Four Tips for a Bathroom Remodel
Remodeling a bathroom has become as All-American as spring training, summer road trips, fall football weekends, and the winter blues. The kitchen may still be viewed as the epicenter of American home life but when it comes to renovation the bathroom is tops in the eyes of the homeowner for refreshing! So let’s jump in with 4 [...]
Modern Terracotta Tile
Any valuable discussion about Modern Terracotta Tile has to begin with a baseline of knowledge on terracotta in general. Let’s go! What is Terracotta? At Country Floors they never get tired of passing on information about modern terracotta tile. Here we go again. Terracotta, in the simplest of terms, means “baked earth.” There are two significant [...]
Tuscan Bluestone – Past, Present, Future
Tuscan Bluestone springs from the verdant hills of Italy. A uniquely inspirational stone that has driven creative imaginations from Michelangelo & Brunelleschi to present day architects. THE PAST We share our past with Michelangelo, Brunelleschi, the Renaissance, the City of Florence, the region of Tuscany, and the proud culture of Italy. A time when the [...]
The Spirit of Architecture – More Mid-Century Modern
More Mid-Century Modern is always good. Today, we follow up from last week with two legendary furniture pieces, a few more residences, three clocks, and Charles and Ray Eames. Let’s get to it. Florence Knoll and Eero Saarinen Photo:Knoll Previously, we discussed architects such as Richard Neutra, Pierre Koenig, Rudolph Schindler, [...]
The Spirit of Architecture – Mid-Century Modern
Our post today is The Spirit of Architecture - Mid-Century Modern. Given that the Mid-Century in question is a full seventy years ago, the entire idea of it being Modern might seem a bit of an oxymoron. Rest assured that the style, as expressed in architecture, furniture, graphic design, appliances, interior design, lighting, industrial design, [...]
The Spirit of Architecture – Art Deco
Any discussion of today's topic, The Spirit of Architecture - Art Deco, should probably start with some historical perspective. The first thing to consider is that the term “Art Deco” refers to far more than a highly stylized approach to architecture. Instead, it is really an encompassing design approach that erupted from the modernism of [...]
The Spirit of Architecture – Mies van der Rohe
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe achieved that quintessential level of fame where you are referred to by only one name, in his case, “Mies.” He was born in Aachen, Germany, in 1886 and emigrated to America in 1937, settling largely in Chicago. Today we have The Spirit of Architecture - Mies van der Rohe. Ludwig [...]
The Spirit of Architecture – Bluestone
This series continues with The Spirit of Architecture - Bluestone, which is the first time that we have featured a material, rather than an architect, a style, a place, or a type of structure. That said, in terms of current design trends, "Bluestone" has a certain appeal that is hard to debate. Please note my [...]
The Spirit of Architecture – Rem Koolhaas
Rem Koolhaas was born in Rotterdam in 1944. He spent his earliest years there, in Asia, and then Amsterdam. A snapshot of his career reveals vast contributions to theories on urban planning, mentorship of future architectural stars, and often controversial, yet still notable, buildings. Here is The Spirit of Architecture - Rem Koolhaas. Rem [...]
Colorful Bathroom Plans
We often consider our design ideas and subsequent plans by taking a room to room approach. There is certainly a logic to this when many spaces are involved, for example, in a new construction scenario. It is also fundamentally necessary for renovation situations. So here, on the first day of winter, let’s brighten things up [...]
Long Narrow Tile Shapes
Now that the calendar begins its cycle of renewal, our thoughts turn to a few stone and tile trends that we believe will continue to be as relevant in 2018 as they were in 2017. There is no question that long narrow tile shapes is one of them. The typical 4" x 8" paver shape and [...]
Pantone Color of the Year for 2018
Last week came the announcement of the Pantone Color of the Year for 2018. That color is “Ultra-Violet 18-3838” and it certainly represents a radical departure from last years “Greenery”. As indicated by the image at the top of this post, via Pantone, the quasi-cosmic feel is hard to miss. In making the announcement, the renowned international [...]