​Muddy shoes and backpacks with overflowing school supplies--is this what you see when you walk into your house? Entryways and mudrooms can get messy and cluttered, especially with school back in session and kids coming and going. In this blog, we’ll look at what you can do to make either your entryway or your mudroom stylish, durable, and functional.
 
Mudrooms are usually a small room or area near an entryway where people generally tend to discard their items in a hurry. So, how can you foster tidiness in this space? Functional storage is the key, one of the most useful mudroom items is a bench with cubby storage. A bench makes it easy for all to remove their shoes, and hooks and cubbies are perfect for hanging back packs and helping keep items off the floor. You can really express yourself in these little areas of the house because they are generally separate from the rest of the living spaces. Use your imagination and make a fun and welcoming space with lots of color, accessories, and even a fun rug.
 
Not every home has a mudroom but still has a need for a functional entryway. Just like mudrooms, your entryway needs storage too. You can use a small bench with decorative storage baskets underneath and hooks on the wall above to create useful storage in a smaller space.
 
In addition to storage, both entryways and the mudrooms need durable flooring because these areas are subject to a lot of foot traffic and outdoor elements. A favorite flooring option for these spaces is tile because it’s durable, easy to clean, and comes in many styles.
 
Tile is not your only option though. There are so many flooring types now that can handle heavy traffic and even water, just as well as tile. Two very popular alternatives are WPC (waterproof or rigid core flooring) and luxury vinyl or luxury vinyl tile. Both of these options come in wood and even tile looks. If you do decide to use hardwood, consider investing in a stain-resistant or outdoor rug to protect your hardwoods from damage in this area of your home.
 
If you’re ready to give your mudroom or entryway an overhaul, stop by our showroom, and one of our flooring advisors can help you pick out the perfect flooring for your space!

​Cabinets, counter tops, light fixtures etc. When you’re renovating your kitchen, there are many features to choose to update. One relatively small area in the kitchen is the backsplash. Even though the backsplash is often just a small part of the kitchen, it can add eye- catching appeal and make a statement that ties your whole look together.
 
There are so many options in tile. How can you decide what tile combinations to use? For starters, get inspired. Look for pictures and others forms of inspiration to help you get an idea of what you like. Keep in mind your color scheme and the style you’re trying to achieve. Do you like bright colors or neutrals? Glass or stone? Metallics or mattes? Are you traditional or trendy? There’s a tile for all of these! Today we’re going to look at three different backsplash options including classic, modern, and vintages styles.
 


​A classic style encompasses neutral colors along with fewer patterns. Textures also often play a part in the depth of the classic look. Below is a combination of Tesoro Glass Lux and Crema tile that offer a stone look in a neutral color.

It’s getting closer to summertime, and many of us are dreaming of blue oceans and sandy beaches. While we can’t always make it to the beach, we can bring summery, coastal vibes into our homes by incorporating an Old World, Mediterranean style.

Mediterranean décor consists of bright colors mixed with Old World elements. It’s basically the opposite of modern, with lots of textures, colors, and curved shapes. The general color scheme for this look utilizes Terra cotta, turquoise, rust, and yellow all contrasted by bright, clean whites. You can find many elements of Mediterranean décor in tiles like terra cotta, hand-painted, aged, and Moroccan tile. While some may think these materials can be expensive and hard to find, we have several products that offer the perfect match.
 
Tesoro’s Grunge Oxid, Cuba mix, and Havana series of tile make a great combo for backsplashes or even accent walls that exude Old World charm. In addition, Mannington’s Deco Steel luxury vinyl is a beautiful option for kitchen or bathroom floors to give a space the look of unique, hand-painted tiles at a fraction of the cost. Aged or distressed wood also plays a part in Mediterranean design. A flooring like All South Floor’s Gulf Coast Driftwood is an excellent option for an aged wood-look to give your space an open flow and balance out high-patterned tiles. Finish off your look with European style accessories, and don’t forget to throw in some wrought iron.

These floorings and tile offer just one example of how to achieve a Mediterranean look in your home. Keeping these design principles in mind, you can explore other options in our showroom or on our website at shopabbey.com that work together to achieve your desired look.

​People love natural stone for bathrooms because it’s perfect for flooring, wall Mosaics, vanity tops, and tub surrounds. One natural stone that is particularly popular for bathrooms is travertine. Many home owners choose travertine for its visual features, but it's also popular for its low maintenance and durability. Today we’ll be looking at the design options of DW Tile’s travertine line.
 
When you think of travertine, your first thoughts might be of the typical beige color scheme, but this natural stone comes in more colors and variations than you may realize. DW Tile’s travertine comes in colors like Walnut, a neutral beige and tan colored travertine similar to distressed wood, and a silver, gray-toned travertine perfectly colored for today's modern gray trend in home décor.
 
DW’s Leonardo travertine is one of our favorites. Its slight orange, beige, and even gray variations make quite a visual statement. DW Tile has these and several more travertine styles and options perfect for any décor. All DW’s travertine tile comes in a variety of sizes and finishes for tile used anywhere from showers to vanities. DW Tile also offers beautiful vessel, deep-v, and drop-in sinks, not to mention finishing touches like ledger stone and other beautiful travertine trims.
 
Natural stone continues to be a favorite in homes for its beauty, value, and durability, and DW Tile has a excellent variety of travertine for any project. We also carry many other lines of natural stone and tile to customize your design. Our professional installers can help you build your dream bathroom, including personalized walk-in showers. Call us today to schedule a free measurement and estimate for your renovation. 256.231.0008

Modern Industrial design encompasses the feel of the city and is often made up of a clean-lined design with brick, metal, and wood textures. Do you have to be in an old brick building in the city to achieve this look? No, let's take a look at how you can use flooring and other fun accessories to turn any space into a city escape.
 
As mentioned, the main components of modern industrial style are brick, metal, and wood textures. All of these textures can be achieved with tile. Specifically, we’re going to look at Daltile's 2”x8” Brickwork Terrace tile and Yorkwood Manor 6”x36” Pecan tile. Brickwork Terrace offers a distressed brick look often seen in traditional metropolitan architecture like factories and lofts. It’s an ideal tile for accent walls and backsplashes. Yorkwood Manor Pecan tile comes in large planks and is most often used on floors for a distressed, reclaimed wood look; however, it can also be applied to walls to really make a statement. Both of these tiles come in various shades and color combinations to suit whatever design you’re going for.

​Many homes have tile somewhere, whether it’s in the kitchen, bathroom, basement, or whole house. Tile has many benefits and adds value to your home, making it an excellent flooring choice for just about any space. Many people choose either porcelain or ceramic tile, but today we’re going to look at the features and benefits of natural stone.
 
Natural stone tile is quarried straight from the earth, and is nonpolluting and eco-friendly, whereas porcelain and ceramic tiles are man-made and mimic natural stone and other materials. There are pluses and minuses to both materials, but what are some reasons you might consider natural stone tile? One of the more obvious reasons is for its beauty. Natural stones such as slate, marble, limestone, travertine, granite, and sandstone are all beautiful and each piece is unique, giving you a one-of-a-kind look that will never go out of style.
 
Natural stone is easy to maintain and clean, thus making it a very hygienic flooring option. If you live in a warm climate, natural stone will help keep your home cool. However, if you live in a colder climate, natural stone is a great candidate for an underfloor heating system.
 
One thing to consider when thinking of natural stone for your home is that like all-natural materials, it is porous and can absorb moisture. Be sure to ask your flooring representative about the absorption level of whichever natural stone tile you are interested in. In general, sandstone is the most porous. Travertine, limestone, and slate have medium absorbency, while granite is relatively waterproof. While natural flooring options are at times not as durable as man-made products, if installed and sealed correctly and in the right environment, they can bring value and unique beauty to any home.

One of the best ways to update your home and increase its value is to remodel the kitchen and/or bath. Usually at the forefront in these areas is tile. An update to outdated tile can take your space from drab to fab, especially with today’s stylish choices in materials, colors, finishes, and patterns. Today we’re going to take a look at what you can do with our newest selections from Lungarno Ceramics.
 
Lungarno has a wide variety of wall tiles ranging from classic to super unique styles. The Brushstrokes line is a 1” thick wall tile with a beautiful wavy surface. Colors available are latte, rust, and a stunning turquoise blue. Brushstrokes is a unique, vintage tile that feels warm and looks great with contemporary rustic designs that utilize worn textures.
 
Finish Line features an array of porcelain and mosaic tiles with white, gray, and black color schemes for a unique modern design. On the more simplistic side, Finish Line features subway tiles and thin, interlocking rectangular tiles with a unique subtle texture making them perfect for walls, floors or backsplashes. In mosaic tile, Finish Line has a unique 1”x4” newspaper print wall tile that comes in white, gray, and black. This newspaper print backsplash tile is perfect for modern looks and adds a chic, city feel to your modern space. Finish Line also has hexagon tiles in black and white with beautiful and subtle metallic textures.
 
Natural Elements is mosaic waterjet wall tile with unique styles and organic looks. This series of tiles comes in a variety of neutral combinations in beige, taupes, gray, and cream. Themed by natural shapes, they are simple, beautiful, and calming. Natural Elements features designs like hexagon leaves, teardrops, lace leaves, chevron, and 3D cubes. These tiles are unique and perfect for neutral spaces with a need for Feng shui.
 
These are just a few of our favorites from the Lungarno collection. There are many more styles to suit just about any décor and add a fresh, unique flare to your kitchen or bath.
Stop by our showroom today to see our selection, or learn more at lungarnoceramics.com.

Despite growing trends in flooring of all kinds, tile is still a favorite. Tile is not only loved for its durability and classic looks though; it’s keeping up with all the trends and making new ones. Let's take a look at some current and emerging tile trends and features.

For starters, wood-look tiles are here to stay with new looks and tile sizes like 6x36 and 4x28 that are perfect for using in herringbone patterns. Sizes are also getting bigger and better with new sizes like 12x24 and even 24x48! New textures and finishes are adding more style and enhancing the beauty of wood-look tile. Tile is taking on new shapes too with wood look tiles in planks, bricks, and hexagons of all sizes.

Tile doesn’t have to be limited to the floor either. You can take it up the walls to make quite a statement in your space. Tiled walls using large format wood, concrete, or brick make a big impact. New designs and materials in brick, metals, and printed patterns can take a backsplash or accent wall to the next level. The possibilities are endless with these new trends.

We see more and more people gravitating toward a seamless indoor-outdoor look in their homes. Wood-look porcelain tile is perfect for a hardwood look in your space that can flow to an outdoor living area for a seamless, open look with no worries about the weather. Or, if you like a more modern, industrial vibe, consider using concrete tiles in your home, and let them continue outside into an outdoor kitchen or patio.

​Tile in the home continues to stand the test of time while evolving with new trends that we love. Next time you have a tile project, don't forget to explore your options and see what’s out there. You can find all the latest tile trends and fashions in our showroom. We’ll be happy to help you find the one that completes your home.

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​The great outdoors is amazing, especially when you have your own little piece of the outdoors at home. Maybe it's sitting on the patio or balcony reading, fun times by the pool, or a welcoming walkway in a garden or court yard. Either way, it's these outdoor spaces that really bring something extra to our homes. Let's take a look at how to make a welcoming outdoor space and the flooring you can use to do this.
 
One of the most popular outdoor spaces is the patio. These usually consist of a concrete slab off the house, sometimes with a roof to provide shade. A sliding glass door connecting your living space with your patio will make your living space feel open and add lots of natural light. You can take your patio to another level by continuing your flooring in the home out onto the patio. To do this, though, you will have to choose a floor covering that is suitable to be outdoors.
 
Floor coverings like hardwood, vinyl, ceramic tile, and carpet are not ideal for outdoor use or in any areas that are not regulated. (Some hard wood can be used outside but requires an extensive of amount of maintenance). If planning on using these kinds of floor coverings, keep in mind they are susceptible to moisture damage and not recommended for outdoor use. Still want to carry your wood or tile flooring outside? Well not to worry. There are several options available.
 
The WPC flooring category offers wood and stone looks that are perfect for indoor or outdoor spaces, allowing you to continue your look from the inside out. You may love sipping drinks and relaxing on your porch but hate the maintenance that comes with wood. The porch is a prime example of an area WPC wood-look flooring can bring a new look and more comfort to your outdoor space with less maintenance.
 
Tile is beautiful outdoors, whether it's on a patio, porch, walkway, or poolside. When opting for tile outdoors, stone or ceramics are not ideal because they absorb too much moisture. Stone and ceramic tile is also susceptible to cracking and breaking when the temperatures rise and fall. However, slip-resistant porcelain tile that is rated for outdoor use is perfect. Slate is also a great choice for outdoor spaces. When properly sealed, this natural stone is a champion of beauty and durability. Keep in mind that using larger-sized tiles can make your space feel bigger, and wood-look tile will add texture and warmth.
 
So, when looking to expand your home to the outdoors, remember to keep the space open to allow the outdoors in. Think outside the box when it comes to the walkways and floors. Remember the maintenance that will be needed for the flooring you choose and be sure to pick a floor covering that is not only beautiful but durable and meets your needs.