Wednesday 29 December 2010

Natural Stone Flooring: Longevity And Durability At Its Best

Whether it is remodeling an existing home décor or furnishing a completely new home, whatever you do, you need to ensure sustenance of long lasting finish to every aspect of your home. It is an investment of a lifetime and if you plan to design it for generations to come you must make sure that you use state-of-the-art materials with excellent shelf-life. Flooring is one such aspect of home improvement that needs to be given a lot of significance since it is that part of the house that faces a lot of foot traffic along with other things that needs moving around. Flooring issues, if neglected, may cost a lot in the form of undue damages and expensive repairs. It is thus imperative to choose a type of flooring that can sustain all the rough-usage and yet look elegant and posh for years to come. This can be attained by the use of natural stone flooring.

Natural stone flooring is not new a concept to floorings of homes and places of business or even places of worship. The practice of using natural stone flooring traces many centuries back, only now technologies used to carve and polish these stones have evolved. Scientists have strived to come up with inexpensive versions of fake stone tiles but to no avail. Natural stone still constitutes the exquisite floors of some modern décor’s enhancing the overall interiors manifold. Among the natural stone floorings the ones that are much common are marble, granite, slate, limestone and travertine. Travertine and limestone are examples of sedimentary stone, granite is an example of igneous stone and slate and marble like stones fall into the metamorphic stone category.

Granite is a commonly used rather expensive form of flooring natural stone tile that is consists of quartz, orthoclase or microcline and mica that are also used in monuments and possess sovereign handsomeness and glamour. Similarly, marble and slate floor tiles trace back to the ages of palaces and castles that were endowed with the glorious polished surfaces of these exquisite pieces of rock. They get better with age if correctly maintained. There are a range of marble stones in breathtaking colors and textures. It has varied uses other than those in flooring as well. Marble used sculptures are also ravishingly beautiful. These natural stone floor tiles are best for homes that are situated in places featuring a tropical climate, since they tend to stay low in temperature and improve the interior temperature as well.

Unlike other flooring tiles maintenance of natural stone tiles are comparatively easier and there are not many factors that might possibly cause any form of deformity except for certain chemicals. Stains are also easily removed from these floors with the use of the appropriate solvents.

Tag : floor,stone flooring,floor covering,hardwood floor

Thursday 23 December 2010

Wood Flooring Is Eternal Says Designers

Homeowners should consider wood flooring ahead of any other options, a group of Canadian designers has said.

Speaking to the Canadian Press, Genevieve Gorder, Candice Olsen and Vern Yip, who judge the work of new designers each week on HGTV's "Design Star," all said wooden floors are their preferred material, with Gorder describing it as "the one medium that is eternal."

"It's been in interiors since the beginning of time and it's sitting in our front yards," she said. "There's nothing else like it."

Despite this timelessness, all three added that wooden flooring was at the very forefront of good interior design.

“Wood is both natural and trend-proof,” Olson said, and can bring a much-needed warmth and timelessness to modern rooms. “Even people who love modern style, she said, “don't want a home where everything looks like George Jetson lives there."

When given the choice between real wood and a laminate flooring, each designer said they preferred the genuine article, with the overall consensus that “nothing quite replaces a true wood floor.”

Interestingly though, it's not just wood flooring that's been getting fresh attention recently, but wood finish as a whole. According to Yip, it makes a great material to cover walls and ceilings, while old wooden platforms can also be hung up as art.

"Any time you have an entire wall of one material, wood or something else, it's so striking," he said.

This new attitude to wood is far from unique. Earlier this year The Guardian’s Huma Quereshi said that while the overriding style of the last decade was a timeless mix of “whitewashed brick walls teamed with wooden floors,” interiors styles are growing “more individual and less prescriptive.”

And as hardwood flooring is so perfect for those who like to redesign, refresh or just experiment – it can be retreated with a new finish up to five times – it should be no real surprise that it's such a popular material.

According to The Times' Gwenda Brophy, it's our attitude to how wood can be used here the UK that's changed. Gone, she says, is the “spirit-sapping pine panelling” of yesterday, and in its place a more imaginative – and very grown-up – approach in a number of contemporary homes. And that can only be good news.

To read more about the different types of wood flooring available in the UK, visit Timberland Flooring, where there are a wide range of stunning wooden flooring options available for you to choose from.

Tag : floor,wood flooring,hardwood floor,floor tiles

Tuesday 14 December 2010

Karndean Flooring Can Be Great If You Want A Stunning Look

If you have decided that you want to install a new surface for the floors in your home then you have got quite a variety of choices to select from. Whether you are going to lay a comfy new carpet in some areas or wooden flooring in others, the decision you make is going to be in your home for a lengthy period afterwards so you need to think carefully about it. A possible alternative to both carpet and wooden floor surfaces is Karndean flooring, this can give a stunning look to your Sutton Coldfield home and should definitely be considered. We have provided a brief outline of what this type of flooring is and some of the main benefits of getting it installed below.

Karndean International are the manufacturers of these surfaces and they have been operating for more than thirty years. The floors that they provide are made using high quality vinyl materials and are suited for both business and residential property. Due to the fact that they are made from vinyl, they can be manufactured so that they replicate the appearance of a wide range of other materials. Some of the possible options you could choose are floors that have similar appearance to marble, stone or maybe a wooden effect. Whatever variety you decide to go for you will more than likely end up paying a lot less than you would if you installed a proper wooden or marble floor.

One of the major advantages that can come about as a result of having a vinyl surface is that they are generally more hardwearing than some other types of floor. This means that they will ultimately retain their original quality and appearance for a much longer period of time so you get even more value for money. If you are looking to lay a new floor surface in your kitchen or bathroom then choosing this can be a very good option as a vinyl floor can cope much better in moisture rich atmospheres than a wooden floor or carpet.

Karndean flooring is definitely worth taking into consideration when you are looking to lay any new surfaces in your Sutton Coldfield home or workplace. With the variety of styles that are on offer you will more than likely be able to find something that will suit your personal preference and you will certainly get a quality end product whatever variety you go for.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Roche

Monday 6 December 2010

A Sneak Peak at 2011 Hardwood Flooring Trends

As 2010 winds down, homeowners are allocating budget for home decorating in the upcoming calendar year, and that means expects are already giving their two cents on trends to look out for.

Many experts in home docor say that paint will play a big role in home decorating, with the biggest change happening in how we define a "neutral" color palette. Previously, light browns and beige hues were thought to be the only neutral colors on the color wheel. Now decorators say that colors like mint green, light lavender, light yellow, and even peach are making their way into the "neutral zone."

You can find the mint greens and light lavenders anywhere from kitchen walls to living room furniture. The key is to pair these light colors with a darker, more traditional hardwood floor.

Oak hardwood floors will continue to be all the rage because they are seen as timeless and can be molded to work with a variety of design schemes. Homeowners can install an oak hardwood floor and five years down the road, redecorate their homes without needed to touch the wood.

As for the color of floors, stick to a color like Bruce Hardwood's Saddle Summit or Bruce's Vintage Brown Liberty. For dark oak flooring, go for Mullican's Oak Dark Chocolate, which works exceptionally well with not just light colors, but also bright coral or red-colored walls.

Bright colors are another trend for 2011. With the economy still suffering, people are relying on youthful, bright colors to cheer up their homes, and their moods. Experts say intense turquoise and vivid greens can play up a dull and dreary looking room. The key is to keep it simple and use neutral colors to balance these bright hues out. White furniture and curtains would certainly do the trick.

When it comes to the hardwood finishes of the season, let the design of the room dictate the direction you're going in. If you are thinking modern, then a satiny finish will be perfect. If you want to go classic or vintage, then you should look into handscraped.

Tag : floor,hardwood flooring,floor tiles,floor lamps

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Laine_McKenna


Wednesday 1 December 2010

The Best of Elegance and Safety - Get the Most Stylish Safety Floor

A safety floor, simply speaking, is one which is designed in such a way that anyone who walks on it wearing any kind of footwear can never slip and fall down. Safety flooring is one of the main norms of construction these days, and is a huge requirement for most commercial buildings. In a world where getting even a couple of stitches from a doctor costs a fortune, it is not surprising to see that people try to sue the owners of buildings or their building construction companies if they slip and fall.

Smooth and shiny floors may have the essence of class, but they are not always the safest bet. The best are those that are able to suggest extreme sophistication, and at the same time, are able to provide people with the right amount of friction as well. At the same time, they should be easy to maintain and clean. When you have them in place, you will be ensuring that the future costs of possible lawsuits, maintenance and renovation are reduced to a very large extent.

The magic of Karndean

It appears that we are asking for too much. But with flooring companies like Karndean flooring, this dream has now become a reality. This company has won several awards for its expertise in flooring innovations. It has been able to use superior technologies to manufacture world- class tiles and laminates, giving the look and feel of natural materials like wood, timber and even cane.

At the same time, they can be used even in areas where it would be otherwise impossible to use these natural materials. Thus, if you want to have one that resembles the sands of Arabia, or have the dark mystique of oak wood in your bathroom, it is possible with the help of products from this flooring company.

The charm of Amitico

Amtico flooring is yet another of the hottest flooring contractors available today. This British company has now been able to achieve 15 years of excellence through its dedication to providing people with some of the best quality materials and designs for flooring. The contractor has gained a huge reputation for providing some of the funkiest designs.

It also provides some of the most graceful and classic styles for all kinds of structures - both residential and commercial. If you want your home or commercial complex to have the look and feel of a place where people have never been before, then you must choose this floor company. These floor contractors will be able to give you some of the safest floors, with the most innovative designs and which are cost- efficient in terms of maintenance at the same time.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tom_Agnes