Tile type flooring in living room?

[Happy prose]

What do you think? I'm in an apartment (large), and the wood floors are beat. I can't get them redone for many reasons. I got carpeting put down in dining room, living room and long hallway, but my cat has clawed holes in it, and it now looks awful. I'm thinking of getting a tile looking linoleum put down in the whole area, but my DD thinks the tile look will be crazy in the living room. I think it will be fine with an area rug. Has anyone seen or done this? Any suggestions? I don't want to spend as much money as Pergo would cost.

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

I've seen it on HGTV in Caribbean houses. Does that count?
I've not actually had tile in a living room though--only wood and carpet.

[mmhmm]

I have wood floors but I've got two friends who both chose tile. One has a tile that looks like wood and another has tile that looks like slate. Both are beautiful and easy to care for. You might put "living room tile floor" into Google and check the Images there. That would probably give you some idea of what's available and what it looks like. Also, something to show hubs.

[Deleted]

Where are you? I've seen all tile in warm climates but not places that have winter. I'm in Northern Ontario so to me tile looks really weird anywhere but a kitchen, bathroom or entrance way. Places that get wet.

[The Captain]

The house we just moved from (lived in there for 10+ years) had tile in the living/dining room area.  There was an in-ground pool in the back and it really was the most practical choice (the two rooms are kinda joined - open floor plan).

I live in the Chicago area and have seen a few houses like this.  It's not a bad choice actually, lots of design options and very easy to keep clean.  We had an area rug in the living room area.  Yea, it got kinda cold in the winter but since I keep the house like an icebox we all wear socks anyway.

If you want to see what it looked like pm me and I'll see if I can find some pictures to send your way.

[Jaguar]

Goggle link :

www.google.ca/search?q=living+room+tile+floor&es_sm=93&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=t1XNVKrbOYKmggSsvYTwCQ&ved=0CB4QsAQ&biw=1920&bih=979

[Deleted]

I'm just curious, but do you OWN the apartment? Otherwise, isn't the landlord the person that should be picking out and paying for the flooring?

I think they make a flooring like this that mimics the wood look. I would think that if you put a cheap rug on top that it wouldn't look too bad.

I put ceramic tiles plus inexpensive area rugs in the basement. It looks fine. But you aren't talking about ceramic, I think.

[Deleted]

My mother has some linoleum that looks like wood which is nice.

[Deleted]

My family room is tile, but it is COLD in the winter. 

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Oh, a friend of mine has porcelain tiles that look like wood. Then they put area rugs to define the living spaces. It does look nice.

[Happy prose]

Thanks everyone. I think the floors in the link Sugi sent look great. I think I might like a wood or brick look. I just don't want something thats shouts vinal. Lol

[Happy prose]

To answer some of the questions...I'm in NJ, so cold winters! I am on the second floor, so I'll actually get more heat from downstairs than I did having carpet. 

[Formerly SK]

I really want to get wood looking tile as well.  I'm just tired of all the water damage in my kitchen hardwood floors and my carpets are trashed.  I do worry though about it being considered "weird" to have in the living room.  I'm not sure an area rug would be as comfy for curling up to watch a movie.  

[sesfw]

In Phx we have tile floors everywhere with area rugs defining spaces. The tile is a lot cooler.

In Michigan we had carpet for the warmth.

[Deleted]

My DIL has vinyl flooring that mimics wood. It comes in long planks. It looks almost like the real thing if you don't touch it, etc.

But I read online that it is easily torn, etc. Would that be an issue with your pets?

[NastyWoman]

Jan 31, 2015 17:59:48 GMT -5 Happy prose said:

To answer some of the questions...I'm in NJ, so cold winters! I am on the second floor, so I'll actually get more heat from downstairs than I did having carpet. 

Wouldn't tile be awfully loud for your downstairs neighbor, or is there some kind of sub-flooring that can take care of that?

[ՏՇԾԵԵʅՏɧ_LԹՏՏʅҼ]

Have you thought of using a hardwood laminate? It's sooo easy to keep clean - just sweeping, damp mopping or Swiffering - the same as you'd do for lino or tile. I have a light laminate throughout for flooring and LOVE it - it's so easy to maintain.  I wouldn't go back to wall-to-wall carpet again.

I'm also in Canada, and have tile at the entryways for wet shoes or boots and also in the bathroom, but the rest is the hardwood laminate.

I don't find the hardwood laminate to be cold at all - even with bare feet in the middle of winter.
It's certainly warmer and easier to maintain than tile - which could crack or chip. Mine looks similar to this (I have a nice area rug in the living room under the coffee table just to bring some color into the room):

[Happy prose]

ՏՇԾԵԵʅՏɧ_LԹՏՏʅҼ That flooring is beautiful, but I think more expensive. My brother has something similar, and paid a lot.
NastyWoman Prior to carpeting, I only had an area rug over the harwood, and no complaints from downstairs.
@southernsusana I think it could tear if you tried to drag an appliance or large piece of furniture, but I don't think my cat could tear it. I don't think he'd try. I'll get some scatter rugs for him to claw at!

[Deleted]

Happy prose do you own the place? Is it a condo?

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

I suggest that you go with something that looks like marble (so swanky, LOL) or the wood look.

And, if you do actual tiles, go with larger tiles and as small a grout line as possible and in a shade that wears well -- you do not want to be cleaning grout over that much of a living area -- bathrooms are bad enough.

[andi9899]

I wouldn't put vinyl tile in a high traffic area. It can separate. Especially if there is going to be moisture anywhere near it. I have it in front of my dishwasher and you can see the floor underneath it not because it has moved. Just a thought.

[Deleted]

We have terra cotta tiles downstairs (kitchen / dining room / living room). It looks very nice and it's easy to clean. We have a large area rug in the LR. 

[zibazinski]

I like the look and feel of a porcelain tile. We had some that looked liked it had little ridges in it. Very nice look. At the time you had three color choices, a brown, a gray, and a lovely yellow. All three looked gorgeous and it was a hard choice. I'm sure Theres a lot more choices now.

[zibazinski]

I'm putting in some inexpensive laminate that I got from Lowes. It looks and feels great. It will be a huge selling feature on my rental that I am putting on the market. Those floors is what will set that house apart from the others.

[Happy prose]

laterbloomer I rent. Have been here 23 yrs, and will be here another 8 yrs.

[Deleted]

Feb 1, 2015 10:45:29 GMT -5 Happy prose said:

laterbloomer I rent. Have been here 23 yrs, and will be here another 8 yrs.

How do you know you will be there another 8? lol Doesn't the landlord pay for floors and stuff?

[Happy prose]

Because I retire in 8 yrs and will be moving. Landlord pays for broken things. They onle refinish floors when someone moves out. The guy who does it won't come in if there is any furniture, and I have no where to put all mine! Easier to just cover them.

[Deleted]

Even tile is going to be a significant investment in a piece of property that isn't yours. Have you talked to your landlord about this?  Tiling or even sheet vinyl is going to damage the hardwoods.  You will have to put down adhesive of some sort at a minimum.

Is your apartment way below FMV? Otherwise, the landlord has gotten a hell of a good deal not to have to invest anything in flooring or painting, etc. in 23+ years. If you discuss how bad the flooring has become, he/she may be reasonable and at least share the costs.

If the landlord isn't willing to help, I'd just buy some large rugs.

[justme]

I currently have tile in kitchen, living, and bathroom. I like it well enough, have an area rug. Just put an offer in on a condo that's wall to wall tile. I would have preferred a different tile (in love with the tile that looks like wood). But I don't like how carpet can wear. I wouldn't mind wood but it's expensive and the long term goal would be to eventually rent the one I'm buying out so all tile is good for that.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Feb 1, 2015 11:02:49 GMT -5 Happy prose said:

Because I retire in 8 yrs and will be moving. Landlord pays for broken things. They onle refinish floors when someone moves out. The guy who does it won't come in if there is any furniture, and I have no where to put all mine! Easier to just cover them.

Whatever you do, you are going to have to move furniture out.  I'd probably look at refinishing the floors.....I think it would be cheaper in the long run.

A friend of mine just carpeted.  She hired a POD for a day, moved her furniture into it, they carpeted the area (they were also doing drywall, as she flooded) and moved the furniture back.