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Color is an important factor in our everyday lives. It can determine our moods, our emotions and even our eating habits! Below are some descriptions of different colors and what they mean in the world of decorating and in your day to day life. There are more complex meanings behind some colors – this is just a birds eye view of the meanings of some colors.

Black

* signifies authority, power
* from a design standpoint, it is stylish and timeless
* too much can be depressing because black absorbs all light

White

* symbolizes innocence and purity
* in decorating, it is neutral and goes with everything
* also can imply sterility
* can be hard to maintain
* can create a sense of space or add highlights

Red

* an emotionally intense color
* symbolizes warmth and comfort
* watch out painting your kitchen red because it can make you want to eat more!
* great color for accents and places you want to draw attention

Blue

* regarded as peaceful because it is reminiscent of the sky and ocean
* overall is the most popular color choice
* great choice for bedrooms because of it generates peaceful feelings
* be careful because some shades of blue can be depressing!
* productivity is increased in blue rooms so blue is a good choice for offices or boardrooms

Green

* currently the most popular decorating color perhaps because of the correlation to the concern for the environment
* green is “easy on the eyes” and is considered relaxing
* dark green can be considered masculine and conservative

Purple

* hot decorating color right now
* symbolizes wealth and royalty
* lighter shades can feel more romantic and feminine

Brown

* popular because of its tie to nature and the earth
* darker shades (chocolate) are popular to mix with other colors as accents
* light brown implies genuineness

Question:

I am writing to find out what kind of wood I should use on a floor in a house that has extreme temperature changes.    It is a vacation house in northern Maine that I visit for short times at any time of year. I do not leave the heat on when I am not there so the floor will go from 10 degrees or lower to 75 degrees or higher rather quickly.

What do you suggest?

Answer:

I would not use any type of hardwood flooring in a house with extreme temperature changes because of the rate that the floor will expand and contract. There is really no flooring type other than porcelain or natural stone (wood, laminate, vinyl or carpet) that can withstand temperatures lower than 55 degrees.

Reader Question:

I have a cake decorating business and I need a soft, I suppose rubber type, floor.  Right now, I have the puzzle piece rubber mats, but some do not fit together properly and stuff gets down in the cracks.

I was at an expo in 2008 and a couple of the booths had a rubber flooring that looked like a wooden floor.  It was so pretty.  One gal was supposed to find out where they had gotten it, but she never contacted me later and I don’t know what I did with her phone number.

Do you have anything like this?  I’d like it to be pretty thick, I have some feet problems (heel & arch), so I need something with some cushion.  I do spend a lot of time on my feet. Please write to me and let me know if you can help me, or what you might recommend for my cake room.

Answer:

This response is provided by Mark from Rubber Flooring, Inc.

What I can tell you is that interlocking tiles are manufactured in a variety of ways.  There are some that are waterjet cut for extreme precision.  These kinds of tiles will often appear virtually seamless and will have a very tight fit so that nothing can get down in the cracks.  They also tend to be a little more expensive.

There are other kinds of tiles as well that are molded and others that are punched out of sheets.  These usually do not fit as tightly together.  We have all 3 kinds on our site so I definitely understand your frustration with the tiles that don’t fit together as well.

As far as ones that look like wood flooring, I know of two options as of right now, foam mats with a wood like veneer.  We are actually going to add these too our site but have not done so yet.  You can find them here:

http://www.alessco.com/products/

The other kind I have seen is a more expensive two layer rubber and urethane overcoat system.  An example of that can be found here:

http://www.mondousa.com/mondousa_v02/index.cfm?action=advance&impostalingua=en

Also just a tip, there are options out there that are pretty thick but extra thickness does not always mean more cushion to be honest.  Many times with rubber flooring, extra thickness just means more durability which is important to say commercial gyms.  To compare cushion between brands effectively, I would recommend asking for the specifications of each brand and looking at compression ratio tests.  The more it compresses, the more cushion it has normally.  Also I would ask for samples.  Feeling the product in your hands is often the best way to check it out.  If you want, we can send you some samples of ours as well free of charge if you let me know your mailing address. I am also attaching our rubber flooring spec sheet so you can see an example of that as well.

One last Idea, have you thought about going to a harder surface in the kitchen like tile or even vinyl and then used kitchen mats over the top of that where you walk or stand?  That might be a decent solution and many times kitchen mats have more cushion and anti fatigue capabilities than many rubber flooring products.

World Floor Covering Association (WFCA) Provides Trend Report from Premiere Floor Covering Show

Anaheim, CA (PRWEB) March 11, 2009 — If the devil wears Prada, then the fashion-conscious demon must walk on animal prints, nude tones, layered looks and leather. For these are just some of the hottest trends in flooring uncovered by the World Floor Covering Association’s fashion scouts at this year’s Surfaces – one of the home market’s top international trade shows – which took place in Las Vegas in February this year.

WOOD AND BAMBOO TRENDS
There were no limits at Surfaces when it came to treatments in wood. High-gloss piano-finish floors that reveal your reflection were seen. As were innovative wood tiles in a surprising variety of whimsical shapes and sizes, including Tetris patterns, puzzle pieces, bricks and even fish scales! New wood surface stains now offer 0% VOC, no off gassing, are non-toxic and of all things, are even edible. Another new process extends the lifespan of hardwood floors with stains that run throughout the wear layer resulting in a highly durable floor that offers everlasting beauty that can be enjoyed for a lifetime.

Bamboo floors were also a hit at the show with one company presenting an assortment of oil-finished “woven” bamboo floors infusing cork strands for added dimension, anti-bacterial properties, soundproofing and insulation.

CARPET TRENDS
Carpet and area rugs were all about texture this year — from shag to loops to contemporary felt discs. Also fashionable are rugs and carpets bound with a hint of metallic fiber just to catch the eye. Animal and nature-inspired looks are also the rage, including panther and leopard skin, tropical leaf and flower patterns, tree textures and tribal designs.

In addition to eco-friendly products, manufacturers were paying close attention this year to allergen reducing products and manufacturing methods. One new line includes a broad selection of carpets that incorporates silver and zinc release, which offer the strongest anti-bacterial technology on the market. Another company debuted new friezes using dye-accented color choices achieved through an eco-friendly solution that saves water and is zero-effluent into streams.

One earth-friendly standout at the show was a new shag carpet made with 80% bamboo fiber yarn and 20% cotton. It has the look and feel of silk without the price tag.

TILE TRENDS
As in the wood and laminate categories, high sheen and transparent shine were the hot trends in the tile category. Long, thin rectangular tiles reminiscent of flowing streams were seen, as well as tiles made from authentic crystal and semi-precious stones. New heat slumped glass tiles impart a sculpted, embossed effect giving the illusion of raindrops on the surface, linen textures, crinkled fabric, sand and slate effects.

LAMINATE TRENDS
The hottest trend in laminates this year was highly reflective, glossy finishes in exotic wood formats, as well as stone looks with “natural” embossed patterns and beveled edging. A brand new introduction includes a hybrid product containing natural cork, leather and linoleum surface-treatments that are stabilized on planks.

RESILIENT TRENDS
New resilient products, including vinyl, cork, leather and linoleum, offered not only environmentally friendly introductions, but product launches that were also easy to clean and offered healthful benefits.

One new launch in the linoleum category achieved the Asthma and Allergy Friendly certification mark — which has never been given to a flooring product before. Another debut was a cork and linoleum hybrid called Corkoleum. It is an eco-friendly alternative to vinyl and laminate flooring that is resilient, warm, scratch and abrasion resistant, and easy to clean and maintain. 100% recycled leather planks were also presented in a broad spectrum of natural shades and textures — from glossy bright red crocodile to supple lizard.

“With today’s economic challenges, people everywhere are focusing more on their home environments and creature comforts,” said Christopher Davis, President and Chief Executive Officer of the WFCA. “Manufacturers across the globe have listened to customers and have delivered an array of introductions that are certain not to disappoint.”

The WFCA’s website – WFCA.org — offers detailed information about these flooring categories. In addition, the website provides answers to the most common floor covering questions. Visitors can also find detailed information and practical tips on every flooring category available, including carpet, hardwood, laminate, ceramic, porcelain, resilient, vinyl, cork, stone and area rugs. An overview of each category provides the pros and cons, a product catalog, manufacturing details, varieties and styles available, things to consider before purchase and how to prepare for installation.

When it’s time to buy floors, WFCA.org offers a searchable database of reputable WFCA retail members across the country. All a user needs to do is enter their zip code to receive a list of suppliers in their area.

The WFCA, official sponsor of Surfaces, is the floor covering industry’s largest advocacy organization, representing floor covering retailers, contractors and allied service providers throughout North America. For more information about the WFCA, visit WFCA.org and WFCA-PRO.org.

Walker Zanger is known for its innovative style and design. While browsing their website, in their inspiration gallery I saw something that caught my eye. In the picture to the left, of course the backsplash catches your eye, but if you look closely the island is where the unique feature is.

Notice how the perimeter of the island is polished and the field of the island is honed! It’s hard to tell whether the perimeter countertops are honed or polished, but either one would compliment the island.

The products shown are:

Weave Kitchen

Backsplash: Weave Teak Offset Blend

Counter: Copper Canyon Granite Slab (Honed and Polished)

Walker Zanger has a wonderful website with an interactive product catalog. You can turn the pages on the website of the catalog just as if you were turning the pages in the printed catalog. Very chic. Very green.

To care for your granite countertop, here are a few hints and tips from the WFCA site:

1. Your retailer or manufacturer can suggest specialty products designed for use on your stone floors. These are highly recommended.
2. Always blot spills immediately. A neutral pH detergent or pure soap, such as Liquid Ivory, and warm water, can be used for spills or periodic complete cleaning.
3. Be sure to rinse thoroughly and dry the surface with a soft, clean cloth. Too much cleaner or soap may leave a film and cause streaks. Change your rinse water frequently.
4. Do not use products that contain lemon juice, vinegar or other acids on marble, limestone or travertine.
5. You should avoid using products that contain abrasive cleaners, cleansers (dry or soft) or any ammonia-based cleaners on any stone. These products will dull its luster.
6. Also, do not use retail grout cleaners, scouring powders or bathroom tub and tile cleaners on your stone.
7. For heavens sake please don’t mix bleach and ammonia; this combination creates a toxic and lethal gas.

To find a floor store in your area, click here.

CB Whittemore from Flooring the Consumer encouraged me to participate in the meme 7 Things About Me. Instead of giving you details about me – I thought it would be more interesting to give you 7 things about the World Floor Covering Association and the WFCA website.

1. The WFCA originated in 1959 and is located in Irvine, California.

2. Each year, approximately 15 million consumers are reached by the WFCA.

3. The website offers a store locator that allows you to enter your zip code and find reputable flooring stores near your zip code.

4. The site contains many design tools including a virtual room designer that allows you to “try on” different floors in different types of rooms so you can see what different flooring surfaces look like in different sized rooms, rooms with different types of cabinets and colors as well as different sized flooring options.

5. Also on the site are design resources in the design center such as articles, tips and answers to FAQ’s. You can also view pictures of different floors in the flooring galleries.

6. You can take quizzes on how you live and what you like. (I recommend these – these are fun and informative)

7. All of these items can be saved in your very own workbook that you can use for yourself or share with others.

So – there are 7 things about the WFCA and the WFCA website. Visit the site and try out some of the tools available to help make decisions about flooring easier.

Below are descriptions of common carpet issues and how to deal with them!

Sprouts: If your carpet shows parouts, don’t worry, it isn’t growing. With cut pile carpet, small tufts or sprouts can stick up above the surface. Don’t pull them. Clip them off with scissors.

Snags: Pulling or snagging can occur when a sharp object like a loose shoe nail or a child’s toy hooks on the fibers. Don’t pull the snag. Clip off with scissors.

Dents: Remove a dent by stroking it with the edges of a coin. You can also use a hair dryer (hot air) or a steam iron very lightly to raise the dented area while you tug up ward on the tufts.
CAUTION: DON’T LET THE IRON TOUCH THE CARPET.

Crushed Pile: Vacuum regularly with “beater bar” type vacuum, or use a plastic or wooden carpet rake to restore matted down pile.

Burns: Should your carpet endure a burn, remove the tops of the darkened, burned fibers with a curved fingernail scissors. If the burn is extensive, your carpet may require patching or replacement.

Shedding: Some shedding is common in new carpet with cut pile. The loose fibers are easily removed through regular vacuuming and in no way affect carpet quality. This condition will diminish after a few weeks or months depending on vacuuming frequency.

Footprints: All cut pile carpets show footprints. This is not a defect. It is much more prevalent on deep pile carpet made from bright fiber. To minimize footprints, you might want to choose a very dense low pile carpet made from Solutia’s mid luster nylon.

Piling: Sometimes certain types of carpet, or heavy traffic, can create little balls of tangled fibers and lint. Just pull them off by hand or clip them with scissors.

This information is from the Wear-Dated consumer website.

1.       Vinegar and water is not a good cleaner to clean every type of flooring. In fact, vinegar can eat away at the sealers on floors like natural stone.

2.       Furniture should not be dragged across the floors when moving to vacuum or clean under the furniture. This can cause permanent scratches that cannot be removed.

3.       Hardwood floors should not be generously mopped with soap and water. Water can make hardwood expand and then contract leaving cracks or gaps in the floor.

4.       Sponge mops, rag mops nor steam mops should be used to clean hardwood floors. Mops with terry cloth heads should be used instead. These mops are specially designed to clean hardwood floors.

5.       Vacuums with beater bars should not be used to clean every type of carpet. Shags and other carpets need vacuums without beater bars.

6.       Stairs should be vacuumed regularly. These are easy to ignore because they are hard to clean, but they are just as important as the rest of the house.

7.       The dirt from walk off mats at each entrance should be cleaned in order not to track in more dirt after the floors are clean. There’s no point in cleaning the floors if you are just going to track in more dirt when you walk back in the house!

8.       Bleach should not be used to clean grout.  Bleach can permanently discolor grout.

9.       Multiple cleaners should not be used on top of each other. This can cause build up and haze issues.

10.   If possible, the best cleaners to use on floors are the ones that are approved by the manufacturer. If you are unsure of who the manufacturer is – your best bet is to use a cleaner that is specifically designed for use on each individual type of floor.

February started off with an homage to Surfaces, the premier flooring showcase and trade show held annually in Las Vegas.

First, we started off with an overview of Surfaces. Here we talked about the presence of design elements, color themes and upcoming posts on the different products shown at the show.

Then came a breakdown of trends in hardwood, tile, carpet and area rugs.Later in the month we presented an overview of the company Wicanders and their line of products and a post on how to use the hot trends of 2009.

In the middle of the month came a report on Tuftex of California. They were not at Surfaces and choose to have their own regional shows in which I was invited to participate.

Every month (or longer) we present a reader poll to get your opinion on a particular topic. Included this month is a recap of the results of a poll on laminate flooring.

To round the month out, we finished up with some industry news on ThermoSofts Warm Step radiant heat system.

A lot of February was dedicated to Surfaces, the trends presented and the products shown at the show.

In the month of March we will get back to more answers to the questions you have asked as well as what’s new in the industry. If you have any topics that you would like to see more information on, please just leave a comment!

Thanks for your subscriptions, your interest and your loyalty to Floor Talk!