2020 was a lot of things but it was also the year we had our STAINMASTER® flooring installed. And it was the biggest and best transformation of the year. Combine the flooring install with all the other projects we completed, we still can’t believe it’s the same house. In case you missed the before and after post, here’s a look at our home pre and post STAINMASTER® flooring.

So what exactly did we get installed? We went with STAINMASTER® PetProtect™ luxury vinyl in Alpine. Our color is currently no longer available but the good news is, there are several other colors to choose from. Early American and Applewood are very close to the color of our flooring.

Our Year in Review

It hasn’t been quite a year since our flooring install but just about! There were a lot of things we knew we would love about our new STAINMASTER® PetProtect™ luxury vinyl but there are also things that pleasantly took us by surprise. Here are our top 6 reasons why we love our STAINMASTER® flooring a year later (and we think you will love too.)

1. Durability

I think one of the biggest concerns when installing new flooring is how durable it is going to be. Well, let me tell you, 9 months after install we still don’t have a single stain, scratch or dent anywhere in our home. There’s also zero bubbling from the numerous spills we’ve had because it’s 100% waterproof. And this flooring is everywhere except the bathrooms and laundry room (although you can install in those spaces as well). 

One of the huge perks of going with the STAINMASTER® PetProtect™ luxury vinyl is that it’s resistant to scratching due to the Claw-Shield™ coating. I’ve heard horror stories from friends who installed new luxury vinyl or hardwood and scratches appeared after a few days. Not with us!

2. Easy to Clean

I often get asked how we clean our luxury vinyl. And let me tell you this first: it is 10x easier versus cleaning our old tile. There’s no more of anything getting stuck in the grout! We use a spray mop that has a solution safe for our luxury vinyl floors. Even with the STAINMASTER® PetProtect™ luxury vinyl being slightly textured to give that real wood feel, vacuuming and sweeping is also a breeze! Our luxury vinyl has saved us so much time with cleaning versus our old tile flooring.

It’s also magical with cleaning up tough spills. I’ve had a paint can topple over, a red popsicle that melted and dried, everyday spills, mud tracked into the home and so much more. Everything came up easily and without leaving a single stain behind. It’s pretty much a mini celebration every time I see how beautifully this floor cleans up.

3. Looks Clean All the Time

One of the biggest things we noticed this year is that our luxury vinyl always looks clean. We have those days or that week where we’re trying to juggle all the things and some things we just don’t get to. Like consistently sweeping the floor or giving it that really good mopping. Let me tell you, our flooring always looks clean! The STAINMASTER® PetProtect™ luxury vinyl hides dirt to where you don’t feel like you have to sweep it morning, noon and night.

4. Cohesive Look

The visual transformation that the luxury vinyl has done for our home is probably one of my favorites. We went from a very cold and cool looking home with the 90’s white tile to a warm, cozy and beautiful looking home. I remember just sitting on the floor after the install in shock of the transformation. 

Like I mentioned, we installed the STAINMASTER® PetProtect™ luxury vinyl everywhere in our home except for the bathrooms and laundry room. By doing this, it also helped to create a cohesive look that beautifully flows throughout our home. Especially when transitioning into different rooms because a transition piece isn’t needed. It seamlessly continues from space to space. You’ll notice transition pieces to a few of the bedrooms but that’s only because those rooms were installed a few months prior to the entire house. But even with those, it beautifully flows.

5. Creates a Warmer Home

Yes, the luxury vinyl has created a warmer looking home with the tones but in this case I’m talking about making it physically warmer. This is one that took us by surprise and we didn’t even think about it until this winter. Before with our tile going throughout our entire home, it was very cold on our feet and made our home very chilly at times. 

The other day I realized that our luxury vinyl doesn’t feel cold under our feet at all. And this little detail just blew me away! I remember getting out of bed last winter and immediately putting slippers on because of the tile. This year our flooring is warmer under our feet and in return has made our home warmer overall. Certainly, an amazing bonus to installing this flooring!

6.  Works for our Lifestyle

Combine the first 5 reasons why we love this flooring and it brings us to our favorite: it works for our lifestyle. We’re able to have a home that looks beautiful with cohesive flooring throughout while still being able to live in and enjoy our home to the fullest without the worry of messing up our flooring. 

We do home projects weekly, a 4 year old who can play his little heart out with his toys, we’re constantly running in and out, redesigning spaces by moving furniture and so many other things. What we don’t do is hesitate to do any of these things with fear of destroying our STAINMASTER® PetProtect™ luxury vinyl. It is truly an amazing flooring for any household at any season of life.

If you’ve been on the fence about installing luxury vinyl in your home, hopefully this helps you make that decision to go for it! You truly won’t regret it. I’ve been raving all year about our flooring. You can find more of it by heading to our before and after of our home, how to install STAINMASTER® luxury vinyl, why we went with this particular flooring + a Q & A, and see even more in my Instagram highlights.

If you’re also looking to install carpet versus luxury vinyl, STAINMASTER® has an amazing promotional deal going on that you can access through my STAINMASTER® landing page (I know, I know. . .how awesome is this!?). There’s a 10% off coupon on select STAINMASTER® carpets (which also includes the PetProtect™ carpets) up to $500. Over on my landing page, you’ll also be able to quickly find the retailers participating in this promotion in your area. This deal is good through March 1st!