From the Floors Up

Decorating Around the Television

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Before the age of the flat screen television, many designers and home owners hid their televisions in entertainment centers, armoires and custom made cabinetry. Rooms were designed around ways of disguising and hiding the big black boxes of old style televisions. When not being used, televisions were discreetly tucked away behind doors. The flat screen TV changed all this.

 

Flat screens have moved up onto the wall in many homes. Mounting a flat screen to the wall means you free up floor space in the room. No longer do you need a large entertainment center or armoire. This means flat screens can be hung above a fireplace, returning the fireplace to a focal point in many living and family rooms. Mounting a large television on the wall should be done with the proper television mounting kit that is attached to the studs.

 

Smaller entertainment consoles can be placed underneath the television to hold DVRs, DVD and BluRay players as well as game consoles and movies.  Today’s entertainment consoles can be lower and smaller in profile, taking up less space on the floor than older models.

 

Many homeowners do not decorate around the big black rectangle on the wall, instead they leave it as the sole focal point, as in this room. Adding shelves or artwork around the TV can help balance out the size and dark color, making it blend in more with the rest of the room’s décor. Creating balance on the wall that holds the TV can make the TV feel more a thoughtful part of the room’s design.

Two are Better than One: Bathroom Sinks

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The standard for master bathroom design is to have his and hers sinks. In newer homes the master bathroom is the largest bathroom in the home and can accommodate a counter top long enough to fit two sinks. In older homes and smaller homes that lack en suite master bathrooms, two sinks are a luxury.

 

Two sinks ideally mean that you each get your own sink. This can be true in some homes while in others the extra sink is rarely used other than to store makeup and hair dryers.  Sometimes one sink with extra counter space is a better option. Even a vanity or make up area would be preferential to the second sink for some couples.

 

If you do have a bathroom that has enough space for a long vanity and two sinks there are many sink options available.  Vessel sinks continue to be popular as do undermounted sinks. Vessel sinks’ smaller footprint will allow more counter top to show around the sink. Vessel sinks may allow you the space to install two sinks on a smaller counter top space.  Wall mounted faucets can also save precious countertop space. Atypical shapes like these rectangular sinks are popular in contemporary and modern design.

 

Because double sink vanities are such large elements in a bathroom, coordinating the sink color and material with the counter and flooring helps give a polished looking design to the room. Matching the counter top with the stone or tile of the bathroom floor can unify these two design elements.

Furniture with Texture

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Amongst the common design elements, we often overlook texture in favor of color and pattern.  Texture is one of the key design elements in creating an interesting interior design.  Along with color and pattern, texture can bring life and interest to both interior design and furniture design.

Accessories like area rugs and pillows are an easy way to bring more texture into a room. An area rug doesn’t have to be a deep shag to add texture to a smooth wood or tile floor. Even a flat weave rug has texture.  Besides rugs and accessories, furniture is a great way to add texture.

Woven furniture, like the contemporary chairs pictured here, has tons of natural texture.  A single woven stool or ottoman can bring texture to a room. You don’t need an entire suite of wicker furniture to make an impact; a single piece can make a big design statement.  Mixing materials of furniture is a great way to add texture. Wood, glass, chrome and upholstered pieces all have different surfaces and different textures.

Upholstery is another way to add texture. Soft cotton velvets, chenilles, and wools all have a subtle texture. Layer these with a knit throw or silk pillow for additional textures.

Leather is another beautiful texture to have on furniture.  Think with your fingers when it comes to bringing in more texture to your space. Imagine how it would feel to touch the piece.  Creating a space that is both visually and tactile appealing means you have created an interesting room.

Nooks and Crannies

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Finding extra storage in our homes is something we all struggle with.  We do like our stuff, so much so that there are television shows about storage locker auctions and hoarding. Decluttering is something we could all probably do. And the New Year is a great time to go through our homes and try to organize and declutter our spaces. Taking it room by room, closet by closet and shelf by shelf can make the task seem less daunting.  Even our kitchen cabinets need to be sorted through and decluttered at least once a year.

Once you’ve cleaned out your space, finding storage for what you have left can still be a challenge.  Cabinets and bookshelves are the go to places to store the objects of our lives.  Baskets and bins on the floor are other popular options.  Built-in cabinets and shelves are a more permanent option for additional storage in living and bedrooms. All of these storage options can provide you with standard storage in most rooms of your home.

Additional storage spaces can be created if you think outside the box, or shelf as it were.  Think about wall mounted inset medicine cabinets that keep products off the counter and floor. These cabinets use the gaps between the wall studs as additional storage space in the bathroom. This idea can work in other areas of the home too.  Nooks and crannies can be created out of the space under the stairs or in walls in a family or playroom.

Think creatively and you just might find a bit more extra storage in your home.

Foam Floor Tiles – Think Soft!!!

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What an honor it is to be writing as a guest to you all in this thorough and informative blog. I’m Bill Harris of Foamtiles.com. We are a website dedicated to marketing and selling closed cell EVA (Ethylene-vinyl acetate) foam tiles in many varieties.

For those of you not familiar with what closed cell, EVA foam is, it is the same material high quality flip flops are made from. If a little patch under each foot can last years, imagine the longevity you can expect with an entire room’s floor covered in it! The “closed cell” part of the description means that, while foam, it is non-absorbing. Liquids will pool on top and can be easily wiped away with a towel. There are many uses for EVA foam. You can find this amazingly versatile product in shoe soles, seat cushions and ski boots to name a few.

This inexpensive and resilient flooring option has becoming one of the most popular choices for flooring in many different applications. It has been used for years in children’s play rooms and day cares as kids play mats. The wide variety of colors, durability, ease of installation and cleaning have all aided the increased usage of these products to protect little heads and knees.

Additionally, foam tiles can now be found in home weight rooms and light duty commercial gyms where a lot of ground work or body weight exercises are performed. The increased popularity of the P90X and plyometric type routines has added to the popularity of soft floor tiles. I can tell you from experience that it is much nicer taking a knee or doing sit ups on foam flooring products than a wooden or hard rubber surface found in many work out areas, providing extra cushion for the joints without being so soft that it will compromise stability. For gyms, it should be noted that heavy equipment like tread mills or weight racks can cause indentations where the feet sit that may not fully recover if the machine is moved from its place.

Another usage that has become increasingly popular lately is in martial arts studios. Anyone that has watched a competition or demonstration can tell you; these guys hit the ground with all their body weight. Having anywhere from ½” to 1 full inch of padding to land on will allow you to extend your workouts and prevent bruising from the throws associated with this kind of sport. They link together tightly with a jig-saw type puzzle interlock that prevents separation during even the most vigorous sparring.

Closed cell EVA foam tiles have infinite color options. There are even tiles that have a very realistic wood pattern laminated to the surface. Tiles like these can be found in trade show booths at nearly every convention center in North America. It is an excellent way to set your booth apart from the competition while providing antifatigue properties for you and your presenters.  Being light and easily installed means you can set up and take down quickly as well as take them with you from show to show, avoiding the costly rental of the facilities flooring. They can also be reconfigured to fit any booth size.

In closing, if you are interested in soft yet durable, affordable and versatile flooring for an area in your home, studio, exercise area, child’s room or trade show booth, consider soft floor tiles next time.  They work great as a portable foam mat or as an installed wall to wall soft flooring solution.  For more information, please feel free to www.foamtiles.com.

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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