Tag: floor

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DIY Expert Tips RENO ADDICT Shopping

How to: choose the perfect flooring for every room

Sponsored by Quick-Step

Although my recent re-flooring project at home was aimed at creating consistency and flow throughout rooms, that’s not the case for everyone, as some homes require different flooring solutions for different areas.

So, here are a few things to consider when picking flooring for each room of your home.

Bathroom

Renovating your bathroom is a big, messy and expensive job and it’s almost guaranteed you will need (and of course want) to replace your floor. In the past, the choice was obvious: tiles. But these days, there are other options which suit this high-traffic and wet area while giving a very different look and feel. If I’ve seen one bathroom trend continue to rise, it’s the idea of this room as a sanctuary where we can enjoy a spa-like recharge at the end of the day. So we’ve become more interested in the look and feel of the bathroom as well as the many practicalities (you can’t get around the fact that not all materials mix well with water, especially when you want them to last a decade!).

So, what does a bathroom floor need to be? Waterproof, easy maintenance (hygiene is important!), good-looking, nice-feeling under bare feet and non-slip within reason. While tiles look beautiful, they are cold underfoot, so I love that there are other options out there now to avoid this on winter mornings.

Quick-Step’s best bathroom floor options: luxury click vinyl for a warm feel underfoot, and Impressive Ultra laminate (which I have in my home) with its water-repellent HydroSeal technology. When I finally renovate our bathrooms I’ll definitely have the latter at the top of my list.

Living room

Let’s face it, the living room is probably the room most visitors see in your house, so you want to make a good impression. We all tend to put a lot of effort into the look of this room and floors are a huge part of that. You also want it to feel warm and cosy (it’s amazing how much time we spend sitting on the floor despite being surrounded by comfy sofas and chairs!). It’s another high traffic area so durability is important too.

Because of the above, you may want to spend a little bit more money in here too. Timber floors are beautiful, but make sure to have one with a high quality lacquered finish (unlike many of the cheap Chinese products on the market today). The ideal is the look of an oiled floor (the softest, most natural look and feel) but with the protection of the most advanced lacquer that doesn’t compromise that.

If you have space in this often larger room, extra large boards are a great option too, like the Quick-Step Majestic Laminate.

Top tip: Did you know flooring is graded in classes? So a class 33 like Impressive Ultra is so strong it can even be used for commercial applications. A class 32 is more than enough for residential use, but do not go lower!

Quick-Step’s best living room floor options: everything from real timber to laminate and vinyl, depending on the look you’re going for. They all come with the peace of mind of at least 20-year warranties.

Nursery

As a mum, I know little kids make mess. We’re talking sticky fingers, spills, “energetic” nappy changes and spilt milk! As soon as Sebastian started to crawl I became obsessed with hygiene and what he might put in his mouth! And there’s also the concerns about dust, pet hair and other allergens which can get stuck in carpets. A hardwearing, easy-to-clean (with non-toxic products) floor with a closed surface is a winner. Little ones spend a lot of time on the floor so it’s nice if it can feel warm, even though it’s not soft carpet. And I’ll say it again: easy to clean!

Quick-Step’s best nursery floor options: Luxury click vinyl, Eligna or Impressive Ultra laminates.

Kitchen

Kitchen floors get some serious wear and tear; back and forth from that sink to fridge to oven! A tired floor can really date and let down your kitchen, so replacing it can give this room a much-needed lift as well as taking advantage of today’s more advanced floor technology. Real timber will damage if things are dropped on it, whereas alternatives like laminate will not. They’ll also resist stains, from soy sauce and ketchup to kids’ drawing on the floor, much better.

Things get spilled and dropped and loads of feet do a lot of walking across these square metres! And if hygiene was important in the nursery, it’s really important here! And because most kitchens these days have a dishwasher, the last thing you want is a leak which sends your floor buckling out of shape and needing to be replaced. Non-water-resistant solutions like timber and cheap laminate might swell and stain. So, waterproof it is!

Impressive Ultra in classic oak beige in my own kitchen

The best thing about having a timber-look floor suitable for your kitchen is that you can have the same floor in your dining or living, creating a seamless flow in today’s increasingly open-plan homes.

Quick-Step’s best kitchen floor options: Majestic, Colonial Plus and Impressive Ultra laminate floors.

Find out more about all the Quick-Step flooring options and your local stockist.

Read why I chose Quick-Step’s Impressive Ultra for my own home.

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Expert Tips Jen's reno RENO ADDICT

Why I chose Quick-Step Impressive Ultra for our new floors

Sponsored by Quick-Step

There has been a lot of interest in our new floors and as choosing which option to go with can sometimes be a bit overwhelming, I thought I’d share what we learned from the experience and how we came up with our final choice. I hope it helps others facing the same dilemma!

I always knew I wanted an engineered floor rather than solid timber for practical reasons: easy to clean and water and scratch resistant. Although I love real timber and it looks beautiful, it doesn’t mix well with water and I knew I wanted this flooring in our kitchen (and potentially our future renovated bathrooms too). I also know, with a small and boisterous child riding trikes and goodness knows what else around the house, I couldn’t be precious about our new floors so they needed to be able to cop a lot of wear (not to mention any potential dishwasher leaks, dropped drinks and toilet, well, accidents!).

 

The next big decision was whether to go for premium vinyl plank (which seemed to be increasingly on my radar) or quality laminate. What’s the difference you may ask? I’ll try and explain it in layman’s terms!

From a look perspective, there is not a huge difference and if you’re comparing quality examples of each, you may not find one. You’ll also find lots of design and colour options which convincingly resemble real timber. Both are easy to clean (yay!). On price, there’s not a big difference between good quality versions of both.

Laminate is typically more scratch-resistant and made from HFD or high-density fiberboard (made up of recycled hardwood, which for obvious reasons, doesn’t tend to be waterproof). Vinyl is a flexible, waterproof material. However, the new generation of quality laminate floors (like Quick-Step’s Impressive Ultra which we chose, and their latest, Majestic) come with a waterproof surface and are therefore suitable for use even in bathrooms.

Laminate is harder and noisier to walk on, but with the right underlay, you get a quieter and more cushioned feel. And you may prefer a harder feel underfoot, more like the real thing.

Impressive Ultra floors are extra durable and have a superior authentic colour, design and structure – including a super realistic bevel that mimics a genuine timber floor finish.

For me, a lot of the choice came down to aesthetics, as well as quality and brand confidence. I am across all the major flooring brands and suppliers as part of my job and had always heard great things about Quick-Step and been impressed with their innovation. I also loved the samples I saw in showrooms and was hugely reassured by the 25-year guarantee. There is no way I’m going to live in this house that long, but it’s great to know the floors are covered for that period, as well as 10 years for water resistance.

I borrowed multiple samples from the local showroom and I’d advise you to do the same as they’ll look really different under normal residential lighting and in natural light, as well as in different parts of your home. At the end of the day, the look of Impressive Ultra in Classic Oak Beige was just perfect for us. I had no hesitation in picking it, even though it is a really big decision and one you don’t want to get wrong and regret later!

On that note, all flooring is not created equal, and having had other brands’ samples in my home for comparison, I would just say that this in one area in your home where you should spend as much as you can afford. Having floors laid is a major hassle. You have to move everything and there’s a certain amount of upheaval. It’s also an investment, and you really don’t want to have to make it twice if you buy something which doesn’t wear well. And nothing gets wear and tear like floors!

We absolutely wanted something light to brighten up our home, which doesn’t have great natural light everywhere. We did consider Quick-Step’s Majestic product too, which has the same waterproof qualities and some amazing designs, but we felt the extra-long planks were just too long for some of the smaller rooms in our place.

Although you can DIY the click system, we fully admit we are not handy, and because our subfloor needed a lot of levelling, we used the professionals recommended by Floating Floors Direct in Hornsby. Owner Bill Grogan was also great for expert advice, with many years’ experience, and he helped us decide Majestic wouldn’t work for us.

We are over the moon with our floors! I mean, just look at these picture! The floors and the kitchen have changed our home so much and I’m still pinching myself it’s the same “Nanna house” to be honest! Months of trike-riding later and it’s as good as new.

If you have any other questions about choosing your floor, please write them in the comments and I’ll try and help!

For more information about Quick-Step and to find your nearest stockist.

Photography by Jacqui Turk

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Jen's reno

Jen’s new floor before and after

AFTER living room

In partnership with Latitude Financial Services

As regular readers will know, we have been doing up our “nanna house” (so named after the lady who lived here for 30 years before us and whose decor was decidedly, well, nanna!) since April. While this house was well loved and looked after, it was added to over the years, many times, and this left it with a look which was often more patchwork quilt than consistent!

The best (worst) example of this was the flooring. We had dark (red-toned) parquetry in the entry, living room and front bedroom, cork in the playroom and dining room and pine boards in the hallway and other three bedrooms. And then of course tiles in the bathrooms. Not only did it ruin the flow of the house aesthetically but it really made it clear where the first of two extensions had happened. I was desperate for the house to feel like one consistent home.

AFTER living room
BEFORE living room

I’m not against parquetry per se, it can be beautiful. And this wasn’t exactly offensive, but it had been faded by light over the years, and it was really obvious where a huge rug had been because of a change in colour. Not to mention dull patches and scratches. If we’d had the same parquetry throughout I’m sure I would have attempted to have it sanded back and re-stained lighter if possible. But as we were really only talking about a quarter of the house, and it still wouldn’t match the rest, it wasn’t really going to achieve our goal.

BEFORE Here is the worst example of the different flooring cutting our long house in two. Note the brown scotia against the yellow pine boards and the gold bar just making the two floors even more obvious!
AFTER Can you hear angels singing?!
BEFORE Dining cork floor meets kitchen pine floorboards
AFTER dining and kitchen

We carpeted three of the bedrooms (the fourth is my office and has a door to the garden so I didn’t want to carpet that) and the playroom as soon as we moved in.

So, I had to decide what kind of flooring and then which brand and colour, and it is a big decision which really affects the look of your home massively. No pressure!

Once we painted the living room, added shutters and wall-mounted shelving, new lighting and our own furniture, and replaced the doors between it and the playroom, it was one of the easiest rooms to finish. But the floor just never quite worked with everything else and really dated the room. It’s not the brightest room (the best light is in the kitchen and dining room) and the dark floor really didn’t help. We knew we needed something lighter and more modern.

Another thing that really bugged me was the lack of proper skirting in most of the house. There was a mismatch of scotias of different colours. Oh, how I longed for plain white skirting boards!

So, it was time to decide on what kind of floor, which brand and which colour; decisions not to be taken lightly. In this house, I was choosing between laminate and vinyl plank flooring. I must admit, I found the differences between the two quite confusing, and I kept hearing that the difference in quality and price wasn’t that big these days, and it was more a case of what kind of floor you wanted/needed.

Laminate flooring is a layered floor built around a watertight, glued High Density Fibre (HDF) board. Luxury vinyl flooring consists of several layers. This not only results in a waterproof floor with sound-reducing properties, it also gives your feet a very warm and soft surface to walk on.

But there is a new generation of laminate flooring that is super durable, and as a mum of a toddler who rides a trike around the house, this appealed! I landed on the Quickstep Impressive Ultra product for several reasons. The first was the look (no surprises there!) because it is so like timber, it feels like timber and it has a great matte finish (Because everyone assumes they now have to take their shoes off on our new floors, our friends have all been commenting on how nice and timber-like it feels underfoot!). I also knew the brand by reputation as high quality and I believe in doing things well and doing them once! I think this is an important point because there are much cheaper products out there but they are not going to last you. Replacing a floor is a major hassle so I don’t want to do it again in a few years. This flooring comes with a very reassuring 25-year warranty!

I liked several of the colours but I loved classic oak beige. It was perfect! Secondly, it’s waterproof, which means it can even be used in bathrooms. And it means if the dishwasher leaks, no drama! Likewise should Seb have the odd accident when we get to toilet training…

I love solid timber floors too but the durability and water resistance of this kind of laminate really made it the winner for me. It’s also cheaper than solid timber, easier to clean and less likely to scratch. And, if you’re interested, it’s compatible with underfloor heating.

I could not be more thrilled with or proud of our new floors. I keep saying I don’t need a Christmas present this year because these floors and my new kitchen have been such a dream to get finished!

Actually getting the floors in was no mean feat and it took four days because there were so many different levels in the house, caused by not only the differences between the different original floorings (which we went over the top of) but also the fact the house shifted many years ago (it’s ok, the structural engineer says it’s sound!). The hallway in particular had a quite obvious slope to it. And even in the living room, which we thought was quite level, some parts were 2.5cm lower than others! This called for a lot of Ardit levelling compound. That stuff ended up having to go everywhere and I did question my decision to not move out during the process! But we managed! After the Ardit, a Quickstep underlay went down and let me tell you, these floors are so much quieter then the old ones and feel solid underfoot.

DURING Cement city!

So, while you can click these floors together yourself, if you have a wonky house like mine or you aren’t confident, I’d recommend you call in the professional flooring experts. Your local Quickstep stockist would be able to help you. Despite the utter chaos of furniture being piled up in unaffected rooms and having to live around the install, it wasn’t actually stressful because the guys doing the job knew exactly what they were doing and had a solution for every curve ball my wonky house threw at them. And there were many!

The house looks so much fresher, brighter and lighter and the best thing about the new floors (and our new white skirting) is they’ve pulled the house together and made it feel like one cohesive whole! This was exactly what I wanted to achieve and I’m not exaggerating when I say the results have actually exceeded my expectations.

AFTER kitchen

In summary, I think laminate has come a really long way. It’s no longer the shiny-looking, cheaper option you may have known in the past. For families, its durability and water resistance are perfect and as appealing as the lower cost (compared to timber).

Next job: new doors!

For more information about Quick-Step.

All posts about Jen’s reno

More on why I chose Quick-Step Impressive Ultra.

Want to get your own reno plans happening? Speak to our partners at Latitude Financial Services about your finance options.

Considered sales finance for your reno? Find out more in this video with Jess Aloi from Latitude Financial Services and I:

After photos by Jacqui Turk

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Expert Tips RENO ADDICT

How to: Achieve consistent style across the home

Image: onekingslane.com

By Naomi Findlay

Whether perusing Pinterest or devouring the latest interior design magazine, you’ll note the most stylish homes have one thing in common–consistency. From paint to flooring, window treatments and hardware, there are plenty of ways to achieve aesthetic unity throughout the home.

Paint

If there’s one single renovation product that can truly unify a home, it’s paint. From warm whites to cool grey shades, running the same hue throughout an abode creates a fabulous sense of visual continuity.

Image: t01.com.au

Flooring

Whether it’s carpet, timber or tiles, it’s wise to use the same floor covering throughout your entire home for maximum consistency, flow and to make it feel more spacious too. Conversely, if you really want to combine carpet with tiles or timber, choose complementary shades to connect the spaces.

Hardware

From door handles and pulls to tapware, matching hardware is key to creating consistent style across the home. And while you may not choose the exact same shape of handle for instance, choosing the same finish will ensure a unified look throughout.

Image: onekingslane.com

Window treatments

A prominent feature in any home, running the same window treatment throughout is a great way to give a sense of cohesion and connect all the rooms. Whether it’s plantation shutters, sheer curtains or roman blinds, try to stick to one style of window treatment for maximum consistency.

Lighting

Aside from a smattering of fun feature pendant lights, try to ensure the rest of the lighting in your home is consistent. Fabulous lighting should be unobtrusive but create ambience and warmth the home.

Image: homestolove.com.au

—Australia’s rapid renovation expert, Naomi Findlay is an internationally renowned renovator, award-winning property stylist and speaker. She’s an industry leader in creating healthy wealthy spaces and creating wealth and profit from renovating property. Learn more about Naomi.

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Design Outdoor & Exteriors RENO ADDICT

Tips and tricks for making sure your timber lasts the distance

Photo credit: Peter Campbell-Lloyd, Deck-Max QLD

Sydney just had its hottest September day on record! So on this side of the world, it sure feels like winter is over. During those dreary, cold months it’s safe to say your outdoor space had a bit of a beating, which means now is the time to bring your timber back to life and ensure your garden is ready for the change in temperature and all the entertaining that goes on in the warmer months.

Photo credit: Peter Campbell-Lloyd, Deck-Max QLD

The Australasian Timber Flooring Association share their tips and tricks for maintaining or building with timber this season:

  • Make sure your timber is properly maintained so that it can withstand the exposure to the sun during the warmer weather.
  • Check to ensure you deck is free from termite activity, decay and that fixings are not corroded. Any loose decking boards should also be refixed.
  • If you’re thinking of installing a deck in your backyard there’s a few things for you to know.  Firstly, it’s important that you choose the right timber, based on your design and location to ensure a lasting performance.
  • If you’re planning on an elevated deck ensure that the area is cleared of vegetation, proper foundations are provided and that appropriate drainage is also provided. In addition, it is important for your deck to be structurally strong enough to carry people walking across it.
Photo credit: Peter Campbell-Lloyd, Deck-Max QLD
  • If you are wanting a deck close to the ground it’s important to ensure that the deck still has adequate ventilation and drainage.
  • To protect the timber against decay and termites it is necessary to choose the appropriate timber species and appropriate preservative treatment.
  • If your timber deck is near your pool or ocean be cautious of potential corrosion that may occur with the fixings due to the increase of salt in the air. It is recommended that stainless steel or silicon bronze fixings are used to prevent corrosion.
  • Unfortunately, if you live in some areas of the countryside with summer comes the risk of bush fires, check if your area is prone to fires before installing your deck as this will affect the type of timber you may be able to use.
  • Lastly, it is important to maintain your outdoor decking all year round, and simple steps like the ones listed above will ensure your decking lasts for many summers to come.

For further advice visit the Australasian Timber Flooring Association’s website.

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Homewares

Get sent the ultimate flooring guide for free!

Sponsored by Choices Flooring

Whether you’re renovating, building or just looking for pure inspiration for a new decorating project, the new Inspiring Choices Magazine 2017 has more than 100 pages of the latest in carpet, timber, luxury vinyl, laminate, bamboo, tiles and rugs. Choices Flooring produce this free magazine, which also features interior design and decorating articles, to help you navigate the many choices out there and the practical and style considerations.

(Genero Design Platinum – Luxury Vinyl Plank, Aged Walnut) Just like the activities they host, these spaces have a lot to juggle; technology, writing, materials, style and practicality. Yet, they do so seamlessly.

You can choose to read it online or have the hard copy sent to your home free of charge!

From greeting to completing a room, whether your style’s modern, coastal, or something in-between, you’ll find it in Inspiring Choices 2017. A really great feature this year is that a variety of rooms will be shown with two different flooring options, allowing you compare like with like and really see the effect of different choices. Helpfully, the magazine is broken down into 10 sections: greet, eat, create, sleep, meet, soak, study, escape, grow and complete. They reflect different rooms and guide on the best flooring for each room. 

(Temuka Coronet – Wool Twist, colour Nelson) As a sanctuary from the rest of the home, the true beauty of these spaces come down to feeling.

Let’s face it, the right flooring can really make or break a home, which is why it is so often the first thing we want to change when buying a home, especially an older one. Using the same flooring choice, for example, throughout an an entire apartment can give the feeling of more space. Replacing daggy old carpets with fresh ones in the latest colours, can make the world of difference.

There are so many considerations though, depending on your lifestyle and home, that it can become overwhelming! I, for example, would never ever in a million years have carpet in my dining room when I have a toddler who constantly drops food from his high chair (sometimes deliberately, sometimes not!). While I love the look and practicality of laminate flooring, I do like tiles in the kitchen as a more hardwearing, practical choice. And when it comes to bedrooms, which get less traffic and hopefully no shoes, there’s nothing better than a soft carpet to sink your tootsies into when you get out of bed in the morning!

(Plantino Engineered Oak – Timber 1 Strip (190mm), Species: Veneto) From feeding little ones to hosting dinner parties, these spaces set the scene upon which many memories with loved ones are created.

Bamboo flooring is definitely an option I don’t know as much about and I’d find it really helpful to see it in the context of some styled rooms. It’s all very well seeing planks in store, but you can’t beat seeing a whole room of something. Choices Flooring’s in-store digital technology can also help you get a better idea of how the options will work in your home.

(Eclipse White Matt, Yura Lead & Eclipse Zenith Sardinia Grigio, Tiles) In order to escape an increasingly busy world, these tranquil retreats perfectly balance luxury with the practicality required for everyday living.

If you’re renovating to sell, you may have totally different considerations, based more on price (and your final profit) and your target market.

(Plantino Laminate Deluxe – Laminate 1 Strip, Manhattan Loft) Often considered the heart of the home, these spaces perfectly balance style and practicality.

So what do you have to lose? Order your free copy of the magazine today and browse the options at your leisure for your next decorating project.

–Choices Flooring is Australia’s leading flooring retailer boasting over 140 stores across the country. They understand that purchasing flooring is a big decision based on lifestyle, budget, and individual style and their in-store and online experience is second to none. Their flooring range is ‘on trend’ with the latest designs and colours in carpet, timber, laminate, bamboo, luxury vinyl, tiles and rugs. They even offer digital technology in-store to help customers find the floor they’ve been searching for.

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Homewares

Spend on hard flooring and get a free rug to zone your space

Genero Euro in Sandpaper Oak

Sponsored by Choices Flooring

I’m a huge fan of hard flooring, especially with a youngster who drops food and makes all manner of mess, and the combination of hard floor with a beautiful rug is the ideal in my book! Hard flooring is durable, easy to clean, hygienic and looks great, then you simply add a rug for an extra layer (literally) of decor, texture, colour, pattern (or all of the above) with the added bonus of being able to create zones in open plan areas, and something soft under foot when you get out of bed or to sit on in the living room.

Genero Euro in Sandpaper Oak
Genero Euro in Sandpaper Oak

The latest special offer from Choices Flooring allows you to do just this: spend $2,000 on their Plantino hard flooring (engineered timber, laminate or bamboo) or Genero Euro (luxury vinyl exclusive to Choices Flooring) ranges and get a rug of your choice for free! That will certainly help take the sting out of paying for home improvements!

Plantino Laminate in Saw Marked Oak
Plantino Laminate in Saw Marked Oak

While using the same type of flooring in your entire home is a sure fire way to make it look bigger and feel more cohesive (ripping up the daggy carpet and replacing it with laminate flooring throughout was the first thing we did when we purchased our new home recently), it’s still important to zone your different areas for different uses, especially if your home is open plan, as is increasingly the trend. Zoning defines a space and stops furniture look like it is ‘floating’. It’s an age old interiors trick that always works! A rug is key to pulling together your furniture and homewares in any room.

Watch for more on the Plantino engineered timber flooring:

From the timeless beauty of timber to the contemporary textures of bamboo, decorate from the floor up with Choices Flooring’s exclusive Plantino or Genero Collections and zone it with a free rug of your choice! With more than 100 timber, bamboo, laminate and luxury vinyl designs to select from, visit a showroom today to see which will suit you and your home.

Choices Flooring has over 140 stores across the country. They understand that purchasing flooring is a big decision based on lifestyle, budget, and individual style and that is why their in-store and online experience is second to none. They now offer digital technology in-store to help you find the floor you’ve been searching for.

Plantino Bamboo in Driftwood
Plantino Bamboo in Driftwood

Watch for more on Genero Euro luxury vinyl plank flooring:

For more information on this offer.

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Homewares RENO ADDICT

Get your hands on 100+ pages of FREE interior inspiration!

Sponsored by Choices Flooring

Choices Flooring’s annual Inspiring Choices magazine is now available – and it’s FREE, including delivery to your door.

IC (1)

Order your free magazine now

Australia’s leading flooring retailer wants to inspire you with expert advice (from the likes of The Block favourite Amity Dry) and aspirational imagery, whether you’re renovating, building or decorating your home. The mag’s even organised by room to make it easy for you to visualise different spaces and the impact different kinds of flooring can make in them. They’ll even forgive you for ripping out the odd page for your moodboard!

Temuka-Bayton-129

Flooring can make such an impact but it’s also a bit of a commitment and you want to make the right choice which will see you through a few years. Whether it’s family-friendly and practical, luxurious and comfortable, the healthiest choice for your child with asthma, something which can withstand dogs racing around on it or the affordable and neutral choice for a rental property, the options can sometimes seem a little overwhelming. Rather than put off making a decision yet again, this magazine is here to help inspire and guide you!

In my opinion, getting a new floor in your home or getting it painted are two of the most exciting and impactful updates for adding wow factor. Whether you’re a fan of timber, laminate, bamboo, luxury vinyl, carpet, tiles or rugs, Choices Flooring are sure to have what you’ve been searching for!

Genero-Looselay-Maple-Oak-Volume-Sweet-Orange

From entrances right through to the outdoors, Inspiring Choices 2016 features over 100 pages of the latest flooring trends, as well as decorating advice from your favourite interior writers and stylists, to help you discover, create and live your style.

You’ll enjoy case studies showing you which flooring real families have chosen for their homes and why. Plus advice on decorating and homewares from the writers and editors at Real Living, Australian House & Garden and homes+. There’s even floor cleaning tips!

Plantino Engineered Oak Sienna_Chez Moi Blanc

We all love a good glossy read, but if you prefer to get your inspiration online, you can download the viewa app from the App Store or Google Play to gain access to additional exciting content throughout the mag and really bring it to life.

Order your free magazine now

—Choices Flooring is Australia’s leading flooring retailer, boasting over 140 stores. They understand that purchasing flooring is a big decision based on lifestyle, budget, and individual style and that’s why their in-store and online experience is second to none. Their flooring range is on trend, with the latest designs and colours and their digital technology in-store helps customers find the floor they’ve been searching for.

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DIY Outdoor & Exteriors RENO ADDICT Shopping

Fashionable dark flooring inside and out with Feast Watson

Sponsored by Feast Watson

Deck stains have come a long way and are as much about aesthetics and creating a fashionable entertaining space as they are about maintaining and caring for your timber these days. It’s now perfectly possible to bring the indoors out for a seamless entertaining room/area, which we know Aussies love!

Feast Watson's Black Japan. You control the itnensity of the final finish by choosing how many coats
Feast Watson’s Black Japan. You control the intensity of the finish by choosing how many coats

If you’re automatically thinking of warmer tones, stop right there! Colours like Feast Watson’s Black Japan and other darker stains provide a great contrast for the neutral colours you might have on your lounges and rugs. Now you can achieve similar finishes and colours on floors inside and out, creating a seamless transition.

Feast Watson’s Black Japan Floor Finish is perfect for savvy homeowners who are looking to introduce a dramatic dark flooring style into their interiors. Something as simple as beautiful floorboards can really set the tone for a room and make a big difference, just like a coat of fresh paint on your walls. This product uses a three-coat system, so you can even choose the intensity of the colour.

Feast Watson’s Timber and Decking Stain for exterior use

And while outdoor spaces have truly become an extension of our living areas, where we relax and entertain, we mustn’t forget that the harsh Aussie elements, not least the sun and its damaging UV rays, mean they need maximum protection to keep them looking their best.

Gone are the traditional methods of achieving these finishes, with a direct stain and a clear top coat. The reformulated Timber and Deck Stain by Feast Watson creates a beautiful finish while still allowing the natural grain of timber to shine through. You can continue the dark look in your alfresco area using the stain in Black Japan or Taman Merbau. The stain adds colour to timber without hiding the natural grain. It’s ideal for making timber coordinate with your house and landscape design, or to renew the colour of grey, weathered timber.

With its oil rich formula, it protects timber from the destructive effects of weathering. With additives to protect against water, UV and mould, Feast Watson Timber and Deck Stain keeps timber looking beautiful for longer. Available in four pre-packaged colours, Timber & Deck Stain is resistant to cracking, peeling and blistering and is suitable for use over bare and previously coated timber. For stunning interiors inside and out, there is a Feast Watson product available for every surface to achieve perfect looking timber floors.

To find out more about Feast Watson products and their application, visit their website and for inspiration, check out the Feast Watson Pinterest page.

Categories
Bathrooms Designers Homewares Kitchens

Greg Natale’s stunning tile range for Teranova

Interior designer Greg Natale’s new range of tiles for Teranova are jaw-droppingly beautiful, are they not?

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Known for his use of tiles to add detail, warmth and drama, bringing rooms to life, it’s fitting that Greg now has his very own range. It is his first collaboration with Sydney-based Teranova, who produce a range of beautiful tiles and stones for indoor and outdoor spaces, in materials such as cement, ceramic, glass, stone, marble and timber.

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The designs reflect Greg’s trademark bold use of pattern and colour, particularly his flair for repeated patterns, and this range of cement tiles epitomises that. “It’s a natural progression for me,” explains Greg, who was inspired by the Italian tiles of his heritage. “This range celebrates the resurgence of patterned tiles in interior design. Contemporary or classic, clean-lined or richly detailed, there’s something here for everyone.”

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Greg Natale

There are four designs in the range:

  • Optical – warm, bold and intricate, with detailed graphic lines;
  • Triangle – sharp, bright and energetic, a proportional play on pattern;
  • Circle – clean, serene and simple, blending organics with graphics;
  • Hexagon – delicate, playful and light, a softer choice.

Triangle and Circle suit contemporary designs, and the individual tiles can be shifted for various effects. Optical and Hexagon suit more classic spaces. The current colourways are based on strong, appealing monochromes to work with most spaces, but custom colouring is also available.

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No longer are tiles strictly for bathrooms or kitchens – from laid-back living areas to casual dining spaces, from entire floors to borders, walls and highlights, whole houses can be transformed and living spaces enlivened.

Winner of Interior Designer of the Year at the 2014 and 2011 Belle Coco Republic Interior Design Awards, Greg wrote his first book, The Tailored Interior, last year.

Categories
Interiors Addict

5 eco-friendly flooring solutions for your home

By Mark Hutchison

Style and sustainability: they can work together, right? Of course! With so many products available, it can be difficult to know which type of flooring will best suit the needs of your home, but it’s easier than ever to find an eco-friendly solution.

1. Reclaimed hardwood 

Reclaimed Hardwood Floor

Have you considered installing a floor with a story? Perhaps it was from a school, church or farmstead? Reclaimed hardwood floors come from a variety of buildings and locations across Australia and each board has its own history! Reclaimed hardwood flooring is suitable for most areas of your home and can be purchased in a wide range of styles, colours and varieties. Purchasing a darker coloured wood will add warmth to your home, while a lighter colour will brighten up your room. Depending on the textured finish, your floor could look smooth, wire-brushed, distressed or hand-scrapped, but why not keep its rustic beauty?

If you find hardwood floors are too cold or too hard on your feet, adding a floor rug can add warmth, softness and colour to your room, all the while protecting the wood underneath.

2. Bamboo

Bamboo Floor

Homeowners who invest in bamboo flooring do so for its unique and eco-conscious properties. Bamboo is durable and looks great in modern or traditional spaces. The texture adds a very organic, natural and elegant feel. Bamboo flooring comes in a wide range of different shades and grains. Regardless of your existing furnishings, you will be sure to find a shade of bamboo that will match. Colours range from mellow light hues to warmer reds and browns. Complete the look with a high gloss, matte or semi-gloss finish.

Due to the speed of growth (approximately 60cm per day), bamboo is a highly sustainable flooring choice. Although it can take between 3-to-5 years to reach maturity, in comparison, trees can take up to 20 years.

3. Cork

Cork Kitchen Flooring

Cork flooring is the ultimate in eco-chic. Made from the bark of the Cork Oak tree, this product is highly renewable. Cork can be made to mimic hardwood floors or made to look just like tiles. Think of cork as traditional and vintage to luxurious textures and shades, classic patterns and elegant finishes, artistic and modern. The options are endless.

Although cork is relatively new to the flooring market, this is a worthwhile option to consider.

4. Concrete

Concrete Floor

Concrete isn’t typically an eco-friendly product, however it has made the list for several reasons.

Pre-existing concrete

Concrete that already exists in your home has no additional environmental impact and it’s ready to go! Concrete floor slabs can be hidden under flooring materials such as carpet, hardwood or tiles. But why waste resources and money to add another layer of flooring when you can simply leave the concrete exposed? Decorative techniques such as colouring, staining, stamping, stencilling and polishing allow you to create floors that mimic more traditional materials.

Green Concrete

Green concrete uses industrial waste by-products. These products are sourced from power plants, steel mills and other manufacturing facilities and are commonly used as partial cement replacements. To make your floor look more decorative, why not consider materials such as recycled crushed glass or plastic, marble chips, metal shavings and seashells for a truly unique look?

5. Natural stone

Natural stone isn’t renewable like cork, however it can be considered eco-friendly due to its durability. Carpet will last anywhere up to 10 years, wooden floors approximately 50 years, while natural stone will last a lifetime. It will even withstand fire! Stone comes in an array of colours and textures including granite, limestone, marble and slate. No two stones are alike, which adds to its unique, elegant and timeless appeal.

Natural stone is strong and hardwearing which makes it perfect for areas that attract high foot traffic and is also beneficial for anyone who suffers from airborne allergies, as dust and allergens are unable to build up on its surface.

–Mark Hutchison is managing director of Bamboozle, Perth’s leading bamboo flooring provider.