is all new to you, you will do well to obtain the help of a professional to ensure that your flooring is built accurately.

Like the use of all avoid disappointment by ensuring that you communicate your preferences clearly beforehand.
Finally, don’t underestimate the significance of flooring in home décor.

Remember to decide on the type of flooring you will use before buying furniture, for it is a lot easier to replace furniture than an entire built in floor!

When installing your flooring, rather than holding back or sticking to safe colours and options, explore different alternatives. Dare to be creative and outstanding in order to achieve unique results.

ms.efuahagan@gmail.com

The author specializes in Interiors and Fashion.