Think of laminate for your next flooring project

If you?re thinking like a designer, you?d be thinking of laminate as an opportunity to accompany you on your next adventure. Today?s laminate is all about depth and breadth of product and style, from Frontier-cozy to Euro-contemporary, to Asian-venerable to American-traditional to Island exotic.

Laminate flooring -- taking the next step

If your ?world view? of laminate is limited to a handful of oaks and perhaps a bit of slate and a tile or two, there?s a lot to explore. How about the look -- and feel! -- of rare exotic woods from Asia, Africa or South America? Try species such as African Paduk, Santos Mahogany, Wenge or Italian Walnut or Tropical Cypress? And the ?American Exotics? like Apple and Hickory.

Like the look of stone? How about laminate that looks like porcelain or ceramic or natural stone that was just shipped in from Milan? Perhaps colorful mosaics or the larger format 16-inch-square (approximate) for grand entries with the look of the Old World? Or for something absolutely new and definitely worldly what would you think of the coming laminates which feature real coffee husks, real banana fiber or mined mica?

As you?re thinking of that, consider the crisp clarity of these new designs installed with a smooth, level finish, thanks to new locking mechanisms, and with moldings to match or coordinate. The result will be the time-honored look of a craftsman finish.

There?s also a very practical side to laminate?. from moisture and sunlight resistance to low maintenance never needing waxing or refinishing.

How about creating your own tropical getaway, a little island oasis from the day-to-day world?

Let?s take that 4-season or sunroom -- or build one. Ideally it will face southerly to get the maximum exposure from the sun.

How about a color palette. Start with a cream for the walls to promote a lovely background for your botanicals or your botanical textile prints.

For the floor, we?ll use the strong grains and textures and colorations of an exotic wood fashion. Perhaps you prefer the look of delicate stone used for sculpting. Leave guilt behind! Yours will be a hardy floor for many years to come.

Then, let?s top it off with a sisal area rug or two to add to the texture, surely, but also to lend a feeling of airiness.