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James Deutsch is a writer with a passion for interior décor and DIY projects. He writes about the art of decorating small spaces, home maintenance projects, and that #vanlife aesthetic.
Choosing the best flooring is an important decision. The right flooring can make all the difference, not just in the look of a space but also in its upkeep. The ideal flooring looks beautiful but is also easy to maintain. Keeping your floor clean should be a natural part of regular home maintenance that is easy to integrate into the routine.
Of course, whatever flooring you choose, the floors need to be installed properly in order for them to be easy to clean after the fact. Different types of flooring will have different requirements or instructions for how to go through the installation process. For example, some floors need to be sealed, others need to be acclimated, and some have other special steps. When due diligence is given at the installation level, you can then enjoy floors that are easy to maintain after the fact, and the results will truly be beautiful. Let’s explore some beautiful flooring ideas that are easy to clean and maintain!
1. Neutral Vinyl Flooring
Luxury vinyl floors bring the advantage of versatility, resilience, and easy maintenance. Neutral vinyl flooring is available in a variety of shades and styles, and all of it will require only simple cleaning, like a sweep or a vacuuming job with mopping or dusting afterward. Manufactured to be durable, you’ll get a great deal on beautiful flooring when you choose vinyl.
Going with neutral floors is a proven method to making your space look bigger and more put together; plus, you get the benefit of a classy appearance that is easy to match with any decor. Vinyl floors come in every shade of neutral imaginable, so you can find a coordinating hue for existing furniture.
Related: 10 Ways To Make Your House Look Bigger And Brighter
2. Patterned Bamboo Flooring
If you’re looking for more of a statement floor than a neutral vinyl, we suggest a patterned bamboo flooring. Bamboo flooring offers a host of benefits, including the unique grain pattern, a source material that regrows naturally, and durability up to three times harder than most hardwoods. Bamboo makes for floors that look unique and can range from basic to bold, but all bamboo floors are considered environmentally conscious to some degree.
There are a variety of types of bamboo flooring, including different options for installation. No matter which bamboo flooring design you choose, these floors are easy to clean with basic maintenance, similar to regular hardwoods.
3. Dark Natural Stone Flooring
For gorgeous, easy flooring, natural stone makes a great choice. Of course, natural stone is a wide category, and some types of stones are less suited for durable floors than others. For example, marble floors look stunning but scratch easily and can be stained by liquids fairly easily as well. We recommend a dark, sturdy natural stone like slate or granite to be a beautiful but easily cleaned flooring type for your home.
Many natural stones with dark hues are multicolored, with this type of mottled surface camouflaging dirt or spots on the floor. Natural stone is, of course, natural, which means there may be variation in the look of your flooring, creating beautiful floors that can’t be recreated in another way.
4. Classic Ceramic Flooring
For a classic yet upscale touch to a space, go with ceramic flooring. Ceramic floors combine the strength and appearance of natural stone into a manufactured tile that won’t let water in. This means that cleaning can be done in any easy method (sweeping, vacuuming, mopping, spot treatments), and no sealing is required.
Ceramic floors are a great way to upscale your home without adding a lot of extra maintenance. This type of flooring looks great with luxury furniture pieces such as chandeliers and tasteful accent chairs.
Related: Luxury Furniture Pieces That Will Make Any Home Stand Out
5. Strong Concrete Flooring
For a strong flooring option, concrete works well. A foundation-level material, concrete floors are almost impossible to dent, scratch, or chip, and once sealed, moisture won’t be able to seep into the flooring. Concrete stays clean easily and holds up well under pressure, making this a flooring choice that has simple maintenance and a long lifespan. It may not seem like concrete flooring would be the most beautiful, but you may be surprised at how striking an effect it can make in the right space.
6. Rich Brick Flooring
Like stone and concrete, brick makes for flooring that is hard and durable since it’s easy to maintain once sealed. When properly installed, brick flooring can add a rich color accent to a space that lasts for decades. All you have to do to keep that richness alive is a quick sweep of the floors every few days.
7. Eco-Friendly Linoleum Flooring
One of the biggest trends for 2023 home styles is focusing on sustainable design, and while many of the possibilities above can be considered environmentally friendly in one aspect or when carefully selected, linoleum is one of the most eco-friendly flooring options. There are a variety of reasons that linoleum is a particular highlight for sustainability, from materials to production methods to the recycling possibilities afterward.
As an all-natural and biodegradable product manufactured from linseed oil, linoleum proves to be easily renewable, making almost no negative impact on the environment. Plus, linoleum has a beautiful appearance for flooring, offering durability that makes it a good choice for a kitchen or gathering area.
8. Ready-Made Hardwood Flooring
Hardwood floors are a timeless and familiar option, offering ready-made convenience. But you can find hardwoods that are truly beautiful, and all hardwoods are easy to clean once sealed with a finish to keep them gleaming with regular dusting or vacuuming and then dry mopping. You’ll see hardwood floors everywhere because they are resistant to scratches, stains, and scuffs. Choose wisely to get truly beautiful hardwood floors.
9. Wide-Grout Tile Flooring
Tile may not sound particularly pretty, but a styled tile with a wide grout can not only be extremely easy to clean but also look surprisingly great. Wide-grout tile flooring works best for areas with the highest foot traffic. Just wipe up spills quickly and do a quick sweep and mop occasionally, and your tile floors will look great.
10. Low-Maintenance Laminate Flooring
For truly low-maintenance flooring, laminate is the way to go. Water can cause laminate floors to warp, so you just need a dust mop to keep them clean. Scratches on this type of flooring can be buffed out with mineral oils. You’ll find that these floors practically clean themselves. And they can look great when you want flooring that fades into the background to let the rest of the decor do the talking.
Finding the Perfect Floor for You
Are you feeling inspired or overwhelmed? Don’t worry either way. The good news is that there are really a lot of different great options for floors that are both beautiful and easy to clean. If any of the descriptions above of pretty easy to clean floors sound interesting to you, dig a little deeper. Look up pictures of homes with that type of flooring to see if it gives the look you want, and don’t forget to consider the variations available within that category.
This list has ten great possibilities, but even within each category here, there are so many options to consider. For example, there are plenty of different types of bamboo flooring, like click and lock engineered floors versus natural strand-woven bamboo floors that have a floating installation method. Whether you find that a pop of color from a rich-toned brick flooring or a classic neutral from ceramic floors best suits your space, there are plenty of options for beautiful flooring that is also easy to clean. Explore your options to find the perfect floor for you.
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