Author: Rooster Creatives

Color Corner: European Oak Strauss

Welcome back to the blog! As you may have noticed, we have over 100 different colors and styles of hardwood floor to choose from. While we are proud to offer so many varied kinds of flooring, we know that this can make decisions difficult when it comes down to narrowing which one floor is right for YOU.

We hope this color spotlight series will provide you with the information you need to make an informed decision about which floor is right for your home! With that, let’s begin!

The Strauss was a welcomed addition to our Composer collection in 2015. With its neutral brown stain and 10.25-inch wide planks, it’s no wonder the Strauss is as popular as it is!

Strength & Durability

The Strauss boasts 10.25-inch wide planks made up of a strong, 8-ply engineered core and a beautiful 4mm wear layer of pure, genuine European oak wood. The top layer is sawn-face, meaning that you get to see the beautiful, natural grain patterns typical of European oak without the distortion caused by rotary peel methods. The surface is wire-brushed to highlight its deep textured grain and then hand-ground to create a timeworn look. The Strauss, given its strength of construction, matches with its durability. Kids and pets? No problem – the Strauss can stand up to high levels of foot-traffic and its beautiful texture masks scratching.

Aesthetic & Style

Textured to perfection, the Strauss awes with a full range of color variation including sapwood and mineral streaks. In addition to this, the Strauss’ bold grain patterns give the floor a reclaimed look. Whether you want to offset your modern, clean interior design with a rustic floor or embrace shabby chic, the Strauss may just be right for your home design!

So, what do you think? Is the Strauss’ reclaimed aesthetic the right look for your design?

View the Strauss on our website HERE.

Urbanfloor Partners: A Day at Vanderpump Dogs

It’s easy to love dogs – their loyalty and unconditional love are a few of the many reasons they have been dubbed “man’s best friend”. As a conglomerate of animal lovers, we were so excited when we heard of an LA organization, right in our backyard, who are committed to rescuing, re-homing, and fighting for the welfare of dogs everywhere. Founded by entrepreneur, activist, writer, and TV personality Lisa Vanderpump, the Vanderpump Dog Foundation is committed to animal rights; from their work at their LA rescue center to their advocacy overseas, the Vanderpump Dog Foundation truly has a heart for animal welfare.

We are excited to announce a volunteer partnership with this worthy cause. Several Urbanfloor team members from right here at headquarters have set aside time each month to join their efforts hands-on! We recently had the honor to spend our first of many volunteer days at The Vanderpump Dog Foundation’s rescue center in West Hollywood, CA – Vanderpump Dogs. While we were there, we did everything from cleaning enclosures and walking rescued dogs (many of whom were taken from terrible situations or close to being euthanized at local kill shelters) to assisting in the adoption process.

While we were there, we met so many loveable little dogs awaiting their forever homes, but one particular pup stuck out in our hearts and minds – Duncan.

Duncan, a loving 6-year-old mix-breed, was one of several dogs awaiting adoption. When we heard of Duncan’s history of abuse and the fact that he was hours from being euthanized after spending seven long months in a shelter, our hearts broke for him.

Lisa Vanderpump congratulating Duncan on his new home!

When our VP, David, heard Duncan’s story and went to meet him in person, he knew that he was not only meant to be adopted into his own home but also was meant to be a part of the Urbanfloor team!

Duncan was adopted into his forever home on Saturday, August 12th and, since then, he has spent several days at Urbanfloor headquarters soaking up everyone’s affection and helping contribute to the positive atmosphere.

We are so excited for the future of our volunteer partnership with the Vanderpump Dog Foundation and being able to join them in their cause!

For more information on how you can partner with the Vanderpump Dog Foundation, CLICK HERE >>

3 Easy Tips for Caring for your Hardwood Floors

We have received a lot of questions from our customers about how to properly care for their hardwood flooring purchase. We understand that hardwood flooring is an investment and we love being able to help you tend to that investment. So, what to do and what not to do?

Read below and see!

1. Clean your floors regularly.

 

damp mopping wood floors

Modern hardwood floors are relatively quick and easy to maintain and care for. With a few simple low-cost cleaning tools and some small preventative maintenance measures, you can easily ensure that your new hardwood floors stay looking their best for years to come.

In addition to maintaining a stable interior environment (room temperature 60°­–80° F and relative humidity between 30-50% year-round), your floors should be cleaned regularly. Simply sweep, vacuum, or dust-mop to remove any lingering dust and grit. When necessary, clean your floor with factory-approved floor cleaner (for more information on what type of floor cleaner to use, CLICK HERE). It is important to remember never to wet-mop your floors. Over time, wet-mopping can damage your floor’s finish. When cleaning, ensure you rinse your applicator as to not spread dirt to other areas which can cause haziness and streaks.

2. Protect against possible damage from pets.

 

Hardwood Floors and Pets

Do you have pets in your home? Just by keeping their nails clipped, you can keep scratches at a minimum. To protect your floors further, simply place a mat beneath their water dish to act as a barrier between the water and your new floors.

3. Prevent discoloration and scratching with rug backing and floor protectors.

 

When it comes to adding décor to your home, only rugs with a natural backing (for example, felt) are safe for your wood floor. Stay away from rugs with a synthetic backing as they can both damage and discolor your floor.

Similar to the qualifications for rug backing, non-abrasive felt-backed floor protectors work best for guarding against scratches from furniture. Rubber and plastic backed products can trap moisture and cause discoloration.

So there you have it: 3 easy tips for caring for your hardwood floor! We hope this information proves helpful for caring for your hardwood floor investment!

Color Corner: European Oak Lambrusco

Welcome to the blog! To continue our spotlight series, we are going to talk about the striking European oak Lambrusco from our Chene collection. Embodying the rich, exotic essence of the French wine, the Lambrusco offers light, creamy hues and a chic and distinguished sense of style. With its matte finish and extra-long planks, the Lambrusco certainly makes a statement wherever it is installed.

Strength & Durability

The Lambrusco’s strong 7.5” wide planks are able to withstand heavy foot traffic and its wire brushed texture make this floor a good choice for families with kids and pets. Pair this durability with Urbanfloor’s lifetime structural and 35-year finish warranty (see warranty information HERE for more details), it is easy to see why the Lambrusco is one of our most popular color choices.

Aesthetic & Style

The Lambrusco’s unique wire brushed aesthetic provides the perfect canvas for your design plan. Like the photo featured above, the Lambrusco is paired with an elegant and creamy-white tones which give the overall space an airy feel.

With its versatility, the Lambrusco is not limited to this sort of design, it also pairs well with a modern, cooler design featuring contemporary metallic accents and clean, bold angles. For fans of contrast in their designs, you will find that the Lambrusco pairs well with dark accents as illustrated in the bedroom below. The mix of textures and angles in this room make for a bold but understated design.

So, what do you think? Is the Lambrusco right for your home? If you have it installed in your house, we would love to see photos! Leave us a comment on our Facebook post and join the conversation!
View the Lambrusco on our website HERE.

Color Corner: Oak Cleveland

Hey guys, today we’re going to talk about the oak Cleveland in the Downtown Series from the Urban Lifestyle Collection! The Cleveland is a beautiful grey-toned brown floor, perfect for any home setting or any design space. At 4 3/4 inches wide, this oak floor hits the sweet spot between classic and traditional while remaining modern and contemporary with its grey washed look. We were recently invited into a gorgeous home in the city of Irvine, California to view and photograph their installation of the oak Cleveland.

 

Tommy, his wife Sarah and their three kids were kind enough to let us in their Orange County home to enjoy their floors for a bit. Sarah said the Cleveland was the perfect mix of brown and grey for the aesthetic they were trying to achieve in their home. After two years of use, the floor still looks just as good as the day they laid it down. Because of the wire brushed texture found in the Cleveland, along with three kids of their own and the 10 others that were in attendance outside for a pool party, the characteristics in each plank only enhance in time with proper care.

 

 

As you can see here, they’ve used a pop of blue here and there as contract color to balance out the brown in the floor to receive a more grey effect. That’s some high level color theory and interior design going on! Impressive! We’re so grateful for those who open their homes to us to check out and photograph. We can’t thank you enough, Tommy and Sarah for sharing your decorating story with us!

Jordan

Let’s Talk About Color: Gray Hardwood

Welcome back to our blog! As we end our series on color, we will be discussing the ever-so-popular gray hardwood! You may have seen a rise in gray hardwood floors in recent years and this is due to significant trending of this coveted aesthetic. Gray hardwood is very modern and easily compliments other modern home finishes such as nickel and stainless steel.

But is gray hardwood flooring right for you?

Savanna Elephant

 

Is gray hardwood floor just a fad?

With any significant trend in the interior design industry, it bears questioning if the popular materials of the time are future classics or simply passing fads. After all, hardwood flooring is a significant investment and it is important to know that your choice will stand the test of time.

 

Royal Court, Kingdom Series Chamberlain

 

The great thing about gray hardwood is that, passing trend or not, it is a neutral color choice that compliments an array of design styles. While gray hardwood floors tend to pair best with cool, modern designs, you can also bring warmth to any space with accent colors and natural wood decor.

 

Villa Caprisi Valentina

Which shade of gray – light or dark?

When it comes to selecting a shade or tone of gray hardwood flooring, there are many available options. A light gray floor and a dark gray floor will have many of the same pros and cons that we have discussed with previous posts in this series on light and dark hardwood.

Dark hardwood is leading modern trends and it is easy to see why. The contrast that dark wood and light furniture and décor is truly beautiful. While it is amazing on a larger scale, darker toned hardwood may not be the best option for a smaller space as it may make it appear even smaller than it actually is. Additionally, darker gray floors will show more dirt and pet hair than their lighter counterpart. Conversely, with a lighter gray floor, it can open up smaller spaces and create an illusion of the room being larger and works better to hide dirt and pet hair.

 

Royal Court, Kingdom Series Duke

 

So, what do you think about gray hardwood floor? Browse our entire selection of gray floors here!

No one hardwood floor is right for everyone and we are happy to be the provider of quality floors in numerous colors and styles.  We hope that this series on color has shed some light on which floor might be the right choice for you!

 

Let’s Talk About Color: Red Hardwood

If you have been keeping up with our blog, you probably know that we have been publishing a series on color! So far, we have tackled the two dominant styles in hardwood flooring – dark and light. But there are other options for those who may want to stray from mainstream style trends. For those individuals – red hardwood just might be for you!

While a red toned hardwood floor is not unusual, it is certainly not a common design choice. Why is this? What are the pros and cons of a red hardwood floor? Let’s find out!

When it comes to interior decorating, red toned hardwood floors are surprisingly versatile. They can be successfully combined with both contemporary or more traditional decorating styles. But beware, they are not for the faint of heart – red toned floors are definitely statement makers and they can tend to dominate a space. However, this can be managed with selecting the right decor, paint, area rugs, etc. The best way not to overwhelm your design is to offset the dominant red toned hardwood with a cool white or a pale blue/green paint color and bring in a contrasting accent color like the room scene below.

Brazilian Cherry Rio

“The best way not to overwhelm your design is to offset the dominant red toned hardwood with a cool white or pale blue/green paint color.”

One thing to consider when it comes to red toned hardwood is resale value for your home. If you are planning to remodel for the sake of a higher resale value when you sell your home, red might not be the best option. While red hardwoods may be something that your family loves, they are not everyone’s “cup of tea”. If you really want to turn potential home-buyers heads, consider investing in a classic blonde light hardwood or a medium brown tone as they are generally safe choices for mass appeal.

Santos Mahogany Natal

It’s pretty clear that red toned hardwood is not for everyone. However, if you are looking to gain an edgier look that will make a strong statement, they just might be for you!

What do you think? Would red toned hardwood go well in your home? CLICK HERE for the options we offer!

Let’s Talk About Color: Light Hardwood

Styles are constantly evolving and it is good to keep that in mind when it comes to selecting your floor. Your flooring choice will cover one of the largest surface areas in your home so it is important to select a floor you know will both compliment your design aesthetic and stand the test of time. As it is often the most dominant design look, the color floor you select sets the tone for the space so it is important to ask yourself, “What do I want the design of my home to say?”. Hardwood flooring is an investment and when it comes to color selection, there is no “one size fits all”. What works in one home and in one design plan, may not fit your unique space. But never fear! We have many colors and tones to choose from and you will find the perfect floor for you here at Urban Floor! For today and for the sake of time, we will narrow our discussion to light hardwood and the many benefits of its elegant look.

Chene Lambrusco

“Your flooring choice will cover one of the largest surface areas in your home so it is important to select a floor you know will both compliment your design aesthetic and stand the test of time.”

Hand-scraped Maple Natural

Light hardwood floors have a very distinct advantage when it comes to cleaning and care over darker floors. With their lighter color, they are especially easy to keep clean as they mask dents, scratches, and scuff marks. They also tend to show less dirt and less pet hair (for those with furry family members) than darker stained hardwood. Natural expansion, however, may be more prominent with a lighter hardwood as it shows the shadows of the expansion gaps more. This natural expansion and contraction, however, can be minimized with proper environmental controls and keeping your home between 60ºF to 80ºF, and humidity levels between 30%-50%.

Exotic Maple Natural

Selecting a light hardwood floor will brighten your space as the light, fresh color opens up the space, making smaller spaces appear larger. Lighter floors tend to accentuate the amount of natural light that comes into the room and give your home a airy, bright feel. If you are a fan of contrast but don’t want a smaller room in your home to perhaps appear smaller with a dark hardwood, go with a lighter floor and bring in contrast with paint, furniture, and other decor.

Chene Riesling

While darker hardwood seems to be leading modern trends, there is nothing like selecting a classic, warm and natural wood tone to compliment the aesthetic of your home for a truly timeless style. What do you think? Is light hardwood flooring the right choice for you? Tell us in the comments below!

 

Let’s Talk About Color: Dark Hardwood

 

Today we want to talk about color. More specifically, dark hardwood floor colors. Lets put all the technical specs and industry terms to rest for now and just talk about color. We understand that although the specs, species and width may all be very important to you, we know that the bottom line is that you want it to look nice in your room space. With that said, color is a one of the key factors that comes into play when deciding a floor. For some people it is the only factor besides price that they care about and that’s okay with us. We can talk color all day long and we love it. Even a discussion about hardwood floor colors can become intense and way in depth, but we will keep it simple, and we will keep it fun.

Going into a showroom can be intimidating to say the least, there are hundreds of different brands out there and they all have tons of colors on display. We have nearly 100 colors to choose from and that can be a bit overwhelming if you don’t know where to begin! A great starting point would be to figure out whether you’re team light hardwood floor, or team dark hardwood floor. Once you figure out if you like dark or light hardwood floors or what would work best in your home, the rest is a piece of cake. You can go into tones, shades, and everything else afterwards, lets just focus on dark hardwood today. Next time we will talk about light hardwood floors. STAY TUNED FOR THAT!

Lets begin on the dark side of the hardwood flooring force. Star Wars reference anyone? Maybe? No? Okay.. Anyway, dark hardwood floors have been on trend for a very long time, and they appear to be here to stay. Whatever design aesthetic you are attempting to achieve in your home, dark wood can accommodate and should be a consideration for you. Dark hardwood floors are incredibly versatile.Especially for fans of contrast, dark floors against light furniture or cabinetry makes for an elegant design. Now some may be worried about keeping it clean… As long as you’re honest with yourself about your cleaning regimen, there shouldn’t ever be an issue. A wide dark wood plank can also give the impression of an even larger space to the eye, so it can be more bang for your buck. We wouldn’t recommend a dark floor in a small, tiny room with little light. Or along with dark furniture/cabinets because it can be hard to match with other dark components at times. The pros definitely outweigh the cons, but of course these are all things to consider when making an investment in your home such as hardwood flooring.

If you like what you’ve read and seen thus far, dark hardwood floors may be the right choice for you. Join us next time as we dive into a brief conversation about light hardwood floors.

Floor Stories

Take me down to National City, where the grass is green and the renovations are pretty! Okay, now that I got that out… A new friend of ours named Jamie invited us down to National City, a small town in San Diego County to photograph her newly renovated home. Most importantly, we photographed her gorgeous floors. Jamie had the Lambrusco from the Chene collection installed all throughout her home and it is a stunning home indeed. Not only was her home amazingly decorated with this young, trendy, chic vibe throughout the space, but she was also so incredibly proud of her style, vision and aesthetic. Which in turn inspires us when we’re out shooting room scenes! She raved about the extensive research she conducted over the course of months selecting everything meticulously to insure her dream home would come to life. The amount of satisfaction she conveyed when speaking about her Urban Floor Lambrusco was the exact reaction we strive for as a hardwood flooring provider.

 

What probably impressed us most during our visit with Jamie was this section of the home, here. If I remember correctly, Jamie said from where the plant stands to the fridge and back, is all add on to the original layout. Her vision was to have an open format and since she has such a huge backyard, they built back and created this beautiful custom kitchen area. Her favorite addition to the kitchen area is that enormous island she called a continent! Lol. Counter space is everything, isn’t it? Counter space and cabinets are totally everything in a kitchen and she’s got them both! You go, Jamie! We’re right there with you in loving it!

 

Here’s another look at this amazing kitchen area. Talk about an island, right? And how about them floors? GORGEOUS! Everything ties together so seamlessly; this interior designer has talent!

 

A more detailed look at what we contributed to her project. All about the floors with us, of course! What do you think about Jamie’s design aesthetic? What would you use an island that large for in your every day life? Tell us what you think!