Dismissed Laminate Flooring? You May Want to Reconsider
Interior stylist and blogger Melanie Lissack talks laminate flooring and why it isn’t the cheap, unreliable option it used to be.
LAMINATE FLOORING has moved on
If I am honest, laminate flooring has always been given a bit of a bad time within design circles. You always hear stories of people moving into properties and pulling up the ‘awful’ laminate flooring in favor of sanding and exposing the real wooden floor boards.
The truth is, not everyone’s original floorboards are in good condition.
If you live in a period property the chances are the wood is rotten in places, creaks, has nails popping off everywhere and big gaps between planks providing dust traps, a home for spiders and a place for your pound coins to roll down and be lost forever!
The other truth is that technology and design develops over time and the laminate flooring of yesteryear is nothing like the good quality, durable, design-led laminate you can get today.
On paper, laminate reads like the desirable option – it’s suitable for most rooms in the home, easy to install and more affordable than real wood. Many of us have kids and pets running all over so the floor so it needs to be tough and resist scratches. Laminate ticks all of these boxes, yet for the majority of us it’s the overall look of the floor that’s most important.
Everyone wants a floor that looks like beautiful, natural wood but sometimes it’s just not viable to invest in real wood flooring. What isn’t wanted is that orange-tinged, faux wood design that laminate has been associated with in the past.
Intrigued? Then let’s look at some of the beautiful laminates available today and how they can be styled in your home…
SCANDI
The paired back Scandi look is consistently a popular, modern and yet ‘grown-up’ interior style that shows no signs of going away any time soon. With Scandi, the focus is on a minimal amount of well-designed items in the home, in colorways of white, grey and light wood. Flooring leans towards a whitewashed, aged appearance – just like Wembury Coconut Oak which is the perfect design to complement a Scandi-style home.
Paint your walls, ceiling and woodwork a light, milky white or a very pale grey and use the laminate to create a light and bright base. Add furniture in a light ash, textiles in greys and place some eucalyptus in a clear vase to really pull off the Scandi interior style.
DARING
Love dark decor? With winter approaching create a cozy, homely vibe by teaming dark navy or grey walls with Wembury Midnight Silver. The key to this look is lots of layers and textiles so pile the cushions and throws on your sofa, light some candles and the fire and let your room cocoon you while you admire your beautiful new floor!
My favorite floor from the Wembury collections is Urban Oak . It’s warm without being too dark, and I think it would work well with my preference for lighter blues and heavily patterned wallpapers on my walls! It feels contemporary and I would team it with some statement armchairs in bright, bold velvet fabrics, plus gold floor lamps and side tables.
ASHEN
If your home embraces one of the many shades of grey that continue to be popular in interiors, then complement your wall with a Nordic Oak floor. The color and grain will work perfectly with shades like Lamp Room Grey or Downpipe. Be brave, adding a teal sofa and statement lighting to really stand out against the grey backdrop.
My advice would be to not disregard a laminate floor. Head to a retailer or order some samples to really see what a modern laminate floor can offer. The chances are you’ll be pleasantly surprised!
Credits
Melanie Lissack | Melanie Lissack Interiors