A blank slate on which to set the interior’s whole tone, your floor is rarely the easiest, fastest, or most economical statement to make. But changing it will increase your home’s value, improve your feelings about a room, and possibly cause less strain on your whole body as you move across it. From warm woods and cool porcelain tile to deep shag and smooth travertine, choose from an endless square footage of options that will have you worshiping the ground you walk on.
Field of Green Saturated green hues carve thick stripes and slices in the Lines rug by Gandia Blasco. Plush and confident, this hand-tufted wool rug is also available in red, orange, and gray; call for prices. Interior Illusions, 830 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, 325-0300.
Not So Basic Black - A modern take on a classic 1940s style offers subtle glamour in this bathroom by Mission Tile West. A border of liner tiles around the tub complements the hand-painted Malibu tile in the room’s center, while solid black tiles around the arched entries to the shower and tub offer just enough contrast to the clean white walls; call for pricing. Mission Tile West, 75100 Merle Drive, Suite 3, Palm Desert, 346-2602.
Cut a Rug - Sun-drenched, kid-friendly colors fill out the Psciodelia rug in a kaleidoscopic pattern that’s intriguing enough to captivate artful adults. From Gandia Blasco in 100 percent hand-tufted wool, it’s available in two room-transforming sizes; call for prices. Interior Illusions, 830 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, 325-0300.
A Notch Above - The decision to install wood flooring has as much to do with which wood you select as how you decide to lay it down. Length and thickness of plank, direction, and pattern can alter the look significantly. The living room below is a cozy showcase for antique French oak flooring in the Parquet Versailles pattern, lightly hand-scraped and paste-waxed. Enchanted Woods, 150-D West Cypress Ave., Burbank, (800) 273-4730.
Ebony and Ivory - “Wood floors are the most universally desirable flooring product, although rather than warm brown and red tones, we are seeing variations of white, gray and ebony,” says Beth Ann Shepard, president of home staging company Dressed to Close. Here, an ebony wood floor is a study in contrasts paired with a white armchair and stool side table — a look that can work across many interior styles. (310) 556-0418,
Give it a Swirl - As fluid, organic, and tempting as a dish of olive oil and balsamic vinegar is The Liquid Rug by Delinear. Choose your custom mix of colors from a large selection and order it in any dimension. Made of 100 percent Himalayan wool, the rug is hand-knotted in Nepal. Over wool? The collection is also available in other fibers, such as hemp, banana, jute, and cactus. The company will feature its “green” collection in Ford Motors’ next hybrid models; $6,400 for the 8-by-10-foot rug in 100 knots per square inch. Passages, 69930 Hwy. 111, Rancho Mirage, 328-4550.
Walking the Plank - Watch your guests do a double take, then bend down to give it the touch test: Timberland glazed-porcelain tile in Bark emulates the color and shape of traditional wood flooring in a cooler, low-maintenance surface. It can be installed in multiple patterns and is also available in Wheat; call for pricing. Arizona Tile, 72700 Dinah Shore Drive, Palm Desert, 321-2005, www.arizonatile.com.
Kind of Blue - These robin’s-egg blue tiles are just a sampling from the ’60s-groove Retro collection at Mission Tile West. Their soothing colors and organic shapes would shine in a mid-century bathroom and can be custom colored. 75100 Merle Drive, Suite 3, Palm Desert, 346-2602.
One Singular Sensation - A single-color palette starts with the porcelain tile of interior designer Patrick Day’s living room. He extended the shade to the walls and furniture, letting just a few select accessories and pieces of art provide a pop of color against this neutral room. Patrick Day Design Co., Rancho Mirage, 310.272.6941
