From the Floors Up

Your Guide to Everything Bright

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Light plays a huge factor in a room’s overall feel and energy.  Different lighting can change the entire atmosphere.  It is essential to tailor your light fixtures to enhance your space rather than diminish your room’s worth.  There are three primary purposes for lighting in a room: general, ambient, and task.  Balancing all three in a room can be challenging, but it can tremendously improve your design.

General Lighting

First, you will want to decide what your room’s general lighting option will be.  This is your deliberate attempt to illuminate your space. Overhead lighting is, generally, a great place to start.  This lighting option should be the room’s focal point of illumination and should fill the whole room.  You can go with different overhead lighting options or incorporate something elegant like a chandelier.  A chandelier will be a bold, statement lighting option that gives the room most of the energy.

Ambient Lighting

Next, you will want to incorporate ambient lighting.  This can be spotlights projected on to pictures and dimming spotlights along a rail. They will help set the room’s feel and help drive the eye towards the focal point in the room.  Ambient lighting is essential to help amplify the room’s aesthetic and design style.

Task Lighting

Lastly, make sure to include the use of task lighting.  This is lighting you may have above a workstation or a desk.  You may also want to have light beside your bed as night lights or even a lamp on the side table of your couch.  Task lighting is vital to help amplify the room’s light in particular areas.
Understanding different illuminating options is pivotal to picking the right lights.  Too little of lighting can make a room feel dark and small. Windows and natural lighting are great at opening up a space, but sometimes your room does not give you those amenities. Adding the right lights to your home is essential to creating a lively, energetic atmosphere.  Your lighting options should complement your design style of the room and accentuate the room’s ambiance.  Picking the right light choices can be challenging, but with a better understanding of options and styles, you should be well equipped for the task ahead of you.

How Light Affects Paint Color

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If you are painting your home, lighting is crucial when you are choosing the colors. You will need actually to consider the direction the room faces and if it has a lot of natural light that floods the room. Paint colors will vary according to the quality and type of natural light, and the color can appear very different from room to room. Also, at different times of day, and the time of year will also impact the color of a room. We understand that these factors can make choosing colors more difficult and confusing, so we have listed some useful tips for you. Let’s take a look! 
 
  • Rooms That Face North: 

North-facing rooms can be challenging to try and decorate because the light from the north is considered “cooler” and more intense. This can make it difficult to create the look and feel of an airy, light space that we love. If you have a small area with very little natural light, our advice is not to fight it, instead embrace the darkness of the room with a cozy and dramatic interior. Please note that light from the north will bring out cooler tones of a color. If you are using a lighter toned paint color, we recommend staying away from greens and grays. If you use butter tones or whites hues as a paint color, it will bring out cooler tones of a color and will make the light bounce around the room making the room appear brighter. Also, we recommend decorating with mirrors to reflect the light in the room and create a more open space. 

  • Rooms That Face South:

Decorating and painting south-facing rooms is a pure delight! These rooms are full of warm light all day, and all colors look fabulous in south-facing rooms. By choosing pale tones, you can maximize the feeling of light and space in a room. You can use blues and pale tones to have that coastal feel or neutrals that are red-based to create a warmer look and feel. To make your south-facing rooms pop, finish the trim off in a bright white color. 

  • Rooms That Face West:

Choose a beautiful white for a west-facing room. Whites are natural reflectors of light and compliment any color of furnishings you may have. Also, white will enhance both natural and artificial light in a west facing room. Try a grey neutral for a feeling of openness, but understand that the color will be cooler in the mornings and warmer in the evenings.

  • Rooms That Face East:

You must be careful when working with east-facing rooms. The light can look like it is a little blue, so work with this theory and choose blue and green paint colors. Because the sun’s direction during the day will change, it is best to paint the woodwork a darker tone of blue or green. This works because the lighter colored walls will make for an excellent contrast color. 

 
We hope that you found this article helpful. Be sure to check back weekly for more tips and tricks for homeowners. 
 
 

Four Reasons Why You Should Consider Recessed Lighting

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Whether you are making small updates in your living space or you are launching a full out remodel project, you cannot forget about your home’s lighting. A major lighting upgrade that you will want to make is to install recessed lights. They are used in the most well-lit homes across the country. Recessed lights, commonly referred to as downlights, are lighting fixtures that are installed into a hollow open in the ceiling. Here are some reasons why you should consider installing recessed lighting in your home. Let’s take a look!
 
Four Reasons Why You Should Consider Recessed Lighting:  
1. Adds a Dramatic Flair.
Many design professionals gravitate towards downlights because they instantly add drama to any space. By pushing the stream of light downward, it creates a spotlight effect that draws attention to a specific area. You can even use recessed lighting to highlight an architectural feature such as a fireplace or even a piece of artwork.
 
2. Makes a Space Seem Bigger.
You can use recessed lighting to make a room feel and look much more spacious. Since the downlights sit in a can concealed by the structure of the ceiling, there is nothing that is hanging downward to interrupt the visual space in the ceiling. Recessed lighting also creates an effect known as “wall washing”. Wall washing provides an even distribution of light from the floor to the ceiling. To create this effect, the downlight will need to have the right kind of trim installed on it. Also, the recessed lights will need to be correctly spaced apart. As a general rule of thumb, the higher the ceiling the further apart the lights need to be.
 
3. Creates Focused Lighting.
Pendant lighting and traditional lamps do not necessarily provide usable lights that reach the countertops and tables because the light stream tends to break up before it reaches its destination. Unlike ambient lighting sources, recessed lights excel greatly at illuminating specific areas and double height spaces.
 
4. Establishes Discreet Lighting.
Recessed lights are the most discreet lighting option. The size of downlights is becoming smaller and smaller due to modern technology. In fact, the standard recessed cans are about six inches and they are giving way to two/ three-inch cans. Such discreet lighting solutions create clean lines and streamlined look.
 
Where would you add recessed lighting in your home? We would love to hear in the comment section. 

How to Make Your Home More Luxurious

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Imagine the most luxurious house that you have ever been in or seen on television. Have you ever wondered what exactly makes it so luxurious? The key to making a luxurious space is actually to envision a luxury hotel. Luxurious hotels know exactly how to make guests feel relaxed and valued. You can bring these same principles home with our five tips on how to make your home more luxurious. 

 

How to Make Your Home More Luxurious: 

  1. One Color Scheme. To create a classy, luxurious bedroom, professional designers recommend sticking to one color in your design scheme. A great color option that is timeless and clean is white. From your curtains to your bedspread, white can instantly transform your space into a luxurious escape. 
  2. Embrace A Spa-Like Atmosphere. Master bathrooms can be the most luxurious room in your household if done right. If you are on a budget, there are several ways to create a spa-like atmosphere for a reasonable price. Some creative ways to make your master bathroom more elegant is by:
  1. Using dim lighting and lighting candles. 
  2. Incorporating spa-like artwork and paintings on the walls. 
  3. Placing rocks inside of your sink. 
  4. Adding rejuvenation candles or diffusing mood-boosting essential oils in the air.
  5. Having peppermint-scented soaps and bath products. 
  6. Playing relaxing music throughout the daytime and evening hours. 
  1. Elegant Drapery. Believe it or not, curtains can make a home more elegant. The drapery you choose for your home can instantly transform it into an oasis. All you need to do is follow a few guidelines: 
    1. Place the curtain rod a few inches above the top of the window. This will help create the illusion that the window is larger than it actually is. 
    2. Have your curtains touch the floor. This is the crucial part of making your room look more luxurious because it adds length. 
    3. Demand attention by purchasing heavy and thick curtains. 
    4. Incorporate black-out curtains in your master bedroom for the perfect finishing touch. 
  1. Sensational Lighting. Lighting is a key part of luxury. If you walk into a luxurious hotel, you will notice that it is well-lit. Your home should replicate this idea. Choose light fixtures that provide excellent lighting while providing style. Chandeliers are a great option for entry-ways and foyers. 
  2. Glamorous Florals. Nothing says luxurious and beautiful like fresh flowers. Finish your home off with some locally-grown, fresh-cut flowers. 

 

Another way to make your home a luxurious oasis is with brand new flooring! With flooring options that meet any style preference, we can help make your home the luxury masterpiece that you have always imagined. Stop in today for more information and pricing. We look forward to serving you! 


Decorating with Comfortable Farmhouse Style

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Even if you don’t have a farmhouse style home, the style can work for you. Farmhouse is all about comfort with a nostalgic, vintage flair.  Found pieces from flea markets, estate sales and antique shows mix with comfortable upholstered pieces in either traditional or shabby chic styles.  It’s an easy style to live with and great for all rooms in the home.

This living room is full of charming farmhouse furniture and accessories.  The room itself is a standard design with wood floors, recessed lighting and crown molding.  It could be a renovation or new construction, and demonstrates how well farmhouse style can fit into a home. Neutral wall color lets the colors of the curtains, furniture and accessories stand out.

Vintage finds add character to the room. An old painted trunk makes for a charming coffee table with storage in the seating area.  Vintage inspired lamps throughout the room create lighting zones and accent lights for reading.  Comfortable seating in pretty slipcovers in natural linens and cotton make for easy cleaning.  This is definitely not a living room where you’d be afraid to put up your feet.

The wide plank wood floors offer a rustic charm.  A jute rug with a colorful border that coordinates with the colors of the room centers the seating area.

This living room shows how charming farmhouse style can be. Mixing in vintage and antique pieces let the homeowner’s personality shine through to make the room feel comfortable and personal. Fabrics and furniture further the feeling of comfortable farmhouse charm.

From the Floors Up

From the Floors Up blog was created with the goal of providing a destination for consumers, designers and those interested in the flooring, design, and kitchen and bath industries. Here you’ll find, current, accurate and informative information that is always just a click away!

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