Right flooring sets a home's design tone and is easy to clean while keeping feet happy and comfortable.

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Flooring is an integral part of a home’s design process and plays a huge role in how spaces look and feel. Most people forget that flooring is the most used part of a home. What is underfoot plays a role in esthetics but also function and how you feel. Think about walking on something that is not comfortable — it would provide a constant reminder with each step. So, you want to pick something that you will love and be comfortable with.

There are so many options out there when it comes to flooring — hardwoods, carpets, tile and vinyl. You want to make sure you are selecting the right ones for your space and your lifestyle. While other design trends are always changing, your floors need to endure in a timeless manner. I have gathered a few of my favourites.

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There are so many incredible options for hardwoods out there, but a big trend is going towards white oak. This wood species is amazing because it has a lot of variation and has lighter and a few darker tones, making it perfect for both traditional and modern interiors. The lighter stained woods are popular right now as they provide a great neutral backdrop.

The Chateau, from Divine Hardwoods’ Cosmopolitan Collection, provides the perfect light tone flooring option. It is made with European white oak and has a 7 ½-inch wide plank with a 74 ¾-inch length. It also is four millimetres thick, which is great for wear and tear. It provides a lot of character but still has a clean and streamlined look.

Vinyl flooring has come a long way from the old linoleum floors of days gone by. Today’s luxury vinyl comes in a wide range of styles so you can have the wood look without the worry of maintenance or care. It is super durable and what might have seemed like a product that you may see in commercial spaces, we are now specifying for a lot of residential homes. This type of flooring can be used in wet areas, like bathrooms and mudrooms, an excellent choice for those who want one seamless floor throughout their home. I love it because you don’t have to sacrifice style for durability.

The Cincinnati Kid, in the Voyage Collection from Divine Hardwood, is one of my favourites. It has a wood-plastic composite core with an integrated underlayment with sound abating and moisture residence properties. We have installed this product throughout a home we completed in De Winton where the clients wanted something durable. They have two large dogs and live in the country, and this style of floor has worked out perfectly. With a slight nod to rustic, the variation in the widths helps to create some interest and makes it very hard to tell that it is not hardwood.

Most people would not think about doing tile throughout their home in Canada, however, the introduction of in-floor heat makes it a little more feasible. We are starting to see clients want this look. A large format tile is what works best to reduce grout lines and create a seamless look. Tile is also a great option if you are worried about maintenance, especially in a porcelain. It is easy to clean and works well for our messy spring and winter seasons.

Terrazzo has become a huge trend with countertops and flooring. It gives a nod to the mid-century look and to older European homes. I love it because it provides texture and allows you to bring in subtle pattern and colour into a home. Doing the real deal terrazzo can get very expensive, however, Centura Tile has recently come out with large format tiles called Cement Mix. Available in 24 by 24-inch or 36 by 36-inch sizes, these ceramic beauties are made in Turkey and come in both a large terrazzo and micro terrazzo.

Although carpet is not being used throughout homes now, it is still being specified for bedrooms and basements as people want something soft underfoot. Carpet is another material that has come a long way and the current trend is going towards a low-pile carpet. Shags and high-pile carpets are hard to clean and can be left in the ’70s and ’80s. For clients who want carpet, we are specifying streamlined carpets with little to no pile and add in a softer underlay. Carpets with a subtle pattern are also great to introduce for some texture.

I recently have been introduced to carpets by Beaulieu Canada. Their products are proudly made in Canada and are Green Label Plus certified, which means they have the very lowest VOC-emitting products on the market. Their carpets are soft to the touch and pet stain proof, as they are treated with SoilScreen to keep soils on the surface making the carpets easy to clean. They also have a wide selection of colours, making it easy to select something that will work with your space.

Alykhan Velji is the founder and principal of Alykhan Velji Designs, a residential and commercial design studio in Calgary.

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