Crystalizing some principles:
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Crystalizing some principles:
* Durable is more impressive than expensive. There can be a lot of overlap but they aren't the same.
* Durable items with evidence of their durability (nicely aged) are the most impressive.
* Trends don't matter but innovation does. A new way to do something can be exciting especially if it solves old problems in a fresh way.
* This may sound utilitarian but it need not be. There are still many design questions to consider.
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Crystalizing some principles:
* Durable is more impressive than expensive. There can be a lot of overlap but they aren't the same.
* Durable items with evidence of their durability (nicely aged) are the most impressive.
* Trends don't matter but innovation does. A new way to do something can be exciting especially if it solves old problems in a fresh way.
* This may sound utilitarian but it need not be. There are still many design questions to consider.
This set of observations was triggered by an interior designer who suggested replacing 30 year old linoleum flooring with those fake (but realistic) plastic wood planks you see in new construction today.
Linoleum sold on the roll has always been a cheap substitute for tiles. No one uses it anymore. But if you have linoleum and it's easy to clean and STILL in good shape after years?
Why would you rip it out for what is just the new version linoleum?
That's a downgrade.
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This set of observations was triggered by an interior designer who suggested replacing 30 year old linoleum flooring with those fake (but realistic) plastic wood planks you see in new construction today.
Linoleum sold on the roll has always been a cheap substitute for tiles. No one uses it anymore. But if you have linoleum and it's easy to clean and STILL in good shape after years?
Why would you rip it out for what is just the new version linoleum?
That's a downgrade.
Frankly most linoleum floors of this kind have wear spots, or holes and yeah, replace that.
But if it's in good condition with more life in it why would you want your home to look like every other cookie cutter house out there when you have this amazing relic from the past that's still going strong?
This flooring was cheap, but with good installation and care it can last. And I think it's just more impressive to have that than... plastic wood, you know?
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Frankly most linoleum floors of this kind have wear spots, or holes and yeah, replace that.
But if it's in good condition with more life in it why would you want your home to look like every other cookie cutter house out there when you have this amazing relic from the past that's still going strong?
This flooring was cheap, but with good installation and care it can last. And I think it's just more impressive to have that than... plastic wood, you know?
@futurebird The plastic wood flooring is basically linoleum anyway. Or at least it’s vinyl.
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Crystalizing some principles:
* Durable is more impressive than expensive. There can be a lot of overlap but they aren't the same.
* Durable items with evidence of their durability (nicely aged) are the most impressive.
* Trends don't matter but innovation does. A new way to do something can be exciting especially if it solves old problems in a fresh way.
* This may sound utilitarian but it need not be. There are still many design questions to consider.
@futurebird i will never forgive whoever came up with MDF laminate
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Frankly most linoleum floors of this kind have wear spots, or holes and yeah, replace that.
But if it's in good condition with more life in it why would you want your home to look like every other cookie cutter house out there when you have this amazing relic from the past that's still going strong?
This flooring was cheap, but with good installation and care it can last. And I think it's just more impressive to have that than... plastic wood, you know?
In 30 years someone will be saying you need to tear out your "wood effect" planks for ... whatever they are on to next.
I guess not everyone can see that these are the same thing but from different eras. I will take the older one, please. Because real tile, real wood are not on the table in either case at this price point.
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Crystalizing some principles:
* Durable is more impressive than expensive. There can be a lot of overlap but they aren't the same.
* Durable items with evidence of their durability (nicely aged) are the most impressive.
* Trends don't matter but innovation does. A new way to do something can be exciting especially if it solves old problems in a fresh way.
* This may sound utilitarian but it need not be. There are still many design questions to consider.
@futurebird The problem is finding modern products that are actually durable.
Most are cheap plastic crap designed to be replaced in 10 years.
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@futurebird The plastic wood flooring is basically linoleum anyway. Or at least it’s vinyl.
It's just a new and harder to spot "pattern" But at this point it's used so much I can spot it. It feels like the linoleum did back in the 90s to me. Just, the obvious functional cheap option. It's fine. I guess.
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@futurebird i will never forgive whoever came up with MDF laminate
It's EVERYWHERE
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@futurebird The problem is finding modern products that are actually durable.
Most are cheap plastic crap designed to be replaced in 10 years.
Another reason not to rush to get rid of old things.
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This set of observations was triggered by an interior designer who suggested replacing 30 year old linoleum flooring with those fake (but realistic) plastic wood planks you see in new construction today.
Linoleum sold on the roll has always been a cheap substitute for tiles. No one uses it anymore. But if you have linoleum and it's easy to clean and STILL in good shape after years?
Why would you rip it out for what is just the new version linoleum?
That's a downgrade.
@futurebird You just delineated most of my issues with function vs fashion.
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@futurebird You just delineated most of my issues with function vs fashion.
When replacing something it should be because it's beyond repair OR for something that is an upgrade, a significant one to durability.
So, I'd have less of a problem with replacing the old yellow vinyl (I'm told that's the better term) with IDK real tile, or wood. Maybe?
Still upsets me if it's in great shape AND old. When things are in good condition and old that's a sign of intrinsic quality and love.
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Frankly most linoleum floors of this kind have wear spots, or holes and yeah, replace that.
But if it's in good condition with more life in it why would you want your home to look like every other cookie cutter house out there when you have this amazing relic from the past that's still going strong?
This flooring was cheap, but with good installation and care it can last. And I think it's just more impressive to have that than... plastic wood, you know?
I agree with you on keeping it if it's in good shape, and also not horrendously ugly.
But also: if you for some reason _want_ a non-wood wood-look floor, LVP (the L stands for "Luxury" in an meta-ironic way) isn't the only or best option. The ceramic wood-look tiles are much nicer.
Or, you know, go with actual hardwood, but that's more expensive and needs maintenance.
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Frankly most linoleum floors of this kind have wear spots, or holes and yeah, replace that.
But if it's in good condition with more life in it why would you want your home to look like every other cookie cutter house out there when you have this amazing relic from the past that's still going strong?
This flooring was cheap, but with good installation and care it can last. And I think it's just more impressive to have that than... plastic wood, you know?
The same designer then went on to say that the "new trend" in fake wood floors is more narrow planks.
Why would that be? Could it be because it's *absurd* to pretend that 8" wide planks on a huge "open plan" floor are "real" ? The simulation started to waver.
So, the solution? More narrow modest fake planks that might look more like real wood.
The cycle/game makes me sad. People are caught up in it. It's not like you have many other choices.
Hold on to the old and durable with your life.
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I agree with you on keeping it if it's in good shape, and also not horrendously ugly.
But also: if you for some reason _want_ a non-wood wood-look floor, LVP (the L stands for "Luxury" in an meta-ironic way) isn't the only or best option. The ceramic wood-look tiles are much nicer.
Or, you know, go with actual hardwood, but that's more expensive and needs maintenance.
I say keep it even if it is ugly at this point. It's rare.
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The same designer then went on to say that the "new trend" in fake wood floors is more narrow planks.
Why would that be? Could it be because it's *absurd* to pretend that 8" wide planks on a huge "open plan" floor are "real" ? The simulation started to waver.
So, the solution? More narrow modest fake planks that might look more like real wood.
The cycle/game makes me sad. People are caught up in it. It's not like you have many other choices.
Hold on to the old and durable with your life.
@futurebird To be fair, parquet is pretty nice. If you want l'real thing.
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@futurebird To be fair, parquet is pretty nice. If you want l'real thing.
Sometimes there is parquet under the cheap vinyl. I've restored a few floors like that in my day.
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@futurebird The plastic wood flooring is basically linoleum anyway. Or at least it’s vinyl.
@MisuseCase real linoleum is plastic-free https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linoleum @futurebird
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The same designer then went on to say that the "new trend" in fake wood floors is more narrow planks.
Why would that be? Could it be because it's *absurd* to pretend that 8" wide planks on a huge "open plan" floor are "real" ? The simulation started to waver.
So, the solution? More narrow modest fake planks that might look more like real wood.
The cycle/game makes me sad. People are caught up in it. It's not like you have many other choices.
Hold on to the old and durable with your life.
@futurebird I don't know if it counts as durable (I was not there for this conversation) but when my brother was redoing our bathroom he was asked what color he wanted the linoleum to be.
He said purple.
It turned out there was no purple, and frankly there weren't a lot of color choices other than gray.
To this day I wonder why we were asked about color choice
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This set of observations was triggered by an interior designer who suggested replacing 30 year old linoleum flooring with those fake (but realistic) plastic wood planks you see in new construction today.
Linoleum sold on the roll has always been a cheap substitute for tiles. No one uses it anymore. But if you have linoleum and it's easy to clean and STILL in good shape after years?
Why would you rip it out for what is just the new version linoleum?
That's a downgrade.
@futurebird
My kitchen had cheap vinyl tiles badly stuck on top of an older lino/vinyl floor. The vinyl tiles were both horrible and very damaged. Unfortunately the lino under was also damaged quite badly partly from the glue used for the vinyl tiles.One day I got annoyed with it and just ripped it all up, and underneath were the original (probably, 1920s) dark floortiles, the type that contain asbestos but which are fine as long as you don't go breaking them apart. They look *so much* better!
