Linoleum in the interior: options, colors, styles and design tips with images.

What is linoleum?

Linoleum is a type of roll flooring made primarily of polymeric materials.

What types of linoleum are there for apartments?

There are many varieties that differ in certain characteristics, positive or negative qualities.

Types

There is a basic classification:

• Commercial. It is quite dense, resistant to abrasion and can withstand heavy loads.
• Semi-commercial. It has an even thicker protective layer and is highly wear-resistant. The semi-commercial type has a felt and synthetic base, which helps retain heat.
• Household. It is considered the most inexpensive option, which can easily withstand minor loads.

Types of linoleum flooring differ in thickness, protective layer, susceptibility to abrasion, materials used for production and nature of application.

Material

Popular types of materials:

• Natural. It has a jute base, for its production they use resin of deciduous trees, wood flour, lime as a filler, and also natural coloring pigments to add color.
• PVC. It can have a fabric or non-woven base, one layer or several. This polyvinyl chloride coating is cold, since it has low thermal conductivity, but at the same time it is highly environmentally friendly and resistant to fungus. According to its composition, it is divided into homogeneous and heterogeneous. Often, for PVC linoleum, a cork backing is used as an additional layer.
• Rubber. Relin has a front layer made of rubber with filler and pigment and a lining, the base of which uses crushed rubber and bitumen.
• Alkyd. Glyphthalic or alkyd linoleum has a fabric base with alkyd resin applied to it. It consists of oils, fillers, pigments and sometimes an antiseptic.

The type of material completely affects not only the performance characteristics of the finish, but also the warmth and comfort of the surface covered.

Types of surface

Several types:

• Smooth. Makes the interior aesthetics much better and is an ideal background.
• Embossed. Due to the velvety and rough texture, the embossed surface reflects less light and is perceived as much softer and more comfortable.
• Matte. Perfectly diffuses the light falling on it, allows you to hide small defects and unevenness and is a very elegant design option for any room.
• Glossy. It has a prestigious appearance and good reflective properties, due to which the room looks much lighter.

Due to a certain type of surface, you can give the space even more interest and character.

Pros and cons

Like any other finishing materials, this product has its advantages and disadvantages.

How to choose linoleum?

Tips for selection:

• In a room located on the shady side, it is better to use linoleum in light and pastel colors, and when decorating a room with a southern orientation, products in colder shades.
• To visually expand a narrow room, you can use a material with a linear pattern located across the walls or diagonally.
• Also, linoleum with a small tile pattern is perfect for visually increasing a small space.

Location linoleum in the interior

There are several placement options:

• On the floor. The most common location, which is perfect for those who prefer high-quality, safe and at the same time very beautiful floors.
• On the wall. Due to its smaller thickness and the absence of synthetic and natural lining, this finish is very light and does not put a strain on the walls.
• Doors. An excellent solution that allows you not only to improve the appearance of the door structure, making it much more attractive, but also to hide minor defects, as well as insulate the canvas.
• Stair steps. Soft and more elastic PVC linoleum is perfect for facing the steps, which, in combination with a decorative threshold, will give the staircase a finished look.

The photo shows a floor covered with linoleum in the interior of the kitchen-dining room.

How to choose a color scheme?

The color scheme should first of all be in harmony with the overall decor, furniture and atmosphere of the interior, and also correspond to the purpose of the room.

Design options and patterns

Interesting design options.

Under the tile

Outwardly no different from the tile, only it has no seams and is not as hard.

Under the laminate

The covering with imitation of laminate panels has an ideal appearance and therefore becomes a decoration of any interior.

Under the parquet

Completely copies the parquet board and undoubtedly represents an elegant accent of the whole space.

Grass and flowers

This design is a bright element of decor, which allows you to turn the plane into a blooming meadow or endow a monochrome setting with floral motifs with roses, peonies or delicate irises, filling the space with new colors and a festive atmosphere.

Imitation of stone and brick

It can differ in a large range of colors, imitation of granite, marble, sandstone, balsat or brick, small pebbles and gravel, due to which it is possible to create a unique and original design.

The photo shows the kitchen interior with linoleum with imitation of white marble.

3D drawings

Perfectly smooth liquid coating with three-dimensional images with colorful plots, has an incredibly beautiful, stylish and fantastic appearance.

Wood

Due to the imitation of natural texture and color scheme, it has a very aesthetic appearance and has a beneficial effect on the surrounding atmosphere.

Patterns and ornaments

Such design in the form of small patterns or larger ornaments will undoubtedly make the interior more interesting, colorful and will concentrate the main attention on itself.

The photo shows light floor linoleum with floral patterns in the kitchen interior.

Unusual ideas

Crocodile skin imitation coverings are quite original, allowing you to give the room design a certain exclusivity, grace, elegance and a touch of exoticism. Also, multi-textured linoleum or facing material visually similar to real metal looks no less unusual.

Patchwork

It will become the main interior highlight, and depending on the size of the details and the color scheme, it will allow you to achieve a calm and gentle, or more extravagant and expressive design.

Geometric prints

Linoleum covering with geometric prints in the form of stripes, checks, squares, diamonds or abstraction will allow you to favorably emphasize the aesthetic appearance of furniture and decorative interior items and become quite an original and extraordinary design solution for any room.

Photo of linoleum in the interior of the apartment

With the help of a well-chosen finish, in each room you can create a unique design and give it a certain color scheme.

Ideas in the interior of the living room

Most often, for the living room, a household type of covering is used with imitation of noble wood species, laminate or parquet board, which always looks very impressive. In a spacious room with a small amount of furniture, you can use a glossy coating with a shiny and shining surface.

The photo shows floor linoleum in the hall, imitating a laminate board.

Since there is heavy and massive furniture in the hall, it is better to choose high-class floor linoleum, which has greater thickness and wear resistance.

In the kitchen

To decorate a kitchen or dining room, you can use finishing with a wide variety of designs and colors. The main thing is that the flooring should be in harmony with the overall interior and its elements.

Photo in the hallway and corridor

In the corridor or hallway, a lining with a motley pattern or speckled will be especially appropriate, which will serve as an excellent camouflage of dirt.

The photo shows the interior of a modern hallway with a floor decorated with wood-like linoleum.

This walk-through room requires linoleum with additional protection and high characteristics. A commercial or semi-commercial type with a thickness of at least 3 mm is perfect here.

Linoleum in the bathroom

For the bathroom, they mainly use coverings with a non-slip base and a high level of moisture resistance, which retain their original appearance for a long time and do not deformed.

The photo shows linoleum with a small geometric print in the interior of a spacious bathroom.

An excellent solution for this room would be rubber linoleum or homogeneous PVC coating.

The photo shows a bathroom interior with light linoleum imitation of marble tiles.

Finishing on the balcony and loggia

Modern finishing materials have high quality indicators and easily withstand temperature changes and humidity. Linoleum cladding with imitation of marble, tiles, parquet boards or laminate is especially common in the decor of balconies and loggias.

Examples in the interior of a children’s room

In the interior of a children’s room, this finish must first of all retain heat well, have antistatic properties and be completely safe for the child. It is best to use natural and environmentally friendly material in the form of solid sheets without seams, which will avoid injuries. For decoration, you can choose both bright and more muted shades or prints with geometric diamonds, squares and zigzags, beautiful patterns or even cartoon characters, heroes from fairy tales and books.

In the bedroom

A wide variety of designs are chosen for the bedroom, depending on the overall style of the room. Most often, lighter and warmer shades are used in the cladding, such as beige, cream, milky, coffee, or they use a covering with a wood or decorative pattern.

The photo shows the floor in the bedroom, covered with linoleum imitating parquet board.

In the toilet

Since this room requires frequent cleaning with detergents, linoleum should be especially resistant to their effects, and also be practical, moisture resistant and have a long service life. For decoration, you can choose products with imitation of ceramic tiles, laminate, parquet, stone or limestone slabs.

Features of choice for a summer house and a country house

The most optimal option would be a semi-commercial water- and frost-resistant product that will perfectly withstand temperature changes and cold, in case if a country house or cottage will be visited and heated from time to time.

The photo shows the interior of a country house with linoleum with a patterned design.

What does linoleum look like in different styles?

This facing option can be easily integrated into a room with any interior style, such as loft, Provence, country, shabby chic, Scandinavian or modern design.

The photo shows linoleum with imitation of a wooden parquet board in the interior of a children’s room in Scandinavian style.

In the loft style, linoleum imitating concrete or parquet will look harmonious, for the vintage shabby chic direction, variegated and pastel finishes imitating parquet boards or ceramic tiles are appropriate, which can have a slightly aged look with scuffs and cracks. The interior in the Provence style can be decorated with finishes imitating simple wooden antique boards laid out in a herringbone pattern, squares, checkerboard or textured ornament, for Scandinavian design a light glossy coating that perfectly reflects light or a wood-like product is especially suitable.