The feeling of moving into a new home or doing some major renovations and decorating on your existing one is a truly wonderful experience. I think change is important generally and particularly in the home environment where we spend so much of our time. Everyone's life needs a little modification from time to time whether it's a new hair style, an item of furniture, or a change of partner. Just kidding on the last one! My wife and I are in the process of moving into our dream cottage. It's not very big but it certainly has the potential to become a beautiful home once we've decided on the interior design. At the moment we're at loggerheads over the floor coverings.



My wife loves her carpets but I think there are better floor coverings to be had. She says they make a home homely and warm and add softness and texture to a room. She is right of course, but my main gripe is that carpets are filthy things and one heck of a job to keep clean. I know that carpet manufacturers have made carpet cleaning easier over the years by adding special stain protecting chemicals during the manufacturing process, but I'm convinced this wears off long before the carpets are ready for replacing.

Dust mites are another issue and even the cleanest of homes can have problems with these little sods. Our grandson is a sufferer of asthma and has an allergic reaction to their feces, which is another reason why I think we should rule out carpets in our choice of floor coverings, especially in the main living areas and guest bedroom.

I mean, just think about if for a second. Put a pure white carpet in your living room and imagine what it will look like a year or so from now. Not a pretty sight eh? Even the cleanest of the clean would have problems keeping it looking white for long. My wife doesn't let me wear a shirt more than once before she slings it in the wash, yet expects us to tread over a carpet for years without as much as a rinse. No, I want us to start off with floor coverings that are easy to keep clean, and I have my heart set on hardwood flooring.

In my opinion, hardwood flooring has a natural beauty that will give any room a lovely warm feeling. It can be had in various styles, shades, and woods too, so it's easy to find that perfect look for your interior. Oh, and did I forget to mention that it's easy to keep clean. Of course, my wife has her corner to argue. "Hardwood floors can be easily damaged with water" she smugly points out. This is true but no one would leave a spill on a floor long enough to cause damage, whether it's wood or carpet. So unless the fish tank explodes when we're out for the day, I can't see the problem! She also argues that heels on shoes can damage wood floors and the sunlight will change or fade the color over time. Isn't married life just bliss?

Oh well, I'm sure we'll come to a compromise before we've done. We always manage to sort things out in the end. Anyway, never before have there been so many different floor coverings to choose from. Flooring materials are far more varied than they used to be, offering a combination of style and function. We not restricted to just carpet or wood as there are also options for laminate, tile, and vinyl. Now vinyl may sound cheap and cheerful, but if you haven't seen some of the hi-tech vinyls around today, then you're in for a pleasant surprise. Having said that, I wouldn't personally have it fitted in the lounge or bedrooms. Each covering can have its place and what we need to do is sit down and have a jolly good chat about which rooms are best suited to what floor coverings. Stay tuned!