Lifestyle Laminate Flooring

Every range Lifestyle Floors makes takes its name from a London area, and the colourway names carry that through further than most brands bother to: the Hammersmith colours here are named after actual local landmarks, including Queens Club, Furnivall Gardens, and Ravenscourt Park, all genuine spots in and around Hammersmith itself.

Hammersmith

Hammersmith is the thinner of the two ranges stocked here, 7mm thick at 193mm wide. It's built with an anti-swell core, a genuine feature of this specific Lifestyle Floors range rather than a claim that applies to laminate generally, designed to resist the swelling that can happen at board joints when moisture gets in. That makes it a slightly more forgiving choice than standard laminate in rooms where the odd spill is likely, even though it isn't a fully water-resistant product.

Harrow

Harrow runs at 8mm, a step thicker than Hammersmith, in oak effect finishes across brown and grey tones. The surface uses a registered embossed texture, meaning the surface texture is aligned to match the printed wood grain pattern underneath rather than a generic texture stamped across the board regardless of the grain. That alignment is what gives register-embossed laminate a more convincing feel underfoot compared with laminate where the texture and the printed pattern don't line up.

Choosing between them

Beyond the thickness difference, Hammersmith's anti-swell core makes it the better pick for a kitchen or a room where occasional spills are likely, while Harrow's registered embossing leans more toward a convincing, tactile wood look for living spaces and bedrooms where moisture resistance matters less than how the floor feels underfoot. Both use a standard click-lock system for a floating installation over underlay.

FAQ

What does "anti-swell core" mean on the Hammersmith range?
It's a core construction designed to resist swelling at board joints if moisture gets in, making it a bit more forgiving than standard laminate, though it isn't fully water-resistant.

What is registered embossing?
It's a texturing technique where the physical surface texture is aligned to match the printed wood grain pattern beneath it, giving a more convincing, realistic feel than laminate where the texture doesn't line up with the print.

Which Lifestyle Floors range is thicker, Hammersmith or Harrow?
Harrow, at 8mm, compared with Hammersmith's 7mm.