What type of flooring adds the most value to a home?

Whether you are looking to sell your home now or just want to increase its market value in the longer term, décor can really help. While many homeowners look to improve furnishings to increase their property’s value, the floors are often neglected. The fact is that some types of flooring will add value, while others will subtract it, and this can vary depending on what rooms in the house are being re-floored.

These are the top floors that you can choose for increasing the value of your home.

Solid wood

Wooden floors are a strong pick for increasing the value of a home – especially in bedrooms and living rooms. This is despite the fact that they can be quite high maintenance. Data shows that having solid wood floors can raise the price of a home by up to 10%, making them a worthwhile investment, even if they are costlier to install than other types of flooring. Solid wood must be maintained, but it’s hard wearing and also looks stylish, adding appeal in the eyes of buyers.

Engineered wood

Opting to have engineered wooden floors installed in those rooms will be a strong alternative if solid wood is outside your budget. It is every bit as pleasing to the eye as solid wood flooring and also has the real advantage of much easier maintenance. Many flooring companies will put in underfloor heating at the same time, which can further add to the value if you live somewhere in the north of England like Chester, where the weather during the winter months can tend to be very cold.

Laminate

The next best option if you want to raise the asking price for your house would be laminate flooring. Indeed, this will be a better option for the bathroom in particular, as the water in that room will cause a solid wood floor to rot, which will reduce any valuation. Laminate can also help to add value if it is installed to replace carpeting in a kitchen, as it combines the practicality of being easy to clean with an attractive look.

There are certain types of flooring – most notably solid and engineered wood – that really increase the market value of a home. However, that will depend on where they are fitted. In bedrooms and living rooms they will be an asset, but in a bathroom they are a liability compared with laminate flooring.

Travelodge to install carpets made from discarded fishing nets

Low-cost hotel chain Travelodge has unveiled what it calls its new “budget-luxe” design, which features carpets made out of recycled fishing nets.

The new design for Travelodge hotel rooms follows a widespread consultation with several thousand guests who have stayed at Travelodge hotels. The new, contemporary design features several sustainable initiatives. The carpets are made from fishing nets that have been discarded, and they support the hotel chain’s commitment to the clean ocean campaign.

Each year, over 640,000 tonnes of fishing nets are thrown away, and this is a threat to marine life. Travelodge’s new carpet backing is made from recycled plastic bottles. Other environmentally friendly design features include motion-sensing controls, low-energy lighting and energy-efficient showers.

Travelodge will upgrade 60 of its hotels to the “budget-luxe” standard by the end of 2022. In a statement, the Chief Executive of Travelodge, Craig Bonnar, said:

“This is our most radical transformation to date and has been created in response to ever increasing expectations from customers. “

Bonnar added that many Travelodge customers, whether staying for leisure or business reasons, prefer to stay in a budget hotel but still expect their rooms to be stylish and feel homely.

Carpets made from discarded fishing nets are not yet available for households that want environmentally friendly carpets for their Chester, Wrexham, and North Wales homes. There are, however, other sustainable options, such as wool carpets. Made from a natural material that is environmentally friendly, wool is biodegradable and has a minimal environmental impact.

Departing BBC presenter reveals state of studio carpet

Dan Walker recently announced that he is leaving BBC Breakfast to join Channel 5 news. After revealing this news, he posted a video on social media that showed the shocking state of the BBC Breakfast studio carpet, which had a large, dark stain coming from beneath the program’s red sofa.

Walker said on the video:

“Well, welcome to the world of the strange BBC Breakfast stain.”

A shocked woman is then heard on the video asking Walker what the stain was, before he burst out laughing.

Walker has been a BBC Breakfast presenter for six years. After he left, his place on the red sofa was taken by Sally Nugent, who made no mention of the stain, and neither was the stain seen by viewers, as the camera operators avoided angles that showed the carpet in front of the sofa.

High-quality carpets in Wrexham and North Wales homes should last a long time if they are regularly cleaned. If there is a stain in front of a sofa like the BBC Breakfast one, it could be hidden by moving the sofa forwards; however, it is better to use one of the several cleaning products on the market that are formulated to remove stubborn carpet stains. Spray the cleaning solution on the stain, leave for a few minutes, then blot.

Carpets should be cleaned at least once a year by a professional carpet cleaning service, more often in commercial areas with high footfall. If a stain is too stubborn, the carpet should be replaced.

Nature-inspired carpet designs make bold statements

New dramatic carpet designs inspired by the natural environment are adding impact to large spaces, according to recent reports.

It is common to cover large commercial spaces in carpet tiles, but many organisations stick to a single colour. However, alternatives are available for a more stylish look. The Raw Elements collection, for example, features patterns that resemble the look of natural igneous and sedimentary rocks in muted and dark earth tones. The tiles come in different patterns that can be mixed and matched to transform the look of a room.

Another range of carpet tiles influenced by nature is the Perspective tile range. Assorted colour tiles laid in patterns are inspired by honeycomb. Tiles with varying colours and patterns can be used to define separate areas in open-plan spaces.

Not all carpets inspired by nature are influenced by planet Earth. A new carpet design is based on the natural moon landscape. This bold design is suitable for modern interiors, with contemporary white furniture and walls. This carpet looks particularly attractive in large office areas, where it adds a calming contemporary look. While the design looks like a lunar landscape, it does not feel cold like the moon. The carpet is comfortable and warm to the touch. The lunar carpet is available in grey and other shades.

When choosing carpets for North Wales and Chester rooms, people can play it safe with neutral, traditional tones, or they can choose to make a bold statement with nature-inspired carpets or carpet tiles, which work particularly well for large spaces.

Artist overcomes fears with doughnut carpets

Artist Jae Yong Kim has created a unique range of doughnut-themed carpets.

Jae Yong Kim is a massive fan of doughnuts and used them as an inspiration for new carpet designs, in partnership with Moooi Carpets, which he exhibited at an exhibition called “Lust for Donuts.” His carpets contain large doughnut images in bright vibrant colours. Jae Yong Kim is colour blind and had a fear of colours. His past works contained little colour. He decided to confront his fears by testing out vibrant colour designs. He liked the results and people’s responses, and this overcame his fears.

Some of his doughnut images are in the traditional doughnut shape, but others look as though a bite has been taken out of them. There are heart-shaped doughnuts which the artist says expresses his heart's desire for lots of colours and happiness.

Other doughnut designs are inspired by Spring. Jae Yong Kim said:

“I tried to capture the flower, a symbol of Spring, on the doughnut, joyfully thinking how bright and sparkly the coming spring will be.”

At times when life is difficult for many, Kim sees his art as delivering smiles. He says that the more difficult life gets for him, the more shiny and bright his doughnut images are.

If you don't want to step on doughnut carpets in your North Wales and Chester rooms, there is a wide variety of carpet colours and patterns available, from neutral traditional colours to bright detailed patterns.