A guide to flooring – room transitions /contrasting

Unlike paint and furniture, floors are not as easy to switch out as you wish. When planning from the floors up you can get creative; while keeping in mind the aesthetics and practicality of the floors you can infuse new life into the home. Here are some considerations to polish off different space transitions.

Transitioning rooms’ means dividing and conquering the needs of each space. Each space is unique and can be united by the complimenting features in your Ottawa flooring, blending the home instead of clashing their features. Consider the following in comparing spaces to one another.

Rules of thumb for floor transitions:

• Stick with two types of flooring on the main level.
• Floors can mix and match as long as materials are gentle in tone and texture.
• Use similar colouring and value-in materials to be side by side.
• Use as few floor materials as possible– to avoid chopped-up spaces.
• Work with the flow of the house- creates cohesive transitions.

Contrasting: Deciding between light or dark hardwood floors is a big decision that will change the feel and look of the space altogether.

• Dark floors offer a dramatic contrast that anchors the room and creates a strong definition in an elegant and modern look.
• Lighter floors give the space an airy, open feeling- fitting for clean environments with good lighting. Can’t decide? Play it safe and go with a medium-coloured floor.

The tricky transition spaces:

The entryway- the first glance into a home, the idea here is to use a colour in wood or Ottawa tiles that is similar to or pairs well with the material it leads to. This allows a trail into the home- welcoming people in.

Nowadays the kitchen is typically opened to the living room and dining room as a shared space. With open-concept spaces being the main area in which the majority of our life happens, it is important to include practicable and durable materials into the design. In these open spaces materials that are similar in tone – be that in hardwood or carpets in Ottawa – should be used, as to not create too much of a high contrast transition with the rest of the space.