Tips and Advice

This is why you should design your home from the floor up

Article by Homes to Love

Your flooring sets the tone for your entire house – these expert tips prove why you should design your home from the floor up

Research, research, research. When you’re planning a home build or major renovation, you sometimes feel like you’re spending your life online and in showrooms, looking up different options so you can make smart decisions about everything from drainage to decor.

Which flooring to use is one of the most important decisions you’ll make, and needs to be finalised early in the process as it affects so many other elements of the build. For example, it’s much easier to choose a carpet that you love and colour-match a paint to the carpet, than it is to try to find a carpet to co-ordinate with a particular wall or joinery colour.

With such a wide range of options to choose from, including carpet, laminate, vinyl, tiles and wood, all available in a vast variety of colours and finishes, sometimes it’s hard to know where to start. It’s helpful to think about some of the key decisions you’ll need to make so you’re not overwhelmed by the process.

The team at Carpet Court offer up their tips on how to choose flooring to suit your lifestyle, interiors style and budget.  Understanding these simple factors will help with some of the confusion:

Texline Primetex flooring in Hometown White, from Carpet Court.

1. Lifestyle

Balance the look you like with the practicality you need. A lighter coloured floor may not be suited to a busy family but could work well in a quieter adult home. Consider the activity at your place – are there lots of people, pets and kids? Entrances, stairs, hallways and ranch slider exits will get lots of use, so pick a product relevant to how busy your home is and ensure it can endure the workload.

2. Environment

New Zealand has a harsh sun environment, so the amount of sunlight entering your home will determine the level of durability and fade-resistance required of your floor. Different fibre types and flooring materials withstand fading at varying rates so it’s important you know which areas of your home will be exposed to direct sunlight.

img5SmartStrand Ingenious Flair carpet in Domino, from Carpet Court.

3. Decor

Consider how often you like to change your design look. Choosing a more neutral floor will let you change out your furniture and colour scheme when it suits. Do you want a seamless look throughout? A floor with water resistant properties allows you to run this through from kitchen, to laundry to bathroom.

4. Budget

Choosing the cheapest flooring doesn’t necessarily save you money in the long term, so invest accordingly to make sure it will last the distance you need it to. Your lifestyle and activity will help determine this. And you don’t want to get a great floor and then skimp on the underlay. Quality underlay insulates your floor and provides a good moisture barrier, so make sure to allow for it in your budget. Using interest-free finance options will also help ensure you get the best floor for your needs.

The benefits of the right flooring include warmth, insulation, softness, durability and fade or stain resistance, but it also forms the foundation of a decorating plan, and inspires your other interior choices.


For more info or to book a free in-home consultation, visit carpetcourt.nz or call 0800 787 777

Photography by: Kate Claridge, Rachel Dobbs, Michael Rooke, Pablo Martin/ bauersyndication.com.au, Michael Rooke.

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