The Carpeteria Blog

Are you drawn to light? Would you walk right up to that big window and ignore the darkened space to visit the view? Don’t do that or you would miss a beautiful room that knows how to use its shadows.

Despite the almost complete lack of color, this room has much to keep your interest. Look at the lines of the furniture. The chair with curved arms by the window echoes in the bench by the zebra rug. A candlestick’s spiral, dark against the left side of the window, shows up again in the spindle back of a dining chair.

Two elements make this room shine. One is the amazing wealth of light coming from one direction through the oversized window filling one wall. The second is the flooring that captures and reflects that light into the room with its glossy finish. Despite the floor’s natural dark tone, it serves as another source of light – banishing only some of the shadows.

There is a small surprise of color – the two orange stripes on the sofa’s arm. There may be more but we won’t know about it. Our eyes lose color in darkness thanks to their design. Yet despite the limited color this room has its own fascination. The interplay of light, shadow and line creates a strong design without drawing on color to do it.

Have you thought about how shadows can enrich and add mystery to your home’s design? Don’t be afraid of the dark.

Do you find it frustrating to make a final choice when confronting numerous options? Sometimes it may seem as though the showroom, or the pumpkin patch, goes on forever and you worry that you may never find the right one to bring home.

If that happens, use the haunting technique to make your final choice. Here’s how to do it.

First, quickly review whatever options you’re considering, then leave the area. You can wander to other parts of the showroom or leave and shop for something completely unrelated. Go to lunch or get yourself a cup of coffee. You can even head home for the day.

As you do this, often one choice stays in your mind. You may find yourself dwelling on a particular tile, or imagining that carpeting in your own bedroom even when you’re focusing on something else. Well, congratulations, you have just been haunted by your actual favorite selection.

When this happens, go back and choose that flooring, or that seasonal vegetable accessory, and bring it home knowing that you found just the right one for you.

And when you stand back and admire how well your purchase fits the look and style of your home, it’s time to appreciate a type of haunting that doesn’t scare you, but helps you make a decision that you will be happy with for years to come, or in the case of your pumpkin, the next week or so.

This living room is in a Chatham, MA beach home designed by Anne Selke.  The entire house is a study in elegant beach chic style. Filled with colorful palettes, each room is a uniquely stylish space yet there is a cohesive style throughout the house.  The living room demonstrates how classic beach elements can be transformed into an elegant space.  The sea inspired blue and green colorway is paired with driftwood pale wood tables and accents.

Large cream sofas, with slipcovers, give relaxed but tailored feeling to the room.  The pair of sofas provides ample seating for a large group or a place for afternoon naps.  Rolled arm armchairs in deep blue fill the space below the windows and create another seating area for conversation.  Large and low wood tables with glass tops are the perfect place for drinks, snacks and games.  The pale color of the wood recalls driftwood, another seaside staple.

Fabrics mix it up with patterns and stripes cohabiting in the space. A striped rug captures the colors of the room.  Deeper curtains stand out against pale, ice blue walls. The curtains relate nicely to the deeper blue of the armchairs while also incorporating the greens and whites of the palette.  Vintage table lamps in aqua and green fit in this relaxed space. Throw pillows in blue and white pull the chair color onto the sofas. A striped throw casually thrown over the arm of the sofa adds color and encourages naps.

This is a very charming beach inspired living room filled with style and classic seaside colors.

If you’re drawn to this exotic antique shop in Yangon, Myanmar, you can create a comparable mood in your own home by making the right design choices.

To start, notice that the colors in the space stay in the cream and honey brown range. These softer tones allow the rich colors of these antiques to really shine. Pure white walls actually don’t let the color of wood and other finishes show at their best.

This floor is old hand-planked parquet. While recreating this floor would be challenging and impractical, today’s choices of wood flooring can provide the same sense of age through distressing, dark lines between the planks, and variety in plank widths. This warm brown tone can be matched almost exactly thanks to the rich selection of finishes available.

The large Oriental rug in the center of the store sets both tone and color for the space, with red reflected in corners to carry that rich color beyond the rug itself. Antique Oriental rugs are available, but you can also find carpets that recreate this feeling and style from today’s manufacturers in less expensive price points and easy-care materials.

A number of retail operations and online companies specialize in Asian antiques, and the broad choice ensures that you can select some furniture; accessories and artwork that will make your home décor reflect this style and mood. Once again, many interesting elements may be found in contemporary reproductions at a more reasonable price.

Do you love the feeling when you walk into a certain store? Like this choice, you can make design decisions that will allow you to recreate a similar mood in your own home.

Would you like to exercise regularly but find it difficult to make time for it? Well, one help is to exercise at home rather than having to run to the gym.

Aerobic exercise is the easiest to fit in. Add a walk to your routine three or more times a week. Once around the neighborhood – with your dog if you have one –will improve your aerobic capability. Add time and speed as you get into better shape.

For strength training, pick up a few free-weights or wrist and ankle weights. Often the package will include some basic exercises. If not, check online or pick up a book or magazine.

Yoga is the best option for improving flexibility. This exercise is manageable for people at any level of fitness. Pick up a DVD or book on the basics to get started. This is one skill where taking an occasional class can improve your form and capability.

Be sure to determine a good location at home for both yoga and strength training. In front of the couch can work well, especially if you can see your TV/DVD from there. Just move the coffee table to the side and you will probably have enough room to stretch out.

If your living or family room has carpeting, just add a beach towel and you are ready to start. If you want more cushioning, or if you have hard surface flooring such as wood or tile, pick up a yoga mat like those shown in the photo. For a small cost you can be comfortable for any floor exercise.

No excuses anymore – start exercising and make a commitment to your health and well-being. You can do it!

Choosing a carpet for a casual room means choosing something that is stylish and can stand up to heavy foot traffic. Rooms like family rooms, game rooms, playrooms and finished basements are places to hang out and spend time with friends and family.  You’ll want to find a carpet that looks great but is durable too.

Carpet materials like wool or blends can resist stains and work well in casual rooms. Natural jute or choir rugs add texture while keeping things casual.  A fine textured rug like saxony that shows foot traffic and vacuum marks probably isn’t the best choice for a casual room. Berbers, shags and low pile rugs would be better choices.  Don’t forget the pad when adding carpet to a family room or playroom. If you’ll be playing or sitting on the floor you’ll want the extra cushion from a quality, thick pad.

Floor tiles are a popular option as they can be combined to create custom color palettes and patterns.  A nice feature is if one gets a stain, you can simply remove it and replace it without having to replace the entire carpet.

Colorful and patterned area rugs and carpets are great choices for bringing interest to a casual room.  Add a complementary color from the wall or furniture colors for a strong contrast; pick a similar shade to wall color for a more unified look. Think about patterns, swirls, geometric and stripes, whether in texture or colors to add another design element to the room.

Visit us online at ArizonaWholesaleSupply.com for many casual flooring options.

Bathrooms are now as well decorated as bedrooms. Before, bathrooms were simply viewed as places where you simply detoxify and cleanse your body. But now, bathrooms are considered as places of relaxation as well. Sometimes, they are even made to stand alone as a room in itself complete with all amenities.

There are many bathroom styles you can choose from but for now, let’s focus on the traditional style. In modern times, it is surprising that there are still a lot of people who choose to go for the traditional bathroom design. The main reason for this is because it is more formal, elegant and luxurious than many other styles.

What usually makes up a traditionally designed bathroom? The most important fixture found in this type of style is the bathtub. Usually a bathtub with claw feet is the focal point of a traditional bathroom style.

When it comes to flooring, traditional bathrooms are usually covered with ceramic tiles, marble, slate or hardwood flooring. The walls are usually painted white or calm blue.

Of course, we should not forget the lighting. In a traditionally styled bathroom, natural light or direct ceiling light is very important. Sometimes, chandeliers or scones are added to give the room a more elegant look.

The fixtures usually have graceful lines like that of an arched faucet with porcelain handles or sometimes a pedestal sink with a receded base. These examples look luxurious but are not really heavy on the pocketbook.

To accessorize, you can go for hand mirrors, wood boxes, a vanity bench, an antique glass or wash pitcher with basin with flowers in it, window treatments and wall arts with floral designs.

Luxurious and elegant – that is what best describes a traditional style bathroom. Visit with a Carpeteria flooring specialist to help you with your traditional style bathroom.

Some rooms seem to have drama built in, although it’s often difficult to determine how. Let’s take a look at this lobby for a foreign hotel that caters to international travelers. The designer has managed to create a comfortable and inviting space without sacrificing drama and interest.

It all starts with the flooring. The light-toned maple in a wide plank is sturdy enough to handle traffic and frequent cleaning. However, the diagonal installation moves it from traditional to a more daring approach. The flow of this floor also encourages guests to pause and move to one of the seating areas.

In contrast with this diagonal, the rest of the room marches down the length of the space. The columns set the tone. Their style and rough white look establishes the room as part of its construction by reflecting the style of this older interesting building. White walls and chair cushions connect with the columns while establishing a contemporary connection.

The simple modern rattan furniture and other elements work exceptionally well in tandem with the rich historic oriental rugs. The pattern variety combined with the standard reds and blues common to many orientals turn the rugs into artwork in the room. The simplicity of the rest of the décor helps the rugs stand out in the space.

Contrasting choices and a simple light diagonal flooring work together to make this space dramatic without being overbearing. Can you take advantage of a diagonal approach to your flooring or use variety in color and style as demonstrated in this room to create more drama and interest in your own home?

Whether you’re a baker yourself or not, baking cookies provides a good opportunity to involve your children in something both educational and fun.

The educational side comes out in reading the recipe, following directions and measuring the ingredients accurately. To bring in the fun, have your child choose the type of cookie and add in decorations such as sprinkles and frosting to add personality.

To ensure success, make a plan. Start by taking a good look at your baking capabilities. If you’re a regular from-scratch baker, go ahead and use one of your favorite recipes. If not, there’s nothing wrong with buying pre-made dough or a cookie mix. The important thing is that you and your child have good cookies at the end.

Prepare your kitchen for the mess that is bound to happen. Choose a place with very little clutter. If needed, bring a stool to help your child reach the counter. Make sure you have all of the ingredients and tools ready and in the order needed. Even with a kitchen’s flooring and countertop designed for spills, plan ahead for messes with paper towels or a stack of kitchen work towels for clean-up. You don’t want to have to stop the fun to fix any problems.

Once your cookies are in the oven, involve your child in the clean up. Take a simple four-step approach: put the ingredients away, put all the baking utensils in the sink, wipe off the countertops and clean up the floor. By the time your last batch is out of the oven, you should have a tidy kitchen.

Enjoy your cookies, but take one more step before wrapping up. Check your little one for any flour or batter on face, hands, hair and feet. After all, the rest of the house is not baking-proof the way your kitchen is. Above all, remember to have fun. You and your child are making memories as well as treats.

If you love bright light colors, you may have been frustrated about finding flooring that can handle a variety of vivid shades. White carpeting would be beautiful, but demanding to maintain. Most tile has a cream or beige tone, and white tile in a living area might feel cold, no matter how much color you add.

Light wood floors provide the perfect solution. As this photo shows, a light floor can handle bright colors while still feeling warm and inviting.

This particular color is similar to Pantone’s color for 2011: Honeysuckle. Pantone provides many color palettes for graphic artists and designers. The appealing reddish pink works beautifully with a light wood. Notice also how well the light blue shade on the book cover connects with the maple floor.

The other advantage to a light wood floor is flexibility. By choosing neutral shades for the primary furniture and bringing in color through pillows, area rugs and accessories, you could easily change the colors in this room to suit your mood or the season.

When you’re planning a child’s bedroom, consider light wood. As their tastes and color preferences change, this wood choice will continue to work with their plans. Add to that the durability and longevity of wood, and you have the perfect flooring for today’s and tomorrow’s needs.