Style & Design

Colours, patterns, textures and finishes; all elements for choosing the perfect floor covering. Every home has a style and it’s helpful to identify yours when selecting right flooring. Some basic elements of style are:

Contemporary

Minimalist, monochromatic rooms with lots of open space and minimal embellishments create the classic contemporary look. Think of a loft with exposed ductwork and bold, strong geometric lines. Furniture is straight and low with clean lines, minimal pattern and colour. Little colour is used on the walls with the exception of a brick wall or a bold shade on one wall for impact. Flooring would be a plain concrete look, limestone tile a sisal or commercial carpet.

Traditional

work, rich wood and all things beautiful and warm. Matching furniture is placed around the room’s true focal point, such as a fireplace, and is usually made from rich, dark woods. Cabinets are custom with decorative metal or wood handles and the blending of patterns in the space is subtle. Flooring would be neutral earthtones in rich hardwood, plush carpet or tile in warm shades.

Casual

Comfortable and restful with overstuffed couches and mismatched furniture. Also known as shabby chic, casual is one of the most popular decorating styles. Soft fabrics with mixed patterns and shots of colour compliment walls painted in strong colours to coordinate the mix of pattern choices. Furniture is placed at angles around the room and wood cabinets or trim are usually in paler hues like natural oaks for ease of maintenance. Flooring would be flecked berber or frieze carpet or rustic, distressed hardwood or multi-tone tiles.

Formal

Symmetric, perfectly balanced elements with ornate woodwork, high ceilings and separate rooms, each with its own function. Furniture is tall and firm with velvet or chenille fabric. Pattern mixing is brave but perfectly balanced; stripes and florals repeat one room to the next in the same colours but with a different balance. Sparkle and shine accents show with gilded candlesticks and mirrors. Flooring would be inlaid wood floors, cut pile carpet and patterned area rugs.

Eclectic

Combine your favourites from each of the four design elements. Comfy couches and rich wood floors. Punches of colour on antique furniture pieces. A gilded mirror on a brick or stone fireplace. Flooring is simple or complex with layers and textures.

Whatever category matches your style, it’s important to design a space with things you love. Elements that create an emotional reaction where you feel “I love that” are the most important rules of design to follow. Create a home that makes you happy.