Custom Home Interior Design Starts with the Floor

To create the look of any room, start with the floor. A beautifully finished hardwood floor adds warmth and charm — and the range of options available for hardwood floors today can truly transform a room. With choices from soft natural to cool gray to dark charcoal you can find the perfect shade for your new home. The floor sets the tone for the room’s overall appearance.

Don’t know where to start? Here are a few tips to inspire a stunning design.

Choose an overall look

To help with your design choices, consider the overall feel of the room. Every design element — the floor stain, finish, wall color, furnishings and accents — should work together to enhance the mood and aesthetic. Do you want a soft floral look? Sleek and modern? Cool and airy? The color palette and sheen of your hardwood finish will become the foundation for the feeling you’re trying to evoke.

Get inspired

There’s no shortage of resources to inspire your room design. From art galleries and Pinterest to nature itself, look for key colors, textures or items to inspire the new room design.

Next, get inspired by flooring options. For example, soft, natural tones work well with whites and blues for a peaceful, comforting environment. This look complements furnishings with simple, clean lines. Rich, vivid tones create a sense of urban luxury, in colors from white or walnut to charcoal. This style goes well with dramatic textures like glass, stone or shiny metal, and complements colors like green, rich gray or dark plum.

Understand the process

Research the best tools and products for finishing your hardwood floor. The process can be seamless and pleasant, or you can be left with a dusty, smelly mess.

Next comes the stain (color) and possibly sealer, depending on the look you’re trying to achieve. Know that you can create custom colors, so take enough time to pick your perfect shade. The stain process may take a day or two as the stain sets and dries.

Finally, pick your finish. Today’s hardwood floor finishes come in a wide range of sheens and durability levels. You can choose from a flat, natural matte finish to a shiny semi-gloss, and several sheens in between. Choose a waterborne finish to keep the home healthy.

Get creative

In addition to mixing stain colors for a custom blend, you can also get creative with how you treat the floors. Consider a wire brush technique to bring out the soft grain in the wood, or a distressed or scraped process for a more rustic charm.

Let your floor be the guide for creating a beautiful new look for one room or your entire home. With a wide array of colors and textures, the possibilities are infinite.

Source: us.bona.com