You don’t have to be an interior designer to decorate your home in a way that suits both your sense of style and your lifestyle. Hiring an interior designer can be useful, but if your budget doesn’t allow for that there’s only one rule to follow…there are no rules! With so many misconceptions about the “right” way to decorate your home, we’re taking a look at some common flooring myths and giving you the facts.
Myth: A dark floor will make your room look smaller.
Fact: It’s not the tone you choose, but how you lay the floor that will impact how big or small the room is perceived to be. If you have a narrow space, lay the planks or tiles along the length of the room to elongate the space. One sure way to make a space look wider with our products is to lay them at a 45-degree angle or in a herringbone or chevron pattern.
Myth: You should use carpet in a basement.
Fact: Many homeowners gravitate towards carpet because they have a concrete subfloor and don’t want to have a hard and cold surface underfoot. Some natural materials like ceramic will be cold underfoot, but you certainly aren’t limited to carpet. Our luxury vinyl floors are softer and warmer underfoot than natural materials and you can even use our products with underfloor heating. If your basement is prone to flooding, you should definitely re-think carpet, as you would frequently need to replace it.
Grey Limed Oak KP138, Texas White Ash RKP8105
Myth: You should use a stone floor (or a stone look) in the kitchen and bathroom.
Fact: This misconception has developed mainly due to the need for waterproof floors in these spaces. A downside to having natural wood flooring is that it will swell and crack when exposed to standing water, so tiles became the norm in kitchens and bathrooms. Advances in flooring technology, as well as current style trends, are paving the way for wood looks to be back in these spaces. With Karndean Designflooring, you can get a beautiful wood (or tile, if you prefer) floor that is waterproof, durable and easy to clean!
Myth: In an open layout, I need to lay my floor the same way throughout the entire space.
Fact: This comes down to the type of floor you choose for the space. For example, with hardwood it is recommended that the planks be laid perpendicular to floor joists for a secure installation. Other types of flooring come in sheets, so you don’t have much control over the layout.
Our gluedown and loose lay products come individually and are multi-directional, meaning they can be laid in any direction. Because of this you can section off certain areas by laying the planks or tiles in a different pattern or direction.
While these guidelines are useful to keep in mind, as we mentioned before there are no definite rules. If you’ve chosen a Karndean Designfloor for you next project, we highly recommend working with your retailer or designer to choose the floor that best complements your style and the layout of your home!
What are your favorite home style tips? Share them with us on social media!