Laminate Floor Questions

I don't know a thing about laminate, but we went with linoleum that looks like wood that I like a lot. I wanted a wood floor when we put this in, but my kids where little at the time. I swear every time I turned around they would drop whole pitchers of juice or something all over the floor. I had to wet mop nearly every day. No wood product would hold up to that. They were sort of like your dishwasher. This linoleum was laid down in strips as you would wood flooring. The funny thing is that every time I have someone over who hasn’t seen it before they always comment on what lovely wood floors I have. We have had it for about 7 years now and it’s holding up OK. It does scratch, so you need to put something on furniture that you have to move around a lot. We chose a light maple color and it does make the space seem a lot larger and cheerier.

Do not go with laminate again!!! I currently have laminate and have had to replace it at the fish tank and in the kitchen twice. (We had extras) Laminate does not hold up any where near moisture/water. Over time from transferring the wet dishes to the dishwasher, it has ruined the floor. In a kitchen area you are better using tile (they makes some that looks just like wood at LOWE'S) or VCT/Linoleum. If you really insist on sticking with laminate, I would at least use Bamboo as it is much sturdier than other laminates. Also, you might want to try ProSource for your flooring. You have to pay a membership fee (I believe it is $50) but you will have access to more options than you ever imagined. They have locations all over.

www.prosourcefloors.com

As far as color goes, it really is a personal preference. It also matters what is on the walls. For example, if your walls are light colors, you can get away with a darker floor in a small area. If you have medium to dark shades on the wall, definitely go on the lighter side with the flooring to open up the space. If you want to keep the space open there are 2 things to keep in mind. #1. Be sure the ceiling is painted in a shade of white (can be slightly off-white) and it will make the room seem bigger. #2. The color of the floor isn't as much of a factor as is the pattern. Stick to very simple floor patterns to keep the room large.

Good Luck and go with what makes you happy!!!

The "Pergo" laminate floor planks seems to have good reviews.
My friend has these and she has no complaints about it. But ask around. But it also depends on your budget...

Are you going to install it yourself, or have a professional do it?

As for floor color... you can go either way... but you would want to keep it "warm" tones- since Cherry is. But sticking to cherry... will tie in with your existing mantle and stair railing. I'm assuming, this flooring will be in the SAME room, as the mantle and stair railing... and this is why you want it to "match"????

But, one thing, if the flooring is ALSO in "Cherry" you'd want to get a good match...so it matches the existing. Is it a darker Cherry or a lighter Cherry color? Sometimes, if the flooring and stair railing and mantle are the same color... this can make the room more "cohesive" looking... or make it look "heavier" or smaller. Maybe. It depends on how you decorate the rest of the room.

Does this room flow into another room and can visually be seen? BUT, if this flooring is in another room from the mantle and stair railing... then you "can" get a different floor color. It does not have to match... for me, not "all" rooms in a house have to match. Each room can have a different "feel" to it.

BUT, if you go with a lighter flooring and if you prefer not to have too much "contrast" between the flooring and other Cherry elements, to minimize the contrast between the two woods, use a medium to dark color accessories or say coffee table. This will make the contrast look deliberate and purposeful. The walls can really be any color you particularly like...or you can keep it in a mid-range color value, which is a balance between the two. You can add accessories to the space in the same or similar color as your walls - or you can bring in the rich tones of the flooring in accessories. Remember the eye always goes to color.

Some people like contrast and some don't. SO see where you really are on this... what makes you comfortable. Some people, if their woods don't "match" exactly, feel uncomfortable about it, and it will bug them.

As for it being in a "small" room.... yes, a wider plank size can and will make the room look larger... it also adds a different kind of ambience to the room. I personally like wider planks, in any room. HOWEVER, "making" a room seem larger can also depends on.... (1) wall color (2) ceiling height (3) the general proportions of the furniture and (4) accessories.

There are some "small" rooms, that are painted in darker/warm tones... and with darker flooring....but because a certain "feel" to the room is wanted. ie: cozier, more intimate, etc.

Some people like "cool" tones, and some people like "warm" tones. I would advise that you put similar color tones in the same room... otherwise it can "clash" and seem "un-coordinated."

"Cherry" tones are a warm tone... and can typically match a lot of things and themes, be it "traditional" or "modern/contemporary" or "urban/edgy" styles.

Mainly, you would want to attain a cohesive feel to everything, so it looks coordinated to the eye.

My home growing up had teak all over the place... and built-ins and walls etc. And our wood flooring was lighter. It worked. It lightened up the room. For me personally, I don't like darker flooring... but some do.

Think about the "feel" of the room and what you want to attain with it? That will make it more live-able and comfortable for the user. Is it a "formal" area or you want a "casual" area? That can be considered as well, as part of the OVERALL theme of the room.

Anyway, hope this helps. I used to work in Interior Design... and fine arts. But keep in mind, everyone has a different opinion and style. Main thing is it suits the user. :) Just some points to consider.

Good luck,
Susan

Hello T.!

On the terms of color and plank size..Having a lighter color will not make your room appear larger contrary to popular belief. That is basically an old wives tale! Using a wider plank, will give your room an "older" feel. I usually put down wide planks in darker colors because it is a good basis for "grounding" a room. Grounding a room is essential in the balancing of the space. Don't worry too much about matching the floor to the other woodwork. I would actually go a shade darker. This allows a level of "interest" and gives you more flexibility on the wood finishes for other items. Be sure to check the rating on the laminate. They are rated for abrasion and thickness. The higher the rating, the better. The "best" laminate out there can cost as much as engineered wood flooring, but usually the installation is cheaper! Good luck and let me know if you have any more questions!!