If that sounds confusing to you consider this scenario: it’s your night to be the host/hostess. You’ve prepped, cleaned, and put out fresh flowers so that your guests will feel welcomed in your abode. You’ve taken care everything from the catering to the decor, and made sure the night was perfect for your guests to have a fabulous time in your home. People start arriving and they all look amazing (they are your friends after all) – their outfits are on point from head to toe…including their shoes!

Ahhh…that awkward moment when they hesitate to take off those pretty pumps that elevate their ensemble to the next level. They look around and see all the shoes gathered in your impeccably decorated entryway that only has one shoe rack, hoping they will find their new pair of Prada’s unharmed at the end of the affair. Well, you would be the hostess with the most-ess if you enthusiastically told them to leave them on! Yup, your home would be that much cooler if the floors could take a stiletto.

So here’s the scoop: take special care when you’re deciding on new flooring. Many people consider the size of the kitchen and the addition of an island bar when they think about entertaining in their home, but few think about ensuring their flooring is made of a durable and forgiving material, even to sustain the spills and dents from everyday use. This doesn’t mean your options will be limited; there is everything from wide planked, rustic, engineered hardwood, to simply acid staining your existing lower level concrete floors. You can also use large format tiles, strong, satin finished concrete, laying down a good wool carpet, or installing a gorgeous vinyl.

Your home is what you make of it, and if you are an entertaining home owner, make sure you tell your realtor when you’re looking for your next home. This way they’ll not only help you select a home that has the built-in bar and open space you need for your guests, but also a durable floor that can support all of the parties.