Category Archives: Flooring

Rug Placement Tips

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Pelican Bay Model

It can be confusing when trying to figure out what size rug to use for different furniture groupings. This read will give you a better understanding of how to place your rug and what size to use.

For dining room tables you need to know the dimension around the table with the chairs all the way pulled out. There should be ample room of rug under the dining table and chairs. When the chairs are pulled out, they should remain on the rug. A rug that does not reach the chairs when pulled out, will look wrong for the space. An easy way to get the dimensions needed is by measuring all four sides of the table with the chairs pulled out, enough to be seated. Take the diameter measurement for round dining room table and chairs.

In a formal living room the seating groups should be on the rug, with ample room around the grouping for walking traffic. The only time when this rule can be broken is when a rug is placed in front of a sectional sofa. For living rooms that aren’t formal, the furniture doesn’t have to be placed all on the rug. As shown in the picture above from our Pelican Bay Model, just the front feet of the sofa can be placed on the area rug.

Sectionals are typically used in a more casual setting. Place the rug in front of the sectional with the rug slightly under the front legs of the sofa. In this situation a smaller area rug can be simply placed in front of the sectional if necessary.

Runners that are leading down a hallway should have at least 3-6 inches of open floor space on either side of the rug. If the hallway is not wide enough to have space on either side, select a narrow runner. They can be found!

Smaller accent rugs can be placed on either side of a bed. This will allow for under foot comfort when getting out of bed on chilly mornings. This is especially nice if the bedroom flooring is not carpet. Make sure that the rug is not a tripping hazard when using smaller accent rugs.

A general rule of thumb is to place a seating group in the middle of an area rug, and make sure there is enough rug area for foot traffic to walk around on. We hope you’ve enjoyed these tips!

Tips for Incorporating an Area Rug into Your Space

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You can dress and warm up your hardwood floors with an area rug. An area rug can help transform your design and create new visual dimensions. With a textured, colored, or patterned rug, you can make your space unique to you. If you are eager about incorporating an area rug, but do not know where to begin, we have four genius ideas for you!

Tips for Incorporating an Area Rug into Your Space:

Pick Patterns.
Patterns can be an extraordinary tool for active households. Patterns can give homeowners peace of mind with accidental spills and stains because they help to minimize the effects caused by staining. Not only are they great for durability, but they are also visually appealing. By including a patterned area rug into your design, you help to add an intriguing visual element to the overall space.

Do Not Discount Durability.
When searching for an area rug, it is essential to find one that is durable to everyday wear and tear. You want one that protects against accidents and gives you time to get to the accident.

Perfect Placement.
An area rug holds a lot of potential if properly placed within your space. To begin, you want to make sure that your rug is smaller than the area covered by your furniture. This is a common mistake made by homeowners, but it can be an easy fix. You want only the front “legs” of furniture on top of the rug. This will help make the space feel more visually open.

Complimentary or Creative.
There are two ways to approach adding an area rug into your space: the complimentary look or the creative way. Neither one is better or worse than the other; it solely depends on your design style. For the complimentary area rug look, you will want to select a neutral color that subtly fits into the design. For the creative area rug look, you can go all out with the rug and pull the room’s design back in with subtle furniture and decor.

We hope that you enjoyed these tips and tricks!

Top Style Rugs to Add to Your Home

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Top Style Rugs to Add to Your Home
Adding a rug to a room’s design is a great way to make a hard surface room feel cozier and homier. With so many options available on the market today, it can be tricky to know which rug you may want to add to your space. We gathered a list of our top four rug styles that you should consider incorporating in your design theme when you move into your new place. We chose to take a look at more unique styles and some less common rug choices that you may want to consider putting in your space: 
 
  • Wool Dhurrie Rug
 

Wool dhurrie rugs are flat-woven rugs that are most commonly affiliated with Indian flooring. These rugs hold the heat and while looking great. These rugs are knotted wool and wrapped around a thread and then cut to height. This design gives the carpet a unique feel and different texture than most pile woven rugs.
 
  • Vintage Design

Vintage rugs are great for giving your home a warm, antique feel. The elegant, rich patterns make a strong statement and look great in almost any room. Do not stress about fading in these handspun rugs. This adds great character, and generally, there can never be too much fading.

  • Animal Skin

No rug makes a stronger statement than the classic animal skin rug. Though this design is not for everyone, these fur rugs come in different beautiful patterns and sizes, and they are super warm and cozy, making them ideal for country home lovers.

  • Artisan

These durable, seagrass rugs are usually woven and extremely durable. This makes them the perfect solution for someone who wants a rug in a high traffic area. Not only are the durable but the textures and patterns are great for creating a traditional look in your home.

No matter what statement piece you decide, any of these styles will help personalize your home to your needs. Decide what rug best depicts your interior design style and what you want the atmosphere to represent. Each unique rug type can quickly strength the room’s general feel. 
 
For more tips and tricks, visit us at Fulton Homes.

Area Rugs 101

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Believe it or not, but rugs can actually invite conversation into a space. The way you set up your rug in a room can make or break the design and the flow of conversation. When choosing a rug, there are four main ideas you will want to keep in mind: the colors, the use, the size and the placement. For your convenience, we broke it down for you. Let’s take a look! 

Area Rugs 101:

  1. The Colors. When choosing an area rug, you are choosing a piece of decor for your room; therefore, you want it to tie in well with your theme. Pulling colors from your room’s design is essential. All of the colors in the rug do not necessarily need to be found in your room. You will just want a few of the colors to have been pulled from your rug’s design. Also, you want to make sure that your area rug is not too distracting. The rug should tie into your overall design, not take away from it. Try to select a subtle pattern or design rather than a bold, overwhelming design for your area rug. 
  2. The Use. Before you choose your rug, you will want to take into consideration the use of it. What room will you be buying a rug for in your space? If it is in a room that is only used for decorative purposes, you can buy a less durable and more expensive rug. If you are placing the rug inside a constantly-used living room, you will want to choose a more durable rug. Also, you will want to consider the amount of foot-traffic in the room. The more dirt that will be tracked into the room, the darker the rug should be. 
  3. The Size. You want to make sure that you do not choose a rug that is too big or too small for your space. For guidance on selecting the appropriate size, you will want to consult a sales representative at your chosen flooring store. Give them dimensions of the room and your general design plan to help them make an accurate suggestion for you. 
  4. The Placement. The way you place your rug should invite conversation. There are two main ways that you can set up your rug to encourage discussion: 
    1. The furniture should be placed in an “H” shape with the rug in the center. 
    2. The furniture should be placed in a “U” shape with the rug in the center.

      While placing your furniture on your new rug, you will want to  follow these rules: 

      1. All of the furniture’s legs on the rug. 

      2. The front furniture’s legs on the rug. 

      3. None of the furniture’s legs on the rug. 

We hope that you found these tips helpful. For more expert advice, be sure to visit our blog hub. Thanks for reading!

Colors that Pair Well with Brown

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From your wood furniture to your home’s walls, brown can be a popular color choice in many homes. The rich, deep color can pair well with most color palettes, but still, homeowners become hesitant to incorporate it into their design. Apart from wood finishes, brown holds the capability to add a lot to a room. With its warm hues, brown provides comfort and coziness to your space. You may be asking: what pairs well with the color brown? Well, we are here to help answer that question for you! Our hope is that you embrace the color brown into your home’s design and take on all of its design potentials. 

 

Colors that Pair Well with The Color Brown: 

  • White. 

Classically, white is one of the traditional colors to pair with brown. White will always work in a room that has a lot of brown because it offsets the color’s deepness. On the off side, using white does not challenge your creativity. On the plus side, you know white will perfectly finish a room with dark brown tones in it. It pairs well with the harsh contrast provided by the color brown. 

  • Light Blue. 

Light blue a gorgeous color that can be paired with brown. Its subtly brings the room to the next level. With the gentle appearance of color against the brown, we are ultimately obsessed with this color combination. 

  • Warm Tones. 

To maximize your home’s comfort and coziness, be sure to pair your browns with warm tones.

    • Warm tones include Beige, Tan, Oranges, Reds, Yellows, Maroons, and Other Shades of Brown. 
  • Pastels. 

If you love color, pairing pastels with brown is the choice for you! Brown works well with all of the pastel colors by embracing their light hues against brown’s deeper hue. 

  • Plum. 

Brown and plum are two of the richest and beautiful colors that you can incorporate together in a space. Without being overbearing, the deep colors play off of one another’s boldness and create a stunning color combination. For a setting that is fit for royalty, be sure to use brown and plum. 

  • Bright Green. 

What better example of a great color pairing other than a tree? Trees are the primary example of a stellar color combination. If you are looking for an earthy vibe, definitely pair together your browns and greens. 

 

Looking for more style inspiration? Be sure to check out our blog pages for more design tips and tricks! 


Add Character to Your Design with an Area Rug

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If you are looking to add some character to a room’s design, consider including an area rug to the space.  Whether it’s carpeted or not, an area rug will add distinction to a room that may look a little too bland.  Note: A solid colored carpet will work best as a base to build upon.

 

There are a few factors that need to be considered before you make your selection: room size, shape and color. 

 

The size of the room and the layout of its furniture will determine what is going to look best.  For a living room with sofa set, side table and coffee tables, you want to make sure that a good size rug will extend beneath the front of the seating area.  A dining set will need coverage not only under the table but the chairs as well.  Bedroom area rugs add warmth and comfort to the space and need to be large enough to cover a walking path through the room as well.

 

The room’s shape will help determine what shape area rug will best suit your home.  Long, narrow rooms can be broken up by using two large rectangular area rugs of similar color and pattern or even one circular and one rectangular one to draw the eye.  A square room will benefit from the soft lines of an oval-shaped or circular rug, especially if the furniture also has an angular look.  Runners are the obvious choice for hallways while oddly shaped rooms can be centered with a symmetrically shaped rectangular or circular rug. For a foyer or large bathroom, a geometrically shaped rug will immediately add flair to the space.

 

Color, while listed last, should not be considered the least important.  Make sure you have an idea of what direction you want to go with the color scheme of your room: complementary, contrasting, monochromatic, etc.  This will guide your color and pattern choice for the room.  If there are already a few patterns in the room, try to dial it back with a solid color to give a place for the eye to rest.  If the room is more on the plain side, adding a rug with a bold pattern is an easy way to dress it up. 

Choosing the Right Carpeting

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design center 3What factors are important when choosing the right carpeting for your home? Most people want a lighter tone so that it doesn’t make their home feel too dark. But you don’t want to go too light so that it doesn’t show the dirt too easily. But beyond that, what should you look for? Here are a few things to consider.

Stain resistance: Will the carpeting have to stand up to children or pets? If so, look for something that will recover from spills with an easy wipe up. There are special carpeting techniques that include overdying and stain-proof coatings that make carpeting almost completely stain-proof. Talk to your designer about the specifics of the maintenance requirements of whatever carpeting you choose. It may be worth a higher price to get carpeting that will withstand the onslaught of a tough audience.

Durability & finish: Are there certain rooms that will have to withstand heavy traffic? If so, certain types of carpeting handle that demand better than others. For example you may be tempted by the soft feel of plush carpeting, but its tendency to show every footprint means that in a high-traffic area you will find yourself vacuuming constantly to keep it looking nice. Instead, you may want to choose a more forgiving option.

Color: Although most people select a neutral tone, carpeting often has an underlying color. Make sure your choice works well with other colors you may use in your home. Be sure to bring your final choice into natural light to see how the color looks in daylight and with your tile, paint and cabinet selections. After all, you will be living with your choices for a long time. Make sure everything coordinates well together.

A Splash of Red

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kitchen-whitewater-webWith this combination of dark cabinets and dark wood flooring, this luscious kitchen could easily feel like too much brown. But a wise choice of countertops and pops of red turn it into a cozy and inviting space. Let’s take a look at the smart decisions that make up this kitchen, from the Whitewater model in the Oasis at Queen Creek community.

Light walls and countertops: You don’t often see dark wood on dark wood in a kitchen. Of course today’s wood flooring finishes make wood workable for kitchens and even bathrooms, but it still seems like a design risk. Bringing in lighter tones with the countertops and soft beige walls provide the needed contrast. The backsplash also uses light tiles to showcase the dark wood cabinetry.

Stainless appliances: A little bling brightens up any room, and using appliances with a stainless finish breaks up the wood, while the reflective surfaces contribute to the overall glow.

Architectural details: The carved pillars at the outer corners of the island combined with crown molding and the door/drawer styles break up the wood look, adding shadows and highlights to the cabinets. In addition, the handscraped wood flooring provides its own three-dimensional element. Altogether these features add the interest needed to keep the space from feeling simply wood-on-wood in design.

Pops of color: The red leather seats set off the island, and this color is echoed in various accessories scattered through the kitchen. Red’s strong bright presence lights up the room.

Natural light: This kitchen can carry off the two dark woods thanks to the natural light that pours into the space. And in the evening, multiple lighting sources keep the kitchen light and bright.

Is this the kitchen for you? Why not visit our models in Oasis at Queen Creek and see for yourself!

Mosaic makes Strong Statement in Bathroom

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Ironwood-bathroom-web-readySmaller spaces can capture interest with just a couple of daring design decisions. This bath, from the Marquesas model at Ironwood Crossing, has all the elements of a good design, particularly given the available space. Let’s take a look at why this bathroom works so well.

Make a splash with mosaic tiles. By choosing to position a stripe of highly contrasting tiles in the shower surround, this bathroom moves from blah to drama. Notice that the mosaic is repeated on the vanity backsplash. This shows a consistency of design and connects the two pieces – vanity and tub – together from a design standpoint.

Match flooring and tub surround materials. When working with a smaller space, using similar colors and textures for large surfaces help the room feel bigger. This choice has personality but doesn’t overtake the room.

Pull from a consistent color palette. In this case, white, taupe and cool browns integrate well with each other making this bathroom feel like a well-crafted unit.

Stay contemporary with clean lines. When your space is smaller, the simple lines of modern styles are less distracting. Your eye moves easily from one element to the next, making the room flow.

Add a few sophisticated elements. The color-blocked shower curtain adds an element of style that complements the mosaic. Altogether this is an interesting and inviting design.

Choose one accent color that pops. Notice the small elements of bright yellow in this room. The oval soap dish toward the front of the photo gets an echo from a thin yellow stripe on the shower curtain. Adding just one or two items in a signature accent color add a spark to this well-designed space.

Flooring that stands out

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DSC_0086Flooring often serves a passive role in decorating, as the background for other, more exciting things. But take a look at what happens when you give flooring top billing. These two examples from Fulton Home’s models at Legacy demonstrate the power of bringing flooring to the foreground.

The picture above shows the floor extending out from an entryway. Immediately your eyes are drawn down the hall and into the home. This combination of stone and wood provides a path and a promise that this is no ordinary place. The diagonal setting makes that point stronger and adds a dynamic feel. It pays to consider placing flooring on the diagonal. It can create a feeling of added space and energy. In this instance, the strong contrast also provides interest.

DSC_0108Small spaces provide another place to experiment with unusual flooring choices. This basic bathroom becomes intriguing with the addition of flooring in an ascending block pattern. Three shades of tile make up the drama here, capturing the eye. One of our Facebook fans suggested adding Escher prints on the walls to make this bathroom a statement space.

There’s no denying that these floors are a design risk, but why not take a few chances in your home? If these are too far out of your comfort zone, how about adding a border or some sort of contrast in your flooring. Remember that your floor and ceiling are the fifth and sixth walls in your home, so why should the first four have all the fun?