In Praise of Linoleum

I know this is an odd topic for Christmas time (maybe it's the stress...?), and I know it's un-cool to say this, but I LOVE LINOLEUM. (You know, vinyl floor covering as opposed to wood laminate and tile floors.) I suppose I like true wood floors the best, weathered and waxed, -- but what is so wonderful about cold, breakable tile and grout and so awful about shiny, clean linoleum?

When we built our house twelve years ago, we could only afford to upgrade the carpeting and add some bay windows. The entryway, kitchen and two finished baths had to have vinyl flooring -- we couldn't afford to upgrade those areas then. Several years ago we finished five additional rooms in our house and went with 12" travertine tile and granite, which looks very nice, but I could not bring myself to rip out the linoleum in our older areas. Why?

* Because it still looks good -- 12 years later! (Maybe I am delusional about this. That's a possibility.)
* Because it's easy to clean and feels clean when it is clean.
* Because it's hypoallergenic.
* Because it's anti-static. It actually repels dust, unlike grout which becomes imbedded with it.
* Because dishes are less likely to break when they crash on a linoleum floor.
* Because tile cracks and grout blackens, but linoleum endures (apparently forever).
* Because linoleum absorbs the temperature of the home better than stone tile, which is always too cold.
* Because linoleum cushions your feet and as an added bonus -- it's quiet!

I think ugly linoleum gave it a bad name. There have been dog-ugly linoleum patters for decades! (Think 1970s).

I don't follow home decorating trends enough to know what ruined linoleum's reputation, but I just Googled "flooring trends 2008" and learned that linoleum is making a resurgence in the marketplace (they called it a 'Renaissance'), proving once again that if you're out of style long enough, eventually you'll be in style again. (The "even-broken-clocks-are-right-twice-a-day" theory.) Turns out that linoleum is the environmentally friendly choice.

Until I can bring myself to install weathered, waxed hard wood floors, which, admittedly, are more aesthetically pleasing, I will continue to enjoy my four patches of linoleum. It's my little rebellion.