Craving Continuity

Earlier this week, I came across this article on Elle Decor talking about the benefits of repetition throughout a home. So I decided to do some research and see if this trend seems to hold true.

Elle Decor’s Amy Preiser sited examples such as repeating the same wood tone from a hallway bookshelf to your kitchen cabinets. Or using rugs the same color in every room, but different texture and scale. And last (and most obvious) using the same flooring throughout.

Domaine recently featured a renovation project for a home in Hollywood Hills and we see the natural fiber rug carried throughout the home, as well as a similarly neutral color palette.

Again, on Domaine (they are the best for home tours. seriously) Soleil Moon Frye and Jason Goldberg’s home features dark, rustic wood tones throughout every room.

And lastly, Elle Decor featured a home remodel in Southampton by designers Timothy Haynes and Kevin Roberts where neutral, natural textiles were used in just about every room.

There you have it folks, a little continuity goes a long way when it comes to pulling a home together.

*All images linked to original articles.

Pin-spiration

Today, I’ve collected a bit of Pin-spiration for flooring and room design in general. The above room is a wonderful alternative to the monochromatic white look that is so popular right now. Neutral, cool grays still give that modern simplistic feel, but with a little punch. But the real showstopper in this room is the chevron floor. The gray and white stripe somehow manages to be a neutral despite the pattern. I can see this floor easily transitioning with the room when the need for a change arises.

I’ve pulled a couple of Tuscany Olive Wood’s white’s and gray’s below to help you visualize what could be. Sure, the pin-spiration floor is done in tile or was painted, but olive wood would be 50 years longer lasting and loads more durable. Yes, it’s more of a commitment, but I didn’t say you had to do your whole house in it.

Last chances

October is upon us, which means you only have a few more months to update your home with some of the trends that made 2013 great. Large or small scale, adding any of these trends would instantly update your home for the holidays. Show those guests who’s on top of things!

1. One of the big trends that we really just have to classify as a “come-back” is embellished walls. Which, lets be honest, basically just means wallpaper. But wallpaper grew up with 2013 in moody florals and Moroccan themes. Old World patterns and motifs were reinvented in bright pinks and greens, a consistently easy way to modernize a pattern by the way. Obviously, large scale with this trend would be to wallpaper a living area, or bedroom. But a smaller scale, and something perhaps easier to handle, would be a small hallway. Or even hanging large prints of some of the more popular patterns would achieve the same updated look.

2. 2013 was also the year we stopped being afraid of dark colors on our walls. Black and dark stormy navy’s became the chicest colors for kitchens, libraries, home offices, really anywhere.  Of course,  if you’re going to go dark on the walls, you almost have to let it stand as a neutral and fill the rest of the room with light and color. In order to avoid your room turning into a black hole, be sure that it gets a lot of natural light, and the walls aren’t left bare. Art and shelves are your best friend.

3. Last, we can’t forget the gallery wall and how it grew throughout the year. What started out as small clusters became covering a wall top to bottom with prints and photos of all sizes (with similar, simple frames of course). This trend went hand in hand with the sudden return of brass and gold accents a’ la Kate Spade. The bright metallics are  no longer just for the 80’s and the evidence is in every major designer’s home and every home decor magazine. For both of these, less is more in the average home. Start with a large cluster/gallery of prints and photos above a couch in place of one large print. And throw in a few brass candlesticks for good measure. Of course, I’m not going to stop you from going all in!

And because you know we can’t leave out our mission, if you are really in the market for major home changes, consider adding Tuscany Olive Wood to any of these trends. It’s the perfect backdrop for changing trends and will guarantee that your home will be noticed.

Breaking in

Hello all, I hope your Monday mornings are going well. Last week was all about brainstorming for us. I posted our news release on our new NEWH membership a few weeks ago and we’ve been planning since.

For many hotels and hospitality venues, it’s much more prudent to choose carpet or vinyl for the majority of the space, particularly in guests’ rooms. The lobby, on the other hand, has the potential to be a real showstopper and create excitement for the guests. Obviously, the lobby is the first thing any new guest will see and it should be breathtaking, or at least escaping. In a sense, it shouldn’t feel just like home, but still comfortable. We would love to see olive wood in a hotel lobby, it would be exquisite and create a true destination for the guests.

However, we do understand the need for budget efficient flooring throughout the  remainder of the hotel. Which brings me to my point, how can we infuse a little bit of olive wood into the guest rooms as well? Here are a few of our thoughts, and please tell us your ideas on our Facebook and Twitter pages!

We love the idea of an olive wood framed mirror for all the guest rooms. We could do different sizes depending on room size, and it would be a great way to use our product. I have to say though, the mirror on the far left is rather exquisite. I love the live edge!

Our other idea is to do a sort of olive wood inlay coffee table or side table. I feel like this would make a terrific impact and again is a small way to incorporate olive wood into the rooms.

Sources: casatreschic.blogspot.com, aplaceforusblog.com, Engrain, Howlett

The modern transition

I feel like a common theme in design these days is how to soften the modern look. Clean lines and neutral palettes seem to be the favorite right now, but going too austere can keep a room from feeling like home. A good way to add some warmth and a natural element to an otherwise modern space is through wood flooring. Now, many of you modern purists may be shaking your heads at my suggestion, but I don’t mean regular oak flooring. Exotic wood species are on the rise and they easily add to a modern home’s interior.

In case you still find the idea questionable, I’ve included some photos from different designers below. My personal favorites are the modern meets rustic mountain house (the first image) and the live edge wood and tile floor near the bottom. Both are gorgeous ways to blend the natural with the clean lines of modern design.

 

   

Of course, we strongly feel that olive wood is the perfect, unexpected addition to what I’m calling the “new modern”. A quiet blend of comfort and open, clean spaces. To help you visualize, I’ve included some photos of a recent TOW install before any furniture was added. Use your imagination and see how beautiful this flooring would be for a modern space.

 

Citations:

http://www.houzz.com/pro/josegarciadesign

http://www.houzz.com/pro/frankovitchjm

http://www.houzz.com/pro/slawomirsawicki

http://www.houzz.com/pro/marke/mark-english-architects-aia

http://www.houzz.com/pro/capoferrodesign

A new opportunity

Here at Tuscany Olive Wood, we’re always looking for fresh ideas of how you, our customers, can use our olive wood. We’ve mentioned yachts and wall paneling, but what about motorcoaches? Luxury motorcoaches to be exact. Imagine the statement that could be made in otherwise cookiecutter interior design options for these high end motorcoaches.

We picture our Carrara White or even Mocha in a herringbone pattern throughout. True wood floors would add such warmth and “homeyness” to the interior.

All photos from Foretravel Texas– http://www.foretraveloftexas.com/list-inventory.php?category=New

Yachting anyone?

As our summer days wind down to the end, it’s time to plan those last beach trips and vacations. Which also means it will soon be time to store away your sailboats and potentially yachts for the colder months ahead. Generally, this is a perfect time to get any work done on your seafaring vessels, be it exterior or interior.

That’s where Tuscany Olive Wood comes in, we’ve mentioned on the site and in previous blog posts that olive wood is incredibly moisture resistant. So moisture resistant that it can be used in place of teak on sailboats and yachts. Just think about how your vessel would shine, she could truly be one of a kind.

Just a reminder

Don’t forget Tuscany Olive Wood will be at this October’s NY International Carpet Show! (click image for a larger size)

Lets talk moisture

Today, I want to touch on the ever exciting topic of moisture resistance. Specifically, in hardwood flooring.

Unless you live in the middle of the desert, you will have some level of moisture in your home. These moisture levels, which will fluctuate depending on season and weather in general, can cause some problems for your wood flooring. It’s been mentioned on this blog and a more in depth explanation can be found on the Tuscany Olive Wood website, but it’s worth mentioning again that olive wood, without any further treatment, is already one of the most moisture resistant woods in the world.

That being said, there are some wood flooring choices you can make if you live somewhere with a moisture “problem” that will save you money in the long haul.

The first is to choose engineered flooring. Although it was once a frowned upon flooring product, engineered hardwoods have come miles and are now identical to soil planks when installed. Most importantly though, soil planks with swell and contract with moisture changes, leaving cracks between your boards. This can allow moisture to get into your sub-floor, something you absolutely do not want to happen on a regular basis. Engineered flooring, which consists of a thinner piece of the wood species of your choice (the lamella layer) and is adhered to a 8-9 ply base layer, is created to not expand and contract or buckle. This means your engineered wood flooring will not be moving even if you live right on the coast.

This brings us back to olive wood and how it already has the upper hand. Of course, the moisture resistance even of your engineered wood floor will change depending on the species you choose for that top lamella layer. Some wood species are more moisture resistant than others. That’s where olive wood comes in, it has tested to react the same, if not better than teak when submerged in water. And teak ladies and gents, is what is used most often for boat interiors and for high end outdoor furniture.

So, if you live anywhere other than the desert or the highest elevations of Colorado, consider Tuscany Olive Wood for your next flooring project. Big or small, we would love to talk to you about your next (or current) project.

Some custom designs

From top left to right: Antique Black, Aquamarine, Antique gray (with metallic details), Old World herringbone, Smoke Gray herringbone, Neon Wash, Steel Gray (with metallic detail), Smoke Gray, Olive Green, Vibrant Cherry, Old World mixed width

These are only a few of the custom boards we’ve created. We can create anything you can dream up, it’s one of the most fun elements of the job.