Most everyone loves the look of natural stone on vertical surfaces.  It complements beautiful floor coverings and can add character and richness to commercial or residential interiors.  Not only that, but stone seems to have a timeless quality in the realm of interior design.  But for several critical reasons, designers have had limitations as to where and when they could specify natural stone:

• First of all, budget is always a consideration.  While the look of natural stone may be expansive, sometimes the client’s budget is not quite as expansive.

• Then there is the challenge of installation, especially in high vertical areas, because of the inherent weight of natural stone.

• Finally, curved and radius surfaces have historically been impossible applications for stone or slate.  Couldn’t be done, until now…

Daltile has come to the rescue.  They identified an important segment of the hard surface market that desperately needed a creative specialty product–something that would address each of the obstacles mentioned above.  The solution:  Slimlite Slate & Quartzite, a new surfacing product that uses state-of-the-art technology to address these specific issues. According to Linnea Graves, Daltile’s Anaheim, CA Gallery Manager, Slimlite has some stunning characteristics:

“Actual slate and quartzite stones are sliced into very thin layers and then are bonded to fiberglass/polyester backing to create a strong yet pliable piece of stone.  This process allows Slimlite Slate & Quartzite to be used as an interior and/or exterior facade for installations over existing surfaces which include aluminum, concrete, cement, gypsum, MDF/HDF, ceramic, drywall and many other surfaces.”

You may have to re-read that paragraph to let it truly sink in. The implications of how this product can be used are pretty incredible (not only for designers, who can now be ultra-creative in their designs, but for you—the homeowner).  Slimlite allows you to transform any area into an elegant space, at a fraction of the cost of traditional stone.  And, given the line-up of materials over which it can be installed, consider the savings you will have not tearing out old materials (and less mess).

And let us not neglect to say that the ease of handling this lighter-weight material is a real problem-solver for the installer.  Slimlite Slate and Quartzite weigh less that 0.5 lbs. per square foot and are about 1/8” thick.  Panels are available 12” x 24” and 24” x 48”.  Need something bigger to solve your decorating dilemma?  Don’t despair.  Custom orders are available, up to 35” x 94”.  There are six colors to choose from and Daltile does plan on stocking those colors.

I love to bring you good news, and this is definitely great news.  Daltile has done it again–found a way to be true innovators in the world of hard surface design.  This product is a problem-solver and “solution products” are usually the hottest new products on the market.   We need to give Daltile a big “thank-you” for thinking “outside-the-proverbial-box”!

For more information on flooring visit the World Floor Covering Association’s Consumer Carpet & Flooring Guide.

In my last Designer’s Corner post  I promised to let you in on a colorful new discovery in floor coverings.  My earlier Building Blocks blog talked about line, form and shape taking center stage as you create your designs. Of course you can do this with furnishings, wall treatments, or accessories, but I’ve also found a way for you to define those elements with floor coverings.

Enter Modularity Tiles, a division of Signature Flooring, home based in NYC.  They’ve honed in on the artistic importance of form and shape and have taken it to staggering new levels.   Want to build your design around floor art?  Think of children’s play rooms or bedrooms, a baby’s nursery, or a high-contemporary kitchen, office or home theater as the perfect application for Modularity Tiles.  Any one of these rooms could carry off a focal point floor that also happens to be hypoallergenic, slip-resistant, and easily cleaned.  Factor in the ability to change out a damaged tile easily, and you have all the ingredients for a floor with flair and longevity.

Geometric and color driven, Modularity Tiles are 1ft x 1ft vinyl tiles with interchangeable die-cut shapes that you can mix and match, using a palette of 17 colors. Thousands of patterns can be created using just three basic shapes and the designated color palette.  Depending on the colors you choose, you can accomplish high-contrast drama or quiet definition.  Having that choice is what makes this line versatile and pure fun. 

The manufacturer advertises the product as suitable for semi-permanent, permanent or even temporary use. The tiles are easily laid using adhesive strips, and also offer easy removal.  According to their Marketing Department:

“Modularity Tiles can be used by homeowners, apartment dwellers, architects and designers and are suitable for permanent, semi-permanent or temporary use. DIY’ers will delight in its simplicity and price tag. Pros will applaud the creative freedom and statement-making possibilities. Our innovative new vinyl flooring tiles will change the way you think about vinyl flooring forever. We aren’t the last-resort flooring option of the past, but the one-of-a-kind creative flooring (and wallcovering) solution of the future.”

Their website, www.modularitytiles.com has a wealth of information, including a “ModulizeIt” on-screen design tool.  It can help you create your design and calculate quantities.  What I like about this discovery is that it offers something unusual, and they’ve still found a way to keep it simple.  Of course, you don’t have to install it yourself, the website can direct you to professional installation firms that will do it for you.  If you’d rather talk to a design consultant personally, they have a toll free number as well (866-471-1022). 

As an interior designer (and a consumer) I’m attracted to products that are playful and fun to live with.  I’m also highly attuned to cost-efficient products that suit tight budgets while satisfying cutting edge design.  I think Modularity Tiles offer the key to both of those criteria, in a colorful, brilliant new way.

For more information on flooring visit the World Floor Covering Association’s Consumer Carpet & Flooring Guide.

I just returned from one of the most important trade shows of the year for the floor covering industry—Surfaces/Stone Expo in Las Vegas.  I work my way through this show every year with a keen eye for products that fall into the category of being a ‘true discovery’.  Amidst all of the me-too products, there are a handful of gems that truly are discoveries, and it’s pretty exciting to be the first to bring this one to your attention.  Before I do, let me share something with you that I learned in my college History of Furniture classes:

……..The amazing technique of veneered marquetry had its inspiration as far back as the 16th Century in Florence, Italy.  These early techniques employed marble (and the inlay of intricate semi-precious stones) to create masterpieces in floors, religious altars, and even columns.  At the same time, cabinet makers in Antwerp adapted marquetry techniques to wood, to create furniture of unprecedented luxury.  By the mid 17th Century, the craft migrated to France and was employed to decorate Versailles and the royal residence of Louis XIV.

Now why am I giving you a history lesson about this? Because you will better appreciate the finely-crafted products I am about to share.

Yarema Marquetry and Parquet floors are crafted by YM Floors, a domestically-based company located just north of Detroit, Michigan. The lost art of parquetry (marquetry applied to floors using contrasting woods) has been resurrected by this company and translated to masterpieces that can be called works of art. Their product line includes stunning designs in wood parquet floors, creative medallions, and intricate borders. I’ve not seen anything like this in the twenty years I’ve done interior design!

Brilliantly conceived, the Yarema portolio of products translates well to both traditional and contemporary interiors. Finding a wood floor medallion to suit a contemporary interior is quite a challenge, but here is a company that effortlessly met that need. Custom designs are available, just in case you want a creation that is a true original.

Let’s talk about the parquet floor selections. The term “parquet floor” simply does not do this line justice. Abstract, asymmetrical designs are non-existent in hardwood applications, right? Wrong. Yarema identified a void in hardwood flooring designs and filled it beautifully. Take a look at their Portfolio Collection (ymfloors,com) and you will see exactly what I mean. The interplay of light and dark woods gives some of their more contemporary designs a three-dimensional look. When you walk into a room designed around one of these floors, you realize that the floor takes center stage as the natural focal point.

Other winners in their line-up of styles include: Skyline, Classic, Journey, Vineyard, and Centerpoint. This roster of names will come alive for you once you log on to their website and look for yourself. Request a catalog and you’ll get an even better feel for the richness of these floors. White Oak, Wenge, Cherry, Maple and Walnut are used like colors on an artist’s palette, mingling and harmonizing, to produce a singular work of art for the floor.

In the Color and Marketing classes I taught at Surfaces, I identified key marketing trends that are making headlines in 2011 and 2012. One of those emerging trends is called “New-Stalgia” (as taken from research from Color Marketing Group International). Consumers are searching for new products built on heirloom designs and fine craftsmanship. That’s New-Stalgia in a nutshell. What’s old is new…but with a twist! I cannot think of a better example of this prediction coming true than what I see from Yarema designs. They’ve resurrected a delicate craftsmanship rooted in the 16th and 17th centuries and have translated it to modern, relevant flooring. It doesn’t get better than that, and all that’s left to say is well done!

For more information on flooring visit the World Floor Covering Association’s Consumer Carpet & Flooring Guide.

The floor covering industry is gearing up for one of the major trade shows of the year—Surfaces 2011–to be held in Las Vegas in late January.  I observe this trade show with a reporter’s mindset, so I can discover the best new products and bring them to you via FloorTalk.  Manufacturers are excited about the debut of their new products, and sometimes they are willing to give me a sneak peek as to what’s coming.  Good news for us that Emser Tile has done just that.

Stone and porcelain floors have a natural beauty that is unique and singular only to them.  The clean, concise looks are the reason why consumers gravitate toward these materials.   The longevity of the product is a secondary benefit, as these floors maintain their good looks for decades.  But I don’t want you to overlook a way to personalize your choice of floor.  Listellos are a designer’s best friend when it comes to customizing floor designs for our clients.  The extraordinary beauty these tiny accents can add to a floor is staggering.  You can take a travertine, limestone, or porcelain floor to a new level, simply by using your imagination and putting listellos to work for you.  Design a perimeter border, create a faux ‘area rug’ in a room; surround a treasured piece of furniture with an artistic listello.  All of these ideas are the way to create a room with character.   Here are a few extraordinary possibilities:

Introducing TEXTILE from Emser Tile.  These high profile listellos can support both contemporary and classic interior design.

Here we see PIEMONTE, a stunning mosaic of natural stone and polished accent stones. There are even matching corner pieces to complete your design.

STRANDS is one of my favorites.  The linear design in pencil thin strips gives an urban chic finishing touch to your beautiful hard surface floor.  This pattern is available in both the dark (shown below) and a light version as well.

ECLIPSE offers two well-designed choices:  Sun Listello pictured left, or Moon Listello shown below.  Again, corner pieces are available to handle right angles with grace.  The combination of smooth, solid color tiles with a patterned inset adds high style to this choice.

I truly hope you are as captivated by these designs as I am–something truly different and well crafted to inspire you.  If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to install new flooring in 2011, well I can’t think of a better starting point than right here, right now, with one of these “made for you” listellos.  Happy New Year!

For more information on flooring visit the World Floor Covering Association’s Consumer Carpet & Flooring Guide.

A few weeks back, I posted a blog about new directions in wood products.  Well, this blog dovetails with that subject beautifully.  I’ve always been fascinated by reclaimed wood products, where they came from, their history, and their future.  Companies that take the time to search out, harvest, and rejuvenate reclaimed woods should be commended.  What an excellent example of reusing resources and promoting sustainability.  Authentic Pine Floors in Locust Grove, Georgia is definitely one of those companies.

Started in 1984, Authentic Pine Floors can cater to the customer looking for a custom-finished solid wood floor that fits an “Olde World” profile, or the customer searching out unique pre-finished wood stains.  They describe their product as “recycled, antique in origin, hand-rubbed with oil; and custom stained”.  Now that certainly stirs the imagination.  Sources for their solid hardwoods are concentrated throughout the Southeast part of our country. Beautiful heart pine, aged wide-plank oak, and wide-plank walnut each tell a story of their own.  From old bridges to small town churches, their woods have a rich history. The Southeast, it turns out, is a treasure trove of aged woods waiting to be assigned a second life.  The antique heart pine collection was reclaimed from massive beams of distilleries and warehouses built in the19th century.

Prefinished, site finished, and engineered wood floors are all part of the offerings from Authentic Pine Floors.  That’s where Old Dirty Goat comes in.  Yes, it is one of the custom finishes used on the reclaimed heart pine.  The claim to fame of Old Dirty Goat lies in the light to dark tonality it gives the hardwood floor.  Its got character and sass, and so much intensity, the principals of this company said that “no other name would do…”  Love it—both the name and the look.  Weathered gray wash on solid pine is another finish I want to draw to your attention.  Warm gray tones are hot, hot, hot, and here’s a floor that will underscore that trend beautifully.  Heart pine is harder than the pine we are familiar with, so no worries about these floors living up to the use of an active family.

I spoke with the local distributor for Authentic Pine Floors here in Southern California, and I was amazed at the affordability per square foot of these floors.  That’s pretty astounding given the uniqueness of the product.  I encourage you to go online yourself at www.authenticpinefloors.com to investigate further and find a distributor in your part of the country. Plus, I know you want to get a look at Old Dirty Goat—admit it. And I do want to mention that you can install any of these floors unfinished too.  I cannot tell you how huge the trend of using wood floors in their natural state will upsurge over the next few years. It will become HUGE as we turn towards that which is real and as close to natural as possible.  Design is now all about authenticity (you’ve heard that a time or two from me) and back to basics. 

FloorTalk has an important job to do, and one that I take very seriously.  That job is to steer you towards unique design products. But also to provide you with a working knowledge of design trends that are here to stay. Those two elements in combination will help you create a timeless design, impervious to fads that come and go.  Hopefully I’ve accomplished both of those goals in this blog, and you have my promise I will continue to do just that.  Stay tuned…

For more information on flooring visit the World Floor Covering Association’s Consumer Carpet & Flooring Guide.