Aren't these flooring samples beautiful? We've been planning to put in some new flooring for an area to do art in and I had a strong picture in my mind of a lot of white walls and shelves with a jewel-bright floor. I sent off for lots of samples. The big pieces in the picture are linoleum from
Gerflor. The Colorette range looks great but they're not
quite so vibrant in the flesh.
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| Colorette from Gerflor |
The smallest squares in the top picture are vinyl samples from the aptly named
Colour Flooring Company. Their colours are actually brighter in the flesh than on their website:
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| Antelope range from the Colour Flooring Co. |
The middle sized squares in the top picture are from
Harvey Maria, who get extra points for their witty name and also sell lovely Cath Kidston vinyl. Their colours are divine.
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| Harvey Maria Colours collection |
The green is much lime-ier when you see it in the flesh. When I'd got my six samples from Harvey Maria I was completely flummoxed. I loved them all. I spent ages staring at them in isolation from each other, trying to imagine a wide sea of cherry red or deep, mustardy yellow. I imagined myself lying in a patch of sunlight, head on a cushion, reading a book on the soul-nourishing floor colour. But I couldn't commit to just one colour.
In the end I was veering towards Raspberry Pink as the most statement-like colour and push was going to come to shove. Then a discussion with my daughter put paid to the whole (long!) process. She said the pink would give her a migraine every time she went near it and that it would colour the whole room and everything in it pink. Is that really what I wanted for an art room? I had to admit there was something in her argument.
So we've ended up choosing this:
I'm a tiny bit sad but it's probably for the best. By the way, the above is also vinyl but looks so woodlike I think it's better than actual wood. No splinters for a start-off.
As a by-product, the process I went through to arrive at this point fed my colour-chart habit very satisfyingly and has also left me with the lovely little pile of samples that I'm sure I'll be able to do something with one of these days.
I looked at the first picture of the flooring tiles and saw Matisse snail! How cool would it be to have a floor base on one of his cut outs!
ReplyDeleteFantastic colours.
That's a great suggestion of Jo's but I suspect I'd be forever gazing at the floor and work would never get done. Those samples are stunning colours but I see practicality has raised its ugly head. Shame. I think pink would be so energising!
ReplyDeleteI have to admit your final decision seems like a bit of a let-down after the excitement of all those colours! However, I can see it's practical. What about a vivid coloured wall? Cheaper to repaint if you don't like it, than to refloor.
ReplyDeleteThose colours made my heart sing when I saw them, but can see what your daughter meant re the possibility of them "colouring" anything else in the room. Had you considered having a floor of very light tiles with the odd coloured one dropped in here and there?
ReplyDeleteYou could always cut up the samples and make a patchwork floor as a centrepiece!
ReplyDeleteHaha, I had to laugh, it would have made me nuts to choose a colour and I understand that in the end you went with the wooden one. But I have to admit I'm a little sad too, I've hoped you would be brave enough to choose a really radical colour like pink or bright green or so. That would have made such a great impact - o.k. maybe a little too much of it (the migrane version).
ReplyDeleteSo go for a coloured wall... be brave and radical!
Have fun!
Barbara
The wood tone floor is really the best choice. You can change the colors by adding different throw rugs and accents in the room. It also looks great for years to come.
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