Have you ever noticed that something inside us changes when we cross the threshold from indoors to outdoors, especially in summer? Have you felt your stress levels suddenly ebb? Have you taken a deeper breath? Have your eyes widened to take in the view? Has a smile stretched across your face? That’s science happening. Yes, researchers have found that stepping into nature almost automatically lowers stress and improves our mood. So, we’re here to help the whole family enjoy the outdoors (while keeping your indoors less messy) with our top-rated vinyl plank flooring. Get your home ready for summer, from pool to patio and beyond, with these seven simple tips:
Here's the list, jump ahead as you wish:
1. Make It Kid Friendly
Kids are born with an innate curiosity about nature. And their adventures can lead to worries about the mud, water, juice and grass they track in all over the floor. Some ways to make your indoor-outdoor transition spaces more kid-friendly and easy to clean include:
- Incorporate storage bins and shelving where kids can store outdoor equipment and toys off the floor.
- Create a kid-friendly snack station by installing an outdoor kitchen or simply keeping a cooler stocked with healthy snacks and easy-to-access water.
- Add a shaded area or pergola so kids have a cool place to play outside on hot days.
- Switch to kidproof flooring, especially at entryways.
Featured Color: Manila Oak
Luxury vinyl plank flooring is easy to clean, scratch and dent-resistant and looks like real wood or tile. Kids can be kids. They can explore and easily clean up after outdoor activities. And you can have gorgeous, stress-free, kidproof flooring that fits your style (and looks like real wood or tile for a fraction of the price). Everybody’s happy this summer.
2. Make It Pet Friendly
Pets bring out the best in us all year long. Make your indoor-outdoor space a place for your pets to enjoy this summer, too. Unfortunately, pets can’t clean up after themselves, but lucky for you there’s easy-to-clean petproof flooring and these other pet-approved decorating ideas:
- Create shady, breezy spots in your backyard transition area where pets can stay out of the sun.
- Add a kiddie pool your pups can play in on hot days.
- Get hooks to hang the leash and ball thrower for easy access and a tidy appearance.
- Choose pet-friendly patio furniture that’s cool, comfy, and easy to clean.
- Install COREtec’s top-rated vinyl plank flooring.
Featured Color: Wythe Oak
COREtec’s petproof flooring makes cleaning up accidents, water-bowl spills, muddy paw prints and peanut butter residue from that after-walk treat a breeze! Our waterproof flooring resists scratches and stains, keeping your space stunning for years.
3. Make It Splash Friendly
Speaking of waterproof flooring, our LVP flooring doesn’t mind getting splashed and dripped on by kids (or adults) coming back inside from the pool when they forget their towels. A real wood floor couldn’t handle that, but COREtec LVP can. We have both wood plank and tile looks that exude luxury while acting like a workhorse to keep your space looking spotless, even on busy poolside afternoons.
Featured Color: COREtec Tile Classic Travertine
4. Make It Garden-Friendly
Millions of people who had never gardened in their lives caught gardening fever over the past few years. That deep natural connection forged when hands dig into the soil and herbs, flowers, fruit, and vegetables grow in return is addicting. It’s one of the messiest summer activities, but oh, the results are worth it! If you’re designing an indoor-outdoor transitional space for your gardening needs, consider some of these tips:
- Add wall racks and shelves to easily and safely sort garden tools.
- Incorporate solar lighting and grow lights to help seedlings and young plants start strong.
- Install smart speakers so you can listen to your gardening playlist outdoors.
- Add a sink and countertops dedicated especially to your gardening habits.
- Install easy-to-clean waterproof flooring in your home, especially at entryways.
5. Make It Naturally Lighter
Your indoor-outdoor transition space should be full of natural light. Some homeowners are removing walls and turning them into giant patio windows that totally blur the lines between inside and outside. With some clever engineering and positioning, making the wall into a window can lower lighting bills while bringing you the mental health benefits of natural lighting. This makes it easier for parents to see what the kids and pets are doing, too! Choosing a light flooring color can even accentuate the light in your space, making it seem bigger, even if it’s a relatively small area.
Featured Color: COREtec Originals Marsh Oak
6. Make It Greener
When bringing the outdoors inside and a few inside activities outdoors this summer, be sure to also go easy on the environment. Here are some ways to accentuate your earth-friendly transition spaces:
- Use sun-shading elements like walls, pergolas, and plants to cool areas naturally.
- Use more houseplants to purify indoor air spaces.
- Choose furniture and building materials that go easy on the environment. For example, bamboo furniture can be used (bamboo grows faster than wood).
- Add solar-powered lighting to light up your outdoor living area at night.
- Install COREtec’s top-rated vinyl plank flooring throughout your home. It’s GREENGUARD Gold certified to give off low VOCs (volatile organic compounds) for safe indoor air quality.
Featured Color: COREtec Tile Bianco Marble
7. Make It All Come Together
Designing your indoor to outdoor area for low-stress, high-fun summer activities is a smart move that will take you throughout the year. With durable, easy-to-clean, waterproof, kidproof, petproof flooring from COREtec, you’ve set the foundation for a great summer, and beyond. Check out our visualizer tool to see how our products would look in your space today.