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.

Open floor plans continue to remain a popular interior design element. They allow for a seamless flow throughout a home and lend themselves well to a feeling of unity, conversation, and fellowship with family and friends. Whether you have a home with a large, open space or a smaller home that is cozier, the right use of flooring can open up your design.
 
One way to achieve this is by installing the same flooring throughout your space. For some, this may seem unusual because we are often accustomed to tile in the kitchen and bath, hardwood in the living room and hall, and carpet in the bedrooms. Good flooring choices to take throughout the whole house are LVT (luxury vinyl tile or plank), WPC (wood polymer composite), and sheet vinyl. These flooring choices, depending on brand, are either waterproof or water resistant and very durable, making it possible for them to be installed anywhere in the home. Each of these products are also able to be installed without transitions, thus creating a continuous flow. In addition, these products all come in wood or tile looks, perfect for whatever design you’re going for.
 
Tile is also an excellent flooring choice that can literally be installed anywhere in your home. Today’s gorgeous, stylish wood-look varieties go with any décor from rustic to modern. The options are pretty much endless with tile, whether you’re looking for a natural stone look, classic design, or something sleek and bold. Tile is easy to clean and maintain, no matter where it’s installed.
 
Laminate and hardwood also lend themselves well to open, common areas of the home, with certain considerations. Engineered hardwood is a better choice than solid if being installed in potential wet areas like kitchens. Any spills or leaks should be cleaned up quickly, and you should only use a damp mop when cleaning. Many types of laminate now come with water resistant properties, but care should also be taken in not exposing laminate to large amounts of liquid. We do not recommend laminate or hardwood for bathrooms, but they’re great for the main living areas of a home.
 
So, our takeaway tips are:

• Try the same kind of flooring throughout the home for a streamlined flow.
• Flooring such as WPC, LVT, and sheet vinyl can be installed without transitions which creates a continuous feel room to room.
• Tile can be installed anywhere.
• Take precautions against moisture when installing hardwood or laminate.

If you own a business, you know the effect a first impression can have, whether you’re a retail, medical, or service-based establishment. People are drawn to and enjoy being in a business that is clean, comfortable, and appealing to the eye. Flooring plays a big part in that aesthetic, but in addition to looking good, businesses experience a lot of traffic and need durable flooring.
 
Commercial flooring is often thought of as generic and bland. There hasn’t always been a wealth of options for durable flooring that could meet a business’s needs and be stylish. These days though, there are a lot more options as the flooring industry is revolutionizing flooring to be both durable and beautiful.
 
A go-to for commercial flooring is often carpet or carpet tiles. One of the many brands we offer is Mohawk’s ColorStrand SD which is equipped with colorfastness to sunlight, atmospheric contamination, and harsh cleaners. It’s also great against stains with its Protection Plus Soil and Stain Resistant Technology. ColorStrand is guaranteed not to wear more than 10% of its surface pile weight for the life of the carpet (it lasts!), and it’s also equipped with Weldlok Plus backing. Weldlock Plus is an advanced, high performance backing system designed to provide long-term carpet durability while delivering sustainable benefits. ColorStrand SD is also an easy, direct glue down or stretch in installation. To see more of the ColorStrand line, click here.

Textures are an important element in home décor. Accent pieces, artwork, throws, pillows, and even flooring can provide texture, warmth, and style, helping to transform your house into a home. When it comes to textures in flooring, most people immediately think of hardwood or tile. Today though, other flooring options like vinyl and laminate are engineered with distressed and hand-scrapted looks that make it hard to tell the difference from real hardwood or tile.
 
Most people think of laminate, vinyl tile, sheet vinyl, and vinyl plank as being smooth with little to no texture and limited patterns. What you may not realize is that today’s vinyl and laminate are very realistic with looks that make it hard to tell they’re not the real deal. Depending on the look you want to achieve in your space, you may want more or less texture. Wood and tile looks with more grooves and textures tend to look more realistic and are often used in rustic design schemes. For a modern, streamlined look, go for less texture.
 
Some examples of textures are:
 
Wood-look:

• Light texturing, subtle appearance like that of wire brushing
• Medium-level embossing, follows the grain pattern in the wood species for extra character.
• Heavy embossing, creates the look of high textured hand-scraping.

Tile-look:

• Light embossing achieves the gentle detail seen in smoother stone looks, like granite or concrete.
• Medium to heavy embossing is used to mimic the appearance of cleated or roughly-hewn stone.

When you’re looking for a wood or tile look in vinyl or laminate, remember smoother and lighter textures lend themselves well to an open, modern designs with clean lines. More textured planks or grout grooves will add realism and complexity to your décor for a rustic look. There's a whole new world of vinyl and laminate, come see what we have in store for a beautiful look in your home.

It's a new year, and you may be thinking about a workout room for your home. Or, if you're a gym owner, you may be getting ready for an influx of customers making good on resolutions. 
Running, jumping, dancing--whatever physical activity you enjoy--it and your equipment can be rough on your floors. Whether you need flooring for your workout room, play room, or commercial building, you’ll want something that can stand up to the challenge. Centaur Flooring is just what you need.
 
Centaur Systems offers surfaces specifically designed for you to dance, train, play, or workout on at home, in studio, or in a fitness environment. Let's take a look at some of the selections and features.
 
Boflex: a floating, engineered, pre-finished, hardwood sports floor perfect for the dance studio or ball court.            
 
Sportweave Interlock: non-woven modular carpet tile designed to withstand heavy traffic; perfect for basements, playrooms, offices etc. It’s anti-microbial, moisture-resistant, and easy to install with interlocking tiles.
 
Triple Threat: ideal for multi-purpose floors or any space that requires a wood look with the durability of vinyl and rubber. It is hygienic, comfortable, quiet, and ergonomic.
 
Elite: one-inch footed tiles designed to provide superior cushioning, support, durability and superior noise and shock absorption. The tiles are easily installed and can be easily replaced if damaged. Perfect for free weight or exercise rooms, basements, and pool decks.

Sound reducer: Centaur doesn't just do flooring. They also sell sound reducer that can be installed underneath the flooring of your choice. This is perfect for areas that need classic flooring with sound reduction, like a weight or cardio room.
 
These are just some of the awesome active floor coverings Centaur provides. Weather you need floors for a commercial fitness center or just your personal fitness space, Centaur Floor Systems has excellent choices for any activity. Stop by our showroom to see our selections, or give us a call at (256) 231-0008. You can also learn more at centaurfloors.com. 

LVT, WPC and laminate flooring are durable and come in many different hardwood and stone looks that make any space look beautiful. But is flooring just for floors? Not necessarily. Let's look at some ways to think outside the box with you flooring.

​You might have recently had flooring installed, and you have some extra left over. What are you supposed to do with it? Don't underestimate the style and texture a wood or stone-look accent wall can bring to a space. In addition, wood planked ceilings are stunning and easy to achieve with lightweight materials like LVT, WPC, and laminate. Hardwood can also be used for ceilings and accent walls, but it’s just a bit more labor-intensive because of the weight of the wood (want to make sure it’s secure to your surface).
 
If you don’t have enough excess flooring for an accent wall, what else can you do with it? Wood or stone-look picture or mirror frames are a stylish and easy way to use up those extra pieces. How about a wood plank headboard? Since LVT, WPC, and laminate are lightweight and very durable, they’re easy to work with and can be used almost anywhere. You can use those extra pieces on the walls in other ways too like funky wall art or floating shelves.  LVT, WPC, laminate, and even tile are perfect for covering shelves and tables, giving them a stylish wood or stone look. Another benefit to using that extra flooring to make accents in your space is that it draws the look of your space together with the color and texture of your floors.
 
Maybe you've already had your floors installed and have extra flooring, or maybe you’re about to buy new flooring. Either way, don't forget the other uses for the leftovers that can really draw your space together and make it unique. 

Two of the hottest products in the flooring world today are LVT and WPC, but they lead customers ask many questions: What does that stand for? What's it made of? Is it wood? Is it waterproof?--the list goes on. Let's take some of the mystery out of these flooring categories for you. We'll start with LVT.

LVT stands for luxury vinyl tile, also know as luxury vinyl plank (LVP) and luxury vinyl flooring (LVF). LVT is a vinyl based flooring that mimics the look of stone and wood. LVT consists of five layers. First is a finish that protects from light scratching and shoe scuffs. Second is a clear film that protects against rips and tears. Third is the design layer--this is your stone or wood print. Fourth is the core, which gives it structure. And finally, the fifth layer is the backing.

LVT captures the realistic look of wood and stone designs with the use of photographic technology. The design options don't stop at color though. LVT also comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. Square pieces range from 12x12 to 24x24, and rectangle piece come in 12x24. You can even get LVT in hexagonal shapes!

Besides its design advantages, LVT has many practical angles. Unlike the stone and wood that it mimics, LVT is very water resistant. In fact, it is pretty much impervious to wet spills. While stone is susceptible to cracks if something heavy is dropped on it or if not installed correctly, LVT is very durable, giving it the stone look without fear of it cracking. Tile is beautiful, but many don’t like its cold feel—something that LVT does not have.

LVT is very easy to clean: damp mopping is the recommended cleaning procedure for LVT. Because it is very durable, it is not uncommon to see 20 to 25-year warranties on LVT.
WPC (wood plastic/polymer composite) shares many similarities with LVT, but at the same time, they do have some differences. Let's take a look at why you might consider WPC for your floor covering.

There are many different versions of WPC (wood plastic/polymer composite). While the “W” in WPC stands for wood, the majority of WPC-type products entering the market today don’t contain wood. These kinds of WPC are often called enhanced vinyl plank, engineered luxury vinyl, and water proof vinyl. We’re going to focus on the features of these types of WPC.

WPC is like LVT in that it is vinyl based and mimics stone and wood. The core is made of plastic/polymer, which is the same material PVC pipes are of made. When this kind of core is used in WPC, it is totally water proof. WPC can be installed in places with high exposure to moisture, such as bathrooms and basements. WPC’s core is rigid, thus hiding imperfections in the subfloor. The rigid core also allows for longer and wider planks. Like LVT, WPC is very easy to clean and has a lengthy warranty.
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If you would like the look of wood or stone but with added durability and protection, LVT and WPC are both excellent flooring choices for your home.
 

Floor covering has come a long way in recent years in regard to durability. Still, our floors take a lot of wear and tear from everyday living, and regular care and maintenance is required to keep them in good shape. Let's look at some helpful tips for taking care of two kinds of popular flooring: carpet and vinyl.

When it comes to carpet care, we generally think of vacuuming and the occasional professional cleaning. It’s best to have a vacuum with a brush roll setting to better capture dirt and shedding. Professional cleaning is needed to keep dirt and spills from building up and may be part of your warranty requirements. For more on cleaning specific stains, click here.
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In addition to regular vacuuming and cleaning, there are other carpet maintenance tasks that help keep it fresh and beautiful. Furniture and heavy objects often cause depressions or indentations from resting on carpet for long periods of time. To remedy this, move your furniture occasionally. Be sure to work the carpet pile that is indented back into place using your fingers or the edge of a spoon. Also use furniture gliders or cups under the legs of heavy furniture.

Fluffing and shedding (this is the balls of carpet fluff you see sitting on the surface of your carpet) naturally occurs with newly installed carpet. With regular vacuuming, most shedding will gradually disappear within the first year after installation. When new carpet is installed, there may be an odor caused by installation materials or the removal of old carpet pad. Ventilation with fresh air is recommended, and windows and doors should be opened with the HVAC turned on for 48 to 72 hours.

Shifting gears to vinyl, vinyl flooring is very easy to care for, and it stands up to spills and scuffs. A daily sweeping to keep the dirt and grit from accumulating and a weekly mopping are sufficient to keep most vinyl in good condition. For general cleaning, it is recommended that you use the manufacture’s cleaner for your brand of vinyl. For example, Mannington Vinyl Floors have their own Rinse-Free Cleaner.

Other helpful tips for vinyl:
*Use floor mats at the entrance doors.
*Use floor protectors under furniture such as tables and chairs.
*Any rugs should not have rubber or latex backing, this can discolor vinyl.
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With today's durable floor coverings, care and maintenance can be a breeze. Always be sure to follow any specific manufacturer instructions and clean up spills and messes promptly. For more on floor care, be sure to visit our website at shopabbey.com.