Tip #1: If you’re laying tile flooring and want to make the room look bigger, use larger sized tiles (18 x 18 or larger) and lay them on a 45 degree angle (diamond pattern). What this does is draw your eye to the two widest points of each tile, giving your flooring the illusion of a larger space. And the larger sized tiles have less grout lines to look at so your flooring doesn’t look as ‘busy’ across your a larger area as say a 12 x 12 would.

Just keep in mind installing tile on a 45 uses more tile because there are more cuts to be made.

Tip #2: If you want a clean, contemporary look, ask your installer to use the narrowest grout lines possible, either a 1/8 or 3/16 and for natural stone 1/16. Larger grout lines give a more rustic, earthy look. And higher gloss (polished) tiles are contemporary whereas heavily grooved and rough give an aged, worn look.

Tip #3: To give your flooring another illusionary trick, lighter colors give the room a more spacious feel while darker colors give it a cozier, smaller feel.

Tip #4: There are many flooring patterns available so don’t hesitate to use them! Too many shoppers I met would obsess over what flooring everyone else is doing. This is your home, not anyone else’s and you should get the floor that makes you happy. Don’t be afraid of not looking like everyone else. That’s the whole point! if you want to differentiate a room, then lay different flooring.  Read more...

When it comes to decorating your home, whether for the first time or the tenth, you may come short when it comes to ideas. Before you go spend money on an interior designer for tips and hints, do your own research and make note of the ideas that will work for your living areas. It is both possible and practical to get ideas for decorating from people you know, websites you trust and television shows you enjoy. Making a living room look like a million bucks doesn’t need to cost a million bucks.

The following are a few tips to get you started when decorating your living room.

Choosing Your Colors

The common homeowner may have trouble figuring out how to choose colors for their new decorating project. However, there is a very simple trick that even professional interior designers use when it comes to choosing a color palate. Simply take an existing piece of furniture, or perhaps a new piece that you will be buying, and choose colors from it. For instance, your multi-colored sofa, that beautiful new framed wall print or that glass blown bowl sitting on your coffee table might hold the answer. Choose neutral colors for walls and carpet, and bright, bold colors for accents as not to be too overpowering.

Furniture Arrangement  Read more...

One of the most common flooring solutions for the bathroom is ceramic tiles. However, who wants to be like everyone else when you can be unique. An alternate solution for flooring in your bathroom is cork flooring. Cork flooring is made out of cork from the cork oak tree (Quercus Suber) which is grown in southwestern Europe and Northwestern Africa. One of the major benefits of cork flooring is the fact it’s eco-friendly and safe for the environment. The method used to harvest cork doesn’t harm the cork oak tree and allows it to re-grow and be harvested over and over again. So, not only would you have unique flooring in your bathroom, you would also be helping the environment.

One of the primary things you need when look for a bathroom flooring solution is a floor type that can withstand moisture and water. Unlike other types of wood flooring cork is an excellent product for this type of situation. Cork flooring has a waxy substance that naturally occurs in it called Suberin. This substance allows cork to withstand moisture, mold, mildew and bacteria growth. This makes cork flooring an excellent bathroom flooring solution. Tests have proven that cork flooring is also resistant to insects and has anti-static properties to prevent the build up of allergens and dander.  Read more...