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“Should I go with hardwood or laminate flooring?” This is a common question homeowners ask us when planning their home remodel. Maybe you’ve found yourself asking this question. If so, just know that there is no one correct answer. The choice that is right for you depends entirely on your family and your priorities for your home. 

Let’s take a quick look at some of the properties of laminate and hardwood flooring. Laminate is comprised of several layers of synthetic materials. It has a stabilizing layer on the bottom that helps to resist moisture, a layer of fiberboard to add strength, and a unique photographic layer on top to give the look of wood or even other materials such as stone. It’s most valued for its cost, durability, and easy DIY installation. Hardwood is just as it sounds — natural wood harvested from various types of trees or even bamboo. Hardwood is a favorite of many builders and homeowners because of its classic look, longevity, and environmental friendliness. 

We’ve compiled a list of pros and cons to think about, along with a few questions for you to ask yourself when facing this major design decision. 

Hardwood:

Hardwood Pros

  • Can last a lifetime when properly cared for
  • Can be sanded and refinished
  • Adds resale value to you home
  • Easy to clean
  • Classic wood appearance 
  • Environmentally friendly 

Hardwood Cons

  • More expensive 
  • Often requires professional install
  • Not recommended for wet or damp areas
  • Hard underfoot
  • Louder 
  • Sensitive to UV light 

Laminate:

Laminate Pros

  • Easy DIY install
  • Affordable
  • Best for kids, pets, and radiant heating
  • Water, stain, and UV resistant
  • Easy to clean
  • Softer and quieter underfoot

Laminate Cons

  • Can not be refinished
  • Typically lasts around 10 years
  • Less authentic look
  • Does not add resale value to you home
  • Less environmentally friendly
  • Can stain or warp if spills are left too long.

 

Questions to ask yourself:

Do I have pets or kids?

Laminate is often recommended for families with pets or young children. This is mainly due to the fact that it is more scratch and stain resistant than hardwood.

Am I planning on reselling anytime soon?

If you are planning on reselling your home soon after replacing the floors, you should consider hardwood as it typically increases the value of the home.

What is my budget?

Your budget is a big factor to consider when choosing a type of flooring. Hardwood can be expensive, and many people opt for laminate simply because it’s less costly. 

Is the room dry or prone to dampness?

If your room is prone to dampness, such as a kitchen or bathroom, you should consider laminate’s water resistance as an important factor. If it is a dry room such as a living room or bedroom, hardwood will give you a warmer and more authentic feel. 

The best part about this debate is that there is really no wrong answer. Whatever you choose is best for your home, and your family will provide you with many benefits for years to come! 

 

Are you ready to turn your current home into your dream home? We are ready to help!

Click here for your free consultation! 

Tell us a little bit about your home:

“It was built in the 70s I think ’74. The original owner owned a lumber yard which is why there is so much wood! And also why everything seems to be really well built.  

We bought the home 2.5 years ago, it was in poor condition. The exterior was mint green with a turquoise roof. There was a chain-link fence around the property and a green bathtub in the yard!  

The interior was also in need of some love. There was no functioning plumbing upstairs and the overall home was quite run down… no doors on any of the closets (weird), and not a single matching door handle in the whole house!  

The previous owner was a single guy who purchased the house when he was 19 or 20 and lived here for 3 or 4 years. He was a fairly famous Youtuber & live-streamed his life playing video games from the house. 

We could tell the house had good bones but honestly, I thought it was too big of a project to take on. My husband was the one with the vision. There were a few houses we were considering & ultimately he got me on board by asking which one I was the most excited to DECORATE?!?! Decorating is my passion and the idea of transforming this house was super exciting for me.  

The house has these grey washed wood walls throughout. I really loved those walls and thought it would be fun to try to build around those – keeping some of the 70s vibe and lumber yard history of the house but bringing it more into the modern-day. 

Before Renewal we did quite a few other projects inside & out – mostly ourselves via sweat equity, haha! We hired out the construction to remodel the 3 bathrooms and had the house re-plumbed. (Our bathroom remodel was a total disaster & made me appreciate how great a job Renewal does even more).”

What was your vision for your home remodel?

“We wanted to transform the 2 largest spaces where we spent the most time – kitchen and living room. We knew we couldn’t do that ourselves so we were excited to work with Renewal on it!

For the kitchen, I wanted more counter space so my kids could spread out after school to do homework, have snacks, do crafts, etc. while we could still cook dinner, pack lunches at the same time. We also wanted to take better advantage of the pretty lake view and configure the eating space to have a view of the lake while still keeping it informal – which I think we achieved by changing the layout of the island.  

For the living area, we wanted to bring it out of the 70s by updating the old stone fireplace. I also wanted to integrate the cabinets into the fireplace (1 focal point vs. 2) and make the cabinets functional (the old cabinet was a pull-out unit full of plastic CD racks that had been turned into a makeshift wine cabinet… again, weird ). Even though I knew it had to go I was a bit sad to lose the coziness of the old stone on the fireplace so I wanted a more rustic mantle to warm up the room.

We also updated the front doors and glass to let more light in!”

What was your experience working with Renewal?

“Really really excellent! The project was managed very professionally and there was excellent communication throughout. Having done lots of renovation projects over the years I can definitely say this was, by far, our best experience.  

Also, everyone we interacted with was so kind – it feels like they have a family dynamic within their office that really comes through. They are all really nice and respectful of one another and their clients. During the initial stages of the project, my husband’s father passed away and they sent flowers – wow!”

How would you define your personal style?

“I would say I’m probably a bit of an “over-decorator”. I love playing around with all sorts of colors, textures, and patterns. What I love the most is mixing unique and personal elements into our home and creating little vignettes to give the space some personality & make it feel special for our family. Overall I think my style is contemporary casual (is that a style??!?). And maybe a touch on the eclectic side.  

For the remodel I knew that I’d want to add color and tons of accessories after, so I tried to keep the big elements more neutral and toned-down so that they would be easy to mix.”

What is your favorite feature of your home?

“I think it’s the kitchen fireplace! Which was a late addition to the plan, I think pulls the space together so well – and kicks some amazing heat that makes hanging out around the new kitchen island super cozy.”

How has the remodel allowed the house to feel more like a home for your family?

“The remodel transformed the places where we spend the majority of our time as a family. I love watching movies in the living room now and staring up at the beautiful fireplace focal point that surrounds the movie. The kitchen feels completely transformed, and has become the “heart” of the home – as a kitchen should be! We spend so much time in there now – baking, eating, doing homework, making crafts – the extra island space made such a difference!”

 Any advice for other homeowners considering a remodel?

“I would say go for it!” 

A special thank you to Melissa F. and her family for taking the time to share their experience with us! And for allowing us to help them on their journey to creating their dream home!

We would love to work with you on your next project!

Click here to get started!

 

The Spectacular Houzz.com

This week we can’t seem to get off Houzz.com, a user friendly website for professionals and homeowners that contains uploaded images of interior and exterior spaces, where to find the items and the contractor behind the beautiful space. This site is beneficial for professionals in the remodeling industry because it allows them to create a profile to display their previous project accomplishments. It’s also perfect for homeowners seeking a remodel expert or home decorating enthusiasts, who can view the multiple contractors profiles and select a professional that meets their needs.

Houzz.com is centered around their vast and organized selection of photo galleries that help people gain inspiration quickly. Users then create personal “ideabooks” to store their favorite interior & exterior spaces, contractors, information, and helpful hints. We love that Houzz.com offers the ability to share photographs and information from the website with friends through social media outlets such as Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

What is Houzz?

Founders Adi Tatarko and Alon Cohen created the site in 2009 after having difficulty communicating their design wants and needs to a remodel expert. They, like many home owners, found the process of looking for inspiration through magazines exhausting and frustrating; in response to their experience they created Houzz.com to help facilitate the home building, remodeling and decorating process allowing homeowners to spend more time enjoy the exciting process of creating a home.

In just three years, the site has gained unbelievable exposure, showcasing the work of more than 65,000 design professionals and containing more than 400,000 photographs organized to allow viewers to easily find the style that suits their needs. The site also accommodates on-the-go users with their 5-star rated iPad App that has received great reviews. Recently the New York Times release an article on the company as well as CNN who claims the site is the “Wikipedia of interior and exterior design”.

Renewal Remodels & Additions on Houzz

If you are currently in the process of remodeling or adding an addition to your home try utilizing this site. While you’re at it, check out our profile! Our profile displays all our projects in the Puget Sound area in organized ideabooks to help you find the style that best suits your tastes.