The Carpeteria Blog

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?

This one room holds a kitchen with island bar, dinette, living area and dining room, yet it feels spacious rather than crowded. What choices create this combination of space and function?

The smartest decision is the flooring. By choosing one versatile porcelain tile in a light tone and setting it on the diagonal, the eye naturally follows the tile lines, making the room appear much larger than it actually is. Picture a flooring transition between the kitchen and living areas or a straight horizontal tile layout and you can see what the flooring choice does for this room.

The second smart choice is furniture selection. By limiting the number of pieces, choosing smaller options such as a loveseat rather than full-size sofa, and selecting a circular dining table, the furniture doesn’t get in the way of the room’s traffic pattern. Rooms feel crowded if you have to constantly avoid hitting furniture as you walk through them. Traffic in this room is smooth and easy. Sticking to one style and wood tone also emphasizes the connections throughout the room, creating a design consistency that makes the space work.

The final positive factor is light. With the light flooring and walls combined with a vaulted ceiling and large windows, the edges of this room seem to disappear. Instead of focusing on its size, visitors will notice the activity areas instead. Altogether this is a very smart way to take full advantage of a space.