Today we are answering the seventh question in the 1o part series: Top 10 Most Frequently Asked Questions About Flooring.

Question: How can I tell what my flooring will look like when it’s installed in my home?

Answer: There is no way to tell exactly what your floors will look like when they are installed in your home, but there are some hints, tips and tools that can help you visualize and get a pretty good idea!

Things to consider:

• The lighting in the store is different than the lighting in your home. It’s best to take the samples home to view them in your light.
• The surroundings are different in the store than in your home. It’s best to look at the sample next to your wall colors, furniture and fabrics.
• Typically, the color of your carpet will look lighter once it is installed. Most carpet selections are made from smaller carpet samples, so seeing the color in a large amount in an entire room or home will make it appear lighter. This is especially true if there are bare walls, windows and no furnishings.
• To visualize what most floors will look like when installed its best to view them at a distance. Very rarely are you viewing your floors up close so walk away and stand back from the sample to get a more accurate visual.

Tools to help you visualize:

• Perhaps the best tool to help you visualize is a virtual room designer. (For a dealer in your area, just leave a comment and we will send you a link to a dealer in your area) This allows you to “try on” different floor types, colors, installation directions, etc in a room scene to get a feel for what it will look like.
• Some flooring retailers have a tool where you can upload a picture of your own room and within 48 hours you will be able to change flooring options with the virtual room designer tool to get a preview of what this will look like in your home. (fees may apply)
• When trying to visualize what a natural stone floor will look like you can either look at multiple samples or draw a grid on a transparency sheet and lay it over the stone sample. This will show you the range of the stone and what the overall floor will look like.

An important note, when purchasing new floor covering, the job is not complete until the furniture is placed and the pictures and hung back on the wall. It takes all of the furnishings being back in place to give you an accurate feel of what the room will look like. Try not to judge a new floor (or wall color) until everything is back where it belongs. You will be surprised at how much it matters to the overall look of the room when everything is back in its place.