Choosing Flooring for Your Bedroom

Often when renovations or new designs are going on, you’ll hear about people agonizing over the flooring in the kitchen, bathrooms, laundry areas, and sometimes even the living room. They aren’t sure if they should choose beautiful (but expensive!) hardwood, or versatile (but environmentally unfriendly) vinyl in wet areas; they aren’t sure if they should do tile throughout, or divide a space up with tile in one area and hardwood in another.

But not much is said about the bedrooms. It seems as though most people assume that a bedroom will be either carpet or hardwood. While both of these are great options, you don’t have to limit yourself to just these two.

Carpet

Carpet is probably the most common flooring option for bedrooms, because it is soft and warm – two things that we all want when we’re going to bed, or waking up for the day. But carpet is also easily stained, and not as attractive as many other flooring options. While some carpet is very durable, it can become torn or ripped by heavy furniture.

Hardwood

Hardwood is the other common choice for bedrooms. It’s a beautiful option for any room, and can be warmed up and softened with the use of area rugs. Hardwood is very durable, but it’s not the most affordable option on the market. Hardwood is easier on allergy sufferers, because there are no fibers to hold on to dust or pollen, but it can also still become scratched by furniture. It’s also not very quiet, so any footsteps or tossing and turning while you sleep will be heard throughout the house.

Laminate

Laminate flooring can look just like hardwood, and is in fact a popular way to get the hardwood look without paying such a high price. It’s also a little easier to maintain, with no need to seal it to keep it from becoming damaged. Homeowners can also add padding underneath laminate to make it a little more comfortable, and to insulate some noise. However, while laminate is easy to maintain at first, it doesn’t keep its good looks for long. The thin protective layer can become dull over time, and it’s equally likely to be ripped or rippled by furniture.

Tile

You may not think that tile would look natural in a bedroom, especially because it’s usually seen in bathrooms and kitchens – but tile floors can create an elegant, exotic bedroom that whisks you away to an island vacation every time you enter your bedroom. Tile is extremely durable, easy to clean, and comes in a huge variety of colors and textures. Many rooms in luxury Mediterranean hotels use tile in the bedroom for these reasons. Tile tends to be very hard, so area rugs may be necessary if you prefer softer floor when you wake up or go to sleep.

At the end of the day, your bedroom is your private oasis. You don’t have to choose carpet just because that’s what you always see in bedrooms – consider all your flooring options, and choose the one that makes your room feel like a getaway.