Latest Interiors peruse the lesser-known flooring options for your home

Floor Filler

We’re tired of tiles, weary of wood and as for what the pets do to the carpets, well it doesn’t bear thinking about. Luckily, there are plenty of alternatives around that look great, wear well and you don’t have to spend a fortune. If you’re looking for something a little different for your floors, look no further – this week Latest Interiors is thinking about flooring.

First popular in the post-war years: rubber, vinyl and linoleum floor finishes are gracing fashionable homes once more. The enormous range of colours, textures and finishes now available make them adaptable to classic and contemporary homes. Looks aside, these floors are sound insulating, warm underfoot, hard-wearing, resistant to water and other damage, and great value: pretty much everything you could ask for.

Rubber
Rubber has long been used as a hard wearing industrial flooring, and it’s fast becoming a firm (well, slightly springy) favourite for domestic floors, too. Although excellent water and stain resistant properties make it ideal for kitchens and bathrooms, it also makes a warm, hard-wearing finish for conservatories, offices, playrooms and living spaces – it can even be used in the garden. Special stair tiles mean that you can use it as an alternative to carpet – and any kitties won’t be able to leave much of a mark with their claws.

One of the most exciting things about rubber flooring is the range of colours, textures and patterns now available. Companies such as Dalsouple even offer a colour-matching service, and allow you to design your own pattern for their flooring.

Vinyl
Vinyl flooring is a great choice for those on a tight budget, but it is just as versatile and strong as the other floor finishes. You’d be hard-pressed to tell a vinyl wood-effect kitchen floor from a good laminate on first sight – yet it is easy to lay, water resistant and excellent value. Available in a ridiculously wide range of finishes, from wood and tile effects to the more outré denim, leather-look or pebble prints, there’s something for every taste.

Lino
Linoleum, or lino to you and I, is also enjoying something of a comeback. A natural material made from linseed oil (hence the name), it is versatile, and very durable. It is also an eco-friendly choice: Greenpeace give it a ‘green’ rating, meaning that as far as they can determine it is free from nasty chemicals – it even has natural antiseptic properties. Available in many different shades and finishes, Lino can be laser-cut with great precision – which means you can make interesting mix-and-match patterns to mark out your space. Gone are the magic eye beige patterns too: in their place are bold colours and textures – great for a statement floor.

Visit www.dalsouple.com and www.greenpeace.org.uk for more information