<b><b>There has never been a greater choice of floor coverings - but what finish is best for which house and in which room? Tim Palmer looks at some of the options on the market today</b></b><br>Virtually every type of flooring is now being laid in new housing. This opens up the decorative possibilities but at the same time complicates the choice in terms of ensuring the best performance and meeting ever more demanding hygiene, ease of maintenance and safety criteria. <p></p><p><b><b>Resilient trend </b></b><br> Mike Harrison, marketing manager at Marley Floors, says: &amp;"The 'original' flash effect, semi-flexible floor tile is still widely installed, often covered by other materials although there is a trend, partly fuelled by TV makeover series, to re-establish the 60s/70s look. However there is a big trend towards hard surfaces - wood, laminates, natural slates and resilient floor coverings, which effectively replicate such materials.&amp;" </p><p>But Harrison says this is one potentially problematical area as the quality of laminate woods varies significantly. Performance problems can arise at the lower end if, for example, they are under a leaking radiator or washing machine which can cause swelling and lead to replacement. Also in new housing they tend to be installed before …