Flooring Material

Floors that feel supple underfoot. Kick off your shoes and take a walk. Cushion each step with a covering that keeps your feet warm and that cuts down on noise.

Take a walk on the natural side or vote with your feet for vinyl. If you are into that kind of thing, run your feet over rubber just for the thrill of it. There's no reason to not mix your choice of flooring throughout your home and the soft options are vast and very versatile.

If you are tempted to dismiss all natural floorings as just grass, then you need to take a closer look. Each type has different qualities that you will come to appreciate over time, and surprisingly, paper is in this category too. While it may not be the first type of material that you consider for your floors, it's now very much part of this popular group. It's woven into a durable flooring material and the addition of resin to the mix increases its resistance to moisture.

Coir is the tough face of this family and makes a great choice for hardworking areas such as the hall. It may be a little rougher underfoot than the rest but practically it makes a lot of sense. If you are looking for a more sensitive option here's a tip: jute makes the ideal choice for bedrooms because it is much softer underfoot, though of course much less durable to traffic. Somewhere in between these two in terms of comfort sits sisal, so that may suit your dining room or lounge. Seagrass works happily in most spaces because it is smooth in texture but tough on the ground.

(Just a quick note for those who love to research, in depth, items for their home. Natural flooring comes from places as diverse as Brazil and Africa, Bangladesh, India and China, and it makes fascinating reading when you look into the various sources and manufacturing of these types of flooring.)

Vinyl may have an image problem but do give it a second thought. It's durable, it's washable and it offers comfort underfoot. Another plus is that there is such a wide range of colours and designs available that if you have inherited a room where you are quite happy with the décor but need to change the flooring, you are bound to find a colour match for the existing scheme. Top quality vinyl reproduces the look of stone and tiles, and there are some wood finishes that would defy the most rigorous comparison with the real thing (albeit from a distance of about 10 metres).

Linoleum is very different from vinyl although the two are often grouped together. The former is a natural product while the latter comes from synthetic materials. As with many natural materials lino improves, if cared for properly, with age. And it is a good choice if you are asthmatic as it won't attract dust and dust mites.

Rubber and cork are both soft options. Rubber is resilient, water resistant and it's available in some amazing colours too. If you want it, patterns can be part of the make-up with grooves, squares, circles and studs all available. If you want a scarlet floor in the bathroom, this is the material to look at. If you are planning a modern kitchen and are unsure of which flooring to choose, this would be perfect for the job.

Cork can be dyed, so you would have the option of a coloured floor, but the reason to settle on this is for its softness and soundproofing qualities.


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