Flooring Guide: Best Carpet, Hardwood, Tile & LVP Companies

Whether you're refreshing the carpet in a Whitefish Bay bungalow, refinishing original oak floors in a Shorewood Tudor, or planning a top-to-bottom remodel of a new build in Mequon, the greater Milwaukee area is fortunate to have an unusually deep bench of family-owned flooring companies — many of them with 50, 70, or even 90+ years of local history.

This guide profiles the most reputable carpet and flooring services serving the North Shore (Whitefish Bay, Shorewood, Fox Point, Bayside, River Hills, Glendale, Brown Deer, Mequon, and Thiensville) and the broader six-county metro (Milwaukee, Waukesha, Ozaukee, Washington, Racine, and Kenosha counties). It includes locally owned showrooms, regional family chains, mobile shop-at-home services, and specialty hardwood craftsmen so you can match the right type of provider to the project you have in mind.

How to Choose a Flooring Provider

Before diving into the company profiles, three quick notes for North Shore homeowners:

1. Lake-effect humidity and Wisconsin winters matter. Engineered hardwood and quality LVP/LVT outperform solid hardwood in basements and below-grade levels common in older Milwaukee homes. Look for installers who discuss moisture barriers, acclimation periods, and salt/wear protection in their bid.

2. Older North Shore homes often hide original hardwood under carpet. Several companies on this list (notably Anderson Floor, Flawless Flooring, and Ben's Natural Hardwood Floors) specialize in restoration and refinishing rather than tear-out and replacement.

3. Shop-at-home vs. showroom. Mobile showrooms (Floor Coverings International, Nationwide Floor & Window, Empire Today) bring samples to your house under your own light and furnishings. Brick-and-mortar showrooms (Kerns, Carpets Galore, Carpet City) let you walk on installed displays and compare side-by-side. Both models are well-represented in this market.

Multi-Generation Family Showrooms

Kerns Carpet One Floor & Home — Mequon & Brookfield

• Locations: 11030 N. Port Washington Rd., Mequon (across from the Mequon Pavilions), and 19655 W. Bluemound Rd., Brookfield. The Mequon store relocated in 2018 after 47 years at the RiverPoint Village (formerly Brown Port) center in Fox Point.

• Website: kernscarpets.com

• Founded: 1935 in downtown Milwaukee by Milton Kerns; now a fourth-generation business led by Henry "Pat" Kerns (chairman) and Bill Kerns (president).

• Products: Carpet, hardwood, luxury vinyl, tile, and laminate. Strong selection of higher-end carpet (a category Kerns is especially known for), plus Mannington Adura, Florida Tile, Mohawk, Shaw, and Anderson-Tuftex.

• Standout features: One of 13 founding members of the national Carpet One co-op, which gives this independent local store national buying power. Operates two ProSource trade locations (Milwaukee and Franklin) for designers and contractors. Internal customer surveys show 97% of clients say they would recommend Kerns to a friend, and 98% report feeling confident with the sales team.

• Service area: Brookfield, Elm Grove, Butler, New Berlin, Big Bend, Cedarburg, Mequon, Grafton, Belgium, Port Washington, Thiensville, Milwaukee, Menomonee Falls, Delafield, Muskego, Hartland, Sussex.

• Why locals like them: Multi-generational reputation, deep North Shore roots (47 years in Fox Point alone), and a focus on quality over quantity — a sales philosophy that's well suited to North Shore homeowners replacing flooring in larger or higher-end homes.

Carpets Galore & Flooring — Grafton

• Address: 1542 N. Port Washington Rd., Grafton, WI 53024 — (262) 376-7500

• Website: carpetsgaloreandflooring.com

• Founded: 1963 (BBB lists business start as 1961); founder Steven Rubnitz still leads the company. Family-owned for over 60 years.

• Products: Carpet, hardwood, laminate, vinyl, ceramic/porcelain, LVT/LVP, natural stone, area rugs, and waterproof flooring. A Mohawk Five-Star retailer with access to the full Mohawk catalog plus Karastan, Shaw, Marazzi, and Philadelphia Commercial.

• Standout features: A 12,500-square-foot showroom — one of the largest in Ozaukee County. Installs everything they sell; in-home estimates available across metro Milwaukee, Ozaukee, and Washington counties.

• Service area: Metro Milwaukee, Ozaukee County, and Washington County.

• Reputation: Consistently shows up on Nextdoor recommendation threads. Typical customer comments: "very accommodating and easy to work with and very excellent price wise," "great job, quality carpeting and wonderful service," and "Steve Rubnitz is a fair and honest owner."

Lakeshore Flooring & Design — Mequon

• Address: 10800 N. Port Washington Rd., Mequon, WI 53092 — (262) 478-4500

• Tagline: "Your Satisfaction is all that Matters." Self-described as "the North Shore's leading floor and window coverings retailer."

• Products: Carpet, hardwood, laminate, tile/stone, LVT/LVP, cork, bamboo, area rugs, plus blinds, shades, and quartz/granite/laminate countertops. Carries Shaw, Mannington, Mohawk, Anderson-Tuftex, Caress by Shaw, American Olean Tile, Florida Tile, and Nourison.

• Standout features: Family-owned and operated, fully licensed and insured, all in-house craftsmen (no subcontractors), staffed showroom, and a one-stop-shop format that combines flooring, window treatments, and countertops under one roof.

• Reviews: A small but perfect 5-star Birdeye rating. Representative review: "Beautiful store and such nice people to work with. They were very patient with me during my search for the perfect carpeting for my family room with coordinating tile for my fireplace surround… I highly recommend you check them out."

• Note: A few directories (Yelp) have listed the store as closed, but as of recent activity it remains operating; call ahead before visiting.

Bartz's Floor Covering — Franklin

• Address: 11360 W. Forest Home Ave., Franklin, WI 53132 — (414) 529-7770

• Website: bartzsfloorcovering.com

• Founded: 1990 — over 35 years in business; family-owned (Dennis Bartz, president; Kevin Bartz, vice president).

• Products: Carpet, hardwood, laminate, LVP/LVT, ceramic/porcelain tile, natural stone, vinyl, waterproof flooring, area rugs, and countertops. Carries MSI, DreamWeaver, Karastan, Bruce, Pergo, and Philadelphia Commercial.

• Reviews: 4.9/5 on Angi. Customers consistently praise the buyer-friendly showroom approach ("Pat worked with me to look at quality floor and carpet to fit my budget"), respectful in-home installers, and detail-oriented installation including matching patterns and shaving doors.

• Service area: Franklin, Muskego, Waterford, and the broader south/southwestern metro — a good complement to the North Shore-centric stores above for homeowners with a south-side rental property or second home.

Hardwood Specialists & Refinishers

Anderson Floor Company — Milwaukee

• Address: 6550 W. Forest Home Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53220 — (414) 327-1810 / (262) 710-4010

• Website: andersonwoodfloors.com

• Founded: 1993 by Scott Anderson (after splitting from his father's company in 1992 to start a smaller, quality-focused operation). Owners Scott and Jill Anderson still personally meet customers by appointment.

• Specialty: Hardwood only — installation, repair, refinishing, custom inlays, borders, medallions, dust-free sanding, buffing, recoating, and deep cleaning. They use 3/4" solid wood from standard species (oak, maple) plus international/exotic species and laser-cut materials.

• Standout credentials: Bona Certified Craftsman — one of the first 10 contractors in the country selected by Bona in 2010 for the pilot program. BBB-accredited since 1997. NARI member. Uses premium Bona Traffic finish ($110/gallon class) rather than the budget Home Depot grades.

• Service area: Brookfield, Caledonia, Cudahy, Elm Grove, Franklin, Glendale, Shorewood, Whitefish Bay, Bayside, Brown Deer, Fox Point, River Hills, Milwaukee, Wauwatosa, West Allis, Greendale, Hales Corners, Muskego, New Berlin, Oak Creek, plus Walworth County.

• Reputation: 4.8/5 on Houzz, 90+ Birdeye reviews, glowing Angi reviews ("They had our floors completed within one week of the appraisal… 15/10 stars"). Customers repeatedly call out Jill's communication and Scott's craftsmanship on century-old North Shore homes.

• Best for: North Shore homeowners with original hardwood floors, custom medallions, or high-end whole-house projects where finish quality matters.

Flawless Flooring LLC — Greater Milwaukee

• Website: flawlessflooringllc.com

• Specialty: A true one-stop shop. Carries hardwood, LVP, laminate, tile, and carpet, and — crucially — does in-house hardwood refinishing (sanding to bare wood, custom stain selection, 2–3 coats of high-quality finish). Also handles tile floors, showers, and backsplashes.

• Standout features: Uses in-house employees only — no subcontractors. Strong reputation for water-damage repair and matching newly installed hardwood to existing finishes.

• Reviews: Typical customer comments include "the team at Flawless Flooring are very professional… arrived on time everyday, worked hard… produced a beautiful product," and "Jimmy is a perfectionist… You would think it's all the same flooring."

• Best for: Homeowners dealing with water damage, partial replacement, or anyone who wants both carpet and hardwood handled by a single crew.

Ben's Natural Hardwood Floors LLC — Milwaukee (Bay View)

• Address: 3020 S. Hanson Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53207 — (608) 547-1413

• Specialty: Hardwood install, repair, sanding, and refinishing only. Tagline: "Like It Was Cut Down Yesterday."

• Standout features: Uses low-VOC, fast-curing finishes (cure times measured in days rather than weeks) for better indoor air quality — a selling point for families with kids or pets. Ben himself runs every job.

• Reputation: A Bay View neighborhood favorite, frequently recommended on local Facebook groups. Representative review: "Above and beyond. He works with you. You can tell he loves what he does. He made our 120+ year old floors look great."

• Best for: Older Milwaukee homes (including Cream City brick, Victorian, and Craftsman bungalow restorations) where homeowners want a single dedicated craftsman.

Maxcare Hardwood Flooring — Milwaukee

• Website: maxcarehardwood.com

• Specialty: Hardwood install, refinishing, and maintenance. Over 20 years of experience.

• Standout features: 100% dust-free sanding at no extra charge using an "atomic dust containment system" with a truck-mounted vacuum. All employees, no subcontractors. Floors typically refinished in 2–3 days; furniture can return in 24–48 hours depending on finish.

• Best for: Homeowners with allergies or anyone planning to live in the house during refinishing.

Milwaukee Hardwood Flooring — Southeastern Wisconsin

• Website: hardwoodfloorsmilwaukee.com

• Specialty: Hardwood refinishing, installation, and repair only — residential and commercial.

• Service area: Almost the entire metro — explicitly lists Bayside, Brown Deer, Fox Point, Glendale, River Hills, Shorewood, Whitefish Bay, plus Milwaukee, Cudahy, Franklin, Greendale, Greenfield, Oak Creek, Wauwatosa, West Allis, and most of Waukesha County.

• Best for: Whole-house hardwood projects across multiple suburbs.

Mobile / Shop-at-Home Flooring Services

Floor Coverings International — Milwaukee North (Germantown), Milwaukee South & Whitefish Bay

• Locations served: Two franchise locations cover the metro. The Germantown / Milwaukee North office (262-923-8887) explicitly serves Mequon, Whitefish Bay, River Hills, Shorewood, Thiensville, plus Port Washington, Cedarburg, and Wauwatosa. The Milwaukee South franchise covers the rest of Milwaukee County. Owners Matt and Karina (Oconomowoc) brought the brand to Wisconsin in 2010.

• Website: floorcoveringsinternational.com (with location subpages for Whitefish Bay, Mequon, and Milwaukee)

• Products: Hardwood, carpet, tile, vinyl, laminate, ceramic, eco-friendly options, and area rugs.

• Standout features: Mobile Flooring Showroom® — design associate brings hundreds of samples directly to your home so you can compare under your actual lighting and furnishings. Down-to-the-penny pricing, follow-up satisfaction visit after install, and a 1-year minimum installation warranty plus factory product warranties up to 10 years.

• Best for: Busy North Shore families who don't want to drive between showrooms with kids in tow.

Nationwide Floor & Window Coverings — Wauwatosa/Brookfield (serving the metro)

• Address: 3695 N. 126th St., Suite A, Brookfield, WI 53005 (also 12201 W. Burleigh St., Ste. 7, Milwaukee 53222) — (414) 760-2275

• Website: floorsandwindows.com

• Founded: Over 32 years ago; locally owned and family-run by Dave Markwiese and team. The company describes itself as "the longest-running shop-at-home floor and window coverings service in Wisconsin."

• Products: Carpet, tile/stone, hardwood, laminate, vinyl, wood inlays, area rugs, blinds, shades, shutters, and drapes.

• Reputation: 4.4/5 on Angi. The website's testimonial page is heavy with North Shore zip codes — Whitefish Bay, Mequon, Glendale, Fox Point — including: "Dave - the floor went in yesterday and looks great. The install team did a great job," and "Thanks! Just an FYI -- the carpet guy did an outstanding job and was very friendly." A small number of negative BBB reviews exist regarding follow-through on punch-list items, so confirm specifics in writing before signing.

• Best for: Customers who want both flooring and window treatments coordinated in one visit.

Empire Today — Greater Milwaukee

• Phone/web: 800-588-2300 / empiretoday.com

• Founded: 1959 in the Chicago area; one of the country's largest residential flooring companies.

• Products: Carpet, hardwood, laminate, vinyl, and tile.

• Standout features: Same-day in-home consultations frequently available; in-stock products can be installed as soon as next day. All-inclusive pricing includes furniture moving, demo, haul-away, and prep.

• Best for: Quick turnarounds (rental properties, getting a house ready to list) where speed matters more than boutique product selection.

Regional Chains with Strong Local Showrooms

Carpet City Flooring Center — Germantown

• Address: W190 N10800 Commerce Cir., Germantown, WI 53022 — (262) 345-3099

• Website: carpetcitywi.com

• Founded: 1973 in Wausau by Ed Snoeyenbos. The Germantown store has served Milwaukee since 2013; the chain now has 13 Wisconsin locations (including Kenosha and Racine).

• Products: Carpet, hardwood, laminate, LVP, natural stone, plus exclusive Rigid Max LVP/Tile and Carpet City Core Carpet lines. Custom tile showers and accent walls available.

• Service area from Germantown: Mequon, Thiensville, Cedarburg, Grafton, Port Washington, Slinger, Hartford, Watertown, Oconomowoc, Delafield, Brookfield, Menomonee Falls, Brown Deer, Glendale, Whitefish Bay, Shorewood, Waukesha, New Berlin, Wauwatosa, and beyond.

• Standout features: Massive in-stock selection, free in-home estimates, free samples to take home, and accreditations with the National Wood Flooring Association.

• Best for: Homeowners who want a wide showroom selection plus the buying power of a 13-store chain.

Carpetland USA Flooring Center — Germantown, West Allis, Pewaukee + 4 others

• Closest North Shore location: W188 N9875 Maple Rd., Germantown, WI 53022 — (262) 345-6000

• Other locations: West Allis (1451 S. 108th St.), Pewaukee (Silvernail Rd.), Burlington, Kenosha, Racine, plus a forthcoming Oak Creek store.

• Website: carpetlandusaflooringcenter.com

• Founded: Servicing southeastern Wisconsin and northeastern Illinois for 30+ years.

• Products: Carpet, hardwood, laminate, tile, luxury vinyl, waterproof, vinyl, natural stone, glass tile, metal tile, and area rugs.

• Best for: Six-county shoppers — especially Racine and Kenosha homeowners — who want a no-frills regional chain with strong stock levels. (BBB does have several mixed reviews, so confirm installation details in writing.)

Drexel Building Supply — Brookfield

• Brookfield location flooring department: 19355 W. Bluemound Rd. (the former Drexel Interiors showroom)

• Website: drexelteam.com

• Founded: 1985; family-owned by the Fleischman family since acquiring Drexel Interiors in 2009. Six retail locations across Wisconsin.

• Products: Carpet, hardwood, laminate, LVP/vinyl, ceramic tile, area rugs, plus cabinets, countertops, windows, and window treatments — a full one-stop renovation supplier.

• Standout features: "2 Lifetime Floor Covering Labor Guaranty" introduced under the Fleischman ownership. Carries Mohawk SolidTech, Shaw, Caress, NAFCO, Florida Tile, and Mannington.

• Best for: Whole-home remodels where you want flooring, cabinets, and counters from the same supplier.

Specialty & Boutique Options

Patriot Flooring & Blinds — Mequon

• Address: 1131 N. Wauwatosa Rd., Mequon, WI 53097 — (262) 312-0736

• Products: Carpet, hardwood, laminate, LVP, vinyl, waterproof flooring, plus window blinds. A handy, smaller alternative to the big Mequon showrooms when you also need window treatments.

Carpet Mill Store — Milwaukee

• Service area: Milwaukee metro

• Products: Carpet, area rugs, hardwood, laminate, LVP, vinyl, waterproof flooring.

• Standout feature: Attached to its Milwaukee carpet store is a warehouse stocking over 1,200 rolls of carpet for next-day install. Strong rating (~4.6/5 across roughly 25 reviews).

Best Carpet — Greenfield

• Service area: Milwaukee metro

• Products: Vinyl, laminate, carpet, hardwood, LVP, LVT (carries Mohawk, DreamWeaver, Kraus, CasaBella, Coretec, Metrofloor).

• Standout feature: 35+ years of combined industry experience and shop-at-home service in addition to the Greenfield store — a budget-friendly option for the south side. Mid-3-star Yelp average, so vet specific installer crews.

Straight Edge Flooring — Southeastern Wisconsin

• Website: straightedgeflooring.com

• Founded: 25+ years of southeastern Wisconsin service.

• Products: Hardwood through carpet, full range.

• Standout features: In-home flooring selection consultation; certified installation team that they explicitly do not subcontract. Serves residential, commercial, and new construction. Customer reviews consistently mention professionalism and clean job sites.

Stu's Flooring — Milwaukee

• Products: Hardwood, laminate, tile, vinyl, carpet — plus blinds, shades, and shutters.

• Best for: Smaller projects and combined flooring + window treatment jobs.

Lippert Flooring & Tile — Menomonee Falls / Milwaukee

• Website: lipperttile.com — (262) 999-5727

• Founded: 1949 by William Lippert, Sr.; still family-run (Les Lippert is current president).

• Focus: Primarily commercial flooring and tile, but the firm's Best Practices reputation and union-certified installer team make it worth knowing for HOA, school, condo, and commercial-property managers across the North Shore.

FLOOR360 — Milwaukee Showroom (Butler)

• Address: 12500 W. Silver Spring Dr., Butler, WI 53007 — (262) 646-7811

• Founded: 24+ years serving Wisconsin; second showroom in Madison.

• Specialty: Tile-focused flooring and installation — porcelain, ceramic, natural stone, LVT, plus carpet and hardwood. CAD drawings generated for tile layouts.

• Best for: Detailed kitchen, bathroom, shower, and backsplash tile work where design support matters.

MSI Surfaces — Pewaukee

• Address: N24 W23501 Watertown Rd., Suite 400, Pewaukee, WI 53188 — (262) 956-5000

• Specialty: Tile, natural stone slabs, quartz countertops, and hardscape. The largest tile and countertop showroom in metro Milwaukee, climate-controlled with hundreds of slabs on display.

• Best for: Designers and homeowners doing major kitchen/bath projects who want to hand-pick countertop slabs alongside floor and wall tile.

Lexco Tile & Stone — Milwaukee

• Address: 1616 S. 108th St., Milwaukee, WI 53214 — (414) 771-2900

• Specialty: Floor tile, mosaic, pavers, natural stone, marble, and clearance tiles. Long-established Milwaukee resource for architects, designers, and homeowners who want a true tile shop experience.

Rustam's Gallery of Fine Rugs — Whitefish Bay

• Address: 507 E. Silver Spring Dr., Whitefish Bay

• Specialty: Three-generation Oriental rug importer — not a wall-to-wall flooring installer, but the go-to North Shore source for hand-knotted area rugs that pair with new hardwood or LVP installations. Serves Whitefish Bay, Fox Point, Bayside, Shorewood, River Hills, Mequon, and beyond.

Quick Reference by Project Type

• Carpet only / fast turnaround: Empire Today, Carpet Mill Store, Kerns Carpet One, Bartz's, Carpet City.

• Hardwood install: Anderson Floor Company, Flawless Flooring, Milwaukee Hardwood Flooring, Drexel.

• Hardwood refinishing (dust-free): Anderson Floor Company (Bona Certified), Maxcare Hardwood Flooring, Ben's Natural Hardwood Floors, Flawless Flooring.

• Tile (kitchen, bath, showers): FLOOR360, Lexco Tile & Stone, MSI Surfaces, Carpets Galore, Lakeshore Flooring & Design.

• LVP/LVT: Carpet City (Rigid Max), Kerns Carpet One, Carpetland USA, Bartz's, Patriot Flooring & Blinds.

• Whole-home one-stop (flooring + window treatments + countertops): Lakeshore Flooring & Design, Drexel Building Supply, Bartz's, Nationwide Floor & Window.

• Shop-at-home / busy families: Floor Coverings International, Nationwide Floor & Window, Empire Today, Kerns Carpet One (offers shop-at-home in addition to its showrooms).

• Commercial / HOA / multi-family: Lippert Flooring & Tile, Kerns commercial division, Straight Edge Flooring.

Final Tips for North Shore Homeowners

1. Get at least three quotes for any project over $5,000, mixing showroom and mobile-showroom providers so you can compare both selection breadth and pricing models.

2. Ask about subcontractors. Several of the strongest local providers (Lakeshore, Anderson, Maxcare, Flawless, FCI Milwaukee North) emphasize in-house crews, which generally produces more consistent quality and easier warranty claims.

3. For older North Shore homes, ask any potential hardwood contractor whether they're Bona-certified or NWFA-trained, what finish they use (Bona Traffic is the gold standard), and whether their sanding system is dust-contained.

4. Verify service-area coverage. A few south-side stores (Bartz's, Best Carpet, Anderson Floor) gladly travel to the North Shore but it's worth confirming travel surcharges — and conversely, some Mequon/Germantown stores cover all the way down to Racine and Kenosha.

5. Check current standing. Listings in this guide reflect the strongest reputations as of spring 2026, but small businesses change ownership and hours. Call ahead, especially for boutique stores like Lakeshore Flooring & Design that have inconsistent listings online.

Whether your priority is a hand-finished oak floor restored to its 1925 glory, family-friendly stain-resistant carpet for the kids' rooms, or waterproof LVP that can survive a Wisconsin mudroom, the greater Milwaukee market has a flooring partner that fits — and the North Shore is especially well-served by family-owned showrooms that have been earning local trust for generations.