Carpet
Carpet normally brings luxury, fashion and comfort to mind. It’s quiet, insulates well from cold and the color options are numerous. There are many materials and styles available, enough that you might need a little help choosing.

Hardwood floors suggest warmth and richness. With proper care, hardwood rarely needs replacing, and actually increases in beauty over time. The most common and desired hardwood species is oak because its relatively neutral color goes well with most decors. Other species and finishes are available in a range of colors, from light (more informal) to dark (traditionally formal).

Tile

The use of ceramic tiles is usually limited to kitchens, bathrooms, entrance halls, the front of the fireplace and solariums. Ceramic tiles are probably so popular because of their durability and ease of maintenance. And because they're available in a practically limitless variety of shapes and colours, they lend themselves to various styles and decors.

You should select tiles in keeping with the use you intend to make of them. Tiles earmarked for the entrance hall and likely to be roughed up must be more resistant than those you're planning to use in the bathroom. Matte enamel finishes are less slippery and better suited to kitchens and bathrooms. On the other hand, you shouldn't use them in the entrance hall because of their low resistance to scratching.

Laminate flooring

It would be hard to find a flooring product more versatile than laminate. In addition to a variety of colors and finishes, you can also choose between installation methods.

Laminate flooring shouldn't be confused with engineered wood flooring. Both are made of layers of material bonded (laminated) together for strength. Laminate floors use several materials such as resin, wood fiber and Kraft paper (materials vary by manufacturer) compacted under pressure to create the final product. The flooring is made into planks.

The surface of a laminate plank is actually an image, printed from film onto a thin decorative layer, which is then treated with a wearlayer. The high resolution of the film allows an extremely authentic appearance. The finished material is similar in feel to a kitchen countertop. A variety of finishes are available from wood grain to color.