I am often asked what flooring to choose when decorating and there isn’t one simple answer, it all depends on the function of the room, budgets and taste. I was recently asked by Quick-Step to help a family choose the right floor for their living room and have written about the process below. If you have a young family and are looking to replace your floor, this laminate flooring makeover with Quick-Step should make an interesting read.
Who lives here
A family home with two young children
Problem
The owners living room felt cold and dated, the beige carpet was shabby and stained and was too close in colour to their existing sofa, this meant all the colours in the room blended together. The carpet wasn’t practical for children as drinks were constantly being spilt and the children colouring on the floor was out of the question. The room didn’t work on any level and the owners were desperate for a contemporary scheme that was both stylish and functional.
Solution
Find a family-friendly flooring that was aspirational, affordable and practical.
After chatting with the family we decided that Laminate flooring would be the best option as it fitted all of their requirements including; budget, suitability with children and plenty of contemporary shades and styles to choose from. After looking at Quick-Step’s laminates we choose the Impressive Ultra collection, a hard-wearing natural laminate with visible woodgrains, something that the owners were keen to have. It also has a unique water-repellent ‘HydroSeal’ coating, which means it’s the most waterproof laminate flooring ever produced.
From the 16 shades that Quick-Step offer, we choose a light oak effect with a hint of grey as this would compliment the Scandinavian accessories that we planned to use in the makeover.
It’s so important to invest in a good laminate as you really appreciate the quality, badly made laminate will chip, crack and swell when in contact with water.
We used a local installation company called Flat Out Flooring run by Martin Tompsett, they were very familiar with Quick-Step and said they find it one of the easiest floors to lay due to its ‘click’ function. As well as the main floor area, Martin laid the laminate on a small set of stairs that led down to the living room, the results look great! Thankfully, Quick-Step sell all of the matching accessories which enabled Martin to create a beautifully neat finish.
As well as the flooring, the owners decided to make a few other changes including moving the radiators, this is definitely something to decide whilst the work is being carried out as you don’t want to disrupt the floor once it has been laid.
The new flooring was now a few shades paler than their existing sofa which lightened the room considerably. We used a muted green-grey paint to ‘zone’ the living area of the room and add richness to the scheme. This wrap-around block of colour made the perfect backdrop to their blush pink furniture and accessories.
One thing that needs to be well thought out when renovating is whether the room ‘works’ for you, yes it’s important to get the design right, but is the space functional? Is it suitable for a family? Think about the flow of the room and how the colour of the floor will look against your existing furniture.
The family spent some time in Mexico when they were younger and fell in love with the bright patterned textiles, it was important for me to try and incorporate some of this within the overall look. Scandinavian design is another passion of theirs and so I choose the lamp and side tables with this in mind. Finishing touches were added with the flowers and plants, never underestimate the importance of this as they literally bring the room alive.
The owners were really happy with their finished room, the children can now colour on the floor without the worry of felt tip pens going near the carpet and there isn’t the panic of drinks being spilt.
The bold patterned rug compliments the cushions and makes a real statement in the room.
The pink peonies look stunning against the newly painted wall and marry with the cream accessories and blush table.
You can see from these pictures that the pretty wood-grain effect adds depth and warmth.
The beauty of choosing a light-weight rug is that it can be quickly rolled up and tucked away.
The block of colour behind the sofa helped to make the space feel more intimate but it still lacked any visual interest. I suggested some step shelving to bridge the gap from the floor to the ceiling. We choose botanical artwork to compliment the plants and succulents in the room.
Brief background of Quickstep
Quick-Step is a quality flooring brand produced by UNILIN. On-going research and innovation along with a strong focus on quality have made Quick-Step one of the top players in the flooring industry. The brand, known for its patented glueless Uniclic® installation system, has evolved from being an affordable alternative to wood to a category in its own right, bringing a wide variety of design floors that are swift and easy to install and maintain in every situation. Today, Quick-Step is a global engineered wood, laminate and luxury vinyl flooring brand active in over 100 countries. A true leader in design, innovation and quality.
Product credits
Flooring, Impressive Ultra collection, Quick-Step / paint, Lamp room Grey, Farrow & Ball / Wooden side table in rose, £95, Out There Interiors / Lina side table (pale grey with oak legs) £65, Cox & Cox / Accessories from left to right: Ledbury Porcelain lamp, £95, Not On The High Street. Succulents, from a selection at Homebase / Feather Illustration, £40, Cox & Cox / Botanical Pinecone print, £48, Monochrome Botanical Protea Print one, £36, both NOTHS / Geo cushion, similar found at Oliver Bonas, £32 / Blush cushions, made up from ‘Faded linen’, Designers Guild / Regency velvet cushion in grey, £25, Habitat / Honeycomb rose cushion, £35, Lilac Coast at NOT on The High Street / Plants and succulents, as before. Rugs: Scandi black and white rug, £80, Rocket St George / Pink Honeycomb rug, £58, Lilac Coast at Not on The High Street. Floor installation: Martin Tompsett. Photography Jemma Watts, Styling Pippa Jameson
