FloorTalk – for all the latest flooring fashions

Cabinet hardware is a necessity to protect the finishes of cabinets. It seems that the trend with cabinet hardware is changing more and more from plain round knobs in the corner of the cabinet doors to more eclectic mixes of styles, finishes and placement. Listed below are some options for color choices and placement.

Colors

• Match the finish to the cabinet hinges
• Match the color of the cabinets (i.e. white hardware on white cabinets)
• Match the finish to the appliances in the room (i.e. stainless steel to match kitchen appliances)
• Match or coordinate with the countertop (i.e. granite to match granite countertops)
• Use a finish that blends with other finishes in the room (i.e. satin nickel to blend with stainless steel)
• Do not match any finish and use something decorative and colorful instead (i.e. hand blown glass pieces in irregular shapes and multicolored)

Knobs

• Typically are placed in the corner of cabinet doors and in the center of cabinet drawers
• Place in the center of a cabinet door
• Use on the cabinet doors with pulls on the cabinet drawers
• Use on the cabinet drawers with pulls on the cabinet doors
• Two can be used at each end of larger cabinet drawers for more stability

Pulls

• Typically are installed on the cabinet drawers or cabinet doors and drawers
• Typically installed vertically up the cabinet door
• Install horizontally on the bottom of the cabinet door and horizontally in the middle of the cabinet drawer
• Install diagonally on flat panel cabinet doors
• Install vertically on the cabinet door and horizontally on the cabinet drawer
• Mix with knobs where the knobs are on the cabinet doors and pulls are on the drawers (or vice versa)
• Place in the center of the cabinet door
• Two can be used at each end of larger cabinet drawers for more stability

Recently, our own Kerry Davis was seen on Designing Spaces offering advice and information on green flooring. Topics were covered such as bamboo, carpet, tile, hardwood, wool, cork and linoleum.

Click here to see the video! TLC Designing Spaces

Hugg This green flooring video here!

Care and Maintenance

• Floors should never be flooded with water or be allowed to have standing water. This can loosen the adhesive.

• Care should be taken with heavy furniture and appliances. Furniture protectors should be used that are at least 2” in diameter. The hard and small buttons sometimes found on the bottom of chairs and other pieces of furniture should be removed. High heeled shoes also apply here.

• Protect the floors from dirt and grit that can be tracked in by using walk off mats at every entrance.

• Do not use rubber backed mats. Certain rubber compounds can permanently stain vinyl.

• Never use vinegar, acetone or lacquer thinner to clean these floors.

• For extreme staining like nail polish , paint, dye and permanent markers try applying fingernail polish remover that contains acetone, but is not pure acetone with a soft cloth and gently rub.

• Spills should be removed immediately.

• The floor should be swept, dust mopped or vacuumed on a regular basis.

• Stubborn rubber heel marks can be removed with a soft cloth dampened with mineral spirits.

• When the floor gets build up, consult the with the manufacturer’s recommended cleaner system to see if a stripper is available.

This guest post was written by New York Wood Floors
New York Wood Floors:

Installing new wood floors – The amount of traffic in the room and it’s affect on the choice of wood:

The amount of foot traffic in the designated room will directly affect the color and finish of any wood floors. Natural light wood colors like oak and maple are less affected than dark color wood floors, which tend to wear and show traffic marks sooner. In areas with high traffic extra attention is recommended as far as recoating.  New York Wood Floors are often being coated 1-2 full coats every 6 month to a year and glossy finishes are not being used at all. Such areas are sanded lightly before coating.

Thanks to New York Wood Floors for your advice!

Luxury Vinyl tile floors are a durable, affordable and attractive alternative to ceramic tile, natural stone and hardwood. Styles are available and patterns can be created for a modern or traditional look. These floors have something to offer most everyone for most applications.

Advantages to these floor include:

• Ease on joints
• More quiet underfoot than most hard surfaces
• Easy to maintain
• Available in wide variety of styles, colors and sizes
• Commercial and residential use
• Real wood, tile and stone looks
• Easier installation than ceramic or stone

If you have a flooring project and are looking for an alternative to hardwood, tile or stone click here for a retailer in your area and ask to see samples of luxury vinyl tile today!

These tiles are in a commercial bathroom in Blackhawk, Colorado. This is a great example of few different design techniques and points to be noticed:

• A coordinating (not matching) floor and wall tile
• This floor tile could go on the walls, but the wall tile could not go on the floor
• A dimensional (v-cap) cap to finish out the tile at the top rather than a flat piece of bullnose
• The tile used in the field is not flat- it is made to look like a basket weave
• The mosaic listello inserted as a decorative band in the field tile
• Most people would think that the decorative band is too busy for the wall tile. What a great combination it turned out to be!
• The subway shaped tile is set in an offset joint or staggered joint pattern
• Note the warmth of all of the selections in the room