Many home and apartment owners are thinking about making an important decision - choosing a floor for the living room. Laminate, wood parquet or tile? Everything is correct, because a well-chosen material for the floor in the living room guarantees many years of peace. On the other hand, a wrong decision can bring a lot of trouble. If you want to know the features of various flooring options for the living room, as well as see many photographs on this topic, then check out the presented article.
Floor in the living room: price issue
Economical laminate
The most common solution when it comes to installing flooring in the living room, but not only, is panels, that is, laminate. The main factor determining this choice is, first of all, the price per square meter. It is also important that their installation is very simple and significantly reduces costs. With other solutions, such as ceramic tiles, you can sometimes pay a lot to install it in your living room. Laminate does not imply large expenses if you decide to organize self-assembly.
Laminate flooring is generally considered to be great value for money and there is a lot to learn about it. However, quality refers to the method of manufacturing and refining and, to a lesser extent, the lifespan of such a floor. As for the longevity of the panels, they cannot compete, for example, with wooden parquet.
Wood or expensive exclusivity
Many people think that only when you have parquet floors in your home can you talk about a wooden floor - this is not true. The panels are also usually made from 100% wood materials, but the difference between them and hardwood flooring is huge.
The same large disproportion is included in the price. For mid-range oak parquet, pay twice as much as for parquet floors made from exotic trees. Why is wooden parquet so expensive? First of all, you pay for the quality of the wood, and for the work. In return, you get excellent finishing material that can be used effectively for decades. The durability of wooden parquet can be increased by sanding. This is a method of tearing off the top layer and re-varnishing it. This procedure is quite expensive, but beneficial in the case of wooden parquet. Instead of replacing your entire flooring, you can upgrade it for 30% of the cost.
All investments associated with wood flooring must also include its assembly. Do-it-yourself installation is possible, but the task is definitely more difficult than installing laminate flooring, so it's worth seeking professional help.
Tiles in the living room? Why not!
Placing tiles on your living room floor is becoming increasingly popular. This is especially common when the living room is connected to an open kitchen. To achieve the desired uniformity effect in both rooms, tiles are laid on the floors. However, a completely different design prevails in living rooms than, for example, in the bathroom. If you decide on this finishing material, then interior design experts recommend tiles for the living room in light, warm colors or in patterns that imitate wood. In addition, it has one big drawback - such a coating constantly blows cold. The solution to the problem is underfloor heating, but this is an expensive investment.
Practicality speaks for the tiles first and foremost. Stone or ceramic tile floors are easy to maintain. It fits perfectly into the modern design of the room.
Cork and bamboo flooring - the main trends
Currently, several niche solutions have appeared on the market and are gaining more and more followers. One of them is cork flooring. Cork flooring is made from the same material as planks, but it is not as durable. This is due to the much stronger compression of the wood. On the other hand, cork flooring with the previously mentioned material forms is the softest solution, absorbing noise and providing high walking comfort.
There are many types of cork flooring, from panels, planks to cork flooring. The price is about the same as for laminate.
Another unusual alternative is bamboo flooring. A square meter can cost more than parquet. This is an exotic solution, but it does not harm the environment. Bamboo is obtained from special farms located in Southeast Asia.
Bamboo is an excellent solution for people who value comfort and some kind of prestige, caring about the environmental friendliness of their home. However, keep in mind that bamboo flooring will last for many years, but it needs the right temperature and humidity.
Comparison of floor coverings
| Type of coverage | Moisture resistance | Heat dissipation | Wear resistance | Life time | Slip resistance |
| Linoleum | 9 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| Carpet | 0 | 10 | 3 | 5 | 10 |
| Laminate | 5 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| Tile | 10 | 3 | 9 | 9 | 3 |
| Parquet | 5 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 |
Parquet flooring in the living room: hits from natural materials
See what would be best for your living room: hardwood flooring, traditional hardwood flooring, natural or exotic wood planks, industrial hardwood flooring, or perhaps whitewashed planks. It is important to choose the right flooring for your interior style. You can find inspiration in the photo gallery.
How to decorate a living room, what floor to choose? The choice of flooring in the hall is important because it is this surface that is a major finishing element that determines the design of the entire interior. The flooring in the living room can be made of domestic or exotic wood, long planks or parquet wood of different colors. The customer can also choose a ready-made type of floor finishing (varnish, wax, oil). If you love naturalness, choose wooden floors in unusual colors and designs. Fashionable floors with complex compositions and rich colors will look perfect in the living room.
Wooden floors: parquet
Parquet is always fashionable. Wooden floors made of oak, walnut or beech, most often laid in a herringbone pattern, building blocks or squares, are an option that is remembered from the past. Parquet is elegant, durable and even acquires beauty with age. This material looks great in any apartment, regardless of its style. In a traditionally decorated living room, such parquet will become an important component of the classic style. It will bring a warm and cozy atmosphere to modern interiors. Local wood species are subject to color changes, for example due to staining. In this form, they can easily become an alternative to much more expensive exotic floors.
Parquet: exotic wood
Exotic wood from remote regions of the world (including merbau, teak, wenge, iroko, tauari, dussi, rosewood, kempas) is very popular with us. Exotic hardwood floors come in a variety of beautiful natural colors, from straw and honey, red and burgundy to shades of brown and even black. That is why they match the color of the interior so easily. An additional advantage of this flooring is the unusual grain of European wood.
Living room and floors: whitewashed boards
Bleaching is typically used on lighter woods such as maple, oak or ash. This procedure reveals the natural structure of the wood, perfectly emphasizing the grain pattern, thanks to which the floor acquires nobility. Simple bleached boards light up the living room, giving it a Scandinavian feel. It should be remembered that white is a whole spectrum of shades: from blue to gray and dove to light beige, so there are many options for flooring in the living room.
A light floor will visually increase the space. But be careful: narrow boards lengthen the interior, while wide boards optically shorten it. Since oil does not close the pores of the wood, the floor finished with it changes color slightly over time. This feature should definitely be taken into account when renovating the living room.
Industrial parquet
You can imagine what industrial parquet will look like after installation. Narrow, edged solid wood boards (European or exotic) can have different shades and ambiguous grain patterns. This randomness, although it may seem like a disadvantage, is actually a huge advantage, which is especially appreciated by people with a sophisticated sense of interior style. The abstract composition of an industrial parquet floor will highlight the rugged beauty of the living room and give it energy. An additional benefit of this type of coating is its exceptional durability.
Sheet vinyl flooring
Sheet vinyl, more commonly known as linoleum, is a resilient type of flooring that comes in a large roll and must be cut to fit the space.
The material is cut to fit the room
To lay such material, you should first make a floor template from old newspapers or other paper.
Where can you install vinyl flooring?
Vinyl sheeting is durable enough to be installed anywhere in the home, and its monolithic surface makes it susceptible to moisture.
Linoleum is practical and multi-purpose
How durable is this type of flooring?
There are three performance levels for vinyl sheeting with varying strength and comfort characteristics. The toughest ones feature Diamond 10 technology to resist scratches, chips and stains.
Equipped with Diamond 10 technology, durable for children's rooms
Which Vinyl Flooring Can You Choose?
Vinyl sheet is often transformed into an alternative type of flooring for homeowners who want the functionality of natural stone, ceramic tile, or durable wood. Modern printing technology allows the creation of realistic limestone, sandstone, slate, traditional hardwoods, exotic hardwoods, as well as alternative styles, patterned designs such as black and white checkerboard.
Any design can be applied to the coating
Living room: the most fashionable floors
Exquisite colors, unusual designs and patterns that highlight the natural beauty of wood are a trend. For example, XXL parquet flooring is a hit and can be intentionally aged. Silver wood floors are also trendy. This coating is ideal for attics where you want to emphasize the cool dampness of the wood. An absolute hit are the floor cubes, that is, wooden puzzles. Individual blocks are assembled on a parquet grid into 4x4 cm squares. This flooring is stylish and, in addition, resistant to destruction. Floors with cracks, knots, and dark lines, which were once a defect, are back in fashion today.
Carpet for living room floor
A carpet is an indispensable addition to a fashionably decorated interior. It proves the good taste of the apartment owner, and also gives the interior coziness and elegant style. The choice of carpets is huge, in terms of color, shape, pattern and material. Consider 10 valuable tips to help you choose the right textile flooring. Here they are:
- The rug should be in harmony with the style of the living room. The more patterns in the living room on furniture, curtains and accessories, the less there should be on the carpet.
- When the furniture and accessories are muted in the living room, a patterned rug will quickly and easily complement the entire interior.
- A dark rug will make your living room appear smaller but still add an intimate feel. Light - on the contrary, expands the room.
- Remember that a carpet makes a stylish floor stand out, so textiles should not completely cover it.
- A solid-colored rug will look best on a floor with a clear pattern, such as a checkerboard pattern. The dark version goes well with a light floor, and vice versa - light textiles are in harmony with dark finishing materials.
- Over the years, the most fashionable combinations have been beige with brown and sand shades. However, it is advisable to experiment boldly. For example, choose a purple or blue rug for a yellow interior.
- Don't forget that there should be at least 90 cm between each edge of the carpet and the wall. This will allow, for example, to easily open and close a door.
- The shape does not have to be rectangular or square. A round rug is ideal under a coffee table of a similar shape.
- It is advisable to choose low-pile carpets due to their ease of vacuuming. Also pay attention to the heavy weight of the carpet, which guarantees resistance to deformation, and the silicone gasket that securely holds the carpet on the floor.
- What carpet material should I choose? Whether you choose wool or high-quality cotton, you'll always feel soft underfoot. This is also a guarantee of durability. Unfortunately, carpets made from such materials are quite difficult to clean. If you are a practical person who has little time for cleaning, then choose models made from synthetic fibers. They are durable, easy to care for and resistant to stains, discoloration and sunlight.
Attention! A light-colored carpet will not stand the test of time if you are the proud owner of children or animals.
Dark, light or universal?
The intensity of the color of the floor to create a certain interior is of great importance. Usually the choice is between a light or dark option. It all depends on the planned design picture.
They are often guided by the size of the room. If the room is compact in size, then it is better to prefer light or universal shades.
Dark floors are appropriate in spacious rooms. Flooring is usually seen as a background for furniture. If the decor is in rich, dark colors, then it is better to make the floor light and vice versa.
Versatile in expression, options in reddish-brown and medium gray will suit any room, but will require an assessment of the color scheme of the design.
The floor in the living room is laminate
Laminate flooring is a good choice for people who want an efficient interior design but don't have enough time or money to install parquet flooring.
Modern laminate flooring can look like more noble materials such as wood and natural stone. It is not only aesthetically pleasing, but also durable, resistant to damage and chemicals. In addition, the laminate is installed quickly, and after installation it is scratch-free and does not require varnishing. An important advantage is the fairly low price. Unfortunately, the material has a drawback: it cannot be repaired (damaged elements must be completely replaced), and when walking in hard boots you can hear a dull sound, which can sometimes be unpleasant, for example for neighbors downstairs.
Carpet - soft pleasure
Next after wood on the list of popular flooring options for the living room is carpet.
Indeed, with its softness and fluffiness, it provides additional comfort and warmth in the design of the room.
It's nice to come home after a hard day and step barefoot on the fleecy floor of the living room. Fatigue will disappear as if by hand, and adversity will fly away.
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Carpet can be chosen in both natural and synthetic versions. Natural coatings, although environmentally friendly and healthy, require special care and are short-lived.
Synthetic types go through several stages of various treatments, so they will last a very long time and they have many more design options.
Is the floor in the living room kitchen tiles or laminate/parquet?
In recent years, multifunctional interiors have been gaining popularity. The fashion for open spaces has practically taken houses and apartments by storm. There is no need to convince anyone of the functionality and other advantages of such a solution.
Living room combined with kitchen: advantages of a 2 in 1 room
If you are used to a more classic interior design, combining a living room with a kitchen may seem irrational at first glance. Initially, there are two completely different spaces to deal with: the first is for you to relax and unwind, and the second is for cooking and perhaps also for eating. Kitchen and living room in one is primarily a practical solution. Especially in small apartments, which not only saves space, but also visually enlarges the room, and all thanks to the missing partition. However, if you don't like architectural innovations, you may be convinced by other advantages of this solution.
A living room combined with a kitchen is an ideal option, primarily for young parents or people who often invite guests. This allows you to keep in touch with your household or invited friends without having to constantly interrupt the conversation or watch your favorite TV series together. If you have children, this also gives you the opportunity to cook dinner and keep an eye on the kids at the same time. Thanks to this arrangement, you will be able to constantly monitor what they are currently doing and react if necessary.
The kitchen, connected to the room, allows for a lighter interior design. You won't need to furnish two areas, so combine them into a single whole and you will see that this solution really works. However, choosing flooring material can be problematic. What to prefer: tiles or laminate? Will the tiles match the living room? Is it possible to use panels in the kitchen without worrying about their strength and durability? Should two different solutions be used in the same room?
Expert advice! In small apartments where the kitchen is connected to the living room, choosing a homogeneous floor is the best solution. Please also note that the floor material has been kept in a light color - such a finished monochrome surface will make the interior more visually spacious.
Many designers believe that tiles are only suitable for the kitchen and bathroom, while the living room should have laminate or parquet. Don't worry—breaking this principle can have some really interesting effects. Having a kitchen and living room in one gives you the opportunity to have many interesting design solutions that are sure to suit your home.
Kitchen and living room connected by one floor
To date, this is the safest solution from an aesthetic point of view. The kitchen, connected to the living room by a homogeneous floor, makes the space visually larger, and the overall arrangement becomes much more comfortable. It also reduces the risk of choosing the wrong panels for tiles, which can significantly ruin the visual effect. Laminate works best in the living room. However, tiles in the kitchen are a great option. So, what should you choose?
Tiles for living room and kitchen
The materials used for flooring in kitchen areas, naturally, must be more durable than the finishes used in living rooms. Therefore, tiles for the living room and kitchen should be characterized not only by appropriate parameters, but also by aesthetics, which can be successfully used when arranging the room.
The increasingly popular gres fulfills both of these conditions, as it looks like classic ceramic tiles. The differences are only visible when used. The slabs are formed under very high pressure and then fired to ensure proper hardness and abrasion resistance, as well as low water absorption.
Remember that kitchen tiles should be glazed to better protect the surface. This will help protect the floor from damage in the event of a spill of highly staining substances.
Porcelain tiles are also very popular among buyers. It certainly has a more interesting design than its glazed counterparts, as it can imitate, for example, a wooden surface. However, choose your material with care! Porcelain tiles are much more difficult to clean and, above all, they are more slippery. In areas such as a living room with a kitchen, tiles throughout the entire floor may be impractical.
In practice, tiles are a very durable solution. Due to its large size, the material creates a magnificent interior, but also gives the room a slightly rough appearance. However, remember that tiles are cold to the touch. If you like to walk around your apartment or house barefoot, consider combining tiles with underfloor heating.
What to choose: laminate or parquet in the living room and kitchen?
Classic parquet and laminate will work well in the living room, where they are mostly subject to wear and tear. Unfortunately, the situation in the kitchen becomes more complicated. The panels in the living room, which are most often chosen, are not resistant enough to destructive moisture, as it is often found in the kitchen. However, this does not mean that floor panels will not work in the kitchen. First of all, it is a solution that guarantees fast cleaning. You don't need to use strong chemicals and frantically scrub the floor. Simply wipe it with warm water and a gentle detergent.
Expert advice! If you choose wooden boards for a living room connected to a kitchen, it is best to use one of the exotic wood species, for example, merbau, iroko, badi, jatoba, dussi - these are solid raw materials with a lower shrinkage coefficient and significant resistance to moisture.
Aesthetics and general comfort are also big benefits of having floor panels. Their presence in the kitchen will not only allow for a more impressive finish, but will also bring a little freshness and originality to the interiors. However, the biggest advantage is that the panels, unlike tiles, are not as cold to the touch, so in this case you don't have to worry about installing underfloor heating. Unfortunately, for tiles, underfloor heating cannot be avoided.
When choosing wooden panels that you will use in the kitchen, you should first be guided by such parameters as:
- high abrasive wear class - at least AC3, and if you use the kitchen very often, then you should choose AC4;
- wood hardness: the hardest are exotic trees (jatoba, kempas, merbau - hardness above 4 on the Brinell scale), economical solutions with high hardness (from 3 to 4 units on the Brinell scale) are oak, walnut, ash;
- moisture resistance;
- additional protection of the surface from moisture and provision of anti-slip properties.
If the floor panels for the living room will also be used in the kitchen area, it is essential that they meet the above requirements. Otherwise they can be destroyed very quickly. In extreme situations, even slight moisture can begin to deform the material, which can be completely replaced quite quickly. Remember this and do not rely only on the pattern or color when choosing a laminate.
Tile + laminate/parquet in the kitchen and living room
If you're still not sure which solution interests you most, stick with tried and tested options. The living room, combined with the kitchen, is one room, which, however, can be decorated in two different, harmonious ways. Very durable and cool tiles in the kitchen, and warm and pleasant panels of natural wood or its substitute in the living room? Why not!
Tiles combined with panels are an excellent solution for use in spacious interiors. For small spaces, you need to be careful that two different finishing styles don't overwhelm the interior. Also pay attention to the equipment - a kitchen island or table can help disguise the boundary between the kitchen and living room. If you choose this option, tiles in the kitchenette are the right solution. In fact, it does not require additional care.
A rather extravagant solution could be a floor in the living room with tiles and panels. However, only choose this solution if you are truly confident in the effect you will get. Otherwise, it is better to prefer only classic laminate.
Expert advice! If you want the floors in the living room and kitchen to be as similar as possible, despite the use of different materials, then combine the existing boards or floor panels in the room with the wood-effect tiles that will be used to finish the kitchen floor.
Living room floor panels do not need to be as durable as those used in the kitchen. However, it is worth remembering that the living room is a room that is used quite intensively, so it is necessary to choose a product with a high abrasion rating (the aforementioned AC3 should be sufficient). Also pay attention to the degree of moisture resistance of the panels - the absence of a partition means that moisture from the kitchen will necessarily spread to both rooms. This amount of water will not destroy unprotected panels immediately, but will undoubtedly speed up the destruction process over many years.
Also remember that the laminate you choose must match the tiles you want to use in your kitchen. It is better to choose products with a similar shade or install a material based on contrast. However, pay attention in advance to the general internal structure - the floor should complement it. Tiles combined with laminate also require consideration of the different sizes and properties of both materials and the correct connection of the floors.
