Literally.
After being relegated to wine bottles and kids’ pinboards for decades, cork is making a grand entrance into the rest of the home. Everything from flooring to backsplashes to wallpaper (yes, wallpaper) is getting a little bit of cork. Here are some pros and cons:
Pros
- Cork is 100% natural, harvested from cork trees over and over without cutting them down. It’s an environmentally sustainable material from a reusable source.
It’s soft, making it the perfect flooring for people with knee problems.
- It’s naturally water resistant, so it resists mold and mildew.
- It insulates well, meaning it will keep in cold or hot air, as well as sound.
Cons
- While it’s water resistant, it’s not waterproof. It may requiring sealing every couple of years.
- It’s prone to stains and nicks, so think hard before using it in the kitchen
Cork stacks up well to many building materials, so don’t be afraid to put a cork in it!