| Five Handy Flooring Design Tips | | | | shoppers I met would obsess over what flooring |
| Here are a few handy flooring tips to really | | | | everyone else is doing. This is your home, not |
| beautify a room: | | | | anyone else's and you should get the floor that |
| Tip #1: If you're laying tile flooring and want to | | | | makes you happy. Don't be afraid of not looking |
| make the room look bigger, use larger sized tiles | | | | like everyone else. That's the whole point! if you |
| (18 x 18 or larger) and lay them on a 45 degree | | | | want to differentiate a room, then lay different |
| angle (diamond pattern). What this does is draw | | | | flooring. |
| your eye to the two widest points of each tile, | | | | Tip #5: I'm a big fan of using matching or |
| giving your flooring the illusion of a larger space. | | | | contrasting inserts to transform the flooring into a |
| And the larger sized tiles have less grout lines to | | | | masterpiece. But not many really can create a |
| look at so your flooring doesn't look as 'busy' | | | | room. You know, these deco pieces, listellos and |
| across your a larger area as say a 12 x 12 would. | | | | natural stone inserts may cost you a couple |
| Just keep in mind installing tile on a 45 uses more | | | | hundred dollars all up but they give your room an |
| tile because there are more cuts to be made. | | | | unsurpassed look. Now I strongly recommend |
| Tip #2: If you want a clean, contemporary look, | | | | when doing these special flooring designs to only |
| ask your installer to use the narrowest grout lines | | | | hire a certified flooring installer. |
| possible, either a 1/8 or 3/16 and for natural | | | | DON'T TRY and do them yourself unless you |
| stone 1/16. Larger grout lines give a more rustic, | | | | really know what you're doing. I've seen it too |
| earthy look. And higher gloss (polished) tiles are | | | | many times. |
| contemporary whereas heavily grooved and | | | | For example, for every insert, you need to make |
| rough give an aged, worn look. | | | | 4 cuts, one for each connecting tile. These cuts |
| Tip #3: To give your flooring another illusionary | | | | need to be pretty much right on, otherwise any |
| trick, lighter colors give the room a more spacious | | | | unevenness will flash at you right away once its |
| feel while darker colors give it a cozier, smaller | | | | installed. And if you insist on doing it yourself, just |
| feel. | | | | remember two very important words: wet saw |
| Tip #4: There are many flooring patterns available | | | | and diamond blade! |
| so don't hesitate to use them! Too many | | | | |