{ Floor Coatings } Durable & Beautiful

While planning for a local commercial renovation, we’ve been exploring some alternatives for flooring. For the type of application we’re using it for, it needs to be extremely durable but also professional looking. Marmoleum, as efficient as it is for commercial use, isn’t exactly the most beautiful product available. Tile looks great, but it’s very hard on joints when working on it all day.

Here are two alternative products we’ve considered during the design process. I can imagine these products in a commercial setting, but also in a sleek residential one.

#1. Premier Garage – Floor Coatings

These floors are made from a hybrid polymer. The product has been specially designed to withstand typical wear and tear in a garage. This product has a 10-year warranty against peeling, and a 10-year warranty against staining*. One of the best parts in my opinion, is the fast turn-around in installment – typically it takes only 48 hours finish. It is available in a high-gloss finish or a speckled “granite” look. I’m imagining the high-gloss flooring in a modern setting… stunning!

 #2 StoneCraft

StoneCraft offers another great solution for floor coatings. This product is a cement and plastic combination that can be applied in a variety of ways. It can be applied as a smooth surface, or can be created to have the look and texture of tile. This product is pretty dynamic, and can be applied vertically up a wall  – in fact, StoneCraft has been used on climbing gyms. This product also installs in approximately 48 hours.

As with any new product on the market, make sure to do thorough research before buying. If you are considering purchasing a product like this, perhaps ask the business for a few references from satisfied customers. If using it for commercial applications, it’s a good idea to compare the product’s durability with any heavy-duty cleaners that are used in the building.

Photos:
Top – Premier Garage
Bottom – StoneCraft

Local Contacts:

Cory at Premier Garage (Parksville) : 250-228-7768
Melanie at StoneCraft (Nanaimo) : 250-716-9294

Please note: this is not an advertisment. I just think this stuff is great!

*always confirm full details of warranties with the company.

{ High Tides + High Winds } Flooded Oceanfront Homes in Campbell River this Morning…

The beach is on the road on the Old Island Highway in parts of Campbell River today.

The storm last night and this morning has thrown all sorts of beach debris on the Old Island Highway. Some poor soul, who parked his car on the side of the road with a “For Sale” sign on it, will find his car this morning completely blocked by logs swept in by the ocean. I’m guessing there will be some damage on the car from all the logs and rocks…

I stopped by two homes where the residents were standing outside discussing the mess they find themselves in this morning.

They said they suspected something like this would happen. High tides and high winds are the perfect recipe for storm like this.

“The dog was startled last night by a wave hitting the second story bedroom window”, home owner Kath Brown told me.

Kath, who lives in an oceanfront home on the Old Island Highway, says the last time her home flooded like this was 7 years ago. At that time the flood was a result of poorly serviced culverts which overflowed and caused water to flood down over the highway from the rivers and streams into her home. This time, the water is coming from the other direction.

When I asked her how long it took for her insurance company to help her out with the repair last time, she said that she didn’t think her insurance would cover this kind of thing.

As Kath headed into her home wearing pj’s and her rubber boots, she remarked with half a grin, “I had plans to be in the garden tending to the snowdrops that are popping up, guess I won’t be doing that today!”

{Local News} Small Comox Valley gets featured on leading Design Blog!

The Comox Valley is featured on Design*Sponge today!

I’m over the moon this morning. It’s so fantastic to see our little community get some international love on a website dedicated to all things design.

Check it out!

We do, indeed, live in a very special place!

Thanks to Simone for sending this in to Design*Sponge :)

{ Interior Inspiration } Ski Chalet Inspired – School Project

I NEED visuals when I’m brainstorming. For example, I like to write things down on paper. When I’m experimenting with colours, patterns and textures, I like to do a computer mock-up or lay photos out together to see how the elements play off each other.

When it comes to visualizing ideas for our current renovation, I’m over the moon when I find a photo that represents what I’m considering. YAY for this book!

For my school project (see post below), I’m finding that I need visual inspiration for the interior floor plan. I have ideas of what I’d like, but most of the time photos help me to expand on my own ideas and brings up a creative flow that wasn’t there before.

Here are some of the interiors that are catching my eye today:

Via: www.decoratingguru.com
Photo: Ngoc Minh Ngo/House Beautiful

Timber-frame is something Joe and I are really into – but for this project I’m going to leave it aside so that I can concentrate on learning how to use AutoCad for traditional framing. However, I’m going to incorporate some timber-frame elements into the design. For example, this banister could become a timber-frame inspired jointed piece.

Via: www.willowdecor.blogspot.com
Photo: Southern Accents

Ski chalets often have beds for as many powder lovers as possible. Perhaps doing the two “kids” bedrooms with built-in beds would help to carry that idea into a modern year-round home? Two beds in each room might seem a little extravegant, but the second bed would be wonderful for sleep-overs or reading stuggles.

Via: www.stovesonline.co.uk

Oh woodstoves, how I love thee! A REAL woodstove is a must. Fireplaces are lovely too, but there is nothing like the cozy heat of a woodstove. Although this blue is a too overwelming for my taste, I like the combination of the blue and red. Perhaps if the walls were more of a dusty blue/green…

Also, totally in love with the black/glass combo beyond…