Flooring Options for Kelly

Christine, I really need your help! We are buying a new home and the entire downstairs flooring is wood, EXCEPT a room next to the family room. It's currently carpeted in a very light carpet and being used for their pool table. Our plan was to have the room finished in the wood to match the rest of the floors. But sadly it's discontinued. We have looked high and low. You can see this room from the family room, entry and kitchen area so what in the world do we do? I have considered seagrass wall to wall, travertine and possibly a different wood in a contrasting color and maybe running a different direction or in a pattern. I just don't want this room to look odd. It needs to flow. This flooring will meet up to the current wood. I am including pictures that will show you how the graining in current wood looks and how the room is somewhat open to the family room. I am not wild about seeing a pool table all the time, so keeping it is not a must. It will either be used as an additional sitting room with an area to play board games, read etc or the pool table will stay and a sitting area at one end of the room. If you could PLEASE let me know what you think might work on the floors and how you would use the space, I would SO APPRECIATE IT! 

I am in a panic. I needed these floors done like yesterday. If I can make a decision and have them done prior to move in it would be a HUGE help. Thanks again for your input. You are so talented and I know you will have some great suggestions.

p.s. I do have pets and children so the floors would need to be practical for a family.

Kelly

Hi Kelly,

I hear that sad story all too often.  People want to extend existing hardwood, and it is discontinued.  That's too bad.  It is hard to beat hardwood.  With that said, here are my thoughts:

1.  I almost never like a bunch of different hardwood floors in the same house, especially right next to one another.  If you could get a parquet or something that truly matched, that would be something to consider, but I kind of doubt you could find a really good match.

2.  Travertine is super durable.  I have it in my home with four kids and a puppy and have been thrilled with it.  For a change of direction next to your hardwood, try a herringbone.  I have always adored a herringbone floor.  Remember this can come in many different colors.  I would find something that has a subtle look next to your wood.  Find a stone in similar tones.

3.  I do like you idea of a sisal. It won't be as durable as a stone, but still a good option. 

4.  Another good option would be an Axminster Broadloom.  Get a beautiful patterned carpet that looks like an area rug, but comes wall to wall.  You can get great patterns in many different styles.

Years ago I worked with a client and we put braided rug in wall to wall.  (custom job by Capel Rugs) It was pretty cool- a very "country" look.  Her home was used in the old countrytime lemonade commercials with the grandpa on the porch with the grandkids. 

Congratulations on your new home, it looks beautiful. 

Sign up for this week's webinar, Color in Interior Design here.

Travertine Meets Laminate Flooring

Christine

I'm in need of some advice. I currently have travertine in my house, the bedrooms have carpet. I'd like to take the carpet out and replace it with laminate flooring. Would it be okay to mix the flooring? Thanks in advance for your advice!

- Diana

Hi Diana,

My short answer:  I wouldn't do it.

My long answer: 

1.  I am not a fan of laminate flooring.  I know that it has its upsides, but the downsides are too many for me to get over:

• It looks cheap. 
• It is noisy.  Clip clop, clip clop...
• Very difficult to repair.  No flooring is super easy to repair, but boy do I remember a few nightmares trying to do repairs on laminates. 
• It is perceived as inexpensive, but it isn't really all that less expensive than an inexpensive hardwood.  Sure you see the price per square foot on the hardwood, and the price per square foot on the laminate and you think I am wrong, but then you add to the hardwood just the labor and the mastic.  You add to the laminate the film, the foam, the glue, the labor, and the super expensive trim and transition pieces.  Now, are you saving money?  Not so much.
• Speaking of the transition pieces...  My least favorite transition piece is a T- strip. - shown above-  (do you know many people out there with a least favorite transition strip?- just me, huh?)  It is a downright trip hazard; a liability on your property.  And no, there is no other way to bridge the gap between your travertine and laminate. 

 

(photo from homeandgardendesignideas)

I would do more travertine, or hardwood, or carpet.  The larger the home, the more supportive I am with more kinds of flooring.  A small house looks the best with very few breaks in flooring.  Do you have 4000 + square feet?  Sure- let's get some variety. 

Flooring for Kim's Kitchen

Whenever you have an older home, with hardwood flooring that is the actual subfloor, kitchen flooring can be a difficult decision.  Traditionally, you find the hardwood subfloor does not carry through the kitchen, you have a rough plywood subfloor in that area instead.  What that leaves you with is a height issue if you try to install any flooring that is higher than about 1/4 inch.  If you were to put say, a stone or tile floor in, you would have a terrible trip hazard at every entrance to the room.

So what are your options?  You have two.

You can remove the subfloor and have it essentially rebuilt, at a lower level, to account for the height in many popular kitchen floors.  This, however is not only expensive, but also very intrusive.  With that said, I have done it before for clients, and I'm sure I'll do it again.  For a very formal kitchen, I feel like it is, in many cases, the best option.

You can put in a floor with a very low profile.  Let me share with you some of my favorites.  - Well- maybe I'll start with my un-favorite.  The obvious selection is vinyl.  Sheet vinyl to me, is like a politician.  It's always trying to be the popular thing; but never being true to itself.  Wood floors are popular, well, with sheet vinyl, you can have the wood floor look roll out in 12' goods.  Travertine is the "in" thing, well, you can get sheet vinyl that looks exactly like it.  Slate- no problem.  Seriously, who are they trying to fool?  No one has EVER mistaken sheet vinyl slate for real slate.  It all looks ridiculous. 

Now on to the low profile floors that I would recommend.

1.  Amtico.  I have mentioned this in many flooring posts already- you can read more about it here.  The thing that is so different with Amtico compared to sheet vinyl is, of course, its durablity, but it is also so much more real looking.  I had a client that had a large home, and we put in Amtico wood flooring throughout.  It looked terrific.  She said that people would ask her what kind of wood she had and she would respond truthfully, "Weathered Elm".   Keep Amtico wood away from real wood, or you wouldn't fool a soul.   I will also say that I still don't like their slate.  You just can't fake slate.  Don't even try. The floor below is Amtico's matte limestone.  It is a great looking floor.  I especially like it in the long shape.  (it comes with many shape options.)

2.  Cork.  Years ago I did a kitchen remodel in Burbank, where we had this height issue.  It was an older home.  We put in these fabulous stained blue cabinets, and I found a cork floor with a vein of blue in it.  It looked perfect, and the height was perfect. Cork is forgiving on the joints, and adds a real natural feel to a room, in the way that hardwood floors do.  It comes in squares or on a roll. 

3.  Now, what did I tell my sister Kim to put in her home?  One of my other favorite products, and certainly the easiest to install and care for out of the three is Marmoleum.  Marmoleum has a classic vintage feel to it.  When people refer to vinyl flooring as Linoleum, it is actually incorrect.  It is an entirely different product.  Marmoleum is a brand name for traditional Linoleum.  Linoleum is actually made of linseed oil.  It is environmentally friendly and customizable.  It is also easy to care for, and simply a good looking floor. 

So here is Kim's the "after" photo- the island's not in yet, giving you a larger view of the Marmoleum.  What do you think?  Do any of you have any other low profile flooring ideas to add to my list? 

What is your favorite selection for kitchen flooring?

More photos to come as she finishes up.

Help Michelle Decide on Flooring

Christine,
My priority is a new floor.  We have an oak floor in the entry and linoleum in the kitchen.  The linoleum is at the end of its life (you would probably say that it shouldn't have a life :) ).  Because you can see the kitchen from the front door, I think it should have the same flooring from the entry throughout the kitchen/dining room.   I am thinking of doing the whole thing in wood but there are so many options and colors out there  that I don't know what to choose.  I'm leaning toward something darker.  My banister and kitchen cabinets are also oak.  In theory I would like to change them but I'm not sure how soon that can happen.   Can you give me any suggestions on flooring so I am not afraid to go ahead with the project?
Also, as you can see I have huge blank walls in the entry.  They are so big and so high that I don't know where to start.   Could I do something to improve the big window above my front door?  Should I replace the molding around my doors for something bigger?   What can I hang on the walls?  I'd love your suggestions as you can see I need help. 
I'm attaching some more pictures in a second email.
Thanks for taking the time to look at this!

Hi Michelle,

1.  Yes, larger moulding everywhere. 

2.  What should you put on the walls?  This is the perfect place for wallpaper.  Your entry is so sterile, and the walls are too high to really have hanging wall decor be the answer.  I would paper it!

3.  What kind of wood?  I made a couple of collages for you.  I like to contrast, whether lighter or darker. I think matching is the mistake. 

Here is lighter:  Lighter is the up and coming trend, not that I am advocating the following of trends in something as permanent as flooring.  This is actully a "white" finish.

Here is darker:  On your darker side, select a wood that has a little golden accent to it, to pick up on your golden oak. 

Now, for where your cabinets meet the floor...  I would add a contrasting toe kick.  I tried to find a picture of this- it wasn't easy- this was the best I could do- Can you see how the toe kick is black instead of the traditional color of the cabinetry?  I would have your toe kick white- the color of your trim.  Carry it around the back side of the bar.  Don't have the wood floor meet the wood cabinets anywhere.  This break really helps wood with wood work. Otherwise, subconsioulsy, people enter the room and spend their time deciding if it matches, rather than appreciating your lovely room.  Separate it.  It makes  all of the difference in the world. 

So- let's have a vote- should Michelle go with light wood or dark wood?

The white is Vernal White by DuChateau and the dark is Old Dutch by DuChateau.  The wallpapers are both Ronald Redding Designs.

For lots of info on shopping for wood floors, see these posts. 

Amazing Painted Floors

I am not a DIY girl, and find myslef ultra impressed when I see a talented one.  Today's post is about Carrie's DIY floor job.  She hated her carpet, and yet wasn't ready for the investment of hardwood, so what did she do?

She took up her carpet and painted her plywood subfloor.  And what a great job she did!

Her subfloor was a little rough, like most.

She taped it, primed it and lightly sanded it.

She then painted it with a porch paint, followed by a border.

To disguise the seams and imperfections, she added a busy paisley pattern to the center.  Amazing.  She said the project took 20-25 hours.  I am sure that it would have taken me 2 months of tears followed by a hardwood floor purchase to disguise the mess I made.  To see Carrie's instructions- check out her blog: Lovely Etc.