FloorTalk – for all the latest flooring fashions

Is your home boring and tired? Are all of your walls and floors beige? There are many simple ideas that you can do to spruce up your home and make it feel almost new again.

1. Rearrange the furniture. Changing the way the furniture is laid out can make a room feel completely different.
2. Paint an accent wall. This is a fast, easy and inexpensive way to change the look of a room.
3. Add an area rug. If your floors and walls are all neutral and your furniture is wood and solid colors, an area rug can add color and life to a room.
4. Change a few key light fixtures. Updating light fixtures can add more light to a room as well as more stlye.
5. Change plumbing fixtures. Changing facuets to a more updated style and finish can make a bathroom, especially look more updated.
6. Declutter. Take a serious look around at what you really need versus what you have collected over the years!
7. Recover or slipcover worn upholstered pieces. If you have chairs or barstools that are worn or the fabric is last decades style, a slipcover is a fast and easy way to get a whole new look.
8. Add greenery. If your home doesn’t have greenery, adding it can make a room feel more complete. The greenery doesn’t have to be real if you don’t have a green thumb!
9. Change cabinet hardware. Changing cabinet hardware can change the whole look of a kitchen. Be careful to make sure the replacement hardware has the same type hole as the previous or that the new hardware will cover the old holes.
10. Add a backsplash. Adding a backsplash is not only a great idea from a functional standpoint, but it can make a room feel put together and stylish!

Trying any of these quick tips can help change the look of a room. Everyone doesn’t need all of these tips, but one might inspire you to get the look that you want. Happy Decorating!

As a former designer that used to work with other designers, I have come to realize that designers almost need continuing education when it comes to floors. What I mean by that is, times change and with it comes change in technology. Not staying on top of that technology can cause a designer to make an expensive mistake that costs them their reputation.

Examples are:

• Finishes on Products- New finishes are available that need to be maintained differently from older finishes.
• Installation Techniques- These techniques are being updated and improved all the time. Knowing what is most current will keep your clients happy and satisfied. Suggesting an improper technique can cost you a client.
• Colors and Styles- Colors and styles change as often as the fashion industry. Keeping up with these trends will help ensure that your current designs are in fact current.
• Discontinuation of products- We all have our favorites. There is nothing worse than selling a client your very favorite product, designing a space around it, only to find out that it is discontinued.

Your flooring consultant should keep you informed of new products, new trends, discontinued products and supervise installation techniques, but in reality, this doesn’t always happen. Staying on top of new flooring trends will keep your designs current and your customer satisfaction rate high. Use the tools and the advice on the WFCA site to help with those issues in conjunction with a local retailer.