I let out a squeal of joy when hubby announced that his annual early-spring project would be replacing the tired living-room carpet with laminate. In my typical approach, I set out to view virtually every type of flooring available to mankind and along the way I discovered some unusual and funky designs that weren’t right for us, but beautiful to consider. Instead of merely supporting lovely furnishings, flooring is now making a statement of its own.
Mid-century homes built with hardwood floors characteristically featured a light oak laid in a straight line. If you’re replacing those worn-out boards you can now choose any shade from bleached-white to ebony, and mix and match them however it pleases your eye. A foyer or a hallway looks striking with herringbone-pattern flooring in a solid colour or alternating between blonde and brunette. It would be a shame to cover up this visual feast with a rug or a runner.
For some, grey is the new brown. Using a grey floor looks modern when the room is properly accessorized and balanced, dreary if it’s not. Canadian company Silverwood Flooring offers a range of colour options in its HARO Gran Via laminates that are also available in longer and wider sizes. The grey-toned shades Pine Pacifico and Oak Antique Grey are standouts among 30 in this category. Silverwood’s huge selection includes bamboo and various hardwoods as well as the previously mentioned herringbone pattern flooring.
Homeowners find themselves thinking with two brains when it comes to a major upgrade: What do we want now and what will serve us best when we sell? David Ledger, a designer in southern California, installed his own, unique flooring concept with the understanding that it’s not for everyone. His shades-of-blue creation looks like an art installation you’re allowed to walk on. David explains that the creative idea came to him out of practical necessity. 
“This flooring was a result of having plenty of time on my hands and not much money. The project took almost 3 weeks from start to finish, working every day and still managing to use the kitchen for practical purposes until we painted. All said, with re-leveling the subfloor first, this project cost $750-$1000 in materials, but a lot of my time.”
David taped together colour swatches to make bigger ones that he laid side-by-side before choosing his final colours. The floor consists of painted ¼ inch Masonite or hardboard, finished with a tough clear-coat. David is thrilled with the result.
“I knew this wasn’t an idea that was to be found in a store. This house is our first property and I wanted it to represent us as much as possible. All afternoon this room is filled with natural light and makes these colors pop.”
Although they have no plans to move, David says he will likely redo the floors with something “more middle of the road” if and when it’s time to sell. His philosophy is inspirational. Why not do something drastic or fun for yourself if it’s what you want? The next buyer can either appreciate the effort, even if it’s not to their taste, or you can put a little muscle into dialing down the drama before the open house. In the meantime, if my jaw-dropping reaction is any indication, David’s floor will be a highlight of his home for years to come.
As for our new laminate, we thought we were going to go with something sedate and light but we settled on a top-end, Pergo laminate in a darker hue with plenty of personality. And I’m glad we did. For two people who have so much to say, it only makes sense that our flooring gets in on the conversation too.