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Archive for category Flooring

Driftwood porcelain tile

Aug 9

Posted by Becky Sue Becker, CKD, CAPS in Flooring

Carried to shore on the winds and tides of the sea, the mystery of driftwood and its never-ending story awakens the memories of discovering summer. Waiting on the ocean’s edge for the next wave or powerful storm to begin yet another journey, Mediterranea has captured this timeless transformation of forgotten wood and created something far more refined with the Sandal Wood collection of glazed porcelain tiles.

This year Mediterranea introduced the Sandal Wood collection of plank-style glazed porcelain tiles in four colors that resemble driftwood, including ocean breeze, palm, coconut and driftwood. The product is available in one standard, 5” x 24” plank-sized format of fully-rectified glazed porcelain tiles.

Ideal for residential spaces, Sandal Wood glazed porcelain tiles from Mediterranea have been commercially-graded and exceed ADA requirements for slip resistance in high-traffic applications.

Ideal for residential spaces, Sandal Wood glazed porcelain tiles from Mediterranea have been commercially-graded and exceed all ADA requirements for slip resistance in high-traffic applications. Produced in Turkey utilizing the world’s most advanced Rotocolor technology, wood has never looked as good or performed better than Mediterranea’s new Sandal Wood range influenced by the texture and subtle shading of aged driftwood. Sandal Wood tiles provide the sought-after look of natural hardwood flooring with the performance, durability and ease of maintenance offered by a porcelain hard surface.

For more information contact: Mediterranea/Architectural Imports, 3501 NW 115th Avenue, Doral, FL, 33178. Call: 305-718-5091, fax: 305-718-5099, email: info@mediterranea-usa.com or visit: www.mediterranea-usa.com.

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Upgrades to Assist Aging in Place

Aug 2

Posted by Becky Sue Becker, CKD, CAPS in Appliances, Cabinetry, Flooring, Lighting, Plumbing Products, Universal Design

Millions of people are challenged with simple functions in the kitchen and bath.  Here are a few upgrades to give serious consideration to help function more effectively.    These suggestions will increase the room’s function and be a valued asset by everyone!   Most all of these suggestions can be applied to the kitchen, bathroom, home office, laundry or craft rooms and outside work rooms.

Lighting: Center fluorescent lights are common to see in older homes.  They are dreadful for tasks!  Task lighting such as halogen, every popular Kichler Xenon (shown below), fluorescent strips and LED are all popular choices for under wall cabinets; they illuminate your work surface right where you need it.   Bonus is added ambiance!

Flooring: Slick floors are one of the biggest dangers for everyone.   Beautiful natural stones, especially polished finishes, present a huge risk for serious falls.   Consider an anti-slip treatment like Sure Step, available at your local hardware store or home center.

Cabinets:

Bending over and reaching into deep base cabinets is not easy for any person.   Design the use of deep drawers as much as possible for one step operation, or for retrofit applications add roll out trays.

Blind corner cabinet?   Half moon swing out shelves (like the REV-A-SHELF unit shown below) or Omega Wood Product’s magic corner will bring everything into sight again.

Door Handles: Replace knobs on your interior doors .. and cabinets… with easy to use pulls or levers.   These are especially helpful for older users with arthritis or Parkinson’s.   There are thousands of choices, and retrofitting is easy by adding a back-plate to cover the knob hole.   A sampling below of Baldwin, Hickory Hardware and Top Knob handles is shown below.

Faucets: Lever-handles are the easiest to operate for all ages, like these two KOHLER Models shown below.

Cook Tops & Ranges: Safety first!  Induction cooking surfaces are safe for the whole family, including children.   With induction cooking, energy is supplied directly to the cooking vessel by the magnetic field; thus, almost all of the source energy gets transferred to that vessel.   This will help reduce the chances of someone burning themselves if they have vision or memory challenges.   With gas or conventional electric cookers (including halogen), the energy is first converted to heat and only then directed to the cooking vessel–with a lot of that heat going to waste heating up your kitchen (and you) instead of heating up your food. (The striking image below shows how precisely focused heat generation is with induction–ice remains un-melted on an induction element that is boiling water!)    If you have a range, Viking makes a very attractive free standing model, as shown below.

It is important to find a Certified Aging in Place Specialist to work with you when making any modifications to your home. CAPS professionals are specially trained in the skills essential to work with older and maturing adults when remodeling and making home modifications in order to age in place.

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NKBA 2010 Bathroom Design Trends

Apr 20

Posted by Becky Sue Becker, CKD, CAPS in Counter Tops, Flooring, Plumbing Products, TRENDS

BATHROOMS

1. In With the Old, Out with the New
Traditional will be the most popular design style in bathrooms in 2010, as contemporary designs will be a distant second, followed by the Shaker style as an even more distant third. Beiges and bones will be the most common colors used in bathrooms, followed by whites and off-whites, and then by browns, indicating a somewhat subdued color palette this year.

2. Ceramic and Granite
Ceramic and porcelain tile will be the dominant flooring materials in bathrooms this year, while natural stone will continue to prove popular as well. Though increasingly popular in kitchens, hardwood flooring won’t become common in bathrooms in 2010. For vanity tops, granite will remain king, with quartz and marble also proving popular options.

3. Simple Fixtures
Perhaps more than ever, the most common color for fixtures will be white. Bisque and off-white will be the only other fixture colors at all common in new or remodeled bathroom. For sinks, simple undermount models will be most popular, followed by integrated sink tops, drop-in sinks, vessel sinks, and pedestal sinks.

4. A Nickel for Every Finish
Faucet finishes in the bathroom are similar to those used in current kitchen designs, with brushed nickel continuing to lead the way in 2010. Polished chrome and satin nickel will also be incorporated into many bathrooms, just as they had been throughout 2009. These faucet finishes will be followed by bronze and stainless steel.

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NKBA 2010 Kitchen Design Trends

Apr 17

Posted by Becky Sue Becker, CKD, CAPS in Appliances, Cabinetry, Counter Tops, Flooring, Industry News, Plumbing Products, TRENDS

The National Kitchen & Bath Association has released their design trends for 2010!

… do you like? … agree?  …would you consider these trends TOO trendy?

Traditional is the New Contemporary
Traditional will continue as the most popular kitchen design style in 2010, with contemporary following closely behind, while the Shaker style is seeing a surprisingly strong resurgence. Shades of whites and off-whites will be the most common kitchen colors in 2010, while brown, beige, and bone hues will also be popular.
Cherry on Top
Cherry will remain the most popular wood for kitchen cabinetry, followed closely by maple, while alder increases in use. As for the finishes placed on those cabinets, medium natural, dark natural, glazed, and white painted will all be common. Other colors of painted cabinetry and light natural finishes are in decline, however, as are distressed finishes.

Floored by Tile
Ceramic and porcelain tile, as well as natural stone tile, remain popular kitchen flooring options, but hardwood will dominate the kitchen landscape more than ever in 2010. For countertops, granite continues to be the most popular option, but quartz will nearly catch up in popularity. For backsplashes, ceramic or porcelain tile and glass will serve as the primary materials.

Backsplashes: Porcelain, ceramic and glass tiles will be the materials of choice for many when choosing their backsplash.


Flexible Faucets
Standard kitchen faucets will become less standard in 2010 in favor of more convenient models. Pull-out faucets continue to increase their market dominance, while pot filler faucets will also become more prevalent. Kitchen faucets will most often be finished in brushed nickel, followed by stainless steel, satin nickel, and—surprisingly—polished chrome.


Undercounter Refrigeration
French door and freezer-bottom are the two most popular styles of refrigerators, and side-by-side refrigerators remain a popular option. A surprising trend is the extent to which undercounter refrigerator drawers are being used in the latest kitchen designs. Perhaps even more surprising is that undercounter wine refrigerators have been recently specified by half of kitchen designers.

A Range of Cooking Options
The tried-and-true range continues to serve as the workhorse for cooking, although the combination of a cooktop and wall oven is beginning to overtake it. Gas will maintain its position as the most popular type of cooktop over electric, although induction cooking continues to gain in popularity due to its energy efficiency.

Dishwasher-in-a-Drawer
Standard dishwashers, with the traditional door that pulls from the top down, will once again be easily the most common type in 2010. However, an increasing number of dishwasher drawers will be installed in kitchens this year for their convenience and their ability to wash small loads of dishes in each drawer, thereby saving water and electricity.

You should always keep in mind the definition of a trend!  Some are keepers, some may pass within a year or two!   When designing your own space be sure to incorporate what matters most to YOU!   Check back in the coming days for the Bath Design Trends!

www.nkba.org

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Flooring Trends 2010

Jan 19

Posted by Becky Sue Becker, CKD, CAPS in Flooring

Every year at the International Builders’ Show, the latest and greatest trends in the home improvement and building industry are showcased. Because flooring is such a quick and affordable way for homeowners to update their homes, it is often one of the first projects that they will undertake. Here is a preview of some up-and-coming flooring trends that will emerge during 2010.

DARING CHOICES

In 2010, homeowners are going to be bold with their flooring selections. While maple and oak will always have a place in the home, the new decade brings a new selection of fascinating floors. By choosing unique flooring, homeowners will find a great way to bring character to a room. Any flooring with dramatic shading differences (for example, bamboo that combines both natural and carbonized strand bamboo for an exotic, tiger-like pattern) fits into this category and is just the beginning of some of the dynamic and distinctive choices now available to homeowners.

flooring trends: daring choices

ECO-CONSCIOUS FLOORING

While “going green” has been a home trend for a few years now, the options have expanded. Retailers now offer a wider variety of bamboo and cork choices, many of which have dynamic texture and brilliant hues. Another way consumers can “go green” with their flooring is by purchasing thinner hardwood flooring, which uses up less of the tree. Thinner flooring also cuts the cost of the flooring by about 20 percent.

flooring trends: eco-consious

NIGHT AND DAY

Dark-stained flooring is another popular trend right now. There are many dark-stained bamboo options available that give homeowners a rich look within their home. This dark flooring is especially stunning in kitchens. On the other end of the spectrum, lighter flooring (almost white) is also very popular. The lighter option is typically found with a maple or hardwood floor and stained bamboos.

flooring trends: night and day

THICKNESS AND TEXTURE

Wide-plank and hand-scraped floors are still a big trend in flooring. The new preferred plank width is moving up to 4 to 5 in. Thinner flooring thickness has also become popular, and the current standard for hardwood flooring thickness measures around 3/4 in. More and more consumers are opting for 3/8-in. or 1/2-in. flooring for their homes. Hand-scraped floors are an overwhelming favorite for homeowners who want some added texture to their flooring. The trend continues to grow, and the options in hand-scraped flooring have expanded to accommodate the popularity of this movement. Even bamboo floors are becoming available with a hand-scraped texture.

flooring trends: thickness and texture

THE LOOK FOR LESS

While the look of hardwood flooring has always been a luxury for homeowners, it no longer costs a fortune to achieve this striking look. There are many more (and believable) laminate and engineered flooring options available these days. Of course, the cost and product range of hardwood floors available now has made it much easier for more and more homeowners to obtain the flooring they desire.

SHOPPING WITH EASE

As we head into 2010, consumers looking to purchase flooring will be delighted to hear that the process has gotten much easier. Many retailers and manufacturers offer helpful resources such as do-it-yourself installation tips, online advice on selecting floors and even iPhone applications to make flooring projects easier for homeowners.

Whether dark flooring, wide flooring, bold flooring or hand-scraped flooring is your taste, the flooring trends previewed at the International Builders’ Show are sure to offer something for every homeowner.

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