Floored with choices

As flooring material manufacturers and carpet makers battle it out, the consumer has the final walk.

It may not be the first thing you notice when you walk into a home, but what you are walking on is one of the most important elements in design. Flooring sets the stage for all other elements in the home. Whether it's wool carpets, wooden flooring, laminate flooring, vinyl flooring, marble flooring, ceramic tiles or natural stones, your choice of flooring will improve the overall look and feel of your home.

The latest trends in apartments and villas across Dubai include timber veneer and stone/ceramic tile flooring in the bedroom and living room areas.

While bathrooms tend to be stone/ceramic or glass tile floors, marble is also a popular choice with architects and designers.

"Alomi has introduced many new species of timber flooring to the UAE market such as black walnut, Brazilian walnut, Burma teak, tiger wood, Canadian maple and English oak. However, Black Walnut is undoubtedly the most sought after. It is beautiful, timeless and very much in vogue,' says Albert Douglas, CEO, Alomi Real Wood Floors LLC. "For heavy use, Alomi now has a unique ceramic aluminum oxide protective coating. As a result timber flooring can now be installed in hotels, restaurants and shopping malls."

When deciding on flooring it's important to consider the feeling you want to evoke, but opinions are mixed when it comes to the choice of material. Pascal Betten, Commercial Director, MID Carpets BV, believes carpets are the better option to make a house feel homely.

"Marble will always be popular in my opinion, but I see a speedy increase in using rugs or wall-to-wall carpets as this is much 'warmer' in comparison to marble floorings in countries where the air-conditioning is switched on 24/7. But from an acoustic point of view the interest in wall-to-wall carpets and rugs is getting more and more popular."

"I am allergic to carpets, they are definitely prone to accumulate dust and require more maintenance than hardwood floors or marble flooring," says Mohammad Suhail, Sales Manager-Texture Plus, Blue Rhine General Trading.

Douglas agrees, "Carpet is now considered to be unhygienic, dirty and cheap. As so many bugs can live in a carpet, people realise it causes allergies and is associated with asthma in young children. Real timber floors are natural and clean."

Although, carpets can attract pollutants they are still a popular option, especially in colder European countries. And as an environmentally friendly option, carpets are still the traditional choice for homes across the globe. "Our main material, wool, is a 100 per cent environmentally friendly product and so is our dyeing process," says Betten.

Alternatively, hardwood flooring is durable, stylish, hypo-allergenic and easy to maintain. "Hardwood floors and ceramic tiles come in a variety of colours and designs. The prominent advantages of ceramic tiles comes in its easy installation and it being being comparatively a cost-effective solution to flooring, while hardwood has an elegant appeal," says Suhail.

Trends quickly change within the flooring market and flooring experts have mixed opinions on what is in vogue. "Marble is no longer considered the ultimate designer flooring. Timber floors are now the preferred material. The advantage of using a real natural hard timber floor is the wood's natural beauty and character. Every single piece is unique and individual and all Alomi timber floors are made from renewable resources," says Douglas.

However, Suhail disagrees, "I imagine marble as the ultimate design product used for flooring. Marble has the aesthetic appeal of art and using inlay marble flooring is taking designs into higher dimensions.

"We at Blue Rhine have a product known as Tilo, which can be used for inlay flooring, table tops and wall panels. The new trend is using semi precious stone, which takes design and colours exclusively to the next level."

Texture is one of the most important elements of interior design, and can be applied to every dimension of the room.

Texture is also key in flooring, and some of the most interesting environments can be created with a hard-surface floor. Nothing warms a room more than a rich, natural hardwood. Its grain works well with any interior design, from traditional to modern. A natural surface such as wood can make a contemporary setting look more 'homey,' and less commercial. And thanks to the latest developments it's not only hardwood that can create this effect, bamboo is equally attractive, environmentally friendly, strong and resilient. With so many positive attributes, it's no wonder that bamboo has become the hottest trend in flooring.

Bamboo can help achieve a very distinct finish, thanks to the fact that it is a grass rather than a tree. It's the eye-catching pattern of slightly darker bands that sets bamboo apart from more traditional forms of flooring such as hardwood and marble.

As concerns for the environment continue to grow, bamboo is becoming more popular. It is incredibly fast growing compared to hardwoods. On average, bamboo can reach maturity and is ready to harvest in five years. And since it is a grass, it is harvested again and again from the same plant. When you compare that to an individual hardwood tree taking anywhere from three decades or more to mature, depending on the species, bamboo seems like the obvious choice.

One of the newest members of the hard-surface family is cork. Its rich grainy texture adds character to any room. Developments by Cork Innovations have resulted in establishing a new product. According to their website, they have produced new kind of cork flooring.

The new cushioning cork tiles and underlayment offer pain relief to customers suffering from joint and knee problems. The new cork tiles are ideal for common areas in the home such as the living room and kitchen. Cork flooring can be used in yoga and pilates studios, physical therapy offices and retirement communities.

Laminate flooring can also add texture to a room. This hard-wearing floor is a great choice for active families, commonly used areas of the home and restaurants.

There are so many choices when it comes to deciding what flooring to put in your home. But at the end of the day it is best to choose something that complements your style and personality as well as your budget.