Choosing a family-friendly floor covering
When shopping for floor coverings, be sure to take along your paint swatches. I was shopping for a design project the other day, and I made sure to have my colour swatches with me to eye how well the floor covering would look alongside the colours. Homeowners tend to trust their eyes for colour a little too much on their first design project, and end up disappointed when they get home with floor covering that doesn’t match or complement their wall colour.
Dear Marc:
My husband and I own a three-bedroom home in the city. I would like to replace my floor coverings this summer as part of a design project. I have a three-year-old son, Sammy, who has lots of energy and a tendency to spill things on the floor, so I’m looking for a product that’s durable and easy to maintain. What should I consider when buying my new floor coverings? — Rosanna
Dear Rosanna:
Floor coverings tie the entire content of a room together. A floor is the second-largest hard surface in a room on which you can add a splash of colour. Many designers will use the floor to tie the entire colour scheme together with the use of a soft surface covering such as a patterned carpet.
Patterns in carpet will help camouflage stains left behind by an accidental spill, so avoid the temptation to buy a white rug.
In design, we must always consider who will be using the space we are designing. Ask yourself how many people use the room, and who, in particular will use it. The answers will help you determine how much traffic and wear and tear the room will get. If the homeowners are a couple with no children, a white or light-coloured solid (no pattern) carpet might work. But in your situation, it should be avoided at all costs; you’ll want to look for dark colours, which will ensure the rug’s lifespan.
Another good option is hardwood floors: They’re easy to clean and practically stain-resistant. They’ll last for years and come in a variety of stains and wood grains. In traditional design, a hardwood floor is avoided in high-moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms. Wood and water don’t mix well, leaving you with water stains.
Hardwood is a great product for dry areas, however, such as your family room, living room, dining room and master bedroom. You can also use an area rug in all these rooms to soften hardwood’s heavy presence and make the space look warm and inviting.
Eco-friendly flooring options are bamboo, leather and cork, and are easy to find in national flooring retailers such as Carpet One Floor & Home.
When shopping for floor coverings, be sure to take along your paint swatches. I was shopping for a design project the other day, and I made sure to have my colour swatches with me to eye how well the floor covering would look alongside the colours. Homeowners tend to trust their eyes for colour a little too much on their first design project, and end up disappointed when they get home with floor covering that doesn’t match or complement their wall colour.
Marc Atiyolil is the editor-in-chief of Canadian Home Trends — Canada’s Home Decor & Lifestyle Magazine. To submit a question for him, visit CanadianHomeTrends.ca.
My husband and I own a three-bedroom home in the city. I would like to replace my floor coverings this summer as part of a design project. I have a three-year-old son, Sammy, who has lots of energy and a tendency to spill things on the floor, so I’m looking for a product that’s durable and easy to maintain. What should I consider when buying my new floor coverings? — Rosanna
Dear Rosanna:
Floor coverings tie the entire content of a room together. A floor is the second-largest hard surface in a room on which you can add a splash of colour. Many designers will use the floor to tie the entire colour scheme together with the use of a soft surface covering such as a patterned carpet.
Patterns in carpet will help camouflage stains left behind by an accidental spill, so avoid the temptation to buy a white rug.
In design, we must always consider who will be using the space we are designing. Ask yourself how many people use the room, and who, in particular will use it. The answers will help you determine how much traffic and wear and tear the room will get. If the homeowners are a couple with no children, a white or light-coloured solid (no pattern) carpet might work. But in your situation, it should be avoided at all costs; you’ll want to look for dark colours, which will ensure the rug’s lifespan.
Another good option is hardwood floors: They’re easy to clean and practically stain-resistant. They’ll last for years and come in a variety of stains and wood grains. In traditional design, a hardwood floor is avoided in high-moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms. Wood and water don’t mix well, leaving you with water stains.
Hardwood is a great product for dry areas, however, such as your family room, living room, dining room and master bedroom. You can also use an area rug in all these rooms to soften hardwood’s heavy presence and make the space look warm and inviting.
Eco-friendly flooring options are bamboo, leather and cork, and are easy to find in national flooring retailers such as Carpet One Floor & Home.
When shopping for floor coverings, be sure to take along your paint swatches. I was shopping for a design project the other day, and I made sure to have my colour swatches with me to eye how well the floor covering would look alongside the colours. Homeowners tend to trust their eyes for colour a little too much on their first design project, and end up disappointed when they get home with floor covering that doesn’t match or complement their wall colour.
Marc Atiyolil is the editor-in-chief of Canadian Home Trends — Canada’s Home Decor & Lifestyle Magazine. To submit a question for him, visit CanadianHomeTrends.ca.
- Sourced by Calgaryherald
