Your living room should be a place of relaxation, entertainment and quality time so it makes sense it's a considered purchase. Thinking about how you most use this space and your lifestyle will certainly have a part to play in picking the lounge flooring that will work best for you and your household.
With real wood living room flooring, cosy carpet, as well as the best laminate and vinyl lounge flooring, we've got a great range of living room flooring ideas.
Understanding the pros and cons of different flooring types
When it comes to choosing your dream living room flooring, understanding the pros and cons of different flooring types is a great place to start. From budget-friendly laminates to fuss-free vinyl, and sumptuous carpets through to premium real wood, each flooring type has its own qualities that set it apart from the rest. Let's dive into the differences so you can easily pinpoint what would be the best fit for you and your home.
If you're looking to add value and a premium touch to your living room then real wood is the way to go. Renowned for being incredibly hard-wearing, wonderfully characterful and high-quality, real wood's natural beauty is unmatched. Real wood floors can be split into solid and engineered wood - both have their own unique qualities.
Let's start with solid wood - this has been a household favourite for centuries, and it's easy to see why. It's guaranteed to add something special to your living room and the individual surface markings, knots and swirling grains add a great deal of interest. Solid wood is certainly a considered purchase as it's often the priciest of the floor types, this is because it offers lifetime value. It also requires a little more maintenance due to the fact it's a natural material, so a little TLC is needed to keep it looking its best.
If you love the look of solid wood flooring but you're looking for something that needs a little less maintenance, or perhaps you have little feet or furry paws running around and it just wouldn't be the most practical choice for you, engineered wood may be the floor for you. Known for its durability and hard-wearing nature, our engineered wood planks are made in layers providing great stability.
Engineered wood can also be easier to install as it has the potential to be installed over an existing subfloor, plus we offer a wide range of DIY-friendly options thanks to clever click technology - so you can have your new living room floor fitted in no time.
Both types of our real wood are available in a whole host of natural colour tones, from rich darks to rustic greys and everything in between, each make for the perfect neutral base no matter your personal style.
If you're looking for a fuss-free, durable and budget-friendly living room flooring, look no further than laminate.
Perfect if you've got a busy household or if you love to host as little care is needed to keep your laminate floor looking tip top. You won't have to worry about any spills or mishaps as they can be easily wiped away.
Modern laminate floors offer impressive authenticity while remaining highly practical and incredibly easy to care for. A click system means this floor is also easy to install. However, unlike engineered wood, you can't refinish laminate flooring as it gets its look solely from the image décor layer. So, whilst the upfront price may be more appealing, wood flooring may be a better choice in the long run.
Luxury vinyl flooring is the ideal choice for busy homes looking for a worry-free living room floor. Resilient, cost-effective and low maintenance, vinyl flooring also offers the perfect balance of firm yet springy underfoot. Similar to our click laminate floors, our vinyl floors are also DIY-friendly, making for the perfect project regardless if you're a first-time fitter or naturally hands-on.
Available in a range of wood and stone styles in plank and tile formats, luxury vinyl delivers the sought-after natural look with all the practicalities and advantages of modern flooring. Meaning you can kit your living room out with the look you love without any fuss and create the atmosphere you've dreamed of.
One thing to bear in mind with vinyl flooring is it can't be repaired if it gets damaged, it would have to be replaced, so that is important to consider.
Last but no means least, possibly the most popular living room flooring choice is carpet and that's due to its naturally cosy and warm feel underfoot - perfect for a place of relaxation. Depending on how you plan to use your living room space and the amount of traffic in and out the room will depend on the type of carpet that'll be best suited to you.
Our Home Choice carpets are available in three pile types: loop - ideal for busy spaces however it's important to note they're not pet-friendly, twist - also a practical choice as footprints won't show and then there's saxony - the most luxurious of the three with a plush cut pile. For more information on our carpet types, check out our handy Everything you need to know about carpets blog.
The only downside to carpets is that stains can be a little more stubborn and harder to get out if not dealt with straight away. For this reason, carpet requires a little more maintenance in the way of aftercare products than say laminate flooring which can be easily wiped clean with a wet mop or cloth after a spillage. Upon purchasing your dream carpet, make sure to check out the relevant Maintenance Guide for the most accurate information on keeping your carpet looking its best. This can be found on the individual product page, so you can always come back and reference it if needs be.
What is the best flooring for heavy furniture?
There's not just one best flooring for heavy furniture, as real wood, vinyl and laminate all possess durable and hard-wearing qualities by nature. If a durable floor is what you're looking for it's best to weigh up the other pros and cons between these flooring types to narrow it down for you and your home.
