Gone are the days of your traditional 2 ¼” solid hardwood planks in Gunstock or Butterscotch! Of course, many people still love this traditional solid hardwood, but today’s wider hardwood planks are where it’s at! Why is wider getting so much attention? Let’s take a look.

Wide planks are generally thought of as those that are three inches in width or wider. Whether you choose engineered or solid wood, there is quite a variety of species, finishes, and colors from which to choose. Many flooring collections often pair wide planks with other widths for a custom, random-width look. Wider planks also mean easier and faster installation so you get to enjoy your new floors sooner!

The main attraction with wider planks is the character of the wood. Wider means there is more area to showcase knots, grains, colors, and textures inherent in the wood. While these features are often suggestive of rustic or traditional decor, they can actually lend a warm and cozy vibe to any style, whether it be farmhouse or contemporary. For those that prefer more clean lines, smoother varieties are available as well.

Wide planks have also become popular with the rise of open floor plans. They work very well in vast, open spaces for creating a sense of grandeur. While narrow planks often make a room look busy, wide planks create a more clean, harmonious look. You can certainly install wide planks in smaller rooms, but be careful not to choose a plank so wide that it’s disproportionate and overpowers the space.

As far as cost, wide planks are available in both premium solid woods and engineered varieties in every shade ranging from blondes to darks. This variety along with easier installation helps keep cost down. Keep in mind, though, that the cost often gets steeper as the plank width approaches 10 inches or more.

​Are you ready to widen your perspective? Give us a call for a free in-home estimate! 256.231.0008 or visit shopabbey.com. 

Today we’re talking with Southern Kitchen & Bath showroom manager, Lynay Armbrester, getting to know a little more about their business and customers, as well as current kitchen and bathroom trends. Southern Kitchen & Bath is the showroom for Southern Pipe and Supply, which for the last 30 years, has been helping people in the Anniston area outfit their kitchens and bathrooms with custom plumbing fixtures, tubs, toilets, and appliances. They have many items in stock but can pull from a large warehouse in Mississippi and special order from many major vendors such as Kohler, Delta, and Brizo. Southern Pipe is also the only dealer in the area of the high-end luxury Viking appliance brand.

What types of services and supplies do you offer?
We sell almost anything plumbing related—toilets, tubs, faucets, sinks. We do sell a few brands of appliances too.

Who is your typical customer?
We deal with a lot of builders and plumbers, but of course walk-in customers too. Typically, either a builder or plumber will send in their customers to pick out what they want—faucets, toilets, tubs, etc.

What do you see trending in bathroom and kitchen design?
Definitely free-standing tubs. Everybody wants one of those at least in their master bath. Finish wise, we’re seeing a lot of chrome, shiny finishes. Even gold is popular again, kind of getting more contemporary, away from old, traditional looks. People will put different finishes in every bathroom. As for showers, lots of people want rain heads. Custom showers in general are pretty popular, with people putting in multiple shower heads, hand-held showers, and body sprays.

​For kitchens, mostly people are going towards farmhouse sinks and anything undermounted. People are going with solid surface countertops like granite and quartz. They also tend to put the same plumbing finish throughout a kitchen.
 
We’re also a big seller of Viking appliances, the only dealer in the area. Their ranges and appliances are really nice for people that like to cook a lot. Their ranges have higher BTU’s, so they cook things faster. They also give a nice industrial look to a residential home.

What’s your favorite thing about your job?
When people come in here with an idea of what they want, I like to be able to help them put all of that into real life. I can help them choose everything that’s going to coordinate and match. I like being able to help people get what they want and see it come together.
 
The customers that bring in samples and pictures are really easy to work with because they already know what they want. It’s not a lot of staring at faucets, for instance, and trying to decide what color they want and what style they want. A lot of people, because of things like Houzz and Pinterest, they get on there and know what they want. The hard thing sometimes is though when they come in with a picture of something I’ve never seen before, and they want you to find it. For instance, I had a customer wanting a satin brass finish for her kitchen-sink, vegetable sink, pot filler, and butler pantry sink. She wants all those to match in a bridge-style faucet. I was able to find it, but we’re not sure if it fits in her budget.
 
What are the most important points for your customer to remember about their project?
Think about everything you’re putting in your house and make sure it’s something that’s going to last. If you plan on staying in the house any length of time, be sure you’re getting good quality products so that you’re not having to replace things.
 
If you’re getting ready to have Abbey Carpet remodel your bathroom or kitchen, don’t forget about your fixtures and appliances! Go see Lynay at Southern Bath & Kitchen at 800 Gurnee Ave., Anniston (256.237.5415), for the latest styles, highest quality products, and personalized service.

A new year is here, and it’s time to talk trends! From natural looks and textures to patterns and environmental consciousness, let's take a look at the top-emerging design trends in flooring for 2019.

Go Natural.
Natural, textured looks are in! Wood or wood-look flooring (like vinyl, tile, or waterproof flooring) with imperfections and variations lends a rustic, nature-inspired vibe to any room. Look for products with hand scraped and distressed features that add character and originality. Think about taking wood where it’s never been before. With today’s options in waterproof flooring and wood-look tile, you can get the wood look you’ve always wanted, even in your bathroom! This collection from Mannington is beautiful!

Lighten Up!
We’re seeing the continued rise of grays, along with light wood washes, ashes, and blondes. Opting for a lighter shade of flooring lends a clean palette for any design and brings an airy essence to any space. For a rustic theme, look for a flooring with more of the textures we mentioned like hand-scraped planks and wire brushing. If you’re looking for a more modern design, go with planks that are smooth and less distressed. Explore this look with Mohawk’s RevWood Collection.

​Add Pattern.
Tile obviously lends itself well to patterns and design, and this year’s trends do not disappoint: geometrics, stenciled designs, mosaics, squares, herringbone—the possibilities are endless. Even wood flooring is getting in on the act with layouts ranging from a diagonal pattern to herringbone and chevron motifs. We love this design from Marazzi.

​Patterns, shapes, and texture are also big for carpet, which continues to carry favor with consumers. In addition to being a top choice for warmth and comfort, carpet is now a top choice for personalization. Animal prints, stripes, geometrics, and variations in pile lengths and fibers allow homeowners to customize their space to their heart’s content. Take a look at this one from Stanton.

Be Responsible.
Today’s consumers aren’t just concerned about all of these aesthetic features. They’re also choosing to be environmentally responsible with their flooring choices, and flooring manufacturers know this. In shopping for wood floors, look for those made from sustainable or recyclable materials, bamboo, cork, reclaimed or engineered wood, and certification by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). You can also find many brands of carpet now being made from not only sustainable and recyclable materials, but they’re also being manufactured with environmentally responsible practices. Check out DreamWeaver’s PureColor or Mannington’s hardwood policy as excellent examples of environmental responsibility.

So, are you ready to re-do your home this year? You can find all these trends and so much more in our showroom. Give us a call for a free estimate! 256.231.0008.