Decorating Rooms with Dark Hardwood Floors

Your hardwood flooring has been installed and looks amazing! Enhance the beauty by coordinating the decor with the shade of the flooring. Light shades are relatively simple and many people find it easy to decorate a room with light flooring.  The darker shades are the ones that sometimes result in a challenge.  GR Flooring has some tips to decorating a room with sark hardwood flooring.

• Use color to make the room appear brighter. Choose a paint that has just a slight hue to it for the walls and paint the ceiling with a semi-gloss white.
• Light will also help the room appear larger and brighter. Use window treatments that allow light to filter through. Wall sconces, chandeliers, or high hats are good choices for adding light to the room as well.
• Accent pieces help add depth to the room. Reflective surfaces are a good choice. Hang mirrors and place metallic picture frames around the room. Choose rugs, pillows, throws, etc. in bright colors and add accent pieces with texture such as bamboo.

The accent pieces can easily be changed along with the seasons. Mix it up and enjoy a new look every few months!

Grades Make the Difference

Color and style are typically the choices most people think they will need to decide when choosing the hardwood flooring for their home. There are actually a number of variables which influence the how the wood looks.

The first variable to consider is the grade. The appearance of the wood determines its grade. Each grade offers a different look, but is equally strong and serviceable.

• Clear Wood - flooring product with minimal character marks that provides a uniform appearance.
• Select Wood - flooring product with natural heartwood/sapwood color variations that also includes knots, streaks, etc.
• Common Wood (No. 1 and No. 2) - more natural characteristics such as knots and color variations than either clear or select grades, and is often chosen because of these natural features and the character they bring to a room.  No. 1 Common has a varied appearance, light and dark colors, knots, streaks, and wormholes. No. 2 Common is rustic in appearance and emphasizes all wood characteristics of the species.
• First Grade - uniform appearance, natural color variations and limited character marks. It is similar to a select grade.
• Second Grade - varied in appearance and features knots and some variation in color. It is similar to a No. 1 Common Grade.
• Third Grade - rustic in appearance allowing all wood characteristics of the species. It is similar to a No. 2 Common Grade.

The specialists at GR Flooring can answer all of your questions and help you choose the right grade of wood for you!