When planning to use tile or stone in your home, you may find yourself considering accent tiles, decorative tiles, border pieces, etc. These designer tile pieces are an easy way to enhance a larger tile pattern, incorporate a color scheme, or define an area as a focal point.
Here are some quick tips on how to integrate these accent tiles into your decorating scheme:
Create a decorative band in a shower, or as a tub surround.
Backsplashes and sink splashes are great opportunities to use these decorative options.
Wainscoting border- install a tile border about wainscoting level to create a divide along the wall.
Tile-framed mirrors are fun and unique- you can build a tile border and have it installed directly to the wall, surrounding the mirror
Hard surface area rug- create the look of a rug with a tile border or inlay, used to set off an area like a dining room or a foyer.
Line the perimeter of a countertop, and create the effect of an outline or border.
Trace the base of a kitchen island, using a border to set off the island within the kitchen.
Remember, there are no real “rules” to using decorative tiles & accent tiles- your design opportunities are a endless as your imagination!
Cork flooring is rapidly becoming more popular, mostly because of an increasing demand for eco-friendly flooring options. Cork is truly a green material; since cork itself is a derivative of the bark of the tree, the success of cork harvesting lies in keeping the trees alive and promoting forest health, rather than cutting them down. A healthy tree means a profitable tree, so these forests are sustained and observed, encouraging growth for decades. These are just some of the reasons you should consider switching to cork flooring in your home.
Did you know…
A law was passed in the 30’s called “The 9-Year Law”, which dictates that cork cannot be harvested any more frequently than every 9 years. The tree must meet other qualifications as well, such as having a circumference of at least 60cm, and being at least 25 years of age.
The average cork tree lives to be between 150-200 years old.
As a tree ages, the better its quality of cork becomes.
Dom Perignon was one of the first to use cork for stoppers in his sparkling wines, making it a significant discovery that would lead to many other uses of cork.
Cork flooring is a recycled product- cork floors are made from the “waste” cork that is left from the production of wine stoppers.
Cork floors are a popular choice to be used in libraries, churches, and nurseries because of its sound absorption qualities.
Because of cork’s structure (millions of tiny, encapsulated air cells), it greatly reduces heat loss in rooms. Unlike other flooring materials, it maintains an even temperature through these tiny prisms- a temperature that feels comfortable underfoot, and is neither too warm, nor too cold.
What are the benefits of switching to hardwood floors throughout your home? They are both decorative and practical. For one thing, hardwood floors increase the resale value of your home and make it easier to sell. Aside from the dollar figures involved, hardwood floors hold a special charm that’s timeless and rustically captivating.
Lasting Durability
Hardwood floors can last for 100 years or more with the proper care. Wood floors are the most durable flooring there is. Grape juice can easily be washed up. Cats can’t tear them up. Hardwood floors maintain their charm and classic grace for centuries. What carpet can say that?
Warmer than laminated floors
Hardwood floors are also much warmer than laminate, which can be cold to the bare feet. Hardwood has a natural warmth. With its thousands of pores, wood has a natural ability to retain heat, especially in the winter. Plastic laminate simply doesn’t last, cracking and falling apart after only a few years.
Cleaner than Carpet
Carpet can grow mold and mildew. Carpet is a virtual breeding ground for dust mites and sucks up animal dander, pollen and other harmful allergens that can antagonize sensitive noses. Unlike carpeting, hardwood floors can be easily cleaned with a mop, clearing out any contaminants. Hardwood floors are especially great for people with allergies because they don’t absorb the things we are allergic too.
All it takes is the occasional sweeping and mopping to keep hardwood floors continually clean. It’s a lot easier to mop a hardwood floor than spraying and cleaning a carpet, which makes hardwood ideal for people with pets and kids. Once a carpet is peed on or stained upon, even carpet cleaner is only so effective as the carpet often carries some sort of permanent stain or odor. Kids and pets may scratch or gouge a hardwood floor, but you’ll actually find this gives character to the floor. If smoothness is a big issue for you, the hardwood floors can always be sanded for a cleanly smooth surface. You can refinish hardwood floors for the perfection you seek.
Carpet is also made of chemicals and plastics, which can be a health hazard for pets, babies and small children. The carpet can be accidentally eaten, causing bad health problems. Sometimes, even breathing in the plastic carpet fumes and sitting on the carpet can cause a small percentage of ingestion. Incremental amounts of the chemicals used to make carpets have been found in the cells of people.
Hardwood Floors match everything
Hardwood flooring easily accentuates any décor, whether your house is contemporary or traditional. They have a timeless appeal and a beauty that never goes out of style. You can’t say the same about 1970s shag carpeting. Great for living rooms, dining rooms or bedrooms, hardwood floors look great in any room in the house. You can even use them in kitchens and bathrooms for a classical appeal, although you might want to choose a special wood for high moisture areas. Talk with your seller for special, non-absorbent wood for areas that might receive a high amount of water.
Add a Throw Rug for Comfort
If you really like the feeling of carpet and spend a lot of time sitting or lying on the floor, you can always decorate the hardwood floor with a rug. A nice throw rug can add the charm and comfort-level of carpet, but are easier to clean. They also contain fewer chemical contaminants. You can get rugs especially designed for people with allergies.
Classical charm is always in style
Above all, hardwood floors present a historical charm that never goes out of style. There’s a warm feeling to the classical appeal of wood, and it’s easier to maintain than a carpet. If you have an older home that already has carpet, it may be worth tearing it up and refinishing the hardwood floor. It can add value to your home as well as personable charm. You’d be surprised by the low cost maintenance, and you’ll never have to worry about stains again.
Does your floor have a stain? Has your hardwood flooring gotten chipped or nicked? Did your pet dig a hole in your carpeting? Coles will fix it- we offer a complete flooring repair service.
We may use carpet from your closet to repair the damaged areas, or leftover pieces from the original installation.
For any type of flooring repair, contact our customer service department.
Coles carries a complete selection of cleaning products that enrich your floor’s vitality and luster. We carry the perfect product for any floor you might buy with us. From carpet, wood, stone, tile, laminate & vinyl- care & maintenance are crucial during the life of your floor.
For more floor care tips & suggestions, visit us at:
Coles Fine Flooring is a proud member of both the National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA) and the World Floor Covering Association (WFCA). As a member, we are committed to living up to the standards of both organizations- to maintain a commitment to profesionalism, honesty & integrity, and to abide by all laws, regulations & statutes regarding our business.
Coles Fine Flooring is now an authorized dealer for EcoTimber, a company devoted to providing only environmentally friendly options to homeowners concerned about environmental issues. EcoTimber’s product line includes standard domestic wood such as Maple and Hickory, as well as hand-scraped and exotic wood such as Brazilian Cherry
The use of marble for flooring is as old as flooring itself. From the buildings of ancient Greece to modern statues and monuments, the beautiful stone has a place in everything. But marble tile flooring can be very expensive and has a smooth, cold texture that can be a real downside in a bathroom. Additionally, it is difficult and expensive to install. With the new bathroom ceramic tiles available on the market now, does going marble really make sense?
There was a time when marble was the only choice for a sophisticated bathroom. But that was when tiles were limited to glass rather than the wide range of ceramic and porcelain tiles that exist today. Modern tiles can easily rival marble tile flooring in efficiency and beauty, and the average ceramic tile is much less expensive than its marble counterpart.
Bathroom ceramic tiles are designed for durability and elegance. They are tremendously versatile and their lower cost allows you more freedom to use them in novel ways. Tiles also tend to offer a better grip than a highly polished marble surface, helping to prevent slipping after bathing or showering.
If you are really set on the marble look, you can achieve that same elegant appeal with less cost by using the marble as an accent piece. Try using a granite or marble countertop instead of re-doing the entire bathroom floor in marble. There are excellent ceramic tiles to coordinate with almost any countertop shade you could pick; why spend the money to put marble down all over the bathroom?
Of course, there are some situations where marble – and only marble – will do the job. If you have your mind truly made up, make sure that your marble supplier is responsible and willing to work with you. Some marble installers can be resistant to your questions and ideas, installing your floor the way they want to with little or no input from you. A good company will be happy to answer your questions and help you get the bathroom you really want.
Armstrong laminate is widely acknowledged as one of the best laminate floors in the business. Armstrong floors are designed for intense durability with a natural wood or stone appearance. However, Armstrong laminate flooring isn’t actually made from wood or stone; instead, an image of wood or travertine stone tile is applied to a special composite plank and then sealed to give it a natural, integrated appearance.
Although laminate flooring looks natural, its cleanliness far surpasses any natural material. While most wood floors have cracks and crevasses between the boards that make it almost impossible to get the floor fully clean, Armstrong laminate flooring is seamless. By simply running a vacuum over the surface of the floor you can feel confident that you are doing your part to keep your house allergen free.
Of course, there is also the traditional carpet alternative: stone tile. Travertine stone tile comes in a wide variety of colors and sizes, but also features great adaptability of installation. It can easily go either inside or outside, replacing unsightly concrete on decks or near swimming pools. But indoors it makes a lovely accent and a beautiful base for any room. Plus, the smooth, non-porous surface is easy to clean and won’t provide a catch basin for dust.
Quickstep takes allergy prevention to a new level by closing the joints between each board completely and providing an easy-to-clean surface that, when kept properly clean, is inhospitable to bacteria. Quickstep laminate flooring is made from the highest quality materials to rigorous design specifications and is available in a wide variety of styles and colors.
The Hypoallergenic Home
In today’s world, almost everyone suffers from allergies. Whether its pet dander, ragweed, pollen, or dust, small particles get trapped in eyes and noses and turn a perfectly pleasant afternoon into an itchy sneezing mess. But even once you enter your home you still aren’t safe from those contagions: if you have carpeting in your house, no matter how much you clean it, you are creating a breeding ground for allergens.
In order to improve the quality of life for yourself and for your family, you need to investigate the many stone tile, Armstrong, and Quickstep laminate flooring options that are available today. Any of these flooring styles provides a healthy, easy-to-clean surface that doesn’t trap dust. Experts have seen incredible changes in allergy sufferers just from the changing of a carpet; don’t you deserve relief from your allergies?
Strange though it may seem, one of the first things your guests will see is your bathroom. Even if you entertain casually and never have much traffic outside the living or dining room, your friends will still need to see the restroom. Consequently, that seemingly unimportant powder room should receive just as much care and attention as the often-improved entrance hall.
But despite this crucial role, many bathrooms remain in the design dark ages. Most are covered with dated and worn bathroom floor tiles, relics of a bygone era rather than shining beacons of modern style. Toilets and plumbing fixtures are often tarnished and loose. Some full baths have remarkably dirty and mildewed showers. No matter how nice your foyer might look, no guest will be thinking of the entry hall when they enter a bad bathroom!
Luckily, today’s tile market offers many different options to help you get the ceramic mosaic tiles your bathroom deserves. These tiles provide an incredible variety of design options, everything from standard stone-finish flooring to intricate inlays. With the right company, you can go from design concept to installation quickly and efficiently. Even better, ceramic mosaic tiles are less expensive than stone and much more pleasant to walk on: where stone can sometimes grow chilly, ceramic mosaic tiles stay much more reliably at room temperature.
Without a doubt, tiles are an excellent option for giving your bathroom a vibrant new look. But don’t just think of them as bathroom floor tiles; good ceramic is much more versatile. Here are just a few ways you can use a seemingly common tile to give your bathroom unexpected flair:
Create a pattern on the floor.
Vary the size of the tile while keeping the color constant.
Incorporate a tile accent.
Install tile on your walls or counters as well.
Design your own wall art to highlight a sink or architectural feature.
With so many options, ceramic tile is the clear choice for the bathroom and beyond. Check out Travertine stone tile.
What are the benefits of switching to 
For more floor care tips & suggestions, visit us at: