Quick•Step

I believe that well-styled spaces must be livable, too. So, when I create a room I try to balance style with lifestyle. When designing this living room, I wanted something that would work for every day living as well as for special occasions. I accomplished this by considering all the uses for the room. And I chose elements to be as functional as they are beautiful.

That’s why I selected Quick•Step’s Country Rustic Cottage Oak (U1392) floor. I love the wire brush detailing that pulls out some metallic hints. The authentic texturing that accentuates the woodgrain gives it a natural, realistic hardwood floor look. A look that can be easily transformed from everyday to something special.

This floor is a great choice, because it’s stylish, but the beauty is more than skin deep. Quick•Step® has amazing technologies, like ScratchGuard™ protection, that keep it looking newer longer. And that fits my lifestyle.

My vision was to keep the room light with rich elegant undertones. So I chose peach and gray as the cornerstones of my palette. Gray woods are very popular these days and actually quite hard to find. They are making their way into the marketplace, and this Country floor has a great warm tone that works with many colors. In this room, I have layered various shades of creams and antique silver for a little sparkle.

This room shines. From the light, bright walls and warm peach and gray palette to the rich gold of the metal in the tables and wall sculpture. I like to mix gold tones and antique silver together — you don’t have to choose one or the other!

It’s easy to keep daily living magical, with a little styling and the combination of color, texture and shapes. For more inspiration and design ideas, visit quickstep.com or find a Quick•Step® retailer near you.

I've used Quick•Step® floors for years in my designs — so was thrilled when they asked me to select my favorites for a “Designer’s Choice” collection of floors.

Country, Coffee Bean Merbau (U1170) is one of those picks, because I love this rustic, hand-scraped look. The soft-scraped surface and sculpted bevel detail adds rich texture for a subtle, handcrafted feel. I like the scraped look in floors as it makes them appear more natural, without being too rustic. The deep color of this floor lends itself to any color décor palette. It has red undertones, which makes it a great choice for a traditional room, or a transitional look. This floor easily fits into a formal look, too.

I am also drawn to the unique designs offered in the Eligna Collection — including this White Brushed Pine (U1235). Painted white floors is a look you see in many design magazines. The problem is — they don’t stand the test of time as the paint chips easily. This White Brushed Pine gives the same bright, cheerful look, but will stand up to wear and tear. Like all Quick•Step® floors, it features ScratchGuard™ technology to protect against micro-scratches that can dull the finish over time. This look is great in any space that you want to make more contemporary believe it or not — like children’s rooms. Although you may see this look in a beach house or a country cottage, it’s a modern, updated look that creates a clean, bright surface for your furniture and colors to truly be shown off.

Quick•Step’s Linesse™ Collection, with its unique installation method, provides real design freedom. With three movable strips on one plank, it allows you to set a random stagger — for a completely natural look. They sound natural, too. The attached underlayment helps create an authentic solid hardwood sound when installed. The Toasted Almond Oak (LUF1256) is my “Designer’s Choice” product in this collection. This is a great update to the classic wood floor. The planks are a nice size, and have a beautiful beveled edge, making them look even more realistic.

Check out all of my “Designer’s Choice” floors — or visit your local retailer to explore all your options.

Great rooms always have a personality. A mix of vision, style and inspirations from everyday life. For this room, I wanted to create a space that was opulent with inspirations from Far East travels — yet comfortable and easy to live in.

I started with a blend of influences, all coming together to create a real “visual feast.” To ground the room, I wanted a really rich-toned floor to serve as a warm backdrop for my furniture. I chose these beautiful Burnished Walnut Planks from QuickStep’s new Veresque™ collection. (Veresque™, Burnished Walnut Planks U1415)

These floors feature exclusive GenuEdge™ Technology — which offers the industry’s most realistic edge visual — so you get a truly authentic hardwood plank floor look. And like all Quick Step® floors, the Veresque™ collection features ScratchGuard™ and patented Uniclic® technologies — so you get authentic style that will stand up to real life!

To contrast the warmth of the floor, I added a subtle color to the walls. A collection of lithographs, etchings and prints break up the wall color and add visual interest. Not only does this look great, but having a variety of mismatched art lets you collect over time, or put it all together in a weekend on a budget!

Next, I picked a few pivotal pieces and accessories to add dimension. The chandelier works well to define the visual center of the space and is a wonderful piece of jewelry for the room. The vintage chairs upholstered in emerald green really pop and add a sense of fun to this space. The casual daybed is a nice contrast to the traditional lacquered end tables.

To create personality for your room, look around for inspiration, old family heirlooms and great finds at the local second hand store. These pieces add a special vibe that make a space uniquely yours. For more inspiration and design ideas, visit quickstep.com or find a Quick Step® retailer near you.