Tile with Style: Part I

Welcome to the first of three posts about tile and style! We’ll highlight different styles of tile and briefly explore their history, unique characteristics, and how they’re used not only in today’s flooring designs, but in other areas of the home as well.

Our first stop – Mexican tile

Bold and bright, Mexican tile is rooted in the cultural heritage of its country. The practice of making the handcrafted ceramic tiles dates back to the late sixteenth century, when the Spanish brought their knowledge of pottery and tile making to Mexico. For anyone who has visited the country, it’s clear that their distinctive tiles have played a pivotal role in Mexican architecture – from their public fountains and churches to private hacienda home exteriors and interiors.

Characteristics of Mexican tile include:

• They’re hand-painted, so no two tiles are the same
• They have a concave shape and are not perfectly flat
• High level of design detail and intricacies
• Bold, vibrant colors with a rustic beauty

If the style of Mexican tile suits your taste, there are many ways to incorporate it into your home:

Bathrooms – use on your floor or walls to create ornate designs. The vibrant colors add variety and make it fun to coordinate with other bathroom accessories.

Kitchens – Mexican tile offers lots of versatility in the kitchen. According to Karen Gosnell, president of Mexican Tile Company, tiles can be used almost anywhere – floors, countertops, backsplash, tabletops, and wainscoting.

Fireplaces and more – add a bold statement to a fireplace or other unique area of your home, like stair risers and door and window surrounds.

As far as color goes, the options are many. Mexican tiles were traditionally made in blues, yellow and greens but are now offered in endless amounts of colors. So if you’re ready to make a bold statement that’s reflective of Spain, Latin America, or the Mediterranean, think about incorporating Mexican tile into your homescape! Contact us for more information and tile inspiration!

Wood Floor Myths

When considering a new flooring option for their home or office, customers sometimes shy away from wood floors, thinking it’s too expensive or difficult to maintain. Not so! Take a look at these myths about wood flooring and you’ll see that you really can’t go wrong with wood.

They easily damage and are hard to maintain.
Not true! Unlike some other types of floor coverings, you can keep wood floors looking like new with little effort. Just dust mop regularly and use a suitable floor cleaner. Many wood floor options are manufactured with stains and finishes that make them more durable, and products like Performance Plus™ hardwood floors from Armstrong are designed with a superior level of hardness that makes them more scratch and stain resistant.

They can’t be used in a kitchen.
Another myth. In fact, wood flooring can be a smart choice for kitchen floors and is becoming increasingly popular as more and more options make their way to the showroom. Now is a better time than ever to consider wood flooring for your kitchen.

They’re cold.
Nope! Wood is an excellent natural insulator, so wood floors will do a nice job of keeping the cold out and the warmth in. The look of wood floors also brings a warm, comfortable feel to any home or office.

They’re expensive.
Wood floors are an investment that pays off in the long run, and they can greatly increase the value of your home. Wood floors offer durability that lasts for decades (even over 100 years) and they should not need to be replaced. Other flooring coverings such as carpet will need to be replaced about every 10-20 years.

Another great feature of wood flooring is that it’s hypoallergenic and cleaner than other flooring options. It won’t trap pet hair, dust, pollens and other allergens.

Now that you know the facts, don’t forget to consider wood floors as a viable option! We offer over 20 quality brands of wood flooring.

Wood floors in this dining area give warmth to the space while tile in the kitchen area adds to the aesthetics and is also utilitarian.

 

Armstrong Alterna Reserve Tile creates an inviting atmosphere in this kitchen and pulls together the colors from the cabinets and countertops. The nature-inspired colors and patterns reproduce the looks found in actual stone quarried from the earth.