Flooring: The Foundation of Your Design

Flooring: The Foundation of Your Design

(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. "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.

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.

Courtesy of ARAcontent