The first few months of choosing flooring can be overwhelming. There is so much choice and at such varying prices. You see something you like and then flip through a magazine and see something you think you may well love more! How to choose what to spend all that money on!
Here is some advice from my experience from the places I have visited locally (Geneva area).
Challandes in Nyon: Good selection of tiles, dalles (exterior) and stone floors. Expensive. Staff couldn't sell humid skin to a mosquito. They open and close about the same time you get to and leave your office - so not great for the working person. Great for inspiration but I would take that inspiration and pay for the goods elsewhere.
Getaz Romang: Lovely new showroom in Etoy. They have real wood flooring and fake as well as tiles and dalles and stone for outside. Helpful staff. They have top of the range products as well as low end products on display.
Sabag: Only do tiles and stone (no wood). A good selection and some very interesting stuff if you are planning on opening a nightclub. Prices are reasonable.
Hornbach: I was scared of what I would find here - it is a bit of a DIY place - however I was nicely surprised by some of what I saw. I don't think it would be wise to buy laminate flooring there (even if it sells for 12m2) as the quality wouldn't be great (unless you wanted it laid somewhere no one could touch it - like on your ceiling). However I found white stone pebble flooring (as you would have in a shower) for 1/3 cheaper then at Getaz - so definately worth checking out. They also have extemely cheap tiles however sometimes you have to buy when you see it as the stock can go quickly.
Leroy Merlin: The french equivalent of Hornbach. If you import into Switzerland you get the TVA back - added bonus!
Mondial Moquette (Paquis): Looks a little dodgy from the road - however it has a huge selection of carpets and the largest choice of wood (real and laminte) in Suisse Romandie. They guy that runs it - Gils, has a huge knowledge and passion for wood and get's what you want - even when you might not!
Furnishing a large expanse of floors can be expensive - so choices sometimes have ot be made. Bathrooms can be a real pleasure to do as they are small and so you can sometimes let your hair down and go a little wild with your choices without worrying too much about falling out of love with it in a couple of years time when green felt tiles are no longer 'du jour'.
For larger expanses always find a few floor types that you like in different price ranges and then weigh up the pro's and con's.
Finally - A Nasty Surprise Alert.
The prices are USUALLY by m2 - but not always. So you could be looking at 2 similar tiles one for 50.- a m2 and another for 13.50.- and you may well think the decision is (as I did) a no brainer! Make sure you look closer as it may say 'par pièce' which may mean for example that the 13.50.- tile which may be 25cm x 25cm, would actually cost 216.- per m2! This would be a nasty surprise for a large room and no one likes a nasty surprise.
Oh and another Nasty Surprise Alert (for good measure):
The cost of the flooring is just for the flooring - you can happily add about 1/2 the price per m2 again to the actual laying of the flooring by a specialist. :)
A piece of advice (after a couple of unfortunate personal experiences) where I thought that the eye could 'carry colour'. It can't. You can think you know a colour and that you have commited it to memory - but it never works out that way. Always get a sample or in Français 'un échantillon' (so much prettier). They will usually give you one for free. Take it with you whenever you need to colour or texture match. It saves time, money and unnecessary tears.
All this said and done - here is nothing as satisfying as walking into a freshly floored room. It can completely change the way a space feels. Floors can make a room darker or lighter, bigger or smaller - fresh or cosy. Even the direction you lay the tiles can make the room feel less or more spacious.
Most importantly - have fun - go with your gut and enjoy!
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