Laminated Flooring Ideas

Color

• The color of the laminate you choose is vital to the overall feel of the room. For instance, darker shades help you create a cozy, modern space, while light floors reflect light and promote an airy space. Choices are as varied as you can imagine. Choose from classic wood tones, like maple, walnut and cherry, or look to the wilder shades, like driftwood grey, black and white, for a completely different look. Design a color palette incorporating the color of your furniture, draperies and accessories before you choose your flooring and paint hues.

Texture

• Textures vary considerably when it comes to laminate flooring. Once you have a particular color in mind, look at the different textures prevalent in that shade group to find one that appeals to you. A truly great design for a room is composed of layers, textures and patterns. For a room with textured wallpaper, you might want a basic wood grain for the laminate. However a room with flat-painted walls could use visual interest. Look for hand-scraped, distressed, variegated and exotic types of laminate to provide the interest.

Installation Pattern

• Laminate floors are commonly installed parallel to the walls in the space. Whether you choose to install the laminate vertically or horizontally is entirely up to you. Experiment before installation by lining up a few planks horizontally. Leave it that way for a few days and then try them out vertically to see what you like best. Another idea is to install the laminate diagonally. It does cost more, but the results can be well worth it. If you feel uncomfortable with the quantity of diagonal cuts for a project of this scope, hire a contractor.

Borders and Finishing

• For an extra detail, install a border of contrasting-colored laminate around the perimeter of the space. For instance, enhance a dark laminate floor with a border in a light shade of laminate. Finish the project with baseboards to cover the gap between the planks and the wall. Choose a style of baseboard that blends with other moldings in the home. Paint the baseboards the same color as the walls or use a contrasting color to make the floors and walls pop. For instance, medium-toned floors with a bright color on the walls will do well with a bright white baseboard for contrast.