Ceilings and floors may not be the first thing homeowners consider when they’re plotting a remodeling job or building a new home, but experts say an innovative approach to either the top or bottom of your home can be a great way to refresh an existing home or create a cohesive, visually engaging look when you design your home.
Decorators like to speak of ceilings as the “fifth wall.” A great surface, with loads of potential, a ceiling too often gets a cursory slap of white paint or maybe a tray ceiling for ambitious types, but interior designers are now employing a variety of techniques and materials, including wallpaper, high-gloss paint and intricate moldings to bring new life to this neglected space.
The showboater of the two, flooring -- because it is so visible -- typically gets a bit more attention than ceilings. And with the move to more neutral colors on walls and in decor, flooring is a place where homeowners can really make a statement. A variety of patterns, materials and finishes allow flooring to now take center stage.
Here are the trends that you will be seeing more of -- below and above you -- in the year to come.
FLOORING
The foundation for a room, the right flooring can instantly send a message of warmth, sophistication and style, whether you choose carpeting, tile, wood, vinyl, concrete or marble.
No matter what you choose in flooring material, style-sensitive homeowners will see one shade in particular predominating. “Gray has become the fashionable neutral,” said Dean Howell, who owns Moda Floors and Interiors on the Westside with his wife, Janice Howell.
Hardwoods
- Bamboo is new again.
This sustainable flooring has been popular for years, but it is becoming more appealing, thanks to increasingly durable construction such as Dasso’s strand-woven and EcoSolid bamboo flooring, said Dasso marketing manager Rick Gill. Darker and richer colors in chocolate brown, espresso, chestnut, coffee bean and charcoal are also increasing in popularity, whether in bamboo or traditional hardwoods.
- Supersize it.
Wide plank has been growing in popularity, but Dean Howell, of Moda Floors and Interiors, has seen dimensions grow to 6, 7 and 8 inches wide. A variety of interspersed widths to add interest in both bamboo products such as Dasso’s EcoSolid Bamboo Forest and traditional hardwoods are also on the rise.
- Paint works down below, too.
Painted hardwoods or even a tone-on-tone diamond pattern or stripes can brighten up a room and add interest, said Jennifer Reynolds, a Gainesville-based interior designer. Lime-washed floors are another way to refresh your existing hardwoods and give floors a brighter, cleaner look.
- Red is dead.
Cherry, plummy and red-toned hardwood floors have fallen from grace, said floor experts.
Carpeting
- Pattern is key.
The frieze/twist carpeting of the past is being replaced by cut-loop styles in patterns such as lattice, woven, basket weave, and pin dot, said Moda owner Dean Howell.
- Carpets that multitask.
For customers with pets, new brands of odor-resistant carpets such as Magic Fresh by Bliss keep unpleasant smells at bay. Dean Howell also has seen more attention paid to better under-carpet padding that is now moisture-resistant, more comfortable and can double the warranty of the carpet. Customers are also demanding softer carpeting, and manufacturers are heeding that request with more luxurious-feeling nylon fiber carpets from Stainmaster, Shaw and Dixie.
Tile
- Rethink scale and mix it up.
“Large format tile is all the rage,” said Dean Howell. Manufacturers such as Porcelanosa, Dune, Adex and Daltile are supersizing tiles and featuring more and more rectangular tiles. Flooring experts are also seeing a mix of patterns and materials -- like wood used alongside stone -- to give a one-of-a-kind look to flooring.
- New looks
Leather tiles, leather-look tiles and tiles made from coconut shells or recycled glass and plastic are popping up with greater frequency. Tile that masquerades as wood planks stands up better to pets and moisture and cleans up more easily but with the look of hardwood, said Dean Howell. Stone-pebbled floors in showers to create a rain forest look are also increasingly popular, said Howell.
- Improved grouts
Thinner grout joints and hardier grouts that resist staining and maintenance like those from Custom Building Products are becoming commonplace, said Dean Howell.
CEILINGS
Interior designers advise not to neglect this fifth wall when you are decorating your home. An embellished ceiling can tie a room together and add height, coziness and elegance, depending upon the material and approach.
“Whether it’s beam work, domes, barrels, or detailed trim, these details can extend your eye in a room, can make it feel larger and expansive and will absolutely add more interest to a space,” said Gainesville-based interior designer Jennifer Reynolds.
“It’s a way to add a little zip to the room that is a good way of it not being totally in your face,” said Smyrna-based interior designer Christy Dillard Kratzer of Dillard Pierce Design Associates.
- Use color.
In a white room,Dillard Kratzer painted a 12-foot ceiling a rich gray to complement a charcoal sisal carpet. “It just brings the whole space together.” Reynolds has used black, dark gray, orange and neutrals to add visual interest to ceilings.
- Wallpaper is not just for walls.
Wallpaper, especially patterns -- stripes, damasks and geometric, can add drama to a room. “That’s a really good way to get some contrasting color and pattern without it being overwhelming,” said Dillard Kratzer, whose business partner Heidi Pierce has her own custom wallpaper line. For more information, you can contact Pierce at heidi@dillardpierce.com.
- Add shine.
A lacquered ceiling, whether in a contrasting color or in the same color as the walls but glossy, can bring real sophistication to a room. “Shiny materials such as lacquer, venetian plaster [the real stuff] and metallic reflect light and expand the space,” said Reynolds.
- Wood beams create a new attitude.
Wood beams can create dimension, said Dillard Kratzer, and enhance the rustic feel of a cottage-style home, or bring a touch of earthiness to a more elegant home interior.
- Tile it.
Many designers are choosing to tile the ceiling in leather or mother-of-pearl tiles. Another exciting option are the prefabricated Evoba coffered wood panels manufactured by ACP that offer the look of custom millwork at minimal cost.
- Stay away from tray.
Reynolds said she thinks tray ceilings in master bedrooms have begun to look dated. Instead, add an interesting new detail such as wallpaper or color to a flat ceiling, Reynolds recommended.
