So you’ve decided to take the plunge and dedicate one wall of your living space as a True Fashionista accent wall. Congratulations! The accent wall can be a leap of faith, as it takes a little bit of foresight to choose the best color then dress it up just right because it’s a fact: once it’s painted, said wall will then become the room’s focal point.

WHICH WALL?

Choose a wall that preferably has no windows or doors to break up the color flow. Remember that light from adjacent windows will only serve to make the accent color look dark or blend in completely during the day. If your room is oblong, you’ll want to go with the farthest short wall to draw attention. The accent color, says housepaintingtutorials (because yes that site exists) will make the wall appear closer to you, thereby levelling out the shape of the room, if only to the eye. If the room you’re considering is a bedroom, choose the wall behind the headboard.

CHOOSE YOUR COLOR WISELY

The most common paint type and finishes used in bedrooms are water or latex-based paint with an egg-shell, satin or semi-gloss finish. Obviously, recommends Diana Hathaway Timmons for  The Spruce, you’ll want a color that works well with your other colors in the space. Just watch out for neutral colors. As simple as they are, they possess color hints that might not fit your accent wall. Faux-finish accent walls are still very much in style, just not all the rage as they once were. Shall you endeavor to go the way of the faux, you might want to consider taking a free workshop at your local home improvement store to really get the hang of it. You could also bounce your accent color off that of furniture or throw pillows already in the room. When all else fails, go for basic and make your accent wall the same color as the other three, just two or three shades darker. Foolproof!

DRESS UP THE WALL

Beyond that single color, wall stencils will beef up your accent wall quite nicely, such as those by Royal Design Studio. Wall stencils utilize those neutral colors to highlight the pattern. Temporary wallpaper is also budget-friendly and a huge trend these days. Oft-referred to as “renter’s wallpaper”, this product is removable and requires no water or paste. Think of it as a stylish look without the commitment, whether you rent or own your home. Temporary wallpaper accents work great behind a headboard or in a room lacking any standout architectural features. A delicate floral pattern works well here or just go with the stripes trick. Just like clothing, stripe direction makes all the difference. Vertical stripes can make your ceiling look taller; horizontal stripes can make your room appear larger.

Tile or reclaimed wood are also bold statements for your accent wall. Reclaimed wood is especially popular at the moment in home décor, and they’re as easy as peel-and-stick wood panels. Tiles are available in peel-and-stick as well, or if your budget allows, glass tile presents a real luxury look.

Have you no obvious True Fashionista accent wall? Create one! Select the best wall (using the above suggestions) and decide what you’d like to showcase, be it something like a favorite painting, potted plant or unique piece of furniture. With your beautiful accent wall as background, that item will shine in the spotlight.

Find an ever-updated collection of furnishings and accents to add to your accent wall at True Fashionistas Home. Shop either online or in-store.

The post DRESSING UP THE ACCENT WALL first appeared on Dragon Horse Ad Agency.

TILE

Here in Florida, with its humidity and tropical temperatures, environmental factors play a big role in flooring choices. Many Florida homeowners favor tile, wood flooring or vinyl planking for easier maintenance and longer wear. Vacation rental owners typically prefer flooring options that are easy to clean, durable and fashion-forward. Bradenton-based West Coast Carpet & Tile recommends the cool, neutral colors reminiscent of ocean- and Gulf-front homes, and several varieties of flooring are out there in those color schemes.

Custom and handcrafted tile are by far the flooring of choice. Among the most popular types are ceramic and porcelain. Flooring blog site Flooringinc reports an emphasis on large wood-look planks, eye-catching patterns, shapes and designs, and lots of bright new looks for 2019’s tile offerings. From fun mosaic patterns like geometric and herringbone & chevron, and non-traditional-sized planks, tile is stepping up its game lately. Some of these shapes include ultra-thin, hexagon and super-wide. In bathrooms especially, patterned mosaics are finding their way back into style. “Many are opting for using the same white marble tile throughout the bathroom, but mixing up the shapes on the floors, walls and shower area, notes flooring expert Debbie Gartner. “This keeps the space light and bright while providing visual intrigue by mixing up the shapes and textures.”

Tiles are also getting larger and larger. Although the 12 x 24 tiles are still popular, tiles as large as 24 x 48 are finding their way into homes these days. Even tiles that look like other materials are in demand. The advent of Ink jet technology has made tiles that resemble wood, stone and concrete a viable option. They’ll look classier but maintain the durability and ease of cleaning offered by porcelain tile.

WOOD LOOKALIKES       

For a long time actually, tile has been mastering the art of disguise before it became the cool thing to do. It should be no surprise, then, that all of the current natural wood looks are just about the hottest thing on the flooring market these days. Technology has enabled manufacturers to expertly mimic wood flooring right down to textured looks and everything.

In 2019, the hottest texture trends in both solid hardwood and wood lookalikes include wirebrushed, handscraped and distressed. Although they are all similar and often confused with one another, FlooringInc insists that they’ll all look great and offer a nice option for those desiring a wood floor but concerned about it holding up in the Florida heat and humidity. Just think, though, the durability of porcelain that flawlessly resembles classic wood flooring! It’s here and is trending bigtime for 2019.  Again, bring on the ink jet technology to make porcelain look like marble, limestone or even concrete, among others. Porcelain tiles are as large as 5×10 feet and can vary in thickness from 1/8” to ¾”.  Beware, it’s going to be more of a challenge to install and there aren’t a whole lot of installers solidly familiar with it just yet.

Let’s look at the three biggest options when it comes to tile that looks like wood, from FlooringInc:

• Wirebrushed wood-look tile shows the appearance of subtle, intentional wire scratches that leave the heart of the “wood” exposed to the surface. These imperfections are smoother and more consistent than handscraped or distressed wood looks.
• Rustic, handscraped wood-look tile features the appearance of long, ingrained scrapes with high variation between planks, making each individual plank appear handcrafted, unique and rare.
• Distressed wood-look tile is often mistaken for handscraped looks. Distressed looks, however, appear as though they’ve been through a lot of wear and tear. You can expect to see the appearance of scrapes, burns, knots, wormholes and more, giving it an aged, antique look.

You’ve got a lot of choices in flooring these days, but rest assured the experts at J. Sweet Construction can help you sort out the best choice for your budget and individual preference.

The post LATEST FLOORING TRENDS first appeared on Dragon Horse Ad Agency.