Boutique special: five fabulous floors that won’t blow the budget

1024 768 Hamish Kilburn
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From stunning multi-tone herringbone to classic black and white ‘tiles’, we’ve rounded up five fabulous (and affordable) floors that are suitable for boutique hotels on a budget…

Today’s manufacturing techniques mean the latest laminate and vinyl floors are almost impossible to tell apart from real stone, wood and ceramic – which puts luxe-look flooring within reach even of those of us on the tightest of boutique hotel design budgets. Here are five fabulous and affordable floors.

1) UK Flooring Direct Series Woods 12mm Liguria Oak Laminate is a gorgeous chocolate-toned wood-effect floor that will add instant warmth to any space. Meticulous attention to detail in the design, including a textured surface that follows the ‘grain’ of the surface layer and classic-length planks with bevelled edges, give this handsome and hardwearing floor an incredibly authentic look and feel, but as a laminate, Series Woods Liguria Oak offers a wealth of practical benefits, too. Its AC4 Heavy Domestic rating makes it suitable for areas of traffic such as living spaces, kitchens and hallways, and it requires minimal maintenance – just vacuum regularly and wipe off any marks with a damp mop or cloth.

Image credit: Series Woods 12mm Laminate Flooring Liguria Oak, £12.99 per square metre, UK Flooring Direct. 02476 012 840. www.ukflooringdirect.co.uk

2) An eye-catching mix of dark coffee and latte oak tones, Avenue Ultimate Timber PU Pamera vinyl flooring puts a fresh spin on herringbone, 2018’s hottest flooring trend. Capturing the beauty of wood through its subtle grain markings and authentic textured surface, it offers the additional durability and ease of maintenance you’d expect from a quality cushion vinyl, and includes a Superguard top layer that gives protection against spills and stains. While a genuine herringbone wood floor is one of the most expensive floors to fit, Pamera vinyl comes in two-, three- and four-metre lengths that are a breeze to install, giving you a wow factor floor that’s refreshingly easy on your wallet.

Image credit: Ultimate Timber Pamera, £18.99 per square metre, Avenue Floors. www.avenuefloors.co.uk

3) For a high-end, sophisticated look that screams ‘luxury’, few materials can beat polished stone – but it comes at a hefty price. With a textured surface that mimics the feel of real stone, Factory vinyl flooring from Leoline’s Luxury Trends Collection is both good looking and hard working, offering enhanced noise-reducing and thermal benefits (namely a 20db Super acoustic rating and a TOG rating of 0.36). With added R10 slip resistance, it’s ideal for kitchens, bathrooms, or anywhere in the home that spills are common place.

Image credit: Luxury Trends Factory, £19.99 per square metre, Leoline. www.leoline.co.uk

4) Cheat your way to a classic chequerboard tile look with Siena vinyl flooring, from Belgian manufacturer Avenue’s popular Bubblegum & Liquorice range. With plenty of ‘give’ it offers a more comfortable (and warmer) feel underfoot than ceramic tiles, and unlike real tiles, it won’t chip or crack if you drop something heavy on it. The ultimate fit-and-forget floor (there’s no need to worry about re-staining or replacing any grout, for instance), it comes in sheets of varying widths to suit any space, and is delightfully speedy – and simple – to fit.

Image credit: Bubblegum & Liquorice Siena, £17.99 per square metre, Avenue Floors. www.avenuefloors.co.uk

5) When it comes to looks, there’s really no difference between a solid wood floor and an engineered one – but engineered wood certainly trumps solid wood when it comes to price. UK Flooring Direct Home Choice Engineered European Rustic Oak Flooring 130mm Brushed & Oiledfeatures a 2.5mm real wood wear layer in a gorgeous honey tone, complete with delicate grain markings, that will bring a laidback, welcoming vibe to any room. Its sturdy three-layer construction makes it more stable than a solid wood floor and less liable to shrink or expand when the temperature fluctuates, while its 5G click system allows for fast, easy DIY installation; there’s no gluing or nailing required – just put down underlay and get fitting.

Image credit: Home Choice Engineered Rustic Oak, £29.99 per square metre, UK Flooring Direct. 02476 012 840. www.ukflooringdirect.co.uk

Featured image credit: Saint B Boutique Hotel STB

Hamish Kilburn / 10.07.2018

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