Choosing the Best Flooring

Below is a guest post on the subject of the coordination of your flooring with your intended decor style.  Sometimes S Interior Design is working around a client’s existing flooring, other times changing the flooring is a part of the design project scope.   The flooring type and style will have a large overall impact on the outcome of the design and is a crucial design element to get right.

Guest Post:

Matching Your Floor with Your Interior Décor
Chose a floor carefully based on your own style,  and functions of the material.

Photo Credit: snapfiction.com

Types of Floors

There are five primary types of floors you can choose from:  (S Interior Design adds to  the list-Cork, Bamboo, Teak, Concrete)

• Carpet
• Harwood
• Laminate
• Vinyl
• TileWe love the tile that looks like wood planks!

Carpet is one of the most commonly used materials because it is affordable. It also gives off the vibe of comfort and casual. This type of floor is often popular with young families, as it provides a level of comfort and protection for babies and children.  S Interior Design  loves all wool carpeting.  Although it is more expensive, it is naturally resilient, stain resistant, flame retardant and Allergy Safe

Another popular type of flooring is hardwood, a classical option that is often paired with more ornate décor. If you have ever been to an art museum, you might recall that the floors were hardwood. Any other material wouldn’t do in such as setting. Laminate and vinyl are often used as alternatives to hardwood floors. These materials are more affordable, and they can give off the same impression as hardwood. Keep in mind, however, that these floors may not be as hardy. Finally, tile is commonly used in bathrooms and kitchens, but more consumers are looking to fresh takes on tile.  Ceramic tile, for instance, can be useful in homes with pools. Tile gives off the essence of cleanliness and it goes with virtually any type of décor.

Photo Credit: decorateitonline.com

Color

Hardwood and laminate floors are neutral in color so they can go with almost any accent piece within your home. You have a lot more options with carpet and tile, but you will have to take care in order to avoid color clashes.

If you change décor often, consider getting a neutral color. This will help prevent you from having to change new flooring every few years. Also keep in mind that extremely dark colors will make your room appear smaller.

Consider Your Climate

When choosing a flooring option, another tip to keep in mind is the type of climate and environment your floor will encounter. In general, you’ll want to keep your home at a consitent temperature for certain types of floors. For example, a hot and humid environment can have drastic effects on flooring, causing moldy carpets and structural damage. On the other hand, direct sunlight on a floor can cause discoloration or dry flooring, depending on the type. Therefore, you’ll want to examine external factors before choosing the right flooring for your home.

Bottom Line

No matter what your style, you should ultimately choose a floor that you feel comfortable with. Aside from basic colors and décor themes, you should consider the function of your prospective floor. For example, carpet might not be a good fit in a high-traffic room, while carpets are a sound choice for families with small children who play on the floor. Also consider whether the type of floor you want will be easy to clean. Once you have figured out the basic functionality of the floor, start decorating away!

 

Christine Cooney is a writer at The House Designers, writing articles on DIY and award winning floor plans on The House Designers blog. She loves learning about architecture, home décor, and house plans from top architects.

 

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The Most Important Surface In The Home and Office

We asked to co-write a blog post for UK Flooring Direct.    Given the company’s wonderful product and service offerings, we were more than happy to do so.

If asked the question, What is the most important surface in your home or office?  What would you answer?  THE FLOORING OF COURSE.   What you decide to put on the floors literally lays the groundwork for all of the forth coming design decisions.  With this design element, FUNCTIONALITY is the most crucial factor to consider.  The amount of traffic and type of traffic the floor will need to endure, the exposure to moisture, the care and maintenance for the floors are factors that must be considered.  There is an ever expanding array of options in terms of how the floor LOOKS AND FEELS; including eco-friendly options such as Cork, Bamboo and even Teak.

Bamboo Flooring

If you are in the United Kingdom,UK Flooring Direct should most definitely be on the list of vendors to work with.  They carry an extensive product line for virtually any flooring needs you may have.

Kitchen Flooring

“However comfortable and durable your kitchen floor you shouldn’t have to compromise on the appearance and even with all of these great qualities it shouldn’t have to cost the earth.”

Wood, tile, cork, laminate, vinyl and linoleum are all good options to consider for the kitchen floor.  Within each of these flooring types, many color and even format options exist.  For example, cork is available as tiles or planks.

Cork Flooring

Bathroom Flooring

“While everyone wants an attractive option it is also very important, because it is such a wet environment, to make practicality a priority. This will ensure that you get a product which can cope with the demands placed on it without being damaged.”

Do you have to use tile?  NO!!  Other good design options include laminate, vinyl and even cork (sealed of course) are great options to explore.

One design note  on tile —now increasingly popular in commercial and home environments are tiles that look like wood planks.

Laminate Flooring

Commercial Flooring

Here again many options are available.  The branding for the business will guide the aesthetic decisions, while durability factors are the primary concern.  Wood, carpet (tiles or wall to wall glue down), tile, vinyl, laminates and even cork should be considered.

A word on CARPETING—

Many people prefer to place wall to wall carpeting in the bedroom spaces so they have soft feeling underfoot throughout the room.  Carpet is also a good choice to help with acoustics in a room, especially those with high ceilings.  Here again, options for the material, look and feel are plentiful.

Suzanne Lasky, Allied ASID, is the owner and founder of S Interior Design, the exclusive provider of Pawprint Design Services™. Suzanne works with her clients to develop a winning combination of design elements that result in warm, comfortable and functional spaces that reflect each client’s personal style. Suzanne and her team specialize in residential, contract and hospitality interior design, from simple color selections, to office build outs, to restaurant, spa and hotel designs. Suzanne shares her years of expertise through the power of social media. You can follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and at this blog. To speak to Suzanne about your interior design needs, please call 480-220-4659 or visit her website at www.sinteriordesign.com.

A Guide to the Latest Interior Design Trends for Flooring in Your Home

When we were approached to host this guest blog, about one of our favorite topics, flooring, we jumped at the idea. Choosing the proper flooring from a functional and aesthetic point of view (always consider both!) is one of the most important items when re-modeling or simply re-decorating. Selecting the perfect hard or soft flooring helps to bring a room together and to unify the overall design. Sometimes for us, it all starts with the flooring and we design-out from there.

The three biggest current trends in the flooring industry are reviewed in this post and there is a suggestion that we are entering a new and hopefully more positive atmosphere with regard to consumer attitudes and desires.

Sustainable flooring is now a particularly important issue to a lot of people, and as a result, manufacturers are focusing on eco-friendly ranges and consumers are now certainly taking the environment in to consideration with their purchase, and thereby making a statement at the same time as acquiring a beautiful floor covering.

There maybe a few signs that the end of the recession may be in sight, in any case, consumers are looking to make plans to improve their surroundings and maintain or even raise the value and desirability of their homes. This is prompting a welcome increase again in new homes being built and a rise in home renovations, both requiring new flooring and pushing demand higher.

It seems to be a more widely held belief that products such as solid wood floors and high quality carpets will add to the value of your home and these choices are now seen as an investment rather than just a purchase.

With brighter news for the economy and the environment there is no surprise that the flooring style of the moment is all about bright colors.

Although interior design trends have mainly focused on neutral shades in recent years the mood and purpose for home improvements has changed and fewer people are now decorating with the intention to sell and are now more likely to want to put their own personal touches to a home.

Selecting flooring in your home is significant because the color, texture and pattern of the floor will set the mood for the rest of the room’s design. Many designers call their designing model the “floor-up” model for this very reason. When selecting a color, texture and pattern for your floor, consider the overall design you wish to pursue in a room, and select flooring that will compliment the walls, trim work and furniture.

If you are a person who changes furnishings often, you are best advised to select a neutral floor, which will easily work into any decor. This will protect you from purchasing a new floor to fit in with your design change. Ideally, a floor like hardwood could be purchased to accent the room’s trim. These floors typically look good with any furnishings. Select a hardwood that is a shade lighter, or a shade darker than the wooden trim in the room to give the room depth, and create distinction between trim and the floor. Generally, dark woods with a high sheen are considered appropriate for formal rooms, like a dining room, while lighter woods with a more natural finish are preferred in rooms with a rustic decor, or a less formal purpose, like the living room.

In an area where there is heavy traffic, or where there is a risk of water damage, avoid both wood and carpet. Instead select a tile, laminate, or vinyl flooring that will both hold up well to use and clean easily. In a bathroom, take the time to look at the permanent fixtures. If they are bright white, the floor is an opportunity to include a splash of color. If the existing fixtures contain color, a more neutral flooring is appropriate and will prevent clashing.

In an area like the kitchen, there are a lot of other design elements to consider when selecting a floor. Most importantly, the counter tops and cabinet fronts should be considered. Also, if the kitchen has canister sets, family heirloom kitchen elements or other existing decor, the colors already present in the room should be considered. Select flooring that can be worked into the room in other ways. If you are laying large tile, find one that is similar too or complements a small tile that can be used as a backsplash. If you are laying laminate, take a sample of your countertops and look for a laminate flooring that closely coordinates in terms of texture and color.

No matter what furniture and decor is in the room, remember that the floor takes up one-sixth of the visual space, more than any other uninterrupted space, with the exception of the ceiling. Select a flooring that ties all the furniture, decor and natural elements of a room together. Try to find flooring that contains the same color palate as the walls, the room trim, or the furniture. Avoid colors that are too bold, especially in small spaces where they will become overwhelming. Consider the room’s natural or artificial light source, and consider how that will affect the appearance of the flooring after it is installed. Finally, take home samples of the flooring and see how it looks in the room before purchasing enough to do the whole space.

 

About Suzanne Lasky, Allied ASID
Suzanne Lasky, Allied ASID, is the owner and founder of S Interior Design, the exclusive provider of Pawprint Design Services™. Suzanne works with her clients to develop a winning combination of design elements that result in warm, comfortable and functional spaces that reflect each client’s personal style. Suzanne and her team specialize in residential, contract and hospitality interior design, from simple color selections, to office build outs, to restaurant, spa and hotel designs. Suzanne shares her years of expertise through the power of social media. You can follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and at this blog. To speak to Suzanne about your interior design needs, please call 480-220-4659 or visit her website at www.sinteriordesign.com.