(NAPSA)—One of the best ways to improvethe value of your home maybe the addition of new flooring—but remember there are a few things to consider when choosing the floor that best fits your needs. The choice of a floor should encompass practical considerations, such as cost and extent of use in different areas, as well as personal style preferences. Finding Your Style Personal fastes may changewith the times, orlast for years. Before you redecorate, it's a good idea to determine whatyoulike, and how to go about bringingthat sort of look into your home.Here are a few places to start: Model Homes, Friend’s Homes and Department Stores. Walk around in For example, each family’s cri- teria is a bit different. Will kids or pets increase wear andtear? Is underfoot comfort imperative? Is noise a consideration? Your floor should be tailored to the people whouseit. The World Floor Covering Association’s Web site, www.wfca.org, offers these suggestions to help consumersfind the flooring that’s right for them: Learn about the pros and cons of each different type of floor covering before you buy. * Consider the classics—remember, trendy floors can be very pricey and may go out of style quickly. Are there high-volumetraffic patterns to consider? Flooring choices should be tailored to the way you use each space. The amount of day-to-day maintenance you are willing to undertake may influence your floor choice. Some materials require morecare. Under-floor heating (radiant heat) is compatible with most types oto courtesy of Crossville Porcelain Stone/USA There are a numberof factors to consider before you purchase flooring for the home. of hard flooring, particularly ceramic, stone and well-seasoned hardwood. Busy or large-scale floor patterns may overpower the rest of the room,especially if the room is small and the furniture is simple. Along with these tips, the WFCA Website provides a number of useful guides for consumers, including a material-bymaterial summary of flooring choices, with pros, cons and cost per square foot. This and other charts found on the site can be useful tools when planning a purchase. Simply print them out and bring them with you to your neighborhood flooring store. Not sure where that is? The WFCA site can help you find that, too! To learn more, visit the Web site at www.wfca.org. model homesto see someof the newest and most popularfloor coverings on the market. Friend's homes and departmentstore showroomsarealso a great place to see where youfeel the most comfortable. Consider bringing a camera with you to capture the looks that appeal to you. Yourcloset. Yourclothestendto reflect yourdecorative and color preferences. You may prefer more formalor traditional styles and shades. If your clothes are casual, your decorshould be too. Magazines and catalogs.Find pictures of roomsthat appealto you.Be sure to lookatcabinetry, flooring and furniture styles. Your home. Walk into your house o r apartmentasif it were yourfirst time there. What sort of feeling do you get? What sort of feeling would youlike to convey to your quests? Once youfind your own style, you'll be able to express yourself through the environmentyou create. @
