March 22nd, 2011
What is your Tile Style? Are you modern, and enjoy clean and sleek look… maybe you’re all about the family having a large landscape to run around… or maybe you dream of Tuscany and Spain and want to bring a little of that warmth indoors? Well, whether you’re edgy, modern, simple, or flamboyant… there’s a tile for you.
Tile can be the most contrasted and diverse form of flooring that anyone can hope for. If designers can dream it up… you can tile your floor with it. No other flooring solution can carry your own personality with as much gusto, taking your room from beyond flooring and into art.
Not only are tiles made so varied in style and color but they have the most options in trim and accessories. Accent pieces and complementary trim are abundant and easy to combine into a unique and functional design. Classics such as marble, slate and travertine can mingle with porcelains that are of neon colors to abstract designs.
Tile can fit so perfectly into modern design, the straight clean lines, the symmetry. Now tile manufacturers are venturing into new and unfamiliar territories, experimenting with metallic’s, Fleur de lis, and linens. A beautiful example of such is Emser’s “Strands” collection. It’s linear fabric pattern is offered in an eclectic color pallet. With a range of sizes not only will you have a unique tile but you can have it in many different patterns.
Are we being square with you, or do you see it from a different angle? Please let us know your take.
Tags: floor tiles, Flooring, flooring choices, scratch resistant flooring, tile
Posted in Flooring, Tile & Stone | No Comments »
March 16th, 2011
Have you ever wondered about choosing a floor covering that was truly a classic look. I know that so many of my clients are looking for a style that is versatile, fashionable, and something that won’t be out of style in the next five years. Something that would quite literally stand the test of time. Travertine is a fantastic option. It has been used in many well known buildings such as the Colosseum in Rome, The Getty Centre Museum in Los Angeles California and the Sacre Coeur in Paris to name just a few.
To better appreciate the “wow factor” you need to understand the natural origins of travertine… It is formed by subterranean springs, underground rivers, and other water sources. The stone is characterized by pitted holes and troughs in its surface. Quarried all over the world, most of the imports come from Italy, Iran, Mexico, Turkey and Peru. Travetine tends to have a lot of variation, the highs and lows of the stone add the real character and make it a truly special choice for flooring. No one piece is ever the same. There are also a number of styles that it is made available in. There are many variations of this tile from distressed and rustic to clean cut and precise.
Each style of marble and travertine stone is a reflection of the unique geographical location from which it was extracted. It has an impressive history of use in architecture and is becoming more and more popular. Many homeowners find it the perfect covering for their “Tuscan kitchen”. It’s like owning a small piece of history in your own home.
‘Sealing’ is something to consider. Because travertine is natural and is porous, it should be sealed in order to properly maintain the look and luster of the floor. Also to protect your floor from potentially being stained by a liquids; such as red wine, or coffee.
Next time you are in the market for a floor that can meet your every want and need, think about travertine and it’s long history of beauty and elegance.
Tags: floor, floor tiles, Flooring, flooring choices, tile, Travertine
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January 31st, 2011
Every once in a while we stumble upon a product that can meet almost every need for our decor needs. A seemingly timeless
piece of artistically crafted, subtle perfection, that cannot easily be dated by its look or color. Provenza is a manufacturer
full of creativity, innovation, quality and style. For us, their flagship line has always been the Antico Collection.
A scraped and distressed hardwood floor made out of Hevea, also known as “rubber tree”. Amazingly, this is the same source
which produces natural rubber. This exotic species of wood has a beech grain and lots of character. This floor in any room is
the perfect accent, or can even stand alone as a focal point of design. The grain is subtle and the colors are natural;
Chamboard” being my personal favorite. With each welcomed guest entering your home, you will instantly see eyes gaze to the
floor in awe. With fun facts in tow you have yourself a conversation piece, rich in both style and history.
Whether your decor is Tuscan, Mediterranean, Old World, County Cottage or any of the Modern variations, this floor delivers.
There are many pros to convince you of the value as well as the remarkable beauty of this flooring option…
Possibly the most appreciated being how well it will hide the day to day traffic, color coordinate with any furnishing, also
being scratch resistant, clearly easy to maintain. Each individual piece is different, you can appreciate how they come
together, and provide a natural landscape in your home, and that’s the beauty of hard wood floors.
Have we hit the hardwood nail on the head, or are there other products out there that you love more and would like some more information on?
Tell us what you think.
Tags: distressed hardwood, Flooring, flooring choices, Hardwood Floors, Hevea, rubber tree, scraped hardwood, scratch resistant flooring, Wood Flooring
Posted in Flooring, Hardwood | No Comments »
February 9th, 2010
You know it as well as I do. It’s that room in your house that hardly ever gets used and we all have one. Call it the guestroom, the craft room, the collect all or the home gym. It has so many purposes, yes that versatile room and yet so little character. That design and decor that gives the rest of your home a personal touch is lacking or forgotten all together.
So this year, inspire creativity. Feed the mind, body and spirit and do so starting with that fifth wall.The blank canvas that is your floor. There are so many fun and exciting things available now to not just spice up a room, but to give it a total transformation and redefine the idea of a PERSONAL space. Do you want something soft to sit and lay on try a carpet with a pattern, they add depth to your decor and can come in anything from pin dot to “Tiger Stripes.”
Want a hard surface? Now cork and linoleum have so many fun and exciting designs you can make virtually any pattern or design. What ever you do think about you? Put yourself in this room make it yours. Inspire yourself. Enjoy your home!
Tags: Flooring, flooring choices
Posted in Flooring, Green Products, Hardwood, Laminate | 1 Comment »
November 9th, 2009
There they stood, wide eyed in wonderment, scanning the showroom with raised eyebrows. They took 12 steps forward and then stopped and started talking amongst themselves. I approached, greeting the couple and offering my assistance.
“We just purchased a home and it’s a mess… We need all new flooring and don’t know where to begin!”
Where do you begin when you have a blank canvas? What questions do you ask when you know nothing about the subject? So often we enter into uncharted territory, arms crossed and nervous. In any of our showrooms there are thousands of products that come in a variety of different materials, colors, styles, and textures.
The sample that you may so casually pick off the display rack and place on the floor will some day define your living room. The carpet sample you drag your bare foot across will some day be the cushion that your baby learns to walk on. That floor will be danced on, run across, be a table, a coaster, and the perfect place to watch TV or read a book.
Look into the things that make up your daily life. Ask yourself the questions that define you and your lifestyle…
We strolled through the store, and I started asking the questions that would help create their perfect home. Slowly we narrowed the field and when we were down to three different samples the couple breathed a sigh of relief.
“Take these home and see which one looks best next to your paint, and with your furniture,” I said. We parted ways and the couple walked out of our store with a look that showed the weight of the world had been lifted off of their shoulders.
So, when you set out to pick out that perfect floor, remember: this floor is not just what you walk on, it’s what you live on.
Tags: Carpets, Flooring, flooring choices, flooring showroom, flooring store
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