You might have a truly inspired colour palette, a whole range of sleek modern furniture and the latest fixtures and accessories, but it’s all going to be for naught if your floors look tired and drab. Don’t take the easy way out – there are more inspired choices than carpet, porcelain tiles and hardwood stain. Here are five modern flooring options that might work perfectly in your stylish home.
Textured Carpets
Who would have thought that changing the size and shape of the fibres in the carpet could have such a positive effect? Carpets with variable pile heights and a mixture of cut and looped piles are all the rage when it comes to comfortable, liveable flooring options. The slight alterations in pile height and shape give the carpet a textured appearance, often following a broad geometric pattern. These carpets are available from high-end carpet suppliers like Stainmaster.
Modern Parquetry
Parquet floors are created using cuts of coloured wood, arranged in intricate geometric patterns. Parquet floors have been popular in Middle Eastern homes for decades and they really caught on in the West as part of the art deco movement. It’s rare to come across genuine parquetry in modern homes – the timber is expensive and it takes an expert (and expensive) craftsman to do the installation. The style is still making a comeback though, with tricky designers simply applying stain and stencils to regular timber floors.
Whitewashed Timber
For many renovators, sanding and staining the hardwood floor found under the carpet or linoleum is now standard practice. But think twice before you apply that same old stain. For a really interesting look, some modern homeowners are actually whitewashing their old timber floors. The timber should be stripped back then bleached two or three times, before a light stain and seal is applied. The end result is a light, organic-looking timber floor that would not be out of place in a well-loved Hamptons beach home.
Glass Tiles
They’re bright, they’re luminous and they’re being installed in a stylish house near you. Usually relegated to splashbacks and shower cavities, many adventurous designers are now applying glass tiles on floors. Most glass tiles are tiny (usually just two or three centimetres along each edge) and designed for application en masse in a mosaic pattern. Large glass tile are less common but arguably even more beautiful. These aren’t the right solution for everyone – they can be very slippery, prone to damage and are very expensive – but they do look absolutely beautiful.
Cork
There’s so much more to cork floor than their stylish finish. Warm and somewhat soft, they feel great underfoot. They’re also available in tiles or planks, so they’re very easy and cost effective to install. Cork is not as dense as traditional timber floor options, so it’s worth investing in a high quality option if you want it to last. A thick cut with a large granule will wear better over the long term. There’s a whole lot of finishing options for cork floors too – they can be sealed, stained or even painted.
These are just a few of the modern flooring options that trendy homeowners and savvy interior designers are using to create wonderful spaces.
Have you tried something unusual or unique in the floors on your home? Are you still happy with the result or do you wish you went with something a little more traditional? Share your thoughts with others in the comments section below.
