Contemporary interior design often seems to push for sleek, ultra-modern monochrome in every room. While there is certainly an air of opulence connected with these space-station-esque designs, many homes are much better suited to a more old-fashioned rustic look. Heavy use of classic materials such as wood and stone, combined with fewer decorative features can help deliver a sense of charm to your home. A charm that is often lost in more modern interiors.

At Hudson Flooring, we feel that it’s quite literally best to start your renovations from the ground up when going for a rustic design. Rustic flooring makes use of the hard-wearing materials that have been a staple of home design for centuries. These floors can certainly be timeless, while often lasting for years and years. Let’s take a look at the ways in which you can achieve the rustic flooring look.

 

Stone

While many may immediately think of wood when they hear the word ‘rustic’, for truly rustic flooring, stone is the way forward. From castle keeps to beautiful farm houses, stone has been a primary flooring option for the more well-to-do for years. A few flagstones can go a long way in elevating your home from having a certain ‘rustic charm’ to appearing downright palatial.

While it certainly looks fantastically rustic, there’s more to stone flooring than simple aesthetics. It may be one of the pricier options, but that’s for good reason – stone floors are almost guaranteed to last a lifetime or more. They’re more durable than pretty much anything else out there and have fantastic resistance to stains, making them ideal for the kitchen or dining room.

While it can appear cold and uninviting at first glance, stone is one of the better materials when it comes to retaining heat. This is especially the case if you help your stone flooring along with underfloor heating. Furthermore, with the wide variety in the types of stone available  – from slate to sandstone – you’re able to choose a stone that suits you down to a T.

While stone is definitively rustic in nature, it’s certainly not inexpensive. The price of stone can be prohibitively high, especially if you’re looking to cover a large area. Plus, despite it’s hard-wearing nature, stone can be particularly bad in the way that it shows up scratch marks. This is especially the case for darker varieties such as slate. While it can be unforgiving underfoot and it can require substantial maintenance to retain its original beauty, stone is still one of the best rustic flooring options available. Hard-wearing and attractive, with a definite air of class, it’s hard to go wrong with stone floors.

 

Wood

We’ve already addressed how to get the most of your rustic wooden flooring, but it’s a material that we can’t talk about enough. Both reclaimed antique hardwoods and modern grade woods can be perfect for rustic design – although the texture and appearance of the wood is very important when getting the right style. Aim for heavily knotted, distressed wood to really hit the rustic nail on the head. Indeed, you’ll find that wholly natural solid hardwood is the way forward when it comes to rustic wooden flooring.

With that said, engineered wood can still do the job almost as well, looking the part and often being almost as durable as solid wood. While the idea of buying some entirely unique reclaimed oak planks is nice, it could be way out of your budget. As such, engineered wooden flooring could be an ideal choice for your home. Formed of several layers of plywood bonded together, with a top layer of natural, premium wood, engineered hardwood can look just as good as the real thing. Furthermore, it’s perfect for those on a budget!

Wood makes for classic rustic flooring, and it’s perfectly durable too. More affordable than stone, it’s ideal for open plan homes – looking out of place in very few rooms. It’s also a great material for any DIY lovers, as you’re able to not only place it yourself, but also do your own distressing and make the flooring well and truly yours.

Ultimately, wood is a material full of character. While it can warp and stain, if you’re looking for a truly rustic experience, few other materials will do. Wooden flooring, whether solid or engineered, is an attractive, comfortable flooring option that has a rustic edge through and through. However, while cheaper than stone, real solid hardwood is still an expensive option. If hardwood is outside of your budget, but you’re still in pursuit of that rustic interior, don’t despair…

 

Laminate and vinyl

It’s not traditional by any means, but modern laminate and vinyl flooring is surprisingly adept at replicating the rustic feel of real wood. Cheap and easy to install, rustic laminate flooring is ideal for those seeking a less permanent rustic fixture in their home.

With rustic laminate or vinyl, it’s very important to ensure that the rooms in which your flooring is placed reflect a truly rustic style. While hardwood can work in juxtaposition against modern furnishings and décor, laminate flooring lacks the depth required to make it a suitable contrasting feature. As such, in a room with rustic-style laminate; ensuring that the furniture and decoration is resoundingly traditional is the best way to add more character to the flooring itself.

High quality LVT flooring (that’s Luxury Vinyl Tile) is one of the best ways to bring the feel of high-end hardwood into your home for less. The best LVT looks like wood, while being cheaper and incredibly easy to maintain. Despite this, you have to ensure with both vinyl and laminate that the sub-floor is perfectly installed to avoid any bubbles or waves that may form underfoot.

 

If you’re interested in learning how to give your home that perfectly rustic feel underfoot, feel free to get in touch with a member of the Hudson Flooring team. We’re experienced in helping you to find a flooring suited to your home and budget.

Posted in Laminate, Real Wood, Sheet Vinyl