Home decor: Entryway floors carry a heavy burden

home decorators: Entryway floors carry a heavy burden

As the season of snow boots and slush arrives in much of the country, entryway floors can take a beating.

The spot where we enter our homes can be a tricky one to decorate. It's meant to be a showcase, expressing our style. But the floor must withstand dripping umbrellas, muddy shoes and more.

Los Angeles-based interior designer Betsy Burnham often is approached by clients who want help with entryways. Choosing a floor covering is a priority, she said.

Think replaceable

Burnham and designer Brian Patrick Flynn, founder of decordemon.com, are fans of cork flooring in high-traffic areas.

Cork squares are durable, made from natural wood fibers and can handle moisture. They also absorb sound well and come in a variety of colors and patterns.

Another option is FLOR carpet tiles, Flynn says. "You can add color, texture or pattern by laying them out in the desired pattern," he said, "then cutting the end tiles to size."

Flynn also recommends vinyl plank tiles. These inexpensive tiles are thin but durable, and easy to install. They can be mopped clean, and installation is simple, Flynn said.

Think removable

Rugs can be a great way to delineate the space at an entryway, and many styles are washable.

Rather than invest in one expensive rug, Burnham says, buy several that can be swapped out.

Meg Caswell, host of HGTV's "Meg's Great Rooms," suggests shopping for carpet remnants.

Stylish but inexpensive and washable rugs are available online, from Ikea.com to eBay.com or Etsy.com.

Think durable

Caswell often recommends porcelain tiles for entryways. "The minute I say porcelain tile, people think it's going to shatter, that it's fragile," she says. "But really, porcelain tiles are truly the most durable tiles out there."

Think bold

These designers suggest avoiding pale neutrals and solids in favor of slightly bolder colors, patterns, and textures that hide dirt and wear.

Bold florals or sunbursts might not be your taste, says Caswell, but entryways are a great place to "be riskier and push yourself, so you can incorporate a little more of your personality. You're making that statement when someone enters your home."

Decorating your new home – Latest kitchen and dining room trends

Tags: dining room trends, home decorators

Two of the most-used rooms in your new home require extra attention if you are wanting to dress them with the current trends and ideas of 2012. Two strong themes to consider are ‘Heritage' - which incorporates objects, décor and accessories from our past, and ‘Enlightenment' - which features items of the future aimed at more digital and graphic-orientated design.

For the Heritage theme, why not incorporate a bar area in your dining room, made out of bamboo with stools to match? Also, your dining table and chairs can be in the same natural material with complementing décor in warm Asian colours such as golds, reds and greens to complete the look. Fabrics of these colours can be used as seat coverings or table cloths. Other items that can be incorporated into your dining room from the Heritage theme are lace table cloths, neutral colours and birdcages, in the form of table lighting or room décor reminiscent of the Georgian period.

For those of you that are partial to something a little unusual, take a look at I Want One Of Those (www.iwantoneofthose.com). This company offers a range of retrospective accessories. Love it or hate it, its "Marmite" range in the form of the melamine plate set priced at £14.99, along with the twin beaker set in the style of Andy Warhol are great accents for your kitchen/diner to add a splash of colour and interest. If you are simply looking for a touch of humour in your already perfect kitchen, why not treat yourself to the Diva washing up brush to make you smile when doing the dishes. At £7.99 this is a little laugh for a little price?

The Enlightenment theme is for those of you that prefer contemporary themes of stainless steel, chrome and a splash of colour. John Lewis (johnlewis.com) offers a range of kitchen gadgets such as the mechanical red kitchen scale priced at £25 (see photo) or the Jamie Oliver wet-and-dry scale priced at £40, featured in stainless steel, for the keen cooks amongst you.

The Enlightenment theme also includes the use of digital art and graphics and the colour theme to harmonise or accentuate a black-and-white kitchen or dining room is blue. If you are choosing blue as the wall colour for your kitchen or dining room, dress the rest with stainless steel or chrome accessories with splashes of blue or white for your chair coverings, table cloths and soft furnishings. If your choice is the opposite, with grey walls and charcoal polished units, still opt for chrome and stainless steel for your kitchen appliances and accessories but feel free to add a touch of accent colour of your choice. An accent colour should complement your room décor and be bold, such as red, orange, lime green or yellow, for this style kitchen.

Written by Elizabeth Bishop (www.elizabethbishopinteriordesign-kent.co.uk)

If you're considering buying a new-build property, why not make a New Year's resolution to book an appointment to visit a show home on a new property development? Seeing a brand new home for yourself is a great way to find a property to suit you and it's also a great way to pick up the latest style trends. Among the great new homes schemes for sale at present with inspiring   show homes are:

•       Chestnut Walk in Bilston, West Midlands, from Redrow Homes (full story here)

•       Villiers House in Sunningdale, Berkshire, from Banner Homes (full story here)

•       Gleann Mor House in Inverness, Scotland, from Robertson Homes

•       Kingfisher Park in Buntingford, Hertfordshire, from Barratt Homes