Masters Home Improvement

There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to choosing flooring for specific rooms.

These days, it’s not uncommon for people to choose tiles in their bedroom, concrete in the living room and timber in the bathroom.

It’s simply a matter of choosing the flooring that suits your particular lifestyle.

Timber

Timber is a great choice for bedrooms, living rooms, hallways and kitchens. It has insulating properties that help keep a room cool in summer and warm in winter. With a range of tones from blonde to reddy-brown, timber adds character and warmth to any room.

Timber should be cleaned with just a damp mop as too much moisture can make the flooring swell and split. However, if you installing timber in a bathroom, specially treated timber painted with a couple of coats of polyurethane can now be used.

For a more rustic look, recycled timber adds a touch of old-fashioned charm. Whether you want the light and breezy feel of a beachside shack or the quiet authority of a darkened library, timber can be used to great effect.

Tiles

Once used exclusively in the bathroom and laundry, tiles can now be found in almost every room of the house.

For flooring, larger sizes are definitely the latest trend which give a more seamless, easy-to-clean finish. Most tiles now come in non-slip varieties so there is more choice than ever in design and style.

If using tiles in the living room or bedroom, a few well-placed rugs can add a touch of softness. Likewise, underfloor heating can do away with the chill and make the room cosy.

Bathrooms and laundries have been the traditional home of the tiled flooring and, of course, they work brilliantly in these rooms.

The latest porcelain and ceramic tiles – particularly the European ranges available at Masters Home Improvement – make for durable flooring of great beauty.

Even grout has moved into the 21st century with a vast range of stain-resistant colours to match your tiles.

Carpet

Whether you want plush and luxurious in the living room or tough and hard-wearing in the playroom, carpet can be a great choice for any lifestyle.

The colour should complement your furnishings but remember, dark tones tend to close in a smaller room.

Woollen carpets are soft and have great environmental credentials. They are also anti-allergenic and stain resistant.

Laminate

These flooring surfaces are good looking, hard wearing, easy to clean and easy to install.

Laminate offers a wide range of designs including timber, stone, colours and metallic. They work well in kitchens, laundries and bathrooms.

For people with allergy problems, laminate is a popular solution as they don’t harbour any dust mites. They are also very scratch resistant, so they work extremely well in high-traffic areas.

Concrete

Concrete flooring is now used extensively throughout interiors.

It comes in a range of colours, tones and finishes. By adding aggregate as it’s being mixed, the concrete can have a textured, mottled look that still feels smooth underfoot.

Underfloor heating takes away the chill in winter while in summer, a concrete floor can act as a heat sink.

It will absorb sunlight during the day and stay a nice comfortable temperature during the night. It’s the most hard-wearing surface available and unaffected by moisture.

This makes it a great choice for kitchens, bathrooms and laundries but it can work equally as well in living rooms, hallways and studies.  

For more ideas and inspiration, and to see the latest product ranges, visit your local Masters Home Improvement store.