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.

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?

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 plastic wood flooring is basically linoleum anyway. Or at least it’s vinyl.

@futurebird i will never forgive whoever came up with MDF laminate

@futurebird The problem is finding modern products that are actually durable.

Most are cheap plastic crap designed to be replaced in 10 years.

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.

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?

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

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.

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.

@futurebird The plastic wood flooring is basically linoleum anyway. Or at least it’s vinyl.

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.

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!

@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

@lapis

I thought this was due to landlords, but interior design has been VERY bland for a long time now. Even in single family homes where people ought to feel more free to have some colors without freaking about about "resale value"

Unless one is a "flipper" I think all the focus on resale value is a bit silly. And limiting.

@futurebird have you noticed this trend in like, restaurants and fast casual and such that they've got to redo their buildings to look like gray bland office complexes that don't look like they serve food?

Like I have not been to a panera in years partially because I forget they exist, because all our paneras look like they should be law firms or architectural firms or something.

Are we re-creating the giver? Are we recreating the story beat on neopets I didn't follow that took the color out of everyone and everything?