How to select the best laminate flooring for youWritten by E. Timothy Uy
Hardwood flooring - its' traditional look is almost timeless, its' beauty is unmatchable. However, it's pretty hard to maintain a hardwood floor, not to mention price you have to pay for it. Even with most recent floor treatments they will still scratch, fade, dent and stain in a rather small amount of time. That's why laminate flooring was invented. Because it's machine made and its' top layer is a hardwood photographic laminated surface, laminate has look and appeal of real hardwood floors, but it's more durable and it requires less maintenance.Unlike real hardwood floors, laminate flooring is more resistant to scratching, staining, fading and denting. Laminates warranty range from 10 years to lifetime and it covers all of bad things mentioned above, while entry level laminates come with a 10 to 15 years one. But they are designed for light traffic areas. I mentioned this because many people mistake and think that they will remain same if used in a high traffic area during warranty period. This is not true. Used in a high traffic area, they will begin to show wear and tear rather quick (usually within 3 to 5 years). Remember that choosing right laminate flooring is not as easy as it seems, but by doing that, you will save money in long run. Just think of things like amount of time you are planning on staying in that house or amount of traffic, because there is no point in buying really expensive laminate flooring with extended warranty if you know that you are moving sometime in near future. Another thing you should know is that people usually replace floor first when moving in a new house, so, with expensive laminate with an extended warranty, you will either pay an amount of money for nothing, or for people who will move in after you.
| | An Italian lifestyle projectWritten by Iris Ceramica
At 44th Salone del Mobile in Milan, most important home and contract furnishings trade fair in world, designers Ludovica+Roberto Palomba created "Earth and Fire" installation for Iris Ceramica.This Italian lifestyle project, underlined by aroma of espresso coffee, is divided into three thematic areas showing different ways of rendering multifaceted personality of today's ceramic tiles, an irreplaceable part of home decor. The setting is decidedly unusual: space, occupied by a mechanical workshop for rest of year, features a barrel-vaulted gallery facing entrance courtyard. Natural light coming through glass roof lights up gallery, enhancing fascination of colours of Pietra Forte from Florence recreated in full-bodied porcelain tile (26"x13" square, from Format collection). The two designers had fun with modular formats of stone: almost as if trying to escape classic right angles of ceramic tile layout patterns, they created a wave that rises up back wall in a gradation of strips. Tall lights of light canvas, simple and comfortable garden furniture and fresh herbal scents complete natural scene.
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