Decorating a Vaulted Room October 10, 2011
Posted by creatingyourspace in : Design and Decorating, Design Perspectives, Hints and Tips , add a comment
It can be challenging to decorate a room with a vaulted ceiling. Often, people choose to simply ignore the extra height. Let’s take a look at a few techniques this photo demonstrates for making an entire room feel cohesive.
One tactic is color connections. The tone of the small diagonal tiles added to this stone floor match the feature wall on the upper right. The same tone comes through on the stair banister. These elements pull the flooring together with the rest of the room.
The tall narrow windows and extra-wide crown molding provide architectural touches that make the entire space feel integrated from top to bottom. If architectural elements don’t support the high ceiling, it’s hard to compensate with decorating.
Using large-scale art is another effective approach. The three-piece canvas between the windows covers the need for art reaching down to eye-level while still reaching up almost to the ceiling. The soft tones of this piece keep it from distracting visitors while establishing the height connection.
One final touch comes from the long lean plant toward the back. This accessory carries the tall theme onto the living area of the room. Altogether almost every element in this room is designed to ensure that everything works to create a space that has elements of grandeur while still remaining inviting.
Warm up Loft Living August 15, 2011
Posted by creatingyourspace in : Design Perspectives , add a comment
With the look of a classic sepia-tone photograph, this loft living room combines the adventurous mood offered by loft living with the ambience provided by a classic approach to design.
The balance of soft and hard as well as dark and light helps this space work. The flooring is a soft brown gold in color but is in fact stained concrete. The light-toned rough sisal rug is bordered by soft black edging. Textured brick contrasts with clean cream-painted plaster. Then art, pillows and accessories pull dark and light together with a rich variety of mid-range almost neutral colors.
One decision that helps give the room its warmth is choosing wood for the ceiling. Normally a vaulted ceiling stands alone in the upper distance, rarely touched by the bulk of a room’s design. In this case, however, the wood brings the ceiling into the room while covering the ceiling vents and pipes that are always part of loft living. The dropped wood ceiling also allows for additional lighting to brighten up dark corners.
Wood plays an important role in this room. The custom blinds are 2-inch wood, a look that helps bring the oversized window into perspective. A wood base supports and softens the glass top on the coffee table and a round wood table in the corner adds curves and interest.
Do you dream of loft living? It’s not possible for most of us, but you might be able to recreate some of that feel by adding architectural elements to your own home such as aged brick on a wall or fireplace surround and wood on the ceiling. It’s not just for floors anymore.
Laundry Room June 23, 2011
Posted by creatingyourspace in : Design Perspectives , add a comment
Many modern homes treat laundry rooms as tools for managing the clothes for a family. Rather than a simple small space for the washer and dryer, the laundry room may include storage, room for a ironing board and clothes folding and even space for soaking clothes or washing a dog.
Flooring also varies in laundry rooms. This room shows the typical small tiles generally found in bathrooms with a very smart drain in the floor for any washing machine overflows or flooding.
This room is small but bright thanks to the window. The rod provides a handy addition for drying hanging items or setting them out of the way after ironing them. The launderer needs to be fairly tall to reach those clothes, however. There is also a round dryer over the ironing board for smaller items.
The counter to the left may be for storage and a surface for folding clothes. There may also be a laundry tub set there. The total focus of this room is laundry, and space appears to be well organized.
Some laundry rooms end up serving multiple purposes. They may include a home office for handling bills or using the computer. Some double as sewing and craft rooms. Laminate flooring provides an appealing choice if laundry is not the only purpose for the room. The look of wood makes rooms feel less utilitarian while still handling the occasional moisture issue well.
When you design or redo your laundry room or area, choose a floor that will complement your functional and design goals. This gives you a workable and enjoyable space.
Let Your Floor Provide A Warm Tone May 1, 2011
Posted by creatingyourspace in : Design and Decorating, Design Perspectives, Hardwood / Laminate , add a comment
This is a simple room, but don’t dismiss it quickly. Choices made in this room make the space work particularly well.
The room itself is well proportioned with enough architectural detail to create interest even with no furniture. The fireplace surround coordinates with the crown molding. The appealing French doors serve as the focal point of the room with the side and top windows combining with the window frame and molding to draw the eye.
The floor is also a strong player in this space. The medium hickory adds the only warm tone in the room, and its lively grain and rough edges highlighted by the dark brown glaze give it a strong personality. The boards provide color and carry the eye through the room to the focal point in the back.
It would be easy to choose furnishings to hide this room’s beauty, but instead the simple modern choices in white and black allow the room to show off its assets. There’s one more piece of magic that makes this room work, the chandelier. Clearly vintage, the delicate lines and unique glass globes make it a strong almost sculptural element in the space.
Even if your home is newer, many of these architectural features are available to you. Take a look at today’s wood floors to find choices that reproduce the character of yesterday’s options. Molding and door and window frames are also available in rich traditional styles. For a chandelier that stands out from the average, take a look at stores that sell vintage light fixtures to find a remarkable selection. Even contemporary lighting choices may provide you with a look that mirrors your desire for an unusual piece.
Don’t be afraid to add personality to your home, or to combine old with new to create the look that makes you happy.
Tile: Not Just for Floors Anymore February 11, 2011
Posted by creatingyourspace in : Design Perspectives, Tile , add a comment
Picture this kitchen with a plain white backsplash. From standing out the room moves to bland. A striking backsplash can make a kitchen something special.
If you want to take your kitchen from functional to fashionable, a well-designed backsplash can make a difference. In a kitchen, you can’t use accessories to spark up a space because your countertops need to be free for cooking. A lively backsplash like this takes the place of accessories by adding color and interest.
Tile provides a rich variety of options in size, color and pattern. There are only four colors of two-inch glass tile in this kitchen, but the casual pattern-free approach creates an inviting contemporary mural.
Whatever your style, there are tile options to help make your kitchen special. New tile colors and patterns are released every year. How about stopping by our showroom to take a peek at what’s available, and let us help you make your kitchen an eye-catching space.
Design Perspective: Laminate Flooring April 30, 2010
Posted by creatingyourspace in : Design Perspectives , add a comment
One of our favorite posts on our blog is to examine room scenes and talk about what works and what could be improved. Let’s dive into this room scene and talk about what works and what can be improved!
What works:
- Note the dark walls and light floors. Great contrast!
- The way the floor extends from the dining room into the foyer helps both rooms appear larger.
- The installation direction of the laminate elongates the room.
- Oak is used on the floor and the dining furniture is a similar stain color. Nice blend.
- The white trim around the doors and windows compliment the window treatments and table decor.
Improvement ideas:
- On the one hand, it’s complimentary that the floors and the furniture are similarly stained, but adding an area rug to separate the two could add contrast and texture.
What are your thoughts? Do you like this room? What would you improve on?
Design Perspective: Mixed Granites and Accent Tiles March 3, 2010
Posted by creatingyourspace in : Ceramic/Porcelain, Design Perspectives, Natural Stone , add a comment
This kitchen is a good example of how to use multiple granites in one room. It also shows how you can use contrasting accents of the same material. Let’s dive in and talk more about what’s happening in this room that’s worth noting from a design perspective!
The colors in the room blend and compliment each other very well together. The silver and black flecks in the granite on the countertop and the floors subtly tie the plumbing and appliances together.
The use of a slab of granite on the countertops, the granite backsplash and the same granite cut into tiles on the floor shows how you can use the same material in different forms.
On the floor, there are granite dots placed in the intersections of the granite tiles. Some might say that the number of “dots” on the floor draws too much attention to the floor because the rest of the room is so simple and that a better use of the granite accent dots may have been to use less of them. Others may argue that the floor with all of the dots serves as a focal point for the room.
From an installation standpoint, using the same material for the accent tile as the field tile (main tile) helps with the ease of installation because the materials are the same thickness.
The good thing about this kitchen is that all of the major cost items in this room are all neutral choices. If the homeowners of this kitchen would like to change the look in a few years, they can easily do that with a BOLD paint color or wall covering. Another way to add some punch or WOW to this kitchen would be to add a backsplash. Adding a backsplash made of the same granite may be a little too much of a good thing, but a complimentary ceramic or porcelain tile or a stainless tile might be a nice addition.
What are your thoughts on this kitchen? What would you change? What would you add down the road?
Design Perspective: Patterned Carpet January 12, 2010
Posted by creatingyourspace in : Carpet, Design Perspectives , 1 comment so far
When it comes to choosing patterned carpet, many questions always seems to come up. Today’s post is dedicated to the pro’s and con’s of patterned carpet.
First, ask yourself: What look am I trying to accomplish in this room? What is the function of this room? How many other fabrics and textures are in this room? Once you have thought about the answers to those questions, you are ready to think about patterned carpet.
One of the biggest misconceptions about patterned carpet is that it will make the room too busy. That can happen if there are too many focal points, fabrics and textures in the room, but if the room needs a focal point, texture or additional design element, patterned carpet can be the perfect solution.
Another reason people tend to shy away from patterned carpet all starts with the sample. It’s extremely difficult to visualize what an entire room of patterned carpet will look like from a typical carpet sample size. Most of the time, the sample isn’t even large enough to see the whole pattern. Thankfully, most have room scenes available either on the sample or the website. Our website offers a virtual room designer tool that can help you visualize what a patterned carpet will look like in a room. You can even upload a photo of your own home!
The image shown here is an example of how patterned carpet can be used successfully. In this case, it helps tie together the personality of the room and compliments the other textures in the room. This room doesn’t have a lot of patterned upholstery so the pattern on the floor is not distracting. (This is also a great example to answer the question – Will dark floors make my room look small?)
Patterned carpets can give a room depth, dimension and personality. Not all patterned carpets have objects such as the trees or leaves shown here. There are many pattern carpets that are simply abstract textures. You can use patterned carpet throughout your home if the pattern is not too distracting or defined. One way to use a patterned carpet that has a distinct pattern like the picture above is in a stand alone room such as a living room, home office or bedroom. Patterned carpets can make a guest room appear special and unique. This method will help keep you from growing tired of a distinct pattern.
Patterned carpets are not right for everyone, but if you want something unique and you want your floors to have a personality – give patterned carpet some consideration. Use the image here to help you visualize when looking at a sample in our store. Our sales staff can help talk you through specific patterns and whether they are right for your application. You may find a pattern that you want bound and made into an area rug to go over hard surfaces floors.
Design Perspective: Family Room December 8, 2009
Posted by creatingyourspace in : Area Rugs, Design Perspectives , add a commentFamily rooms are all about comfort and how you live. When you can combine style and comfort, then you have a great family room. This image from our area rug gallery is a good example of a comfortable and stylish family room. Let’s examine what makes this room so inviting.
- The earth tones are the first thing that comes to mind when looking at what makes the room so inviting. They all compliment each other so well.
- The warm, rich color of the hardwood sets the stage for a warm and comfortable room.
- Rather than an area rug that fits just in front of the sofa and under the coffee table trunk, the rug is larger to create and extended seating area.
- The fabric and greenery help make the room look more complete.
- The large opening into the dining room and kitchen make this room feel like a part of the rest of the house rather than separated off from everyone else.
- The addition of a small upholstered chair and possibly an ottoman would give more room for additional family or guests to enjoy this room as well as add to the comfort.
Imagine a fire in the fireplace and a warm blanket on that nice big sofa…….all you need is a cup of hot cocoa and you’re all set!
What do you like or dislike about this family room? What would you add or change?
Design Perspective: Dining Room November 23, 2009
Posted by creatingyourspace in : Design Perspectives, Hardwood / Laminate , add a comment
Here at Big Bob’s, we truly believe that a picture is worth a thousand words which is why we have a gallery of floors on our site for your browsing pleasure. In that gallery of floors, we show a variety of different room scenes with different flooring options and different design styles. Many of our readers have commented that they would like some insight into what makes these room scenes so appealing.
- The wider width plank hardwood used in this room was an excellent choice for the size of the room. The wider the plank, the larger the room appears.
- The graining of the hardwood helps add character, dimension and depth to the floor.
- The furniture compliments the stain of the wood, but doesn’t match exactly. Remember, it’s best to blend or coordinate, not match.
- The warm rich color of the walls creates a warm and elegant, yet comfortable feeling.
- The ceiling accent color adds to the warm feeling of the room and provides an accent color for decorative items such as artwork, florals, window treatments and a future area rug.
- The round table creates a comfortable walkway or path that will be excellent for the flow of entertaining.
- The metal in the light fixture ties in well with the metal pickets on the stairs in the adjacent room.
- The addition of an area rug would only further warm up the room. An area rug that blended the color of the walls with the ceiling color as an accent would look fantastic in this room. A darker background rug would give the room a more formal feel where an area rug with a light background would give the room a more casual feel.
What do you like about this room? What features appeal to you? What changes or additions would you make to fit your style?
