Interior DesignTrends 2012

This picture exemplifies some of the design trends that I see developing for 2012: Handscraped, reclaimed, distressed, sunbleached hardwood floors; woodpanelling on ceilings and walls; lots of texture and visual interest; oiled bronze, circular shapes; personal imprints, handwriting; sleek, modern elements juxtaposed with those that are old and weathered.

Below are some interesting blogs that showcase a variety of design trends for 2012:

This one is out of the U.K. and points to Britishness, Nostalgia, Aztec and Tribal influences, and Typography as being the leading Interior Design Trends for 2012.

http://whoartnow.co.uk/interior-design-trends/253-interior-design-trends-for-2012

This blog talks about grey being the main neutral for 2012, with yellow as the main accent. Think industrial with antique, "Paris flea market meets driftwood salvage".

http://www.pr.com/press-release/369047

The idea of decorating a home for re-sale, in a generic, impersonal style, is becoming less popular. People are staying in their homes longer and are injecting their own personalities into their spaces. They're using more colour, more pattern, more unique art objects and furniture. This blog exemplifies these ideas:

http://www.adesignerspot.com/decorating-styles/2011-2012-trends-in-interior-design.html

This is a fascinating blog that categorizes and analyzes the following colour trends: Preservation, Heritage, Process, and Protection:

http://yourhomeonlybetter.com/color-trends-for-2012-balance-to-preservation/

This last blog is not about design trends, but about the top 10 lifestyle trends for 2012. Examples are community gardens, working from home, single-level houses and multi-generational homes.

http://ht.ly/7JVEp

OK I'm ready, now bring on the new year!

Photo credit: Contemporist.com. Loft Apartment by 2B Group.

Put a Cork in It - I Mean Your Floor, of Course!

Photo credits: Gord Whenham, flooring installer.

I helped some clients recently with a problem they thought would be impossible to solve.

They were tired of their outdated ceramic tile floors but didn't want the mess and cost of having the tiles removed. They also didn't want to raise the floor height too much, and most of the floors they looked at would have been too thick.

They wanted an eco-friendly, sustainable product that was warm and comfortable, low maintenance and high quality. They wanted a floor that could be used in the entry, kitchen, laundry and bath without risk of water damage.

It turned out that glue-down cork was the perfect solution for my clients. Unlike the floating, click-together cork planks that you see in most flooring retail stores, the Solida Cork tiles we chose could be glued to a properly levelled ceramic tile floor. They were then further sealed with 3 coats of a flexible water-based urethane specifically manufactured for cork floors.

We were able to do herringbone patterned inserts and borders in a contrasting colour. This is because with glue-down cork tiles there is a huge selection of tile sizes, formats, colours and patterns to play with, allowing you to do a truly unique custom design!

If you'd like to find out more about the sustainability of cork, and view some beautiful design possibilities, here's a great video featuring Candice Olson from Divine Design, talking about the merits of cork flooring:

To find out more about cork flooring, click here: http://www.eraco.com/cork_about_cork.asp

and here: http://solidacork.com/

Is It Waterproof Hardwood or Luxury Vinyl Planking?

I often have clients that would love to put hardwood throughout their entire house, including their bath, laundry, kithen and foyer.

Hardwood is beautiful, but not recommended in high moisture areas, so what to do?

When I show my clients samples of such realistic looking vinyl flooring as Karndean's Da Vinci Plank or Armstrong's Luxe Plank, they're amazed it's not hardwood. It looks and feels that realistic!

What I love about Karndean's product in particular, is that you can integrate such high-end details as the mitered double border shown here.

Karndean makes a luxury vinyl tile, as well as plank. This allows you to mix and match different looks without having to worry about height differences. For example, I will sometimes use a Karndean tile in the kitchen and foyer, bordered by a Karndean woodplank. I then carry that same wood plank into the living and dining areas, for a cohesive and ultra elegant look.

Armstrong's Luxe Plank doesn't allow for this type of design versatility, but it has the advantage of being easier for the homeowner to install than Karndean. This is because it does not have to be adhered to the subfloor, but is glued together with self adhesive tabs.

Luxury vinyl plank flooring now comes with a protective topcoat that doesn't require polish. You simply use a PH balanced cleaner for regular maintenance. It's that easy!

If you would like to see a beautiful example of Karndean, take a look at this year's PNE Prize Home, where it was used throughout the entire main floor!

If you would like to find out more, go to the following websites:

http://www.karndeancanada.com/site/home.cfm

and: http://www.armstrong.com/flooring/products/luxury-vinyl