Many homes that have an open floor plan end up feeling like a one-trick pony – a barnlike space with no clear functional definitions to outline the different uses of a space.

This home uses design elements to take full advantage of the open concept while still creating clear transitions from one functional space to another.

Flooring varies both in material and level. The living room in the foreground shines with large stone tile while the wood step up to the rest of the home provides a built-in transition point. Varying levels also appear in the three steps to the kitchen, allowing that space to stay separate while still having a connection to the rest of the home. Wood beams on the ceiling and various ceiling heights and soffits also provide transition lines.

The wall elements such as the pillars outlining the separations bring design elements together even as they define the corners of the different functional spaces. Other surprise architectural touches such as the stone wall to the right and the triangular skylight in the living area provide additional personality.

This room is beautifully decorated, but it would be inviting even with no furniture. The secret comes from an architectural approach that is integrated and adventurous. This home provides a good example of how good bones – the basic design and plan of a home – combined with a good eye for design on the fundamentals such as flooring and the use of varied materials – can make a space work

It may seem that this photo cannot be related to your home, but looking through the archway to the street beyond it is similar to looking through a doorway or opening to the next room. You can use what you learn from this photo to make your home just a little more special.

The eye is immediately drawn down the street. This is because the street itself pulls you through the photo. The rough stones and the sidewalks along the edges pull your eye all the way back to the large stone-surrounded doorway.

In the same way your flooring pulls people into your home. If you have tile or wood which contain natural lines, the eyes will be drawn along them until they end. With that in mind, make sure that what they see is what you want them to notice. Just as the doorway is the focal point of the photo, your room’s focal point should be positioned to draw the eye.

Light and dark mingle in this image, keeping your attention even though color is limited. Do you have enough contrast in your rooms? Stand at your doorway and decide.

Finally, there are simple touches for the eye to focus on as it moves to the focal point. The bicycle leaning on the right wall and the multiple posts in the background are interesting stops along your destination of the doorway. Do your rooms have places to catch the eye?

It’s time to stand in your own doorways and room openings and take a look at what all of your guests see. What can you do to improve their impressions?

This dining room is striking yet simple. The clean lines and limited color palette help you appreciate every element.

Let’s start with the flooring. Choosing a light neutral tile allows a great deal of flexibility for decorating. The white walls also open up the options.

The decision to go extremely modern works well in this room. The dark ebony wood table and chair frames bring the rich tone that’s needed to keep the room anchored. The white leather chairs are simple with just enough design to them to add interest. Then there’s the big finish – red.

By adding red to two chairs, some artwork and the three bowls sitting on the table, the room moves from bland to daring immediately. This choice tells you that the home’s owner doesn’t want to play it safe.

It might be tempting to carry more red into the room, but it would be gilding the lily. By choosing only a few pieces in the exact same shade of red, the statement is modern and clean without becoming boring.

Although the look is contemporary and fresh, the tile floor and wipe-down leather chairs make this room easy to maintain even after quite an elaborate dinner. It is also child-friendly. The simple look opens up a rich variety of possibilities for table linens and serving elements. It would also be really tempting to kick it up even further with a bouquet of red poppies to add to red’s pop in the room.

Ever had a bad hair day? If you allow yourself to be creative, there are small fixes that can make it look normal again. Decorating can be fixed in the same creative ways. If you find yourself in a bind, there are a few simple, quick fix-its that can help.

Paint your decorating woes away. That’s right! Paint is the cheapest and easiest solution to most decorating woes. Give your room a new look with a fresh coat of paint. Paint can be used to alter the feel and décor of practically any room. Make a small room feel larger, by painting it a light color. To make a large room more intimate, paint it a darker color.

Are your upholstered pieces looking worn and ragged? Spruce up your upholstered pieces with form fitting slipcovers. Good slipcovers cost a couple hundred dollars because they fit furniture well. The sloppy look can be endearing; however slipcovers that are baggy and slide look too sloppy. If you decide to take the slipcover route, do it right and look for the right fitted cover for your piece.

If you want to update your upholstery without recovering it in some way, consider brand new pillows and throws. New pillows can breath new life into upholstery. Accent pillows can become smashed and flat. New pillows can really give your sofa a face-lift!

Have you ever wanted an extremely feminine space; where you can enjoy being a woman, feel inspired and proud to have a sensitive side? Most people fear that if they decorate a room completely feminine; it will end up looking like their grandmothers floral and pink living room. Read along for tips that will ensure a sophisticated, fresh and inspiring room with no boys allowed!

Wall color will be the inspiration for your girly heaven. Select the wall color first, it should be what you consider a feminine color, such as pink, purple, yellow, peach etc. If you prefer a lighter shade of that color, go to the paint store and pick a chip with your favorite color. Pick color chips that have different gradations of a color (lighter to darker). These lighter versions of your true color are the ones you should select. The opposite of this exercise can help you select a more dramatic color. Accent colors selected should be considered sheik yet classic. For example: white, grey, silver or graphite are great choices. Throw in a bit of cozy cream as well.

When considering furnishings look for clean lines. Incorporate straight lines, curvy lines and interesting shapes. Doing so will add variety and interest; steering in the opposite direction of “fussy”. Remember less is more. All selections should be well thought out. Adding just anything because you feel like there is a hole to fill is not the answer. Furniture pieces should have simple clean hardware. Stay away from highly decorative, ornamental pieces.

Textures throughout the room should be soft and neutral. Patterns used should be small and minimal. Opt for chenille and velvets for upholstery. Use cottons and linens for pillows and window treatments. Window dressings should look simplistic and tailored, with obscure to minimal hardware.

Add some modern jewelry to the room. This could be an acrylic or glass lamp. Transparent accessories adapt to any color setting. They also add sparkle. Throw down a neutral cozy rug, higher the pile the better (referring to the fiber/yarn height). A bouquet of flowers will add another feminine detail that shouldn’t be left out. Choose only one type of flower, such as an Orchid or Lilly.

Remember less is more. Using these guidelines you can’t go wrong when decorating a sophisticated and classy room just for you!

Do you have a friend whose taste you admire and would like to emulate? Why not invite him or her to help you the next time you’re facing a new flooring decision? Another perspective could be quite helpful and open up new possibilities for you. As you consider bringing a friend into your decision-making process, make a plan to ensure that the collaboration will work for you.

To start, consider more than taste. Is this someone you can trust to let you make your own decisions? Or are you going to have to fight for what you want instead of what he or she thinks is the best choice? Do you know exactly what you want your friend to help you decide? Thinking these issues through will help you set ground rules before heading out. Once at the store, let the salesperson know that you brought your friend for advice, and whatever other help you want. This sets the stage for your salesperson, so he or she knows that you are the decision maker. Use your friend to help you consider broader options than you might have looked at alone, and to help focus in on your alternatives by providing opinions you can think about as you narrow your selections.

However, remember that the final decision needs to be yours. If you abdicate the responsibility to your friend, both of you may regret it later. Also, if the process isn’t working, don’t hesitate to end the shopping session and come back later on your own. Bringing a friend can make shopping for flooring both easier and more fun. By selecting the right person and planning ahead, the trip can be a great experience for both of you.

Have you lived in your home for a while and want just a little something new? Decorating with wall tile can add a splash of color to an existing area without a lot of disruption to a room or your daily life. (*in comparison to most flooring projects!) Maybe you’ve got grease spatter stains behind your stove and could use a backsplash. Maybe you’ve got a bathroom that’s a little boring and it just needs some decorative attention. Below are some ideas on decorating with wall tile that may just inspire you!

Kitchen:

• Add a backsplash – either something decorative and functional behind the stove or sink area or all of the walls in the kitchen.
• Tile the front of a bar area if there are footprints on the sheetrock.
• Tile a table top for added protection and color.

Bathrooms:

• Add a wainscoting of tile to the bathroom walls. Get creative, use multiple sizes and / or colors!
• Add or replace a sink backsplash with a decorative tile listello.
• Frame a mirror with decorative tile.
• Add tile behind your bathtub. Don’t be shy – go all the way up to the ceiling. Create an area that says, “Calgon, take me away!”

Other rooms:

• Add tile to a fireplace surround.
• Tile the risers of your stairs with a decorative tile.

For other ideas specific to your home or project, call or visit us today to get some ideas of what will work in your home and then we can give you a free estimate to help you decide! If these projects sound like more than you want to tackle, but you still want to add a splash of color, we’ve got area rugs for that. You can even buy online!

Question:

I am about to start a remodeling project and I was wondering if you could give me some advice about what to choose first. I need to replace my kitchen cabinets, countertops, flooring in three rooms, wall colors and some furniture in those same rooms. There are so many things to choose – is there any strategy as to what should be chosen first? I am already overwhelmed at the thought of all of the choices I have to make!

Cecile from Bozeman, MT

Answer:

This is a great question, Cecile and one that comes up often. There are several points and variables to consider when tackling a remodeling project. The most important thing to take into consideration is whether you are doing the remodeling yourself or working with a contractor. If you are working with a contractor or remodeler, they will have a very specific schedule and you should consult with them first on what deadlines need to be met and when. They will also handle which items are installed in what order. As far as where to start the selection process in terms of choosing the things you like, here are some other considerations that may help you determine where to start.

Regardless of what makes more sense to choose first, it is more important that you love all of your choices in the end. Sometimes, the easiest place to start is by falling in love with one item and letting that be your focal point. This can be a decorative item such as a plate or vase, a pillow or other piece of fabric, a sentimental object or a piece of hardwood flooring that is so spectacular that everything else should revolve around it.

Another important consideration is the number of choices you have. Think of it this way, there are hundreds of thousands of paint colors to choose from, but how many cabinet choices or hardwood or tile choices do you have? It’s better to start with an item that has a limited number of options in order to focus on the remaining choices. Starting with a paint color can lead to too many options.

Along those same lines, it’s a lot easier and less expensive to change a paint color down the road than it is to change the look of a floor, cabinet or countertop choice. When choosing these items, make selections that will last long term.

Some people find it helpful to start from the bottom up, meaning choose the floors first. From there you can build up. For example, in the kitchen, if you start with the floors you can then choose the cabinets that sit on the floor. Then, choose the countertop that sits on the cabinet. Then, the backsplash that sits on the countertop and so on.

Don’t forget about lead times. Items like furniture can have long lead times and therefore need to be ordered in plenty of time to arrive according to the remainder of the schedule.

Because of the number of items you have to choose, try to gather as many samples as you can when visiting different stores. We can provide you with flooring samples, but be sure to ask other for samples as well. Having items from different sources all together in the same place when making a selection is invaluable.

We hope this advice helps you. We will be happy to give you further advice when it comes time to start your project. Our sales staff has years of experience that can save you some of the headache that can come with remodeling.

Sincerely,

Your friends at Pierce Flooring

The  full backsplash is often forgotten because people think they have the backsplash covered with the 4″ splash that generally accompanies the countertop. A tile backsplash not only serves the functional purpose of protecting the wall,  but it also serves as a design element that can tie your whole kitchen together. Why not do all you can to decorate with your backsplash in addition to using it for wall protection?

In this kitchen example, Dal Tile does a great job of coordinating the floor tile with the wall tile. The floor tile and the wall tile are actually from the same collection, they are just different sizes used in different patterns. Note that the floor is one pattern while the field of the backsplash is another pattern with the accent behind the stove an additional pattern.

Let’s focus on the accent design behind the cook top. Dal has used a few simple elements to create a dramatic and stylish focal point for this kitchen. As already mentioned, the tile used here is the same as the floor and the field tile of the backsplash, but is used in a diagonal installation in the center behind the cooktop. Taking the diagonal installation one step further, dots were placed in the intersections of the tile to coordinate with the countertop.

To make the area stand out even more, the diagonal tiles are framed with a chair rail creating dimension and depth in this area. The introduction of the additional color does a great job of drawing attention to the picture frame as well as providing a tie in to the cabinets.

To keep everything from being a solid color in the kitchen, Dal used a mosaic to create an additional border around the chair rail or picture frame. This makes the whole area behind the stove feel larger and brings in multiple additional colors that can be used for coordination of other decorative items in the kitchen such as dish towers, artwork, dishes or fabric.

This design is artful, timeless and a great example of how to use multiple tiles in multiple sizes to create a beautiful kitchen tile design.

This photo features Continental Slate Brazilian Green 18 x 18 , 12″ x 18″, 12 x 12 , 6 x 6 field tile with 4 x 12 border and Fashion Accents Antique Pewter chair rail. Modified Hopscotch (Cont. Slate) pattern shown on floor.

Experiment with tile designs using these products in our virtual room designer. Or upload your own room to see what these tiles will look like in your home!

This use of tile on the wall in this powder room is referred to as wainscoting. Wainscoting can be higher up the wall than this, but in this case it only goes to about chair rail height. It can include tile that is larger, smaller, in different patterns, different styles and more.

This tile does a great job of giving this small bathroom some personality and interest. The particular texture of this tile is its best feature. Not only does this tile install look fantastic, but it serves a purpose as well! The tile serves as a sink splash as well as wall protection.

Because this tile stops below the chair rail it allows a different texture and wall surface to be installed above the chair rail. In this case, the wall above the chair rail is darker than the bottom half of the wall. This keeps a small room from feeling smaller with all of the walls being dark.

Also worth noting, the style and elegance of the toilet and sink. The lines of these fixtures compliments the beauty of the tile on the wall. Also, notice the toilet paper holder is the same finish as the hardware on the other fixtures. It’s all in the details…..