Chloe Taylor, Author at Smooth Decorator

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Home Improvement

Wood Looking Tile Versus Hardwood Flooring

October 21, 2016

For homeowners planning to install hardwood flooring, the high price tag involved can be quite off-putting. The total cost for the average home can easily reach $5,000 or even more. But did you know that you can enjoy the look and style of hardwood flooring without paying the high cost of one? Faux wood tile is a type of tile that is designed to resemble real wood in almost every way.

Put the wood-looking tile and actual hardwood side by side and you cannot tell the difference. The tile has been engineered to resemble hardwood flooring in color, patterns and even texture. If you really wanted hardwood flooring but the cost puts you off, wood looking tile is a great alternative.

Durable

The biggest advantage of choosing faux wood tile over actual wood flooring during your home remodel is the added durability. Tile flooring is hard and can resist most types of damage, whether from moisture, pets or traffic. This means that it lasts longer without requiring frequent maintenance. Essentially, you enjoy the warmth of hardwood flooring and the durability of tile.

This type of tile can be especially beneficial for high-moisture areas like the bathroom and kitchen and high-traffic areas such as the entryway and hallways.

Cost Effective

While the cost difference between faux wood tile and real hardwood is not that big (some high-end tiles are even more expensive than hardwood), tile proves to be far more cost effective. It does not require expensive or frequent maintenance, making it a lesser financial burden on the homeowner.

Variety

There is no shortage of variety when it comes to choosing wood looking tile. Whether you are going for a chic urban look, a more formal contemporary style or a cozy countryside décor, you will find the perfect tile for your needs. The process used to manufacture faux wood tiles allows the makers to create virtually any pattern they want.

What About Real Hardwood

Real hardwood of course has its advantages. Before you make a decision on which one to go with, we recommend that you compare the pros and cons of each. For example, real hardwood has a certain warmth that just cannot be matched by tile. There is also the fact that wood is not has hard as tile. If you stand too long on tile, your feet and ankles will complain. Wood is much friendlier towards your legs, especially for people with feet problems.

On the downside, hardwood requires a little more work in maintenance. After sometime, you need to polish it to get rid of any wear and tear. Over several years, the maintenance costs can add up.

Making a Decision

None of the options is the best and none is the worst. The best choice depends on your needs, preferences and budget. Talk to your contractor for advice on the best choice for your home. For example, you may find that tile is better if you have pets that tend to scratch a lot.

For a more comprehensive comparison, take a look at this article from Sebring Services, “Tile That Looks Like Wood vs Hardwood Flooring.

This article was written by Bryan Sebring, the owner of Sebring Services, which is located in Chicago’s western suburbs. Bryan is very passionate about educating homeowner’s. From design ideas to hiring contractors, his goal is to help homeowner’s in the process of remodelling their homes.

Decor

How to Layer Rugs Like a Pro

September 23, 2016

Chloe Taylor

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Rugs are one of the easiest ways to add appeal to a room. For a long time now, they have been the décor feature that doesn’t change a lot. Sure, there were changes in terms of design and shape, but we can safely say we haven’t seen something new for years. At least not until 2016 when the trend of layering rugs took the world by storm. A few years ago, this idea might have sounded silly, but hear us out while we defend it now: it can add depth and texture to the space, effortlessly create a focal point, and add contrast which makes the space more vivid. So, if you have understood why, let us move on to the how.

Define Areas

If you have a single large or even wall-to-wall carpet, you might find the space looking unfinished and empty, especially when it comes to large room with different functions, such as living room with sitting area, home office, etc. Highlight the different areas with area rugs. A cowhide, for example, would be an interesting choice.

Make It Pop

Image source: onekingslane.com

Tired of your old boring room? No problem, just add two highly-contrasted rugs on top of each other and you will get the unexpected detail you’ve been searching for. The contrast may come in the form of patterns (e.g. stripes and geometric patterns), or in the form of contrasting colors (e.g. blue and red). The best thing about it is that if you want to change the look a bit, you can just replace one of the rugs.

Add Texture

A room without different textures seems flat, sterile and it reflects the overly modernist, almost futuristic feel. If you want your room to appear inviting and warm, you should include texture with a lush sheepskin layer on top of your ordinary and neutral flat rug. This element would look perfect in a bedroom or a living room.

Make a Statement

Image source: veneerdesigns.com

A well decorated room should speak to you, tell a story about who the homeowner is, and why are things displayed in that specific manner. Make sure your room has a lot to tell by layering one narrow or small statement area rug, which will draw attention. The large neutral rug will serve to frame the smaller one.

Create Dynamic

If you manage to create a sense of motion in your room with nothing but rugs, you are qualified to be a professional decorator. What if we told you a secret? It is not that hard at all. Just overlap several round rugs or mix rugs of different size, shape and patterns in one place.

Fail-proof Ideas

Image source: thecolecollection.com

If you are still confused about the sequencing and the order of things , here are some ideas that will earn you the “amateur decorator of the year” award:

Cowhide over sisal can complement any style, especially rustic.
Faux leopard over jute can add a touch of distinction and define an area perfectly.
Aztec rugs over American southwestern modern rugs create a mild contrast perfect for a neutral living room.
Vintage rugs and modern rugs add a perfect eclectic vibe and serve as a great focal point.
Similar patterns create a coherent look. It doesn’t always have to be all about contrast, and you can master the art of subtly layering the rugs if you stick to one style.
A neutral rug constitutes a perfect base for just about any style and texture, so you can unleash your creativity.
Extend instead of placing one rug over the other. Use extra rugs to extend one that seems too small for the space.

Now go and play with layers, patterns and styles. This is a trend that allows you the freedom to express yourself without following some set-in-stone décor rules.

Interior Décor

Does Interior Design Truly Affect Your Wellbeing

July 22, 2016

Chloe Taylor

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Human mind is complicated. Even though we debunked the myth of us using only 10 percent of our brains, we are still not aware of every single little thing that affects them. For example, even though we know that objects in our surrounding affect us, we are still unsure about the cause or the nature of this connection. One thing, however, can be said with certain dose of certainty, interior design truly affects your wellbeing. Here are few examples.

Psychology of Colors

Image source: rd.com

Amongst the first things everyone notices when they start exploring this topic is the phenomenon called the psychology of colors. According to it, our mind responds differently to different colors and this reaction can sometimes be so severe that it can swing our mood one way or the other. For example, red evokes passion, so it is a perfect color to heighten your senses and keep you awake. On the other hand, yellow is there to add a hint of optimism and evoke the feeling of happiness. It is perfect for your living room since it is known to promote communication, but also for a home office since it can spark creativity.

Order and Organization

Well-organized interior can make its inhabitants better organized, as well. For example, it is known that it is harder to focus when there is a mess everywhere, which means that neatness greatly influences our psyche. Next, specific furniture can affect the way we perceive the room and, thus, overall wellbeing. We can see this best in the idea of home offices.

More and more people work from home every day and, while some may believe this means they can work from their kitchen or living room, it doesn’t work that way.These rooms are made for rest and relaxation, which makes it nearly impossible for one to get in the mood for work. However, getting just few pieces of used office furniture can make all the difference. In this way, you can even trick yourself into being in the real office. Some even go so far as to install a water-cooler they don’t need, just so they can recreate the office vibe.

The Importance of Natural Light

Image credit: finemerch.com

Another thing that can affect mental health of all the inhabitants is the influx of natural light. Just think about it this way. The countries in the polar circle have significantly higher suicide rates exactly because their citizens are forced to spend half of the year in darkness. Humans are creatures of light and how much of it you let in may determine the mood of everyone present. Sure, you don’t want sun rays to interfere with your screen while you are watching a movie, but as soon as you are over, make sure to raise the blinds.

Sense of Personal Space

Image source: finemerch.com

There is a great difference between the words house and home. Namely, the first one is a building you own, while the second evokes a feeling of a safe place where you are always welcome. In the words of Robert Frost: Home is the place where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in. If you are to transform your house into a true home, you need to personalize it. The easiest way to do so is to fill it up with personal memorabilia like items from your childhood and family photos. Still, this doesn’t include only decades-old Christmas presents. Anything you find on a garage sale, flea market or even make yourself can fit this purpose just fine.

From all of this, it is more than clear that interior design does impact the way we feel, which, in the long term, may have some serious consequences on your mindset. Most people spend at least half of their waking hours at home, which means that any sense of discomfort may have far more resounding results. Luckily, by paying attention to your home design efforts, you can turn this knowledge to your favor and influence your wellbeing.

How to Decorate with Antiques

May 23, 2016

Chloe Taylor

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Although vintage is getting more and more popular by the hour, some people are not that fond of introducing it in their homes. Their main argumentation is that they don’t want for their home to look like it is trapped in time. This doesn’t mean that they dislike the antique look in general. From time to time, you are bound to encounter an antique piece of furniture. At that moment, you will think it’s just perfect and when this happens you will need to know how to combine it with the rest of your home. Because of that, here are some tips and tricks on how to decorate with antiques.

Identifying Antiques

First thing you will need to know is a true antique. As we already mentioned, vintage as a style is extremely popular which means that antique looking furniture is everywhere. However, you are not interested in antique-looking but antique.

Image credits

What you need here is usually a closer inspection and the texture of the wood cannot lie. First of all, the traces of aging should be all over the surface (even if they are covered up). Furthermore, these replicas are usually not handmade. On a true antique, you will be able to recognize a work of a true carpenter by the asymmetrical carving marks. Finally, the quality and diversity of wood you can find in true antiques will always be greater than that of even the best replica.

Epoch Is Not the Only Theme

One of the most important rules that you need to remember is that when it comes to decorating with antiques age is not the only theme out there. Even if you don’t sort your furniture pieces by the epoch they belong, this doesn’t mean that they must look out of place. You can also group these items by the same color, lookalike ornaments or some other physical similarity. A white vintage lamp is always going to look good, next to your contemporary blue sofa. Even though they are made almost half century apart.

Old and New Combo

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Next thing you can do is try and find a way not only for your old and new items to live together but to achieve a symbiosis. For example, there is no reason whatsoever why your brand new LCD TV wouldn’t look good on your antique stand. The same is pretty much applicable to any other piece of technology as well. In fact, you can take this even one step further and get your home a decorative piece of vintage technology . This way, by pairing them up with the tech you currently use, you can reach a strong yet unique visual impression.

Room by Room

Although some people are in love with vintage, they simply hate the idea of their home looking like a museum. There is really no need for you to transform your entire house. You can make this transformation happen in a single room. The choice here is great since there are some great inspirations for both vintage kitchens and. This way, you can still enjoy all the benefits of having a contemporary home. Of course, with the addition of installing antique nightstand, vanity and shower-head in your bathroom. Some would call this getting the best of both worlds.

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As you can see, decorating with antiques is not that difficult and it gives you a plethora of options you can decide to go with. Furthermore, seeing how there are no strict rules here but only guidelines (after all, it is interior design we are talking about) you will have a no small amount of customization in front of you. Because of all this, decorating with antiques can be both aesthetically rewarding and fun at the same time.

Feature image source: Newknowledgebase.com

Interior Décor

The Big Five – Designers That Shaped the World

March 4, 2016

Chloe Taylor

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Every sphere of life, and every profession has its own hall of fame. Every sports club has it, every music genre has it and here interior design is no exception. Of course, no list would be big enough to encompass every design mastermind that this world have ever seen, still there are some who with their ideas managed to change the world as we know it. Today, numerous magnificent edifices around the world serve as their legacy and in most cases, many of their visitors are not even aware of this fact. Now in order to shed some light on people who did so much for the interior design here is the list of five greatest interior designers in the world.

Philippe Starck

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They say that in order to successfully break the rules you have to know them by heart and French designer Philippe Starck is a perfect example of this. Starck’s work mostly relies on combination of different styles and materials, even if they were not supposed to go along in theory. His design of bar restaurant KONG in the heart of Paris, is something truly outstanding. Here, he demonstrated how glass, wood, metal and plastic can all work together to create a truly futuristic chic ambiance.

Karim Rashid

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Now, when speaking about glass, plastic and metal it is nearly impossible not to talk about industrial style. When talking about industrial style it is absolutely impossible not to reflect its absolute sovereign, Egyptian interior design genius Karim Rashid. According to many, his most notable piece of work is a pharmacy Oaza Zdravlja in Belgrade, Serbia. His full brilliance can be seen in the fact that he managed to take something as bland and faceless as pharmacy and transform it into something truly majestic and unique.

Martin Brudnizki

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If you find the work of the two previously mentioned designers to be too flashy for your taste, than you are bound to like the creation of Martin Brudnizki. This Swedish designer simply excels in minimalistic approach. The most curious thing about his designs is that with these elements he does use he somehow achieves the sense of absolute luxury. For this reason alone, most people refer to his style as “minimalist deluxe.”

Patricia Urquiola

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Spanish architect and designer Patricia Urquiola, is most known for her designs of spa and resorts. Her ability to create a spontaneous interior that perfectly matches the nature that surrounds her is something absolutely unprecedented and unmatched. One of the most curious things about her is that most of her work takes place abroad, mostly notably in Puerto Rico. Still, her works in Spain are not to be neglected as well.

Miles Redd

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Finally, although originally from Atlanta, it would be redundant to say that a true designer such as Miles Redd belongs to any nation. Same as all of his aforementioned brothers and sister in arms, he too is the citizen of the world. The best representation of this is his style which perfectly reflects his cosmopolitan character and personality. Miles is known for borrowing for not restraining to borrow from any culture anything he finds to his liking.

There are many other people that deserve a spot on this list but we simply weren’t able to mention them all. Still, any name on the list has definitely earned its spot on this designer Parnassus. Because of this, as their contemporaries, we can safely say that we truly do live in an exciting time since we have the privilege to watch history being written in front of our very eyes.

Interior Décor

A Brief History of Interior Design

October 16, 2015

Chloe Taylor

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The ancient Chinese knew that there is a mysterious, deeply hidden way in which people were affected, for better or worse, by the position of inanimate objects. Modern behavioral psychology confirms this eons old wisdom and supports the claim that the way our surrounding looks really does affect our mood. For this reason alone, interior design is one of the most important phrases of the modern age. Even though this term is no more than a century old, it has come to play a significant role in our everyday. Here is how it all started and how it got where it is now.

Origins

Although they might not have had design schools and professional designers, it is more than obvious that even some of the world’s earliest civilizations relied heavily on the notion of interior design. Men and women with great taste were all that was ever needed for this seed to be planted. Since it is universally known that Greeks were perfectionists, rules of proportions were always honored to the letter in the earliest interior design.

The progressive era

At the same time at which various modernist movements were in power in Europe, the U.S. lived through their own golden age called “the progressive era.” It was then, that this (still relatively young) nation began its climb towards the summit. Because of their rapid economic development ever single pore of their society was advancing so it is no coincidence that this also gave birth to the interior design. Amongst the pioneers of interior design was Elsie de Wolfe. Her famous book “The House in Good Taste” published in 1923 was basically a manifesto of the earliest interior designers.

The 1930s

Even though interior design was not a force to be reckoned with from the very beginning, it wasn’t until 1930s that the next stage, in its history, was ready to begin. It was also in 1930s that the very term interior designer was coined by the prestigious “Interior Design and Decoration” magazine. This was a significant milestone since a phrase interior designer was finally able to replace the derogatory term decorator. However, the greatest step forward was a fact that in mid 1930s some of the most renowned design schools became universally recognized.

The next milestone

When it comes to the advancement of interior design as science or even art, as some like to refer to it, the next milestone came in the 1970s and 1980s. Although interior design was generally accepted part of everyday life back in the days it wasn’t until the late 20th century that it had undergone a proper standardization. This was conducted by The Foundation for Interior Design Educational Research (FIDER). However, since you can never objectivize an aesthetic form, all this standardization did was create some norms to govern standards for the education of future designers. It also gave designers tools with which to examine the effectiveness of interior design professionals.

The modern interior design

Still, the history of interior design is written every day. We have come a long way from where we were back then, however the road ahead of us is even longer. Today, it would be completely obscene to imagine the world without interior designers. This widespread acceptance led to the creation of different branches of interior design like universal design, healthcare design, educational and institutional design and many others. Another great step towards the brighter future lies in the fact that today interior design is getting more and more turned towards the environmentalism and self-sustainability. We truly live in an exciting time.

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Chloe Taylor

Wood Looking Tile Versus Hardwood Flooring

Durable

Cost Effective

Variety

What About Real Hardwood

Making a Decision

How to Layer Rugs Like a Pro

Define Areas

Make It Pop

Add Texture

Make a Statement

Create Dynamic

Fail-proof Ideas

Does Interior Design Truly Affect Your Wellbeing

Psychology of Colors

Order and Organization

The Importance of Natural Light

Sense of Personal Space

How to Decorate with Antiques

Identifying Antiques

Epoch Is Not the Only Theme

Old and New Combo

Room by Room

The Big Five – Designers That Shaped the World

Philippe Starck

Karim Rashid

Martin Brudnizki

Patricia Urquiola

Miles Redd

A Brief History of Interior Design

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