FloorTalk – for all the latest flooring fashions

Submitted by Annette M. Callari, A.S.I.D.; CMG

October 14, 2009 marked the date for the American Society of Interior Designers annual tradeshow here in Southern California.  Attending that show as a professional designer is always reenergizing–discovering innovative products that can (and do) stop you in your tracks!  The show is open only to ASID designers and student chapter members, but I can certainly share some of the highlights with you.  

When you think of quartz countertop materials, you most likely envision something quietly elegant, with the Silestone®, Cambria®, Caesarstone® or Zodiaq® name on it.  All of these are well-known brands that create surfaces from quartz aggregates and polyester binders.  They are beautiful, functional, and timeless. Did you know that natural quartz happens to be one of the hardest, most abundant minerals found in nature?  Only diamonds, sapphires, and topaz are harder!  This accounts for quartz products being highly scratch resistant, but still, be sure to use cutting boards when slicing on quartz surfaces.  Another strongpoint of quartz counters would be the consistency of color.  Manufacturers offer a well-rounded palette of colors that showcase the light-reflective brilliance of natural quartz.  And–these surfaces are non-porous and resist staining, so no sealing is required.

So what can I possibly tell you that would be news in the world of quartz?  I can tell you that one manufacturer featured at this tradeshow—Compac® Quartz USA— has teamed up with a world-renowned artist, Karim Rashid, to create a signature line of quartz countertop products that are—without exaggeration– a work of art.  Karim Rashid is well known for his creative product designs, as well as his designs in fashion, furniture and contributions to the world of art.  He has designed for Shiseido, Prada, Ralph Lauren, Armani, Carolina Herrera, and now Compac!  So, what sets his collection apart?  COLOR!  Expect the unexpected.  Rashid’s brilliant contemporary color line features a stunning fuscia red, a glitterati silver (sparkling with shards of quartz); two refreshing water-toned blues; Lila–a deep violet; Musaka–a port wine color; Absolute Blanc—a creamy neutral, and (hold on to your hats) flamingo pink and lime green!  Not exactly what you would expect for countertop choices, and all the more reason designers were captivated. Strong, bold, breathtaking and unexpected–all of those adjectives readily apply to this artisan-inspired collection.  If your personality matches that description, here’s the countertop for you.  Find out more about these focal point quartz products at compacmqusa.com  Click on Quartz Compac/Color Palette/Karim to view the color line.

(Note of interest—most of these new colors are reflective of the 2010 home interiors color trends forecast published at wfca.org “Designer’s Corner” 8/18/09. Be sure to check it out.)

Kitchens.com – one of my favorite websites, has launched a new sister site called iBaths.com. Kitchens.com is a place where you can find information and inspiration for your ideal kitchen.

Whether you are halfway through a kitchen remodel or thinking of fixing up your bath, Kitchens.com wants you to know about their new sister site. With lush photos, informative articles and interactive features, iBaths.com is a comprehensive online destination for anyone interested in bathroom remodeling and design.

Tools you will find on kitchens.com and iBaths.com include: blogs, forums, find a pro, product spotlights, design, planning, products, photos, videos, kitchen tours and other resources.

Check these sites out today and get inspired! There are hundreds of gorgeous pictures in the photos section of Contemporary, Country, Old World, Rustic, Traditional and Transitional room scenes where you can see fabulous floor, wall, countertop and cabinet combinations to inspire you.

Another favorite part of the site is the quizzes and questionnaires much like the ones found on the WFCA site. These interactive tools help you gain a sense of what your style is and how to apply it to the kitchen of your dreams.

Also, check out the color ideas section on iBaths.com to learn about color palettes, where to start with color, color type, describing color and color combinations.

Ok – enough telling you what to check out that I think is cool, check out the site for yourself and be sure to give yourself some time – you’re going to want to stay on the site for a while!

Shapes

It seemed like almost everyone had tiles that were linear in shape. Shapes ranged from 1×6 to 18×24 and every size in between. Installation examples were shown of these linear tiles used as a stand alone product as well as accents to standard shaped tiles. Some installation patterns used these linear tiles to create stripe effects. They are stunning! Crossville also introduced a wonderful geometric pattern that really widens the opportunity for design. There were also many tiles that were irregular in shape because they were hand molded.

Sheen

There were introductions of tiles with higher sheen levels than the past couple of years. Mirrored finishes, crystal tiles and polished metals were prevalent. These higher sheens were shown in mosaics and even large format floor tiles. Some of the mosaics were mixed with high polished tiles and unpolished tiles. Finishes like rust and bronze verde took the stage for the patinas.

Shades

There will always be beige/neutral tiles out there because there is a place for them, but this year there were many offerings of gorgeous tiles with high ranges of color. The color shades were rich and warm. The shades were mixed between the field tiles and the listellos and decorative tiles so neutral tiles could be used with bolder accents and vice-versa.

Sizes

Tile sizes ranged from micro mosaics 5/8″x5/8″ to 24″x24″. The interesting thing was to see the mixes of the different sizes. Larger format tiles were mixed with micro and mini sized tiles where in the past we have seen more standard size tiles mixed with smaller sizes that were closer in size to the standard size tiles. The picture to the left is a tile size that doesn’t fit into any size category, but certainly is gorgeous! Emser tile reported that their stacked stone product in 6″x24″ was a popular choice among buyers.

Style

Like hardwood styles, there was something offered for everyone. From rustic natural stone to high polished crystal tiles no design group was left out this year. Look for tiles that are irregularly shaped and formed, bright colors to bold colors to dull, rich and muted colors – something for every style. With the variation in sizes, shapes and colors more design options are possible. Emser tile also reported that the chiseled edge tiles are regaining popularity and are offered at excellent price points and mosaic tiles ares still popular.

For those of you out there that don’t find floor covering fascinating and spend your weekends on Google to learn all you can about floors, here’s a run down of the basics. This information may help you understand about your options and what you need to know when you decide you want new floors.

1. The main categories of flooring are:

Carpet

Vinyl or Resilient Flooring

Hardwood

Laminate

Ceramic or Porcelain Tile

Natural Stone

To learn more about these categories and to see different styles see the information outlined on our parent site or just click on the link above.

2. Technology and design styles have had significant influence on flooring. Other than the basics flooring types listed above, there are also styles of cork flooring, bamboo flooring, glass tiles, stainless and other metal tiles, rubber tiles, natural fibers like seagrass and sisal and many others – even paper!

3. Not all floors are acceptable on all foundation types.  For example, most solid hardwood floors cannot be installed on concrete slabs. Be sure to know your foundation type before you start shopping.

4. Flooring is measured and sold either by the square foot or the square yard. Be careful when comparing prices that you are comparing apples to apples. If a hardwood tag says “$4 per SF” and a carpet tag says “$18 per SY” and you don’t see the one letter than distinguishes the two, you might think the hardwood is less expensive than the carpet.

5. Allow a retailer give you an estimate on your room size to determine how much flooring you will need rather than building your budget from your own measurements. For example, if you have a room that is 13′ x 13′ you will need different quantities for different flooring materials. Some items are sold by the box and carpet and vinyl are sold from a roll that could be 12′, 13′6″ or 15′ wide. Since you have to buy items that are sold by the box by the full box (and take the waste factor, pattern match and pattern repeat into consideration) and items sold on a roll by their given width you could need anywhere from 190 SF over 300 SF for a room that actually measures 169 SF.

6. Different floors are made for different lifestyles. For example: You may love hardwood, but if you have large dogs hardwood may not be the best choice for you. If you have dark hair, white bathroom floor tiles might not be the best choice for you.  If you have small children and pets, white carpet may not be the best choice for you.

7.  Keep transitions to other rooms in mind when choosing flooring. Floors have different finish heights and those heights can vary depending on your subfloor. Floors with different finish heights will need to be treated with a transition strip. Transitioning from a (low) vinyl/resilient floor to a 3/4″ solid hardwood floor can be significant. Transition strips are no big deal, if you know in advance to expect them.

8.  Keep resale in mind. Because floors like hardwood, ceramic tile and natural stone are costly and rarely need replacing due to wear, consider how long you are going to live in your home before choosing your floors.  Your favorite color may be blue, but a house full of blue floors may be a turn off to a potential buyer. If you do choose to express your style with a house full of blue floors, be sure that you won’t tire of looking at the same color after a while. However, I am definitely not suggesting choosing all beige floors for resale purposes!

9. It is important to consider maintenance. If you don’t like to clean, there are flooring options with very little maintenance that also stand up to heavy traffic and pets.

10. Floors come in a variety of different styles and that means that they also come with different budgets. Be careful when shopping that you don’t rule out a particular flooring type because of the first priced sample you see. There are some vinyl floors that are as expensive as a hardwood floor and there are prices ranges within each type of flooring that can be as much as $20 per square foot.

The floors in your home are a big decision. They take more wear and tear than most any other item in your home. Other than your walls, your floors consume the majority of the square footage in your home. Choose a floor type based on the fact that you will probably live with it for a very long time!

Zodiaq® Terra Collection is a countertop series with the natural beauty and durability of quartz offered by DuPont. DuPont remains committed to the environment by creating this product that is composed of at least 50% pre-consumer recycled glass. It is easy to care for and has a variety of modern, up to date colors.

The newest colors are: Calm Springs, Warm Taupe, Mossy Green and Moroccan Morning.

Like all DuPont™ Zodiaq® colors, the Terra Collection can help contribute towards U.S. Green Building Council LEED® points for Materials and Resources (MR) Building Reuse, MR Regional Materials, Environmental Quality (EQ) Low Emitting Materials – Adhesives and Sealants.

DuPont™ Zodiaq® is 93% pure quartz crystal, which gives Zodiaq® a natural depth and radiance without the imperfections common in unimproved stone. And because quartz is one of nature’s strongest materials, Zodiaq® is also incredibly durable and resists both heat and scratches. Custom-fit to your exact specifications and virtually maintenance free—Zodiaq® is perfect for your home, naturally.

DuPont was one of the first companies to publicly establish environmental goals nearly 20 years ago, and since then, they’ve broadened their commitment beyond internal footprint reduction to market-driven targets. They’re excited about the future of sustainable design and hope to be a part of your next sustainable design project. For more information on the sustainability goals of DuPont, please
click here.

 There are many different edge treatment styles when it comes to solid surface countertops (granite, Corian, marble, quartz, etc). These edge treatment styles can give definition and personality to a countertop and the room the countertop is in.

When shopping for solid surface countertops it is important to look at actual samples of countertop edge treatments. It is also important to know that more detailed countertop edges may come with a higher cost and longer lead time.

Some examples of edge treatments are:

• Demi Bullnose
• Full Bullnose
• Eased
• Quarter Round
• Ogee
• Custom Edge

Before making a decision on your countertop, be sure to see the different samples of edge treatments as well as pictures of installations with those treatments to help make the most informed decision possible.

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

Getting new floor covering can be a major change in your home and installing new floor covering is no easy task. This should be left to a professional! Whether you are tackling the project yourself or hiring a professional, these are tips you will want to be aware of. Being aware of these misconceptions can help you have a smoother installation.

GENERAL INSTALLATION MISCONCEPTIONS

1. Once the installation is complete, there is no need to save leftover material. Leftover material is needed in case of repairs. Having the original material will ensure that your repair will be the same shade / dye lot as the original installation.
2. The installer will arrive on time and be completed as originally promised. Often, the installer will run into situations at another jobsite that require more time and attentio. Just remember that if it were your house, you would want the installer to take their time for a quality installation.
3. Floors can be installed in any weather. Some types of flooring cannot be installed in extreme heat or cold.
4. Floors can be installed in any stage of new construction. Some builders for example, prefer that tile be installed under the kitchen cabinets. So, this would need to be done earlier in the process. Since it is durable to dirt and traffic, it can be installed earlier. Carpet, on the other hand needs to be one of the very last items to be installed so that it doesn’t get abused before you move in! (more…)

 Glass Tile – one of the hottest trends in tile for artistic and creative expression. It’s design capabilities are endless and can bring unique personalization to your tile project. If you are not familiar with the types, sizes and applications, read on.

Glass Tile can be sold by the piece, sheet or square foot. Be careful when pricing to know if the price is by the piece or by the square foot. Finishes are typically either gloss or matte and are sometimes etched. Because there are so many handmade products, there are endless options of sizes, shapes and designs.

Common sizes:

1×1 (typically sold on 12×12 sheets)
1×2
2×2 (typically sold on 12×12 sheets)
3×3
4×4
5×5
6×6
3×6 (popularly called “subway” tile)
4×8
12×12
Geometrics

Opacity

Glass tile comes in a variety of opacities. The transparent glass can range from clear like a window to green like a Coke bottle to vibrant colors like deep sea blue, emerald green or cherry red. The thicker the transparent tile, the more intense the color. Tiles can be full of color even adding a metallic or iridescent effect.

Texture

Flat – completely smooth
Rippled – textured variation
Low – small continuous dimples
Random – irregular ruts and peaks
Relief – molded into shapes

Custom sizes and patterns

Anything you can think of. A picture, a painting, a logo, a name, multiple colors, no limit on size – the only design limitations are the ones you set!

Flexibility

Another benefit of glass tile other than its design capabilities is its flexibility. Glass tile can be installed on curved walls, round columns, curved tub fronts, mirror frames, countertops, table tops and other furniture in various shapes and sizes. It is even being made into jewelry!

Glass tile can be installed:
Inside
Outside
Floors (not all glass tile can be installed on walking surfaces)
Walls
Pools (not all glass tile can be installed outside)
Curves
Showers
Backsplashes
Sink splashes
Tub fronts
Accents with natural stone or ceramic tile

Design ideas

Since glass tile can be expensive, it can be very effective in small quantities. Some ideas are:
Instead of the whole floor, use glass tile for borders, dots in intersections or create an area rug and use glass tile in the center. Powder room floors are typically small and it can be a huge impact to tile the whole floor. Instead of tiling all of the walls in a bathroom, tile just the area above the sink and behind the mirrors. Instead of tiling all of the walls in a shower, create a picture frame on the back wall and fill the center with glass or cut down sheets of mosaics to create stripes in between tiles. (horizontal or vertically)

For a more significant impact, glass tile is one of those products that can be used to cover floors, walls as well as objects all in the same room and still be stunning.

Whether you use a handful of glass tile or a room full of glass tile, their impact will be artful and expressive. Use these tiles to express your personal style in any space that calls to be covered. Have fun, use your imagination and enjoy the world of glass tile!