Sarasota Living room flooring

The living room floor sets the tone for the whole house. Compare wood, luxury vinyl, porcelain and stone at full size in the Oracle Flooring & Design showroom in Sarasota.

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What should you plan for in a living room?

Start with how the room gets used. A floor for kids, a dog and wet swimsuits has to stand up to scratches and spills; a quiet sitting room can have the warmth of real wood. In Florida, cool porcelain underfoot is a real comfort in August. Engineered hardwood, luxury vinyl plank and laminate also come in our Signature Collection, our curated range.

Then look at the light and the size of the room. Big, light-colored tiles and wide planks open a room up; darker floors feel cozier but show sand and dust sooner.

Plan the built-ins at the same time. A TV wall, shelves on both sides of a fireplace or a long floating console is made to measure, and the floor and the wall behind it are chosen with it. We've worked with custom cabinet makers for years, from budget-friendly to high-end, and our own custom cabinetry shop opens soon.

Planning your living room

Which floor suits a living room?

  • Warm and natural: engineered hardwood. Real wood underfoot, built in layers so it handles Florida humidity better than solid boards.
  • Easy-going: luxury vinyl. Kids, pets and beach sand, with the look of wood or stone.
  • Cool and clean: porcelain tile or large-format porcelain. Cool underfoot in summer: wood looks, and big stone-look tiles with few joints.
  • One of a kind: natural stone. Natural stone, every piece its own.

What about rugs and furniture?

Rugs soften a hard floor and quiet the room. Felt pads under chairs and tables protect wood and luxury vinyl from scratches, and a mat at the lanai door keeps beach sand from grinding into any floor.

How big should the tiles or planks be?

In a big room, big tiles and long, wide planks keep the floor calm, with fewer joints breaking it up. Large-format porcelain in a stone look can make a living room feel like one continuous surface. In a smaller room a medium size often sits better. We can lay both out in the showroom so you see the difference.

How does light change a floor?

Daylight shows a color at its truest; afternoon sun through a slider warms it, and evening lamps warm it more. Polished tile reflects light and brightens a room; matte and textured finishes hide footprints and dust. Wood and luxury vinyl slowly change color in strong sun, so shades or blinds on the brightest windows keep the floor even.

Questions we hear

Tile or wood in a Florida living room?

Porcelain stays cool underfoot and doesn't mind sand or water; engineered hardwood brings warmth. Wood-look porcelain sits in between, and you can compare all three side by side in our showroom.

Can you put a hard floor in a condo living room?

Usually, yes. Most associations have rules for hard floors, and many ask for their approval and a sound-reducing underlayment first. Read your condo documents before you order; we'll help you go through them.

Will a tile floor feel cold?

Cool more than cold, and in a Florida summer that's welcome. Tile is dense, so it draws a little warmth from bare feet; a big rug under the seating area warms the room up, and through a Sarasota winter that's usually all it needs.

Can one floor run through the whole house?

Yes, and one continuous floor makes the rooms feel bigger. Plan the changes at the bathrooms and the lanai, where a different material often makes sense.

Does wood-look tile look like wood?

The good ones come close: long planks printed with real wood grain that changes from piece to piece. Judge for yourself next to real wood in the showroom.

Which way should the planks run?

Usually along the longest wall, or toward the main window or the view, which makes the room look longer. In an open plan the direction is chosen once, for the whole floor.

Ready to plan it?

Bring your measurements and a few photos to the showroom, or have us come out for a free estimate in your home.

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