Design Perspective: Laminate Flooring April 30, 2010
Posted by Shannonbilby 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 Shannonbilby 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 Shannonbilby in : Carpet, Design Perspectives , add a comment
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 Shannonbilby 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 Shannonbilby 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?
