Dabbieri Blog

Creating a Serene Home Environment

You know that feeling you get when you’re in the clawfoot tub with a cup of warm ginger tea and a lit lavender candle? What if stepping into your home could always feel that peaceful? Well perhaps it can with just a few simple design tricks and a bit of re-organization. In today’s crazy world, your home should be your sanctuary —a relaxing safe haven absent of unnecessary clutter. There are a few easy ways to attain a serene home environment from maximizing natural light to incorporating sustainable materials into your home decor. 

Choose a Calming Color Palette

Alluro Silver Castle Polished Mosaic by Emser Tile

First, when designing a tranquil space, you’ll want to choose a calming color palette as the base. The colors on display in your home can have a huge impact on your overall mood as well as the aesthetic of your place. In choosing soothing paint colors such as lighter shades of blue and purple with lilac undertones, you are making a conscious choice to let in more light which can enhance your mood. Create a pleasant atmosphere with natural earth tones such as grays, browns and beiges and bring in spots of color through soft pastels.

Let in Natural Light

Dabbieri x Emily Morrow Hardwood Collection in Destination

Natural light plays a major role in bringing about a peaceful air to an environment. Infuse your home with lots of natural light by having large windows installed throughout your living space and incorporating an open concept style. Hanging mirrors that reflect light can give the room a warmer and brighter feel as well as add the illusion of space. Be sure to install LED lighting, preferably with dimmable switches, as they emit a better quality light and can be adjusted to balance out the room’s natural lighting without overpowering the space with bright bulbs.

Use Sustainable, Organic Materials

Cabin Yosemite Matte/Satin by Emser Tile

When you use sustainable and organic materials throughout your home design, you genuinely feel good about your space. Opt to install a green-certified hardwood floor or a natural fiber rug. When shopping for furniture, instead of shopping at a big box chain, source your items locally and learn how they were made. Not only is this better for the planet, but you’ll also find pieces that are one-of-a-kind and personalized to your taste. Incorporate textures like raw silk, rattan chairs and undyed wool to give your space depth. Find natural statement pieces to complement your existing design like a large piece driftwood you gathered from the beach or a beautiful stone mosaic from your favorite artist. Of course, you can also breathe life into your home by blending in plants and flowers —be it a fresh vase from the farmers market or a sprig of dried echinops globe thistles. 

Showcase Personality

Memoir Petal Black Tile by Daltile

Last but not least, don’t forget to show off a bit of your personality! Choosing to be intentional with your space is key to creating a serene home environment. Declutter your rooms of unnecessary items but keep the small things that make you happy on display. Whether this is a photograph of your favorite family vacation, a fun patterned tile in the kitchen or a piece of artwork that’s been handed down from generations, establishing a space that is uniquely yours is important to create a familiar quality and promote serenity.

Tile Trends to Keep Your Eye On

Tis the season of tile! As the weather warms up and we begin to venture outdoors again, tile floors are key to creating a practical and polished surface free of muddy footprints with their easy-to-clean nature. Now is an excellent time to spruce up your home design with the latest tile trends, as tile is making a big comeback this year. Tile is a great way to give textural structure to a space. Whether you’re looking to update the mudroom with a unique inlaid pattern or installing a colorful tile backsplash over the bathroom sink, we are here to guide you through this season’s hottest tile styles. 

Vintage Black and White

Stone à La Mod Uptown Blend by Daltile 

Take a classic approach with some black and white tiles patterns. Decorative details and timeless colorways are a surefire way to create a look that will withstand the test of time. Black and white tiles don’t have to be the drab checkerboard kitchen-look that you’ve grown used too —now these colors can be inlaid in an array of unconventional patterns and designs. For instance, this bathroom wall divider has been created out of a mosaic of black and white tiles by Daltile, so while the overall color scheme remains conformative, the chaos of mosaic tile adds interesting depth and unique charm.

Terra-Cotta Tiles

Metro Impressions Downtown Grey by Daltile

From their baked clay tones and earthy textures to their practical shapes, terracotta tiles have been making a return to the home design market. This traditional tile style is made from clay that is particularly porous and high in iron, making it a natural red, brown color. Terracotta tiles can be glazed or unglazed, depending on the designer’s preference, however matte styles are currently more popular due to their natural finish. The beautiful thing about terracotta tiles is that their patina only increases over time, lending the space with immortal charm and character.

Affordable Laid Patterns

Confectionary Wintergreen in Gum Drop by Daltile

Sometimes the best laid tiles arise out of your own creativity. Using cheap solid color subway tiles or penny tiles to design your own one-of-a-kind floor or backsplash has been a major hit this season. Take, for instance, this mint green mixed with teal blue striped pattern backsplash by Daltile. Not only is this colorway trending with its pastel candy-colored hues, but it features a traditional square subway tile that’s both affordable and dateless. Mid-century modern and retro tile designs are having a revival specifically those that have blocked colors and take on an art-deco-inspired tone.

Oversized Geometric Shapes

Beehive in Ivory by Daltile

Explore large-format stone tiles in fun shapes and natural colors this season. Whether you’re looking to create a tranquil spa space in the master suite bathroom or an industrial-chic vibe in your loft, oversized tiles in geometric shapes and natural stone materials are the perfect blend of hand-crafted artistry and refinement. This unpolished hexagonal porcelain tile by Daltile, for example, balances the beauty of old-world style with contemporary neutral tones. 

 

Not Too Dark, Not Too Light, Just Right Medium-Toned Hardwood Looks

The past few years have seen flooring trends tip to either dark or light hardwood floors with a large emphasis on contemporary white oak hues. This season, though, we will see a return to medium-toned hardwood looks. While monotone gray planks, dark mahogany and light hardwood definitely make a statement with their pronounced color schemes, a return to medium-toned floors is the perfect reset for spring. These caramel and honey shades add warmth and comfort to your home and just look genuinely great with any architectural design.

Medium Gold-Tone Blonde Finish

Louis A. Dabbieri Hardwood x Emily Morrow Collection in Atlas Herringbone

To kick off our medium-toned hardwood line-up, we have a gold-tone blonde finish from our exclusive line of Louis A Dabbieri x Emily Morrow Home hardwood. This collection is made from rift and quarter sawn hardwood. The Atlas Herringbone style makes a beautifully charming statement in kitchens, bedrooms and living rooms alike.  Carrying a darker honey finish into this herringbone style is right on trend as hardwood inlaid patterns are on the rise, giving each space a unique touch of personality. Designed with a North American White Oak and this hardwood features more pronounced medullary rays that appear lighter among the vertical growth rings. Not to mention, the collection is made water-resistant with a specialized coating, so you can enjoy peace of mind from the occasional spills that happen with pets and kids underfoot.

Wide-Plank Coastal Vibe

Dabbieri H20 luxury vinyl in Ardeth Mink 

Not quite ready to commit to a rich-toned hardwood floor? For those still looking to maintain a lighter hue in their wood-look floors, opt for wood species such as white oak, European oak and light hickory. Take, for instance, this luxury vinyl floor from our Dabbieri H2O collection in Ardeth Mink. With a moderate variation and prominent grain, this medium-toned luxury vinyl features a bit of blonde throughout to give off a more contemporary coastal vibe. Perfect for bathrooms or small spaces where you want natural light to be reflected in your floors, this light honeyed hue can add simple beauty to your home design.

Antique Farmhouse Look

Louis A. Dabbieri Collection Marchiare in Prairie

Perhaps you want to take a more rustic approach with your hardwood floors. In that case, our Marchiare style in Prairie from the Louis A. Dabbeiri collection is the perfect choice for you. This mixed-medium hardwood lends the best of both worlds with its alternating light and dark stained planks. You can easily add character and depth to the room with a beveled-edged hardwood or a more prominent grain. These fresh antique farmhouse planks show off a wide range of color schemes and pull the room together with rich graham cracker shades and lighter champagne hues. 

Warm Honey Planks

Dabbieri Hardwood Collection Dolcezza in Prairie Dust

Sometimes the best hardwood floors are the ones that carry the most warmth. Opt for a warmer tone with these Dolcezza planks in Prairie Dust. Made from hickory, this hand-scraped hardwood from our Dabbieri Hardwood collection features a moderate grain with moderate variation. With its wider planking options, this wood floor gives off the air of natural authenticity.

How have you incorporated this season’s trending medium-toned hardwood look into your home design?

What is Waterproof Hardwood?

These days, the hardwood look is in but for many achieving a beautiful wood floor throughout your household may not be an option due to either warm climates and humidity changes or fear of water damage. You need something that’s both durable and wear resistant —a floor that can withstand the everyday needs of your busy household. If this sounds like something you’re concerned about, then our Dabbieri H2O line of waterproof hardwood floors is just the right floor for you.

Authentic, Real Hardwood

Dabbieri Hardwood, Le Havre Collection in hickory butter

Made from authentic, real hardwood the Dabbieri H2O collection features a line of waterproof options that will elevate your home design. Our waterproof hardwood floors look exactly like traditional wood flooring, but they’re designed with multiple layers of real wood on top of composite material such as stone and polymer. This strong base prevents the planks from expanding and contracting with changes in temperature or humidity. While long-term exposure to moisture of traditional solid hardwood can cause warping, bloating and cracks in the floorboards, waterproof hardwood seals out moisture and prevents it from ever reaching the subfloors. This offers the flexibility of installing hardwood in high-traffic, potentially wet areas like your entryway or your kitchen. Designed to repel water indefinitely, waterproof hardwood has an impenetrable layer made to keep water out.

Kid and Pet-Friendly Floor

Dabbieri Hardwood, Le Havre Collection in hickory oak maple ganache

Water-resistant floors are a must for homeowners with kids and pet’s running underfoot, but even better, are waterproof floors. While the two terms might sound much the same, there is a big difference between water-resistant and waterproof hardwood. Water-resistant floors can only handle small spills that are dealt with quickly, but waterproof flooring can withstand larger accidents like floods. With springtime just around the corner, this is an essential asset for your home solutions as the kid’s track in mud and rainy days lead to wetter climates. With Dabbieri H2O, you can rest assured that your hardwood will stay in tip-top shape. The best part about these waterproof hardwood floors is that you can really live on them —kid’s and pet’s alike!

A Cost-Effective Investment

Dabbieri H2O Collection in Odienne white oak

Making the switch to waterproof hardwood is also a sustainable, practical investment. This cost-effective flooring solution will pay off quickly since you won’t have to worry about replacing your floors due to burst water pipes or flooding. Waterproof hardwood can outlast the 20-year lifetime of a properly maintained solid hardwood floor. Brand new waterproof hardwood floors can last a lifetime and are available in an array of finishes and hues. There’s a waterproof hardwood style out there for any home design whether contemporary or traditional.

Check out our beautiful collection of Dabbieri H2O waterproof hardwood for your next home remodel.

Complementary Neutral Tones

When you think neutrals, typically muted earthy tones like white, black, brown, cream, and gray come to mind. This is because neutrals are hues that appear to be without color —they don't compete with primary colors and instead complement them. Well, we have good news for you: neutrals are making a big comeback this season as people search for calmness and tranquility in their at-home lives. Neutrals go with any color scheme, making them a perfect choice for the more permanent areas in your home, like floors and walls. Laying a neutral foundation is key as trends change and colors of the year fly by because these neutrals remain a present fixture that can withstand the test of time and provide a beautiful canvas for other colors to pop on. But how do you choose which neutrals complement other neutrals? Let us guide you through some graceful and straightforward ways to incorporate neutral tones throughout your home.

Cool-Toned Rugs on Dark Woods

Everyone loves a dark wood floor like mahogany or walnut as it can elevate a space and give an air of formality; cool-toned rugs with bits of gray, blue-gray, or greige work well with darker woods and give your room a bit of dimension and a break from all that darkness. This gray-flecked neutral rug works to add more texture to the room through its composition, and when placed over dark, fine-grained wood, it heightens the space, giving the room a layered, cozy look despite its cooler tones. For those worried about neutrals feeling drab or one-dimensional, don't fret, as you can also add dimension through lines, curves, and unique shapes in your furniture while still sticking to a neutral color palette.

Pulling Colors from Neutrals

Pulling a color tone from your neutral carpets can distinguish the decor from the flooring while also remaining cohesive in the design theme. The easiest way to find a color in your neutral carpet is to search for its undertone. Is it a cooler gray carpet? Then maybe opt for sage greens or light blues. Is it beige? Try sandy browns and burnt oranges. For instance, this speckled marble carpet from International Design Guild's Dabbieri line holds gray, beige, and green tones. This is played with throughout the room with a gray armchair, suede beige couch, and green accents of plants and wallpaper.

Slight Variation of Neutrals

The best part about a neutral color scheme is that they all work well together. Use this knowledge to your advantage by designing your space with slight variations of the neutral color throughout. Using this logic, you can stay true to the room's cohesive aesthetic while also maybe warming up the room a bit. Installing a light-aged wood allows you to marry colors like a tanner beige and blush pink infusing warmth throughout the space. You can also play with contrast by adding dramatic lighting or installing a light luxury vinyl floor but layering in darker wood cabinets. 

Stick To Black and White

When all else fails, stick to the traditional black and white. This trend has been around for a long time, and for a good reason: it works. Monochrome color schemes are a popular design trend, as they lend a fresh, clean look to any space. Don't fret about your room looking too cold or formal, though, because you can always let other neutrals come to play via artwork, curtains, lamps, furniture, and other decor in the space. Not to mention, black and white make a strong solid background for other colors to take center stage in your design vision.

Show us how you've introduced inspiring neutrals into your space!