Floors that exude warmth

DECOR

Our home is nothing but a reflection of our personality. The décor, the outlook, the furnishing and the flooring scream out our individuality to the world.

While creating the right interiors is just as essential as the intelligent designing of homes, the role of wooden floors in enhancing the appeal of the house cannot be overlooked. Yes, wooden flooring lends an elegant appeal to homes like no other material can.

Because flooring is a dominant part of the décor, going in for the right flooring for the different rooms of the house can really make a big difference in setting the tone for the overall ambience of the house. Till recently, wood for flooring was thought of as expensive and hence meant only for homes of the well-heeled. Fortunately, this myth has been debunked and wood has become the favoured choice for floors. They are increasingly being explored by home owners keen on creating personal spaces with dash and panache.

Exude warmth

Highly suitable for the entryway, living room, staircase and bedroom, wooden floors exude warmth and style that spell splendour. While dressing up the floors with wood, it pays to spare a thought to the wide range of styles they come in - strip, plank or parquet.

If wooden strip flooring comprises 1½ to 2 inch-wide individual segments, plank floors are slightly wider strips and parquet floors are individual squares laid down in geometric patterns of one’s choice.

From drab to dramatic

Whatever style of wooden flooring you opt for, the overall effect is nothing but dramatic. Wood morphs the floor from drab to dramatic! The options available in wood flooring are aplenty - walnut, oak, cherry and so on. Take your pick with the rest of the furniture at home in mind. Wooden floors also offer the advantage of affording a change in its look, as and when desired, to suit the overall home décor. All that is required for a change in look is to sand and stain it suit the rest of the décor.

When wooden flooring is opted for, it has to be borne in mind that wood has the tendency to either shrink or expand, depending on the temperature and humidity of its surroundings. Hence, during installation, care has to be taken to ensure that there’s enough space allowed for its expansion and contraction.

Once these minor nitty-gritties are taken care of, then there’s no way of stopping your wooden flooring from turning your floor into a thing of beauty.

And, if you thought that wooden flooring is uniform throughout and doesn’t allow any room for creativity, then you’re absolutely mistaken. For, wooden flooring offers immense scope for your creativity to run wild. You can, in fact, make a striking style statement with your wooden flooring by going in for inlays, insets and medallions. Artistic use of colours for inlays and insets and the right choice of medallions can work wonders to the floor and supplement its beauty.

Easy maintenance

The best part of wooden floors is the ease of maintenance. In our fast paced lives, all that we look for is convenience that any home décor item offers in terms of maintenance and flooring is no exception. Wooden floors are very easy to clean as they require only periodic sweeping or vacuuming.

Though damp swabs are suggested, it is best to avoid them as water can damage the classy look wood imparts. The advantages of wooden flooring are many. Apart from transforming the look of homes from staid to stunning, they are well suited for all types of weather. While they allow our feet to breathe in summer, they keep us comfortably warm in winter and monsoon. Ditto with the décor of the house. Be it traditional or contemporary, wooden flooring is just great. They are quite durable too, demanding only a coat of varnish every now and then.

However, like all things precious, wooden flooring too demands timely care. And, here's how they can be taken good care of: * Always clean it with a vacuum cleaner or dry broom.

*Never mop it with wet cloth.

*While placing furniture on wooden floors, ensure that the furniture is padded with rubber to prevent scratches.

*Never drag furniture on wooden floors.

*Try and avoid direct sunlight from falling on wooden floors.

*Never use acrylic waxes on them. Buffing is better.

In case of liquid spills on the wooden floor, clean the area immediately with an absorbent material. Avoid rubbing the area hard as rubbing will change the colour of the wood, making the stain stick out like a sore thumb.

With their fine balance between modern functionality, simplicity and warmth, tastefully finished wooden floors are definitely an owner's pride. They are ideal for those who want their interiors to match their cool lifestyle. Then, what are we still waiting for?