Wooden Parquet is my favorite flooring material. It's comfortable, cozy, and very elegant.
It usually comes in three distinguished types:
Laminate: MDF or HDF in different thicknesses, qualities, and underlay types.
Engineered [aka semi-solid]: The top layer is solid wood but the other layers are not. That makes it as good as solid wood but not as expensive, and gives it extra qualities like resistance to humidity and temperatures.
Solid: Actual planks of natural wood; durable but can be expensive.
So, what to use and where?
Well, laminated parquet is economical but not very durable, so it can be used for some commercial spaces like shops and offices since they get renovated every few years anyway, or in residential spaces when you know you're not spending too many years in that place, maybe less than 5 to 7 yeas, and try choosing a good quality laminate anyway.
Solid is a wonderful material specially when it ages, but it has to be treated and installed well. It's for life, but usually expensive and can't stand some of the elements and conditions in certain places. A less expensive type is bamboo parquet, but it's horrible in humid places and usually for casual interiors only.
Engineered parquet marries the merits of the previous two, being not as expensive as solids, and much more durable than laminates. The technology used in it makes it a great solution for all spaces, as well as making it more nature friendly since the solid wood is only the top layer. I definitely recommend it when you have some budget.
In terms of style and look; almost all types of parquet come in all colors, textures, and shapes. You just have to pick the right one for the design and effect you like and need. :)
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