How to Choose the Right Flooring for Every Room in Your Home
Buying Guides · August 2026
Carpet, wood, LVT or vinyl: every room has a different job to do. Here's how we help customers in our Manningtree showroom pick the right floor for the right space.
One of the most common questions we're asked in the showroom is simply: "what should I put down in here?" The honest answer is that it depends on the room: how much footfall it gets, whether there's moisture involved, and how it needs to feel underfoot.
Living rooms and bedrooms are usually carpet's home turf: soft, warm and quiet, and available in wool or easy-clean man-made fibres from brands like Cormar, Brintons and Furlong. If you've got pets or young children, a stain-resistant twist pile is worth asking about.
Kitchens, hallways and bathrooms take more punishment and see more moisture, which is where LVT and vinyl come into their own. Karndean and Moduleo replicate the look of real wood or stone, while Polyflor and Altro bring the same durability to sheet vinyl, all far more forgiving of spills, scuffs and busy family life.
Living and dining rooms often suit engineered or hardwood flooring, which adds warmth and value to a home and, thanks to modern engineered constructions, can now cope with a wider range of rooms than solid wood ever could.
The best way to decide is still to see and feel the options in person. Pop into our Manningtree showroom, bring a photo of the room if you can, and one of the family will talk you through what actually works. No pressure, no sales patter.