Choosing the perfect flooring for your new home is an exciting part of the building process, but it can also feel overwhelming. With so many options, materials, and styles to consider, it’s easy to get stuck second-guessing every decision. The good news? It doesn’t have to be stressful!
In this blog, we’re sharing our top tips for making flooring choices simple and straightforward. From understanding how location and climate impact your options to balancing budget, style, and maintenance needs, we’ll walk you through the key steps to ensure your floors look stunning and work hard in your home.
Dream Home 9: Mariote Coastal Haven
LOCATION & CLIMATE
The best place to begin when making flooring choices is by considering your location and climate. After all, your flooring should keep you comfortable long after the paint has dried and the furniture is in place. Your selection can significantly affect the comfort and energy efficiency of your home.
If you’re in Australia’s cooler southern states, carpets, or underfloor heating might be perfect for keeping toes warm during chilly winters. For us, building Dream Home 9 just two hours north of Sydney and near the beach meant engineered flooring was the clear winner. We chose Godfrey Hirst Corscia Oak Timber Flooring in ‘Coastal Oak 510’, and it’s been a game-changer for both style and practicality. Being so close to the beach, we knew we needed hard flooring downstairs to handle the inevitable sand. Let’s face it, no matter how hard you try, sand always finds a way into your home!
Godfrey Hirst Corscia Oak Timber Flooring in "Coastal Oak 510"
HEALTHY HAPPY HOME
When it comes to creating a healthy home, your flooring choices play a bigger role than you might think—especially if anyone in your family has allergies or asthma. Certain carpets are more allergy-friendly, making them a great option for improving indoor air quality. For Dream Home 9, we selected Havana Wool Carpet in ‘Caribbean’ from Godfrey Hirst for the upstairs areas.
Wool carpet is a natural choice for a healthier home. It’s hypoallergenic, resists dust mites, and has excellent insulating properties, keeping your spaces cosy and quiet. Plus, its natural fibres are durable, sustainable, and oh-so-soft underfoot.
While we opted for engineered flooring downstairs to handle the sandy chaos of beachside living, adding carpet upstairs was a practical way to introduce warmth and comfort. After all, there’s nothing better than stepping onto soft, plush carpet when you first get out of bed!
Godfrey Hirst Havana Wool Carpet in "Caribbean"
INSTALLATION COSTS
The installation costs of your flooring choices are often overlooked early in the building process, but they’re one of the first things you should discuss with your builder—trust us, it can quickly blow the budget if not planned properly! Some types of flooring are time-intensive to install, while others require extensive prep work, like ensuring your concrete slab is perfectly level before laying the floor.
If you’re dreaming of a fancy finish, like the chevron pattern we used in Dream Home 9, keep in mind that this will likely come with additional costs. To stay within budget, we opted for engineered flooring throughout the home, which could be installed traditionally. Then, we splurged strategically by creating a stunning chevron pattern as a feature in the lounge and wine rooms. The result? A show-stopping look without breaking the bank!
We strategically only used Chevron pattern in the Lounge Room & Wine Room
LOW-MAINTENANCE LIVING
The last thing you want is to move into your dream home and realise your beautiful new floor is a cleaning nightmare. That’s why it’s so important to ask questions and think about how much maintenance you’re prepared to take on when making your flooring choices.
Kids and pets have a way of turning any space into a mess quickly, so look for flooring that can handle spills, resist scratches, and is easy to clean. Luckily, there are plenty of hard flooring options to suit every budget, from cost-effective laminate and vinyl to more premium choices like engineered flooring and even solid timber.
Don’t let the thought of cleaning overwhelm you—factoring in maintenance needs can actually make your decision easier. We recommend tackling this step before falling in love with a particular colour or style. Always prioritise liveability over looks to ensure your floors work as hard as you do!
Engineered Flooring in Dream Home 9
FINDING THE PERFECT LOOK
When making flooring choices for your new home, it’s natural to want your investment to look incredible once installed. Flooring sets the tone for every room, so getting the style and colour right is key. Here are our top tips for ensuring your flooring choices fit your vision perfectly:
• Create a vision board for your new home
Collect inspiration for your dream home—Pinterest, magazines, or photos of display homes. You’ll quickly notice a pattern in your preferences, making it easier to narrow down the style and colour you truly love.
• View large samples in person
Ordering samples online is helpful, but nothing beats seeing larger pieces up close. This is especially important for engineered flooring and timber-look products, where details like grain and texture can make all the difference in creating an authentic look.
• Compare with other design elements for your new home
When viewing samples in a showroom make sure you take other samples with you eg paint, cabinetry, tapware, benchtop colours. You want to make sure each of these design elements will look great together once installed in your new home. Trust us doing this can actually make narrowing down your flooring choices even easier.
• Check samples in natural light
Showroom lighting doesn’t always match the lighting in your home, which can drastically affect the appearance of your flooring. We always move samples near a showroom’s external windows for natural light. This trick has helped us make confident decisions, and it will help you too!
Your dream home deserves flooring that looks amazing and stands the test of time. With these tips, you’re ready to make flooring choices that are stress-free, stylish, and perfectly suited to your lifestyle. Happy designing!
