Summer Colors – Flooring & Wall Trends

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Summer Colors – Flooring & Wall Trends

Living a wellness lifestyle involves nourishing your soul, and entering rooms and visiting places where you can renew your energy without feeling rushed. And one of the basic tenets of serenity requires a certain ambience from the moment you enter a room – from the flooring to the furniture and light; with a simple nod to the color palette on the walls.

Flooring.

Oak Flooring In Living RoomThe hottest design trend we are seeing is the move toward reclaimed hardwood and wide plank and reclaimed hardwood flooring, both for sustainability and aesthetic beauty. Heirloom (or reclaimed) boards often have a patina that is unmatched by modern boards.

Many families seek wide plank wood floors because they have historically been used in factory flooring and have withstood the test of time – which means they will be an asset to the value of your home and an heirloom floor for your family.

The most sophisticated consumers will typically select stains that enhance the grain in the wood and will complement furnishings.

Regardless of your choice, from pale to ebonized floor stain – the key is to select a floor that will match your lifestyle. Remember, that extreme colors show dirt or dust, but the middle range colors are often the easiest for maintenance.

Walls.

My favorite thing to do with a client is the selection of an eco-friendly paint – and my preferred brand is AURA made by Benjamin Moore. One way that the company works with consumers is with a website link called a  Personal Color Viewer which allows you to see a room – with hardwood floors or carpeting and you can “paint” the room virtually. It is a wonderful way to select options and to understand how it will work with a floor that is light, dark or textured with carpet. You can even upload your own photo of a room – which allows you to see how the floor might look if you changed the paint color.

Another way to be a trendsetter is to review the fashion runway and to see what the looks are – if you see a lot of paisley, imagine that more people will use wallpaper or patterned upholstery. If you see a lot of rich colors, then look for accent walls and rich touches in accent pillows. And finally, a muted palette will often mean a rich floor color and neutral upholstery, but anything goes on the walls to allow individuality to come through…

Architecture is a key element – and no matter what you start with – a simple bungalow, or a mega-mansion – you can always improve a space with elegant floors, base mouldingsmoldings and the right paint colors. A private space can welcome you with muted colors, and a grand space can seem smaller with rich wall colors. But the flooring will be something that your guests will have a tactile relationship with…with children, they will crawl and play – and with adults, the richness of a floor will be a subtle reminder of your attention to detail, whether it is an oak floor or prefinished wood flooring .

As mentioned earlier, wide plank wood flooring is a plus for many homes, but if your budget does not allow it, then consider a floor that has a narrow plank or a random widths.

No matter the budget, make sure that you focus on your private space as a retreat for you, friends and family. There will be times when you need to put a do-not-disturb sign on the door and have complete privacy in the lap of luxury. With an elegant floor, paint schematic and elegant furnishings – you will have the foundation to achieve your goal of elegance in the design details of your space.

Create your space by first focusing on the surfaces – remember, walls and floors are the foundation to your home and will make all the difference!

 

Contribued by:

Robin Wilson is an eco-friendly interior designer and a lifestyle brand with products sold at Bed Bath & Beyond.com. She is an ambassador to the Asthma & Allergy Foundation of America and author of Kennedy Green House (Greenleaf, 2010). She regularly appears on the speakers circuit, on television and offers commentary in print on wellness, sustainability and allergy & asthma issues. Learn more at www.robinwilsonhome.com

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