Wood flooring and oak furniture???

[Madblondedog]

We have moved into a house which is a major do-er upper. Its a chalet bungalow and we're nearly finished upstairs so thoughts have turned to downstairs.

I want the hallway to either be bamboo flooring or tiled and this would continue through into the kitchen diner. I am leaning towards tiles as i love the idea of just being able to mop the floor when the dog comes in muddy from a walk.

On the other hand, bamboo flooring throughout the downstairs (except the bathroom) is also an option. Our bedroom is upstairs so we'd still have carpet in our room and the three bedrooms downstairs would be bamboo, the living room etc.

My main issue is not having carpet in the living room and 1) would it be cozy and 2) would it look silly with our oak bookshelves, coffee table and tv unit?


Has anyone got wooden flooring and can advise? I can't visualise it (which isn't like me!)

[User543212345]

We have maple flooring and oak furniture and because they're different shades/grains it looks perfectly lovely. I think oak floor with oak furniture would look odd but bamboo/oak would look really nice. It's not "cosy" but is warm and homely.

[Madblondedog]

Thanks for your reply, maybe I will get a sample so I can put it next to the furniture and see what I think. DP leaves all design decisions to me which usually I enjoy but this time is proving harder!

Are you finding your maple flooring reasonably hardwearing?

[User543212345]

Reasonably, yes. It was DH's bachelor party pad for about 6 years before I moved in so has seen some punishment. It looks worn but I like that - wood should pit and age imo. It's 15 years old now and probably past its best but is perfectly fine everywhere except the kitchen, where a washing machine leak fucked it. Stupid developers putting wood in the kitchen!!!

[namechangedtoday15]

We have bamboo throughout the hall and the kitchen diner - bamboo is safe in the kitchen unlike other woods.

I may be slightly biased but I would never, ever have tiles again in a kitchen. Had beige tiles (which might account for part of the issue) previously which never, ever looked clean, and were absolutely freezing, even if the house was like a greenhouse. In winter, they were actually painful to stand on in the kitchen without shoes / slippers they were that cold. So if you do decide on tiles, don't have a light colour and consider underfloor heating.

Our dining room table is oak and the flooring looks lovely against it - not too matchy matchy, just nice. I'd probably want rugs too in the lounge and bedrooms to make them cosier, but yes, would recommend bamboo. Rugs are much easier to replace in the lounge than a fully carpeted room if you change the decor or if the carpet looked past its best.

[Madblondedog]

Thanks namechanged do you find bamboo OK if any water gets on it?

[namechangedtoday15]

Well there isnt really much water that gets on it - we wipe up any spills as they happen in the kitchen, but not precious about drips from the washing up etc. The hall has definitely seen it's fair share of wet shoes / coats / umbrellas and it's fine.

[toopeoply]

I've got oak flooring and oak furniture, with a big rug in between in my living room. It's practical and easy to clean and the rug keeps it cosy.

I've got tiles all through the hall and the kitchen diner and they are a nightmare. Despite cleaning them all the bloody time, it just never looks clean. And they are freezing. Never again!

[Madblondedog]

We used to have oak flooring in our old house toopeoply but I hear bamboo is much more hard wearing.

Good to know that you're not finding the bamboo too much work, might order some samples.