A recent study discovered 70 percent of homeowners are planning a remodeling or renovation project and expect to spend upwards of $3,500 to finish the job. Chances are that a large chunk of money is set aside for flooring. No matter what flooring you want, the cost of replacement it can be staggering. If your budget is tight, but you don’t want to skimp on style or quality, there are many clever and unexpected ways to save on several flooring varieties.

 Image via: Two Column Marketing

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Be Realistic

You may dream of installing travertine, marble or an exotic hardwood throughout your home. Unfortunately, your budget is only enough for laminate and linoleum. When it comes to installing flooring, it’s important to create a budget and stick with it. Also, keep in mind the specific room and its function. For instance, you probably want to keep carpeting in your bedroom.

Surf the Internet

You’ve wandered the aisles of every flooring provider in your area but cannot find what you’re looking for, or more importantly, an amazing deal. The Internet might not seem like the obvious choice when it comes to flooring, but there are many amazing deals there. Purchasing flooring direct from the manufacturer is another option. In many instances, you can save 50, 60 or 70 percent because you’ve cut out the middle man.

Look for Discounts and Remnants

If you’re covering a small area, inquire about any laminate, hardwood or carpeting remnants at your local home improvement store or floor covering dealer. Remnants are the leftover chunks of flooring, such as the end of a carpet or linoleum roll. In many cases, the seller is so motivated to make room for new inventory that he just might discount the remnant as much as 80 percent. However, don’t expect to recarpet your entire home on remnants. Most of the time, the pieces are large enough to cover a small bedroom, foyer or bathroom.

Image via: Teres 58 Domus

Skip Professional Installation

Many flooring retailers offer free installation if you purchase a set amount of product. However, in most instances, you’ll be expected to pay out of pocket to have it installed. There is another cost-saving installation option: perform the work yourself. If you don’t have the basic tools or expertise to perform the job, ask someone like a friend or family member for help. Laminate and hardwood aren’t difficult to install and require only basic tools. All you need for carpeting is a knife and a knee kicker, which can be rented from many hardware stores. However, if you’re installing expensive, natural flooring, it’s best to leave this delicate procedure to the professionals.

It Never Hurts to Ask

Your locally owned carpet or flooring showroom might not offer the best prices in town. However, aside from service, these institutions can offer you something the big-box retailers never can: a chance to negotiate the price. Once you locate the ideal flooring choice, don’t be afraid to ask if it is the best price. Even if the seller refuses to discount the sticker price, you can still offer to pay cash for a two- to three-percent discount. This will often cover the potential fees charged to the seller by his merchant service for using your credit card.

You might get discouraged by the search for inexpensive and quality flooring, but don’t give up until you find the ideal product for your home and lifestyle. If you continue to struggle, remember to ask for a discount, look for remnants and hit the clearance aisles to find an amazing deal.

Rose Jefferies is a guest blogger and contractor who recommends COIT to her clients. Whenever Rose is ready to spruce up her home’s appearance, she also looks to COIT Carpet Cleaning.

For more flooring options on Stagetecture, click here.

Creative Uses for Cork in Your Home’s Interiors

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Corks can make a difference in your home. Aside from aesthetics, you can also lean on its functionality. These are vital features that anyone would like to have for their home items. Corks are used for do-it-yourself projects because they are easy to cut and shape according to the blueprint. Here are some of the creative uses of cork in your home:

Cork flooring

The best thing with cork flooring is its safety. The cork is basically fire-resistant and will only react if very high temperature is present. Another great feature is its comfort. Corks act as cushion underfoot while walking or running. It provides a natural warmth and noise absorber. The durability of cork flooring is superb. It resists abrasions and cracks better than other materials.

Cork Vases

This is a great decorative item at home. Cork vases will bring out the natural looks of your interior plant or flowers. Best of all, these vases can also serve as a mini bulletin vase board. You can pin a paper message on the vase easily without damaging its looks. Cork vases can extend the life of your plants by absorbing moisture.

Cork boards

Well, there’s no doubt that cork boards are so important in the office and at home. You place all important reminders like your monthly bills, letters, incoming family events or assigned tasks for each family member. This piece of board can save you from having problems brought about by forgetting. You can also place your greetings if someone at home is celebrating his or her birthday.

Corks are environment-friendly. It is a renewable material and all natural. Take a closer look at these cork materials you can use at home and see the difference.

For more home interiors ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

If you’re someone who has been doing some research on how to give your home a “green upgrade”, you’ve probably read about how important it is to install a programmable thermostat, to get a low flow showerhead and to add some double-pane windows. All of these things can help to reduce the amount of energy that you use on a daily basis. Yet, when it comes to décor, you may not have taken out the time to consider the fact that you can also be eco-friendly with your interior designs, including your flooring.

As it relates to making “green décor” decisions, it’s about finding materials that are used responsibly and as it relates to your floor, there are many different kinds of options to choose from.

Image via: Panache Interiors

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We will share five of them with you below:

Cork floors.

One kind of flooring that is beautiful, unique and yes, eco-friendly is cork flooring. Not only is it sustainable, durable and well-insulated, but it’s also reasonably priced. Some other real perks is that it’s lightweight and fire and water resistant. The main thing to be cautious of with a cork floor is that it’s not really a good support for very heavy objects. This means that if you want to use it under some cherry wood furniture (for instance), there’s a good chance that it could get damaged.

Bamboo.

Another visually attractive option is bamboo. It also has a bit of a distinctive look, plus it’s strong. Being that bamboo does resemble the appearance of hardwood, it’s becoming a favorite of those who like wooden floors because unlike (certain kinds of) wood, it’s a highly renewable resource that is much cheaper to buy. Before going with this option, the main thing that you should do some research on is if it is sustainable enough for your particular liking.

Wool carpet.

If you like carpet, there is an eco-friendly kind that we recommend you looking into. Wool carpet is highly durable and is top-notch as it relates to quality. The main things to keep in mind is that it’s really expensive to install, plus if you have a home with kids or pets, you might want to take into (serious) consideration that wool carpet is known for trapping in moisture.

Linoleum.

A kind of flooring that has been around for years is linoleum. The reason why it tops the list of many eco-friendly enthusiasts is because it’s made from materials such as wood flour, tree resins and cork dust. The perks that come with this kind of flooring are many including the fact that it’s water resistant, biodegradable, long lasting and really affordable. The only real “con” with linoleum is that there are very limited options to choose from.

Image via: Kristin Petro

Reclaimed wood.

If you simply love the look of hardwood floors, consider using some reclaimed wood. It’s strong and comes in many different styles, plus is really sustainable. If you’ve looked online for some eco-friendly wood flooring, then you might have happened upon a company in Australia known as Bamboozle Wood Flooring. Websites that feature this option reveal that reclaimed wood is just as beautiful as traditional hardwood flooring. Sure, it may be a bit on the pricey side, but when it comes to aesthetics and increasing the property value of your home, it’s certainly worth it.

For more flooring options on Stagetecture, click here.