Article:
What’s Underfoot?
By Shelley Anderson
November 2007
The impact your flooring choice has on your decorating scheme is huge. Next to the walls, your floors are the second largest color effect in your design.
Texture, pattern and color are all important considerations in selecting the proper floor covering. Whether you choose hardwood, laminate, tile or carpeting the following are several elements that can alter the apparent size and shape of your room, as well as set the mood for your design style.
- Lighter colored wall-to-wall carpet will help a room appear larger.
- Larger sized floor tile is less busy since there are less grout lines and therefore will help make the space appear larger. Try 16-inch square tiles on your bathroom floor instead of 12-inch.
- Deep rich colors will help larger spaces feel cozy and warm. Using dark colored hardwood, laminate flooring or wall-towall carpeting will achieve this effect.
- Using the same product, wall-to-wall carpet or hardwood, throughout a space also achieves the effect of larger space. Larger room-sized area rugs will help to visually enlarge your space, while small area and accent rugs tend to close in the same space.
When selecting your floor covering color and texture are important. Pay attention to the direction your pattern or wood slats will run. If you have a long narrow space, running the pattern in the opposite direction will make the room appear wider. This can also work to your advantage if you are trying to increase the width of a room for visual impact such as trying to enhance a wall of view windows. You can make the presentation of the view seem even larger by running your pattern perpendicular to the windows.
Pattern in both hard and soft floor covering should be used with caution in older homes and long hallways. Walls may not be square and a straight lined floor covering such as a stripe or plaid texture or pattern in a carpet will not line up with your base molding and look wavy or poorly installed, even if it wasn’t.
Take time when selecting your flooring. You will most likely have it for several years, and it is not only a major investment it has a big impact on your decorating style.
Shelley Anderson has been creating interiors in the greater Seattle area since 1990.You may contact her at (206) 719-6814 or email her at
shelley.anderson@shelleyandersoninteriors.com.