Area Floors designers are available at both of our store locations to discuss incorporating this great countertop surfaces into your kitchen or bathroom design.

Contact Our Portland Flooring Store: (503) 775-4391

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When enhancing a kitchen with porcelain tile, Portland Oregon homeowners can use the following ideas to create a unique and customized design.

Spice up the grid. The grid pattern is the easiest most common installation pattern for tile flooring and borders. A basic grid installation uses only square tiles of uniform size; however, there’s no need to stick to the basics. Spice up the grid pattern by alternating colors in checkerboard fashion or randomly interspersing different colors.

Go for diamonds. A popular alternative to the grid pattern is the diamond pattern, which also uses square porcelain tiles but turns them at a diagonal. Although installing tile flooring in a diamond layout involves more cutting and requires about 20 percent more tile, Portland Oregon homeowners love the dynamic feel of this pattern.

Lay some bricks. Another variation on the grid pattern, the brick pattern simulates the appearance of bricks by staggering the seams between tiles so that each seam lines up with the center of the tiles above and below it. Use rectangular porcelain tile to enhance the effect.

Stripe it. If you have a modern kitchen and you want a modern porcelain tile backsplash, try adding a little stripe to your tile. Portland Oregon homeowners can vary both the color and height of the tiles when creating a striped pattern. For example, lay two or three rows of square tiles, followed by two or three rows of rectangular tiles that are wider than they are tall.

These are just a few ideas for creating a customized porcelain tile installation. When installing tile flooring or backsplashes, you’re only limited by your creativity.

]]> http://www.areafloorsonline.com/2012/01/tiles-adding-a-splash-of-color-to-your-kitchen/feed/ 0 http://www.areafloorsonline.com/2012/01/porcelain-tile-craft-ideas/ http://www.areafloorsonline.com/2012/01/porcelain-tile-craft-ideas/#comments Tue, 03 Jan 2012 17:00:56 +0000 admin http://www.areafloorsonline.com/?p=4149 Many families have leftover construction or décor materials they’ve held onto but have no use for. For example, when installing porcelain tile flooring, homeowners often end up with leftover tile. Portland, Oregon has a reputation as a hub for all things artsy and crafty, so why not put those extra tiles to good use with a craft project?

Porcelain tiles can be used in many different ways, from decorative tile borders to mosaic designs. If you’ve got leftovers from a porcelain tile flooring project, here are a few ideas:

Coasters and trivets. One of the simplest uses for extra porcelain tile flooring is to use the tiles to make coasters and trivets. To make a coaster out of a smaller tile, Portland Oregon crafters can use decoupage glue and magazine photos or decorative paper to cover the surface. Alternatively, you can print a personal photo on transfer paper; clean the tile with rubbing alcohol, wet the photo and transfer the image. Either way, you’ll want to apply clear acrylic to create a waterproof surface. To make a trivet, use a larger tile and glue a marble at each corner of the tile’s back to create feet.

Tile borders. Another great use for leftover or salvaged porcelain tile flooring is to create tile borders or backsplashes in the kitchen or bathroom. Just measure the area you’re working with, and play around with different tiles to create a design. Tile borders add a finished look to the room and create an arts-and-crafts aesthetic.

Mosaic crafts. Another use for leftover porcelain tile flooring – especially if you have a lot of mismatched or unattractive tiles – is to break the tiles into pieces and create a mosaic design. Just about any hard surface can serve as a canvas for a mosaic, from ceramic pots to tabletops. Use an adhesive to stick each piece on, and fill in the gaps between them with grout.

Make rooms appear larger. When installing hardwood flooring, Portland homeowners often think lighter woods will help expand the space; in fact, the opposite is true. Darker colors create the perception of depth; thus, dark wood flooring makes it appear as though the walls are farther apart.

Add sophistication and style. Whereas lighter wood creates a more rustic or country aesthetic, dark hardwood flooring possesses a richness that adds class and style to your home. It’s dramatic enough that you can tone down the rest of your décor, creating a more sophisticated atmosphere.

Highlight bright décor. With dark hardwood flooring, Portland homeowners will find that light or bright colors really pop. Just remember, when it comes to bright colors, a little goes a long way – you want your décor and flooring to complement each other, not compete.

Create interest and dimension. Dark wood floors give an appearance of texture and dimension that lighter woods can’t emulate. The light that shines on dark hardwood flooring makes the boards look uniquely different at different times of day.

If you’re considering installing new wood flooring, dark hardwood floors are worth considering. Not only do they add richness and character to a home, but they can make small spaces feel larger.

Hardwood flooring can look exquisite with a unique design or pattern added to it. By using different colored woods, or by arranging uniformly colored wood into unusual patterns, you can create a floor that’s unique to your home. Depending on your personality and the look you are after, here’s a look at some of the different types of designs that can be incorporated into your wood flooring:

Medallions and inlays. If you want to make your hardwood flooring the centerpiece of a room, incorporate a medallion or other type of inlay into the center of the room. These work well in large entryways, great rooms and any other part of the home you want to showcase. A medallion can feature common emblems such as a nautical compass, fleur-de-lis, Celtic knots or even the family crest.

Rug pattern. Another way to use wood flooring to unify a room is to incorporate an area rug right into your flooring. Portland homeowners can use a rug design to highlight a seating arrangement by surrounding the area with a rectangular border and then filling it with a pattern that contrasts with the rest of the floor, such as a herringbone or parquet pattern.

Borders. Outline a room by using different stain colors or types of wood to create an intricate border within your hardwood flooring. Border styles can range from Moroccan to Celtic to Art Deco; you can derive inspiration from wallpapers, textiles and other types of art.

Create your own. A simple way to customize your wood flooring is to design your own installation pattern by arranging pieces of wood into a configuration you like. Then repeat that pattern throughout the room.

[ photo by: Katie@!, on Flickr, via CC License ]

1. Eco-friendly. Unlike most trees used for hardwood flooring, bamboo grows extremely fast and can be harvested over and over again from the same plant. Whereas trees may take up to 100 years to reach their full size, bamboo matures within five years, making it a sustainable alternative to hardwood flooring.

2. Affordable. Because bamboo is abundant and easy to grow, bamboo flooring is less expensive than traditional hardwood flooring – often by 25-50 percent.

3. Durable. Kids, heavy traffic in the home and even inclement weather can take its toll on hardwood flooring. Portland homeowners often choose bamboo flooring instead because it’s highly long-lasting and highly durable. Most bamboo flooring comes with a 10 to 25-year warranty and hardly ever needs refinishing.

4. Versatile. When it comes to flooring, Portland homeowners need a material can withstand lots of rain and mud being tracked indoors. Bamboo can be installed virtually anywhere because it is not sensitive to temperature. It’s also highly resistant in moist climates and can be installed over a number of different surfaces without a long preparation time.

5. Easy to find. It wasn’t always the case, but bamboo flooring has become so popular that it’s now widely available in many different locations, including Portland flooring and home improvement stores.

[ photo by: anathea, on Flickr, via CC License ]

Display holiday dishes. Since you’ll be pulling the holiday dishes out of storage anyway, you can kill two birds with one stone by storing them on your Portland countertops. Use a bamboo dish rack to showcase decorative plates, or use a plate stand to display your favorite holiday platter.

Set out a tree of holiday mugs. A mug tree filled with festive mugs set out on the kitchen countertop is a great way to encourage your guests to drink their fill of beloved winter drinks such as eggnog, mulled cider or hot buttered rum.

Switch out the canisters. One way to decorate your kitchen countertops without taking up extra space is to swap out your regular food canisters for holiday-themed ones. It’s not even necessary to splurge on fancy canisters; buy an inexpensive set, and paint them to match your holiday décor.

Cover appliances with holiday fabrics. Spread holiday cheer to your kitchen countertops while also hiding unsightly appliances by covering them with colorful, holiday-themed fabrics. You can either buy cloth appliance covers or make them yourself.

Fill the fruit bowl with ornaments. A simple and inexpensive way to decorate your Portland countertops is to pile your fruit bowl with colorful ornaments or other holiday decorations.

Holiday decorations don’t have to take up a lot of space on your kitchen countertops. With just a little creativity, you can make your kitchen a cheerful place for holiday entertaining.

[ Photo by: The Greenery Nursery, on Flickr, via CC License ]