HOW TO BUY Hard flooring

WE’VE ASKED THE EXPERTS FOR THEIR ADVICE ON HOW TO MAKE BUYING THE RIGHT WOOD, PORCELAIN, STONE, CORK OR VINYL A BREEZE

- JENNIFER EBERT

There are myriad beautiful hard flooring designs out there, but discovering how to choose and purchase the right one for your space will help simplify your design process. After all, flooring is a major decision in terms of style and budget and will impact the overall look and feel of your home.

In addition to appearance, the flooring surface needs to be durable and easy to maintain and clean. Take a look through our handy guide to help choose the right flooring for your home.

1 LEARN YOUR FLOORING MATERIALS

Flooring comes in all manner of materials, but for high-traffic areas such as a kitchen or hallway, choosing a hard-wearing material is key. ‘The type of flooring you choose for your home will depend on how you use each individual room,’ explains James Scully, founder of Recork (recork.co.uk). ‘A kitchen, for example, is often a room in which we spend most of our time, so it’s important to go for a material that is durable, robust and easy to maintain due to the amount of foot traffic.’

For this reason, it’s best to start by figuring out which materials will work best in the room you are renovating. Take time to research flooring types to find the most suitable material for your needs, whether you want something easy to clean and maintain or if durability (especially for kitchens and bathrooms) is important. There are plenty of options to choose from, including natural stone, porcelain, real wood, cork, laminate and vinyl, each with their own benefits.