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gives the flooring a range of colors.
What shade of stain should you choose?
Light-colored floors can make a room feel larger, but Rottet says some light oak floors can fade to a yellowish color. Gray is also popular for wood floors right now. But “you have to be careful with gray,” she says, “because it can bleach toward green.”
Keep in mind that a floor that gets lots of direct light may change appearance over time.
Dark brown, nearly black shades can also be beautiful, Rottet says. Just be aware that you may need to sweep often. Darker shades, whether in wood or ceramic tile, will also help a space feel warmer, Cardet says.
Overall, Cardet suggests making conservative choices with flooring colors and styles, then getting creative with area rugs that can be replaced if your taste changes.
CONSIDERING CONCRETE AND TILE
Concrete floors are trendy and can be beautiful. But over time, cracks can form, and there’s little that can be done to prevent them. Some people don’t mind the look, so use concrete only if cracks won’t bother you.
Concrete floors also don’t absorb sound well.
Another option is large porcelain tiles that look similar to concrete or stone.
“We love terrazzo instead of concrete,” Touzet says. “It’s been around for centuries, and you can get the aggregates pretty fine, so it almost looks like a concrete floor.”
Porcelain is generally durable, although it can chip. Cardet recommends “through-body” tile, which is made of the same material all the way through. It can be more expensive, but because the color isn’t just on the surface, the look of the floor isn’t ruined if there are chips.
In choosing tile or stone, many customers are increasingly aware of durability. “We have been seeing less of limestones that are super-precious and soft,” Touzet says. “People want an ease of living with their floor, not constantly maintaining it, putting a sealant on it.”
SECRET SAVINGS
If you don’t have the budget to do an entire room in hardwood but wish you could, Rottet has a creative solution: Put down carpeting throughout the room, but add a wood border that’s several inches thick around the edges of the room. It will appear as though your carpeting is actually a rug sitting on top of hardwood.
Carpeting is less popular these days, Touzet says, because of concerns about dust and air quality. But you can find a low-pile carpet and choose natural materials such as wool to avoid those issues.
And one affordable, retro trend that may be returning: high-end vinyl floors with the look of stone or wood.
Online: https://www.rottetstudio.com/ https://perkinswill.com/ http://www.touzetstudio. com/