Open-plan rooms are the perfect solution when you are looking to make you house feel a little more spacious. Instead of having a small kitchen and a small living room, combining the two really opens up spaces and makes the most of the room you have on offer. When it comes to interior design however, it can be hard to know the best choices for such airy rooms. The best place to start is the floor, and this is where you can begin to structure your aesthetics.

We advise that you use the same floor throughout, but because of this you will therefore need a floor suitable for both lounges and kitchens. You will need to look for a floor that is water resistant, durable and long lasting. While solid wood looks beautiful, it’s simply not up to this versatile job. Similarly,  although vinyl tiles are very durable and perfect for kitchens, we would advise against using vinyl in large open spaces as the quality level simply won’t endure over time. Another important factor to take in to accounts is if you have underfloor heating. A  solid wood should never be used with underfloor heating as it can cause the board to expand and contract with temperature fluctuations. This causes swelling and splitting over time

The best choice for open-plan rooms therefore is engineered wood. Looking identical to its  solid wood counterpart, engineered wood is the most adaptable floor that doesn’t sacrifice substance over style. Engineered wood is made up from layers of plywood and finished with a top layer of real wood for that authentic finish. Because it is made up of man-made materials, it can handle changes in temperature without being affected and can also withstand moisture better than a solid wood. This makes cleaning much easier too and engineered woods are very low maintenance as it is. A simple sweep and or hoover and a wipe down with a damp mop is all that is needed to keep these floors looking and feeling great. Although, this floor isn’t entirely water resistant, so remember to look after it accordingly.

If engineered wood floor is too expensive for your pocket, a similar alternative is laminate flooring. Laminate floors are much cheaper but still imitate wood nicely. Because they are entirely man man-made, laminate floors are fully water resistant, something to think about when laying a floor in a kitchen area. Because they are so widely manufactured at a lower cost, these floors are available in many different species of wood, styles and shades.

So, if you’re thinking about knocking through some walls to create a beautiful open-plan room in your home, engineered or laminate floors are the way forward. Both are gorgeous and give you that same wood look for less. Even though they have a cheaper price tag, neither of these floors fail to deliver as both are very durable and versatile for years of use.

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