Forget all your thinking about the vinyl of yesterday – about the limited color selection, the lack of unique patterns – the absence of anything truly imaginative.

Today, vinyl flooring has joined the ranks of tile, laminate and carpeting in offering you beautiful products, a broad spectrum of colors, virtually endless patterns and configurations – options to inspire and fire your imagination.

Given that, we believe vinyl can be a real contender in your quest to find the ideal flooring – the smartest solution for the way you live.

And in this section on Vinyl Styles we’ll share with you what’s available to choose from, as always with our goal of making you a smarter flooring shopper.

The advancements in vinyl are never final.

Today’s vinyl flooring has truly advanced from that of yesterday.

Long gone are the shiny, plastic-looking floors that easily dented and ripped.

There is now a broad selection of fashionable colors, patterns and textures that offer durability and easy maintenance.

Many of these stylish new products emulate the look of natural stone, slate or resilient tile and can fit into any budget. Hooray!

Where vinyl has been at home.

Traditionally, vinyl flooring has been found in your kitchen, bath or laundry room areas.

This is because vinyl is a practical, functional and fashionable option for today’s active households.

Vinyl is also known to be cushiony and warm underfoot in comparison to natural stone or resilient tile.

But now, thanks to innovations in design and performance, vinyl flooring is at home in any room in your home. So factor that into your planning.

Vinyl it up if replacement is down the road.

If replacing any flooring may be in your future, keep vinyl in mind.

Vinyl floors are much easier to remove than a grouted resilient tile or natural stone floor.

This could potentially save you time and money in the long run if and when replacement is a possibility.

As usual, you get what you pay for.

As you move up in the vinyl price range there are many benefits.

In terms of product selection alone, more versatile patterns, colors and textures will be available to you.

When talking about performance, today’s premium wearlayers offer superior resistance to stains, scuffs and scratches. That’s worth noting if you live in an active household, or with kids or pets.

Some premium wearlayers are enhanced with aluminum oxide, which provides exceptional resistance to scratching.

More importantly, these wearlayers make clean up a breeze. Make your life a little easier.

You’ll also notice that, as you move up, you’ll get enhanced performance constructions, designed to protect your floor from rips, tears, gouges and permanent indentations.

Remember size should determine style.

When selecting a vinyl pattern, you want to consider the size of the room and the size of the pattern.

The decorating rule of thumb still applies to vinyl flooring in relation to room size and color.

Lighter flooring colors will make a smaller room appear larger, while darker colors will absorb the light and create a more intimate setting.

When working with vinyl flooring pattern sizes, a smaller pattern works well in small areas or in rooms where the pattern will be visually interrupted with pieces of furniture, or a kitchen island.

However, keep in mind that larger flooring patterns can sometimes actually visually expand a room.

Factor in fabric, work with wallpaper.

When considering vinyl flooring styles you’ll also want to consider any printed fabric on your furniture or wallpaper in the room.

If the fabric or wallpaper is a large-scale print you’ll want to look at smaller patterns for the floor.

Conversely, if you have a small-scale pattern in the fabric or wallpaper you’ll want a larger pattern for the floor.

Please don’t gloss over gloss.

Vinyl flooring products come in a selection of gloss levels to suit your needs.

Generally speaking, the lower the gloss level, the more forgiving your floor will be to the daily wear of foot traffic. Choose your gloss level accordingly.

Style is unique, personal and individual.

That’s good. Because we’re sure that, with today’s vast array of vinyl colors, patterns, styles and performance levels, there’s a vinyl flooring solution made for the unique way you live.