Home renovation can be fun, exciting and highly personalized. Whether you’re replacing existing floors or considering flooring options as part of an overall renovation, there’s a lot to consider with what’s beneath your feet. Flooring can contribute to both the style and function of your home, and each home needs something unique depending on the ideas, preferences and function. 

With so many materials and concepts at your disposal, it can seem like a daunting and complex decision to make. But when you go about the process with intention, you can find the perfect floors to enhance your home. 

Whether you have a totally eccentric style or you’re on the hunt for something simple, looking deeply into your flooring decision is important. Your floors can say a lot about your style and play a role in your home’s functionality and upkeep. 

If you’re thinking about changing up your flooring situation, there are a few things to consider when choosing the right flooring for you. 

1. Get Inspired 

This can be a great way to get started at the very beginning of your journey, especially if you aren’t sure what you want yet. Thinking about the style, aesthetic and feeling of what you want in your home can be a great exercise in inspiration. 

When you go into the renovation process, it’s important to be mindful of the time, money, and effort involved, even when you let the professionals do all the heavy lifting. And embarking on a process like that when you’re unsure of what you want could lead you in a direction you’re not sold on. 

Check out blogs, quizzes, and websites to see what you like and might want to emulate. Our portfolio features a great mix of floor types and styles. Then partner with our highly experienced designers who can help make your vision come to life! 

2. Consult the Experts

Even though professionals can’t tell you what your personal style is, they can tell you quite a lot. It can be tempting to try and DIY everything in your home. And while it is possible, consulting with experts like contractors and builders can be a great idea for ensuring you’re getting quality, long-lasting work that’s right for your home. 

Even if you want to take on some of the work yourself, consulting with our designers on the nitty-gritty can save you a lot of time and effort. 

3. Consider Your Decor

When it comes to your style, you may already know what you like, so why not go with it? Chances are, you’re not decorating your home completely from scratch. You probably have a few pieces that serve as “anchors” for your style. When you think about your flooring options, you may want to consider how they’ll mesh with the decor of your home. 

Whether you go sleeker, more modern, or a bit more classic could depend on your style and how you want to present the decor in your home. 

4. Think About Undertones

Speaking of decor, undertones can be important when thinking about the many types of wood flooring available and deciding between them. If your home tends to have more of a warmer aesthetic, a cherry or maple might be best, whereas a cooler, more modern home might fare better with oak or bamboo floors. 

While it might seem like a small detail, it can make a huge difference when considering the atmosphere you’re building in your living space. 

5. Consider the Finish

Now that you’ve thought about the undertone, the finish is next. Again, it might seem like a smaller detail, but whether you go glossy, medium, or matte can make a big difference in the style of your home. Consider your lifestyle in this decision. Do you have pets? Is this a highly trafficked area of your home?  

Also think about what you like best aesthetically. Consult experts, look at blogs, and keep on getting inspired. If you’re choosing wood floors, the finish can potentially come later. If you’re not, it could help direct your decision. Your designer can help you find the perfect finish that meets both functionality and design purposes.  

6. Keep to Your Budget

Just like any home renovation, flooring requires that you consider your budget and stick to it throughout the process. Sure, you can allow yourself a bit of wiggle room along the way — if there truly is room for it — but putting yourself in the red is never a good idea no matter how gorgeous that fancy new flooring is. 

There are so many classy, cost-effective options that are just as high in quality as any other, and going for those can save you money and hassle. 

7. Think About Sustainability

If you happen to care a lot about the environment, you may be wondering how you can lay down flooring that isn’t just beautiful and high-quality, but also good for the planet. 

If sustainability is on your mind, considering some eco-friendly flooring options could be rewarding, budget-friendly and stylish. Options like recycled wood and natural stone are all amazing sustainable choices. Plus, they’re fairly uncommon right now, which will help make your home more unique. One of the Twin Cities hidden gems is Wood From The Hood. By reclaiming trees, WFTH produces high quality products from a sustainable resource, taking one more step toward environmentally sensitive building and remodeling.

8. Keep Climate in Mind

While this might not impact everyone, it can be important to think about climate if you live in a particularly wet, humid or salty environment. Some flooring doesn’t age well when exposed to a lot of moisture — certain woods in particular — especially if you don’t have proper insulation in your home. For example, Minnesota winters could be hard on your wood floors in places where you may drag in snow. Consider using tile in your entryway to protect your floors. 

It’s always best to consult a professional about matters like this. If you have any concerns, it can be a great idea to bring this up the next time you talk about your flooring options. 

9.  Go for Something Timeless

While following the newest trends might be fun and exciting, it can also be a bit fleeting. That’s why it’s best to consider what you really want and what would look best in your home rather than going with the trends. Timeless choices that you personally love and that work well with your style can truly pay off in the long run. 

Choosing the Right Flooring  

When it comes to picking the right flooring for your renovation, there are so many options and factors to consider. Really, it all comes down to you, your home and your style. 

When you work with a comfortable budget, know your inspirations, and find something professional and timeless, it can be hard to go wrong. Whether your top priority is sustainability, matching the space, or finding something that’s the right fit for your environment, there’s something perfect out there waiting for you. 

Rose writes on home improvement and renovation projects. She is also the managing editor for Renovated. To read more of her work, check out her site.