Infloormation

Contrast in a room can make a space feel more interesting and well designed. One often-ignored area to consider is balancing hard and soft surfaces in a room. People often have a style preference that leads them in one or the other direction for surfaces, and this can accidentally lead to an unbalanced space.

Modern styles lend themselves to hard surfaces. Tile and wood flooring complement a modern look. Simple tables and dining chairs without cushions contribute to the modern feel of a space. Even modern upholstered furniture leans toward a tailored style rather than something oversized and cushy. This can lead to a room that feels sculptured, but also comes off as cold.

A few simple touches can fix this without compromising the modern look. Consider one or more rugs in contemporary styles. A thick monotone shag or wool or leather can both anchor and warm up a space. A contemporary weaving, quilt or tapestry hung on one wall provides art for a room while adding softness. That beautiful shaker-style table can benefit from a simple table-runner that adds a splash of color and texture without making the space feel traditional.

You don’t have to lose your modern look by adding softness. Instead, these additions can help showcase your contemporary style while adding valuable contrast to your space.

The last tip from Rita Wilson’s wardrobe suggestions to convert to home advice: “Be grateful.” It’s a good one to end with, and one we often forget in the daily challenges of our lives. It’s particularly valuable when fixing up a new home or renovating your current one.

We know that making choices, finishing up paperwork, and dealing with all the details of our homes can be challenging and frustrating. That’s why it’s particularly important now to take a step back and spend a moment appreciating what you have.

First, just be grateful to have a home. For many people across the globe, that’s an impossible dream. Next let’s appreciate all of the people who are working to make your home happen. From the builder and installers to the salespeople and designers who help you make good choices, it takes some version of a village to get you settled in your new place or fix up your current one. Finally, how about looking at the amazing range of options the manufacturers give you for making your home uniquely your own. Twenty years ago, many of your choices were simply not available, or only for the highest-end custom homes.

So don’t compare your budget to others – that way lays certain disappointment. Instead, revel in the options you do have, and enjoy the amazing privilege of making your home work for you. Be grateful for the opportunity, and enjoy every minute of it!

To see the other tips in this series, click here.

Let’s combine two of Rita Wilson’s wardrobe tips in this blog, because from our perspective in home décor, they focus on the same issue. “If you travel a lot, have a packed toiletries bag ready to go,” and “There are one thousand stylish things you can wear while traveling…” How do we connect travel and our homes? When it’s time to travel to another home, we want to be able to sell this one easily.

Now don’t get up in arms when we talk about selling your home. Hopefully,  right now it’s the last thing on your mind, and it should be. Your focus needs to be on creating just the right combination of elements to make your home perfect for you. All we’re saying is put it in a corner of your mind as you make your decisions.

The average homeowner stays in a home for five years. Life changes can lead to the need for a new home. When that happens, choosing a fixture or permanent home product that would not appeal to the majority of people may inhibit your ability to sell.

Love blue? That’s just great. However, choosing a bright blue countertop in your kitchen may not be the best idea. How about letting paint and accessories satisfy that color need instead? When making these choices, your salesperson is a great resource for balancing your unique preferences with your potential resale goals later.

Make your home work well for you – both while your living in it and later if you want to sell.

To see the other tips in this series, click here.

It’s been fairly easy to make the connection between Rita Wilson’s wardrobe tips and our homes so far in our previous posts. Our next tip is a little tougher, but I think we’re up to the challenge. “Enjoy new bedclothes at least once a year,” concerns refreshing our PJ’s or whatever we like to wear at night. Well, our homes can get as tired as our wardrobes if we’re not alert.

First off, do you regularly maintain your home finishes as the manufacturer recommended, or are those instructions filed away never to be looked at again? Put another coat of polyurethane on your wood floors, clean your carpets twice a year, and seal your granite and these valuable products will last longer and look better.

The other factor is regular home updates. This needs to be done much less often than your wardrobe, but it’s an important part of maintaining an inviting home. Have you ever spent time touring open houses of older homes? So often the finishes are original, even if the house is 20 or 30 years old. People moved in and never changed anything again. Setting aside a regular budget amount, no matter how small, will give you the opportunity to redo or replace any home finishings or furnishings as they start getting tired or worn.

Whether we’re talking about PJ’s or plush carpet – pay attention to maintenance and keep your home special and inviting, now and for years to come.

To see the other tips in this series, click here.

Rita Wilson’s sixth fashion tip focuses on your face: “simplify your makeup if you wear makeup.” When you meet someone wearing too much makeup, it can distract from the face, and the person, underneath. In the same way too much furniture and too many accessories can distract from the wonderful bones of your home.

Is your fireplace hidden behind a chair and a mantel covered with knick knacks? Do you have windows with nice views that are blocked with too much furniture in the way? Does your collection of snow globes cover your tables to the distraction of the rest of the space?

To determine whether simplifying would be useful for you, stand in front of one of your rooms and see where your eyes go. Do they pause at certain focal points, or travel all over the room, never having a place to rest? Too much decoration can move your space from designed to cluttered. If you think you may be too Victorian in your choices, try removing pieces one at a time until your rooms start feeling relaxing and spacious. Maybe you don’t need three shades of eye shadow. Maybe for you, just a touch of blush and lip gloss and you’re ready to go. Find the same balance in your home.

To see the other tips in this series, click here.

Trying to make your home as exciting as your fashion choices? For a bit of help, we’re looking at some of Rita Wilson’s fashion tips for looking fabulous at any age. On a recent episode of “Oprah,” these tips were used to transform women in their 30’s to 60’s. Let’s see what we can do with some of them when applied to your home.

Tip five, “it’s normal to fear altercations, but not alterations,” talks about having your clothes altered to make off-the-rack fashions truly yours. Have you thought about doing the same thing when finishing your home?

At first glance, flooring may seem to be flooring, but there are so many little touches that can make your home stand out. Take a look at your tile options. Something as simple as placing your tile on a diagonal down a hall can make the space different and interesting. Borders and combining tiles of different sizes can create a feel that belongs only to you and your home. Stretch your carpet options by considering the sculptured choices. A subtle leaf pattern can take a neutral to a whole new level. And don’t neglect the medallions available both in stone and wood. You don’t have to go off the deep end with your choices, just discover those little touches that take your home from standard to unique.

To see the other tips in this series, click here.

Actor and producer Rita Wilson has a strong affinity for fashion that led her to work as a columnist for Harper’s Bazaar. In a recent appearance on Oprah, Rita provided ten techniques for improving your wardrobe to look great at any age. Interestingly, many of those tips can be translated to your home décor with just a bit of tweaking. We’ve looked at the first three in previous posts. Let’s take a glance at number four.

4: “Wear comfortable shoes.” Comfort is as important, possibly more important, than style in your home. Think about it. When you get home from a long day, is it more important to see a beautiful home or collapse into a comfy chair? Good news, you can have both. Just make sure you don’t ignore comfort in your quest for style. Before you invest in dining room chairs, sit down for more than a minute. Will those chairs invite conversations around the table that last long after dinner is finished? If you like to take your shoes off the minute you get home, do you have a bench and maybe even shoe storage in your entryway? Decorate your home for the way you live as well as your style.

To see the other tips in this series, click here.

When Rita Wilson appeared on Oprah recently, eight of her ten techniques for our wardrobes also apply to our homes. In this blog, let’s take a look at tip three.

“Your haircut and color tell people a lot about you.” One point Rita stressed with this tip is the value of spending money on your hair, because it’s part of your picture no matter what you’re wearing. A good cut and color lasts for weeks, and is worth the investment. This is even more true with your home. Flooring, cabinets and even window treatments become an almost permanent part of your home, and are the hardest and most expensive to change. So when it’s time to decorate or redecorate, spend your money on getting the best quality you can afford. Furniture and accessories cost less and don’t last as long. They’re easier to upgrade later.

Buying furniture and accessories is shopping, buying permanent elements such as flooring and cabinetry is investing!

To see the other tips in this series, click here.

The big news in laminate flooring this year is Rustics Premium™ New England Long Plank, a dramatic line from Armstrong which offers a hand-scraped, oiled finish hardwood look and the longest laminate floor boards to date – over seven feet.

Called ‘New England Long Plank’ because it emulates the look of single plank, centuries-old reclaimed hardwood, the floor’s real-life counterpart would be extremely expensive.  The collection was inspired by today’s demand for a time worn look with a matte finish, minus the high price tag. These textural surfaces have the depth, feel and realistic looks of a well-worn floor.

“While the long plank, oiled finish look is gaining in popularity, a lot of people get locked out of this category because of price,” said Milton Goodwin, vice president, Armstrong Laminate & Ceramic.   “Long planks in real wood also can be challenging to install because of the potential for warping.  Our exclusive Lock&Fold® makes installation easier.”

With Lock&Fold the panels do not have to be tapped together; simply fit the tongue-and-groove panels together, fold them down and lock them into place.  The collection offers a 30-year residential and a 5-year light commercial warranty. Colors include Coastline Clam, Boston Tea, Maritime Gray, and River Boat Brown.

IT’S NOT JUST WOOD DESIGNS: NEW PRODUCTS EMULATE NATURAL STONES & CERAMICS

The new Armstrong Laminate Stones & Ceramics collection offers a Limestone in Linen Sand and Tawny Beige, as well as a new Slate inspired by Natural Vermont Slate, in five colors, including Ivory Sand, Pebble Dust, Ebony Mist, Natural Beige and Grey Stone.

Sure to be laminate’s next best seller, Weathered Way replicates the look of tumbled stone in a random block format.  It is available in four colors: Antique Cream, Euro Terracotta, Roman Grey and Earthen Copper.  All floors in the Stones & Ceramics collection can be installed using angle/angle installation; no glue required.

“With continued improvements in design and technology and a growing assortment of products, ranging from long planks and new looks in  stone and ceramic, Armstrong’s newest laminate innovations are ideally suited for people who are looking for high style at a great price,” said Goodwin.

The new collections are available now at flooring retailers nationwide. For general information, or to locate an Armstrong dealer, visit http://www.armstrong.com./flooring/products/laminate

 In a recent blog, we took a look at the first of a number of wardrobe tips Rita Wilson presented on Oprah and how we could convert that tip to decorating advice. Her second tip is just as valuable when applied to your home.

 Her second tip is “trust your own personal style.” Does your home reflect the real you, or are you looking at leftovers inherited from relatives whose taste doesn’t match yours, or purchases made because of good prices, or simply because it was there when you needed it? If so, what can you do to make your home more your own? Spend some time figuring out the main characteristics of your personal style – color, furniture type, flooring or window coverings. Are you a shutter person living with curtains? Do you dream of wood floors but live with carpeting? Make your decisions, build a plan, and then set a budget. Slowly but surely, your home can become a clear reflection of your taste.

 If you found this idea helpful and would like to see some other wardrobe ideas applied to your home, click here for some of Rita’s other tips.