We hear it all the time. "I want a new floor, but I don’t know how to get started."

Creating that perfect look and shopping for your new floor doesn’t have to be a daunting task. Whether you design it yourself or work with a professional interior designer, there are a few basic steps you can take to get ready - and to enjoy the experience.

Think about your lifestyle. That has a lot to do with the type of flooring best suited to the room. Is it high traffic, a gathering place or a quiet retreat?

Determine your home’s "personality." It’ll largely be an extension of your own. It’s your world, after all. Are you drawn to Mediterranean, contemporary, art deco, eclectic? Do you have a specific feeling or theme in mind - say beach, garden or something from your travels? The best home interiors reflect both your lifestyle and your likes.

Color is probably THE most important aspect of your design, and you have only to look about your environment (especially your wardrobe) to determine your favorites. This is important when shopping for that new floor because every floor features colors in cool, warm or neutral tones. This includes wood in yellows, reds and browns.

Before you come visit us, spend time with home decor magazines and clip out the looks and room scenes that appeal to you. Bring in your ideas, along with paint chips, wallpaper, fabric swatches, window treatments, pillows, a cherished keepsake, piece of art - anything that helps you, your designer and your sales consultant coordinate your room. (Think of your ideas as a traveling decorator kit.)

We’ll introduce you to the latest color trends along with textures like super-soft fiber carpeting in sculpted patterns, multicolor twists, cable yarns, fascinating new berbers and friezes, hardwood, ceramic and porcelain tiles and area rugs from around the world.

When it comes to buying your new floor, perhaps the biggest shopping tip of all is knowing that we focus on far more than just selling you that new carpet, hardwood, tile, area rug, laminate or resilient floor. At Flooring America of Florida we'll take the mystery out finding the right flooring fashions for you.