Updating your home flooring? From durability to style to color, there are many things to consider — and you’ll want to be sure these elements match your family’s lifestyle. Here are five great questions to ask yourself before you begin the remodel process.

• How do you want the space to feel? Do you want the room to feel calming, fun, classic, dramatic or rustic? When you start to play with adjectives, you may realize you already have a direction in mind.

For a calm look, choose a floor color that is tonal with your wall color. Or if you’re dreaming of a dramatic hotel look, try something deep and rich to contrast with your walls and give an elegant base to your design.

• Do you want to play with pattern?

The reason most homeowners have challenges getting a space to feel like that final image on a home improvement show, is that they often chicken out before pulling the trigger on bold updates. Designers however jump in head first, layering patterns and textures to give a space depth and a sense of home.

Remember, if you love something, it’s never going out of style.

It’s helpful to think of flooring as the pants to an outfit. Choose something classic, go patterned and fun, or just wear shorts!

• Who uses the room?

Who does the flooring have to serve? Is it a high- traffic area? If so, look for waterproof, pet-proof and kid-proof carpet, such as Tigressa H2O, available at Flooring America, which can withstand tough household spills and pet accidents.

If durability doesn’t play as important a role in your choice, consider plush, eco-friendly options like Tigressa’s Cherish line, which is 75 percent finer than current soft carpet standards. Their color enhancement system protects each fiber, allowing for deeper colors and textures that stay beautiful, new and fresh longer than the average carpet.

Keep in mind that thanks to technology innovations in carpeting, you can have the best of both worlds when it comes to strength and softness. Ultimately, choose soft carpeting that doesn’t quickly show matting, crushing and wear. To learn more about innovations in flooring,

visit flooringamerica.com.

• What’s on trend?

Gray is the new beige, and grays and browns look great together. So if you have an existing
brown floor, you can easily partner a room nearby with gray flooring. Most of the time, it’s all in how you accessorize the space.

• Should I be scared of color?

If you have always loved a particular color, have fun in one room with it. There are always ways to accessorize colored flooring in different combinations to change how a space feels, so you’re never stuck with one look.

Flooring choices are sometimes overwhelming. Be sure to check with a trusted flooring retailer who can offer design and performance recommendations that will best suit your home.