Infloormation

The kitchen and the bathroom get so much attention. What about the living room? Have you thought about rearranging your furniture, adding some color, a new rug, or some new flooring? Here are some things to keep in mind.

Before you do anything new in your living room you must measure. Use a tape measure or measure your foot and then walk the room heel to toe. Make sure you also check the dimensions of any hallways, stairways and door widths. There is nothing more annoying than buying a piece of furniture and not being able to get it into the room.

Buy furniture in a variety of sizes and different characteristics. Adding different objects will add more interest, depth and visual appeal to a room.

Symmetry versus asymmetry. If you use symmetry, two of the same thing, you will create a peaceful atmosphere. If you choose to use asymmetry, like two candles of differing heights next to one another, you will create more visual motion and excitement.

Comfortable seating areas are a must. Add an oversized sofa in a durable fabric that is kid friendly. Use lots of throw pillows for extra comfort. If your room isn’t large enough for a large sofa use lounge chairs arranged in a conversational grouping. A glass coffee table will keep even a cozy space looking airy and open.

A built-in wall unit can be the perfect addition to a living room. Add mirrors to a few of the shelves to visually expand the space while adding extra dimension.

Do you have a fireplace? Why not cover it in glass mosaic fireplace tiles for a dramatic centerpiece to your room? Yep, tile is not just for the kitchen and bathroom.

No room is complete without striking accent pieces. A contemporary area rug or an eye-catching piece of art will make your living room look complete.

Are you trying to determine what type of flooring you want to install in your bathroom? There are so many choices that it can be overwhelming. Here is a list of options for you to consider,

Carpet in a bathroom? Are you crazy? No! If you pick a water, mildew and stain resistant product go right ahead and install carpet. But be sure that the carpet also has a backing that prevents water from seeping into the pad. Now you can walk barefoot on your soft and cozy bathroom floor.

Ok, so maybe you’re not sold on carpet in your bathroom. Fear not, there are still many other options. The most traditional bathroom flooring is ceramic tile. You can get super creative with ceramic tile as it comes in a variety of colors, sizes and textures. Don’t forget that you can also play around with grout color.  Just be sure to pay close attention to the porosity rating.

If you want to be a bit more unique with your flooring choice then why not go with natural stone? This option is durable and easy to care for but it does require a strong subfloor. On the downside, natural stone can also be quite slippery and cold.

What’s not cold or slippery? Hardwood.  Just be sure that you finish the floors to be water resistant. A few coats of clear gloss sealant will keep them watertight.

Glass tile can be installed just about anywhere ceramic tile would work, and it’s resistant to damage from moisture and temperature changes. Glass tile flooring is easy to keep beautiful with a mop and the same glass cleaner you use on your windows. While tiles aren’t prone to break, they can be slippery, and smooth surfaces are prone to scratching.

Bamboo and cork each offer unique properties that can make them good choices for bathrooms. Bamboo floors look similar to traditional wood floors, but are naturally harder and more durable. Cork offers a soft, warm feel on bare feet. Both cork and bamboo are naturally resistant to mold, mildew and bacteria, and both naturally repel moisture, excellent qualities in bathroom floors.

For homeowners who want the look of posh stone at a fraction of the cost and with easier upkeep, concrete may be the way to go. Many bathrooms already have a layer of concrete under existing tile or linoleum floors that can be restored through acid staining into a gorgeous, new stone-look floor. Concrete also works exceptionally well over underfloor radiant heating systems. Maintaining acid-stained concrete floors is easy, requiring only a mop and periodic polishing.

Whatever option you choose, we are here to help make the experience as easy and as painless as possible.

One of the best things about staying in a posh hotel is the bathroom. The beautiful plush towels, the fancy tolieteries and the design that many of us would like to accomplish in our own homes. Hotels may have high end designers but here are some tips to help you make your own bathroom feel as though you were staying at the Ritz.

Use different sizes of the same colored tile go create a sense of infinite space.

Keep the floor and wall tiles the same.

Play with trim colors.

Continue with the same tile floor over the shower curb and into the shower pan to visually expand the bathroom floor.

Consider using three different color tiles to create a tonal variation. By combining different tiles in similar colors, you further emphasize the size of the space while creating a sense of visual texture.

Think about installing ceramic tiles vertically in order to emphasize the geometry of the space and give the illusion of height.

Our store is full of designers to help you make your own bathroom as beautiful as your favorite hotel. Please visit us so we can help you find the perfect tiles for your project.

The classic subway tile is a two by three inch tile, usually white, done in a running bond or brick pattern. It’s a classic because it is a timeless combination of shape and pattern.  While subway tiles are so named because of their use on the walls, the same pattern can be used on floors. This kitchen is a great example of over-scale subway tiles on the floor laid out in a running bond pattern.

Subway tiles can be found in every style of home from Victorian to Contemporary.  Their rectangular shape can be set in a running bond or brick pattern or for a more contemporary look, a straight bond pattern where the tiles are set in a grid.  For walls, the tiles can be laid out vertically in either a straight or running bond pattern for a new twist on an old pattern.

For floors, larger tiles like the ones in this kitchen make the most sense. Traditional sized subway tiles would create far too many grout lines, which would be a cleaning nightmare on the floor. In a bathroom, a larger subway tile on the floor can play off of the traditional size on the wall and shower. The pattern can be laid out in either vertical or horizontal rows on the floor.  Horizontal rows will make the room feel wider; vertical rows will make the room feel longer.

Subway inspired tiles can give a whole new look depending on where you use them, the size of the tile and the pattern you chose to install them.

Some of us love to read and some of us don’t. That’s why we have videos on the website that go over everything you need to know – everything you should know about carpet, natural stone, ceramic tile, wood and laminate before you purchase anything. If you have questions about maintenance, we’ve got that covered too.

So for those of you who love watching instead of reading – here you go:

Carpet

Hardwood

Ceramic

Stone

Laminate

Vinyl

Just another way we try and make your life a little less complicated.

Presently, some homeowners are giving more preference to slate tile over other flooring materials. There are various reasons for this preference of slate tile for the modern home and its increasing popularity. One of the major reasons is the fact that slate tiles blend every area of your home, whether it is the kitchen, the outdoor spaces or even the living room, it brings a natural look to the decor.

The beauty of slate is undeniable, however, it is important that you know that slate tile is also porous and needs maintenance. Another feature that makes people prefer this tile is the fact that it maintains a very natural look even after it has begun to age.

Slate is known for its rough and uneven surfaces, unlike the granite and smooth tile surfaces you are used to. This goes a long way to make it one of the safest flooring options, especially in the kitchen and bathroom since it is never slippery no matter how wet it might be.

Another great feature is the fact that a professional tile installer can easily replace any of the tiles that get damaged. This is not the case with many other types of tile.

You will also reap the benefit of variations in the shade and texture of slate tile. Slate lends itself to many styles and decors including modern, contemporary and country. Come by one of our convenient locations and choose the slate tile for your home and enjoy its many benefits.

 Most people think of floor patterns such as medallions as something that was only possible in the past with custom craftspeople to create special features for homes.

Thanks to today’s sophisticated manufacturing capabilities, pre-cut medallions are available to add style and interest to your home.

Whether you are looking for a stone medallion such as the one in this photo or a wood medallion using pre-cut inlay patterns, your choices are better than ever before. Medallions work at the center of an entryway as an immediate statement when people enter your home. In your great room, a medallion can be used to transition from one area to another, as a feature in the center of the space, or in front of a fireplace or doorway to create a strong focal point.

The medallion in this photo is made of marble, which highlights the stone’s variations to create a brown, gold and ivory pattern that mimics a traditional compass. The lines are clean enough to enable this piece to work in either a traditional or modern setting. The simple rectangles of limestone get a new burst of personality from this addition.

If you want a medallion to play a more subtle role in your home, look for one with less contrast that coordinates well with your flooring choice. Take the time to determine just the right location and your decorating goal for the medallion to ensure that it makes a positive and inviting addition to your home.

For more medallion patterns and ideas, visit our showroom. We look forward to helping you make just the right choice for your home.

We’re experiencing a love affair with travertine tile. Travertine is a type of limestone and was popular with the Romans, who constructed the Coliseum with travertine. Talk about a classic design element!

Italy continues to be a major exporter of travertine stone, along with Turkey and Mexico. Like any natural stone, there will be variation in pattern and color depending on where the stone is quarried.  Travertine is known for its pock-marked surface that is the result of air bubbles in the stone being revealed during the honing process. Rather than seen as flaws in the stone, these marks given travertine its unique character.

Once considered a splurge, travertine tile prices are now competitive with other tile choices, making travertine one of the most popular stones for today’s interiors.  Travertine first gained popularity as floor tiles.  The naturally smooth but porous surface of travertine gives it a warm, broken in feeling versus the “cold” feeling of marble. Travertine stone tiles are as diverse as the interior projects they can be used for.

We’re seeing more and more options in travertine tiles.  From oversized floor tiles to border tiles, travertine comes in as many size options as porcelain or ceramic tiles.  The warm beige shade of natural travertine makes this stone tile a popular choice for kitchens and baths. Travertine mosaic tiles can be used in the shower or as a kitchen backsplash.  Travertine tile works for walls, floors and counters.  If using travertine in a wet area, like around a sink or in the shower, be sure to ask about sealing the stone.

Would you like your kitchen to be more daring and exciting? Adding a tile backsplash is a great way to modernize your cooking space.

This glass tile is a single size and only four colors. But the random pattern creates the sense of an abstract mural on the wall, adding color and style to a simple kitchen design. When you need all your surfaces for cooking, an interesting backsplash takes the place of the colorful accessories you have in other rooms.

Visit our showroom to see some of the newest tile choices, and we can help you turn your kitchen from functional to fascinating. But remember, a tile backsplash gives you more than a pretty face. Tile is an excellent surface for a kitchen. Spills and splashes wipe up easily, and if your grout is sealed, you will have no stains.

Is your kitchen traditional or Tuscan? There are tile options that will complement your taste while adding personality. Every year, new colors and styles of tile come on the market, limited only by your imagination.

Let us show you some of the possibilities a tile backsplash can open up for your kitchen. Turn the space into something that makes you smile every day.