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Home Improvement
posted on 22 June 2007 |
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Flooring: The Foundation of Your Design
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(ARA) - Creativity is one of the most important elements in interior
design. But when it comes to the process of designing a room, over
the past 40 years the industry has been anything but creative. Until
recently the steadfast rule was to choose furniture, accessories and
paint first. Then almost as an afterthought, choose flooring.
According to Chris Sy of Carlisle Wide Plank Floors, nowadays,
decorators have changed their tune. They recognize that flooring can
be the centerpiece of the room and the first step in the design
process. Many of the best designers and architects are choosing wood
flooring over other options. Not only is wood more pleasant to walk
on than laminate, tile or even carpet, it is hypoallergenic which
makes it a great choice for people sensitive to dust. It’s easy to
clean and durable. If well cared for, a wood floor can last for
hundreds of years or more.
“Carpet, laminate and linoleum are short term floor coverings,” says
Sy. “But when you put down a wooden floor, it’s an investment that
is meant to last.”
Sy points to the colonial era homes in New England as an example.
Many of these homes still have their original wood floors that were
laid down more than 100 years ago.
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“What makes those floors so unique is the grain, knots and
imperfections of the wood that give it character. Plus, the boards
are so wide and long that you can achieve a more natural look
without all the seams and butt joints typical of strip flooring,”
says Sy.
Whether you want your home to have an old world feel like you’d find
in New England or would prefer something more modern, here’s a good
guideline to follow for choosing Carlisle wood floor to put in:
1) Grain
If you want the grain to stand out as a decorative element, you’ll
want to select a wood that has prominent grain in it, like hickory,
oak or ash flooring. Cherry, maple and eastern white pine are
considered mellow flooring because their grains are less prominent.
2) Grade
If you want a more refined, clean look, you’ll want to use a select
grade wood that has less character. To create a rustic look
indicative of the floors from 150 to 200 years ago, you’ll want to
go with a country grade wood that is rich in character.
3) Width of the Boards
Single width boards create a more formal and refined look. If you
choose random width boards, you’ll get a hand-crafted, comfortable
feeling in the room. The wider the plank, the more unique the room
will look. Wider boards, by their very nature, have a lot more
character. Character depicts the life the tree has lived and often
people will want to feature the knots, mineral stains and worm holes
to create focal points in the room.
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4) Color
Most wood floors installed today retain their natural color, but
stains do exist that can make them mimic more expensive materials.
For example, to make an oak floor look more like walnut, you can
stain it with Carlisle’s Sturbridge Brown or Vermont Coffee Bean.
The stain selection is so vast that you can create just the color
you want for your room. Plus custom stain colors can be created to
perfectly match your furniture.
5) Antique
Increasingly popular for its “window to the past” and its
environmentally friendly properties, is the use of antique wood.
Builders, designers, and homeowners alike are often requesting wood
that has been recycled and certified for its unique attributes and
character. Carlisle’s entire line of antique wood is FSC certified
100 percent Post-Consumer Reclaimed Wood.
6) Finish
The best solution for finishing Carlisle floors is tung oil. It is
renowned for its wear and maintenance properties. Through its use
and the fine level to which Carlisle mills their floors, sanding the
floor is not necessary.
Following these guidelines, your wood floors can become the
foundation of your room design and create a unique look that matches
your lifestyle. For more information about Carlisle floors, log on
to www.wideplankflooring.com or call (800) 595-9663. (ARA)
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