apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

There's a bit of swelling in the kitchen at the seams, but that's entirely our fault. (It took us a year to figure out that the P-trap under your kitchen sink was perpetually leaky because we'd put one of the parts in backwards.) We chose the most basic, least expensive style, Lisbon, and it still looks and feels great: warm, comfortable to stand on, and forgiving of all kinds of abuse from the camera-shy dog.

We used the Vida click planks, which float over most existing floors. Installation was quick and easy (for flooring, which means you can take care of the morning-after backache with aspirin). Perfectionists—and those with more time than us—should check out the Vida glue-down tiles, which have the same great finish, but a more traditional and permanent appearance once installed.

Vida Cork is distributed by Ecohaus, née Environmental Home Center, which we've blogged before. It's available in local green stores across the country, or by order online.

Prices start at around $6 a square foot; shipping adds considerably to the cost of heavy or bulky products, like flooring, so take it into consideration if you live far from the distribution center in Seattle.

More resources: • What is cork, and why is it green? • Other brands and suppliers of cork flooring • More shots of our cork floor in this Green Tour