Look up, look down

   Spring is quickly approaching us, and peoples' mindset is spring-cleaning and refreshing their homes.  And, as I'm sitting here trying to figure out about what to blog, I remembered an issue of ajchomefinder from February 19, 2012.  Even though the story is a year old, the information is still current.  The cover story, "From bottom to top," talks about ways to re-vamp your home by zeroing in on the ceiling and the floor.  Often, these two are the most overlooked aspects of a room or house. 
   New flooring can re-energize a space and add re-sale value.  Laminate floor is OUT!  What's in?  Dark!  Darker stained hand-scraped wide-plank (think 5") hardwoods (solid & engineered), LVT, tile, patterned carpet, and plush (texture/cut) carpet.  When it comes to tile, bigger is better.  18x18, 12x24, & 24x24 offer a more updated and modern look.  And guess what??  Bigger tiles can make a room look bigger!  Shocking, right??  The longer lines push your eyes out.  It is a HUGE misconception that you can only have big tiles in a big room and small tiles in a small room.  Now, you do have to pay attention to scale and proportion.  For floor color, the trend is darker, for all materials.  (I love darker woods with white trim work)  Look for darker tiles, luxury vinyl tiles, and wood-look luxury vinyl planks.  For carpet, we're seeing more patterns and solid color textures.
    Think of the ceiling as a 5th wall.  Don't be afraid to paint it.  Go dark to add a cozy feeling, or go light to brighten it up.  Use the wall color on the ceiling so your eyes travel upwards & extend the space.  Try adding some shine with a lacquer or glossy paint.  Maybe that sleek shine isn't your style.  Maybe you don't want a white ceiling, but you want a little something up there with color.  Take your wall color & add a little bit at a time to white paint until you achieve the color you're after.  Maybe you want a little action going on up there.  Try wallpaper.  Whether it's dramatic, subtle, or textured, it's sure to zap some life into your space!  Add some great texture with a paneled ceiling, either painted, stained, or left it's natural color and sealed.  The above picture is from Two Story Cottage, and I found it through Pinterest.  The picture below is from Armstrong.