Fabulous Floors

by Lesley Harris Colvett

There are so many flooring options, both beautiful and practical, that will provide a fabulous foundation for your home. The 4Memphis Interior Design experts offer their advice to help you step in the right direction when choosing flooring and when and where to use carpet, hardwood or tile in your home.

Cindy McCord

Cindy McCord Design
1289 S. DuBray Place
Collierville, TN 38107
901.610.3907
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Cindy McCord looks to Julie Keaton, Designer/Sales at Kiser’s Floor Fashions, for the latest in flooring options and how to use them in a client’s home. According to Julie, one of the latest trends that has taken over the flooring market is Floating LVT/VCT (Luxury Vinyl Tile/Plank) with waterproof core. “The benefits are that it is waterproof and can give you beautiful, realistic hardwood decor in your bathroom and kitchen where water damage is more likely to occur. It is fade and stain resistant and can be installed directly over existing hard surface floors."
As for the traditional hardwood floors and carpet, Julie says hardwood is a natural product with a beauty that can’t be replicated, but the negatives are that it can fade in sunlight, be scratched and is not water resistant. “Carpet is pretty much reduced to bedrooms now. Flat woven, looped carpet or pattern cuts are really popular rather than the traditional plush carpet. Commercial carpet tile has become a popular option in playrooms/kids rooms/media rooms as the tiles can be replaced as damage/major stains occur instead of having to replace the whole room. Pet protect carpet has been a very popular choice with manufacturer’s giving a lifetime warranty on pet protect carpet.”
Porcelain tile has become the popular choice for the tile/stone looks. It is fired at a higher rate than traditional ceramic which makes it much stronger. The popular size has become the 12 x 24 or large format tile, which gives a updated look on the traditional 12 x 12 tiles of time past. Grout joints can be reduced to 1/16 instead of the traditional 1/4 inch, and this helps in upkeep which is the hardest part of tiled areas, keeping the grout fresh & clean.

Rachel Gray

Rachel Gray
Interior Design & Consulting 496 S. Main St. # 201
Memphis, Tennessee 38103 901.443.5454
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Flooring options run the gamut, so it is important to do your research before jumping on the latest trend. While trends are useful for design inspiration, opt for timeless selections and ones that make sense with the long-term functionality of your home. In addition to budget and maintenance concerns, consider the following factors when choosing to upgrade or replace flooring.

Noise Control: While images of faux wood tiled floors in family rooms and kitchens look great, noise levels can get out of hand when hard surfaces are applied to every surface. If you choose to tile heavy traffic areas like the family room consider soundproofing underlays beneath tile and include area rugs and window treatments in the budget for overall sound control. Radiant Heat This type of efficient heating turns your floors into radiators. Fans of this flooring recognize it is more expensive to install, but are devotees because of the constant temperature provided and energy savings down the road. Radiant heat can be installed anywhere, but mainly is used in bathrooms.

Radiant Heat: This type of efficient heating turns your floors into radiators. Fans of this flooring recognize it is more expensive to install, but are devotees because of the constant temperature provided and energy savings down the road. Radiant heat can be installed anywhere, but mainly is used in bathrooms.

Anthony Shaw

Anthony Shaw
Antiques & Jewelry
Chickasaw Oaks Plaza
3092 Poplar Ave, #7
Memphis, TN. 38111
901.454.6200
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I look at flooring obviously as more permanent than changing a pillow, drapery, or sofa fabric. As in my design, I look for classic materials; hardwoods and natural stone are always favorites. But, at times a man-made product is a better solution for the job on hand.
High-traffic areas and lower maintenance are observations that need to be addressed when choosing a product. Carpets are something to consider, and in which areas? Wall-to-wall is an option but I prefer cut carpets or fine rugs that can be removed and cleaned. Bedrooms, hallways, living areas, and dining rooms are all spaces that benefit from the warmth added in using these ideas, but still allows for the beauty of marble and woods to shine through.
I would tell anyone not to go too popular at the moment, and really consider what would be too dated in a few years. Flooring trends go from natural products like bamboo, cork, hardwoods, stone to printed tile, luxury vinyls, ceramics, and concrete.
If you stick with the classics in permanent surfaces and utilize color and pattern with removable options, you will likely enjoy your floors for a very long time.

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