Hardwood Flooring

The Continual Flooring Trend: Real Hardwood Flooring

Last updated on November 3, 2016 by Sozo Staff Leave a Comment

rehmeyer walnut flooring hand distressed surface soft edges flush pegs smoke accent tung oil finish — Rehmeyer Walnut flooring with a hand distressed surface, soft edges, flush pegs, smoke accent, and a tung oil finish

Interior design trends come and go, some more quickly than others. From architecture and materials to patterns and colors, many styles come and go more quickly than you can hire a decent contractor. Perhaps you’re not one to place yourself at the mercy of trend-setting sources, but you do like to mix it up a little, and your likes and dislikes tend to flip flop. Or maybe you simply want to keep your options open and don’t want to lose money if you decide to sell your place in the near future. Whatever your reason for wanting flooring that stands the test of time and won’t go out of style as long as it lasts, real hardwood flooring is the perfect starting point for every room of your home, regardless of the design style you (currently) prefer.

Pennsylvania Street of Dreams home dining room with Rehmeyer Flooring

How Wood Flooring Transcends Decorating Style

In case you’re not yet convinced, let your eyes roam down the page of this well-illustrated article that gives an overview of 8 popular interior design styles. You’ll notice a variety of color schemes, materials, and effects, but one thing that the observant scanner will realize is the presence of hardwood flooring as the backdrop to many of the rooms — not in just 2 or 3, but in Every. Single. One. If you’re sure you’ll still be into the Industrial look twenty years from now, you may want to go with a cement floor or brick-look tiles. But just in case the fad fades in the decades to come, it’s best to go with wood — perhaps something reclaimed or from our Authentic Hand-Scraped Collection or an Extreme Custom floor in Reclaimed Heart Pine.

open floor plan rehmeyer flooring

Similarly, tumbled tiles can beautifully frame a Shabby Chic design; however, if your home’s next owner prefers a more masculine or traditional style, your investment in high-end tile flooring may end up meaning that you lose money on the sale. If, however, you choose any of the striking species available in Rehmeyer’s Legacy Collection, you or your home’s next owner will be free to change things up, without having to remove your beautiful new floor.

authentic hand scraped walnut flooring smoke accents soft edges time worn pegs tung oil finish — Authentic Hand-Scraped Walnut Rehmeyer Flooring with smoke accents, soft edges, time worn pegs, and a tung oil finish

How Wood Flooring Can Stand the Test of Time

In 2016, both extremely dark (almost black) and light (or blonde) wood floors are trendy; however, when it comes to any style trends, extremes can easily become passé. To avoid your wood flooring’s ever being seen as “so last year,” you can stick to mid-range colors. Your floor might not quite have the “wow factor” you’d like, but in return, it will still get “oohs” and “ahs” for years to come.

Rehmeyer Hand Scraped Cherry Flooring with antique finish and time worn square pegs

Another way to make sure your hardwood floor doesn’t become a has-been is to resist the urge to shop for bargain-basement pricing. Why? It’s almost always accompanied by, you guessed it, bargain-basement quality. As the old adage goes, you get what you pay for. When you shop for premium, custom-milled, wide-plank wood floors, you won’t find the lowest prices possible. But your investment in both a quality product and professional installation will pay off, in the long run.

Kitchen with custom milled Rehmeyer Hardwood Floor

Rehmeyer Wood Floors

Rehmeyer Wood Floors offers a full range of custom milled and stock wide plank hardwood flooring. Rehmeyer’s flooring is all 3/4″ solid hardwood and sold unfinished, prefinished or completely custom finished to suit your project. Call Rehmeyer Wood Floors today toll free at (888) 474-4047 or visit their website at RehmeyerFloors.com to learn more about their custom flooring services. Rehmeyer Wood Floors ships nationwide.

Make a Dramatic Statement with Light or Dark Wood Floors

Last updated on November 3, 2016 by Sozo Staff Leave a Comment

curved hallway with rehmeyer pioneer hickory flooring — Curved hallway with Rehmeyer Pioneer Hickory Flooring

Color trends are important, when it comes to wood floors. Of course, they’re not nearly as important as color trends with other flooring materials, since wood floors can certainly be refinished and stained a different shade, as those trends change. What’s in vogue right now, when it comes to wood flooring colors? It’s all about extremes: dark and light. Many design forecasters predict this trend will continue for many years, and we certainly love the dramatic effects of colors on both ends of the spectrum. Rehmeyer offers plenty of options for both espresso and blonde tones, in a variety of styles to suit your personal taste.

Blondes Have More Fun: Rehmeyer Light Wood Flooring Options

Blonde-toned flooring is perfect to complement the fresh look of Mid-Century Modern décor, provide the sandy backdrop for Nautical design, or as a backdrop against which the cheer bright accents of Farmhouse styles can truly “pop.” The golden tones of clear-grade Ash offer some of the lightest flooring you can find. As part of our Prestige Collection, this knot-free flooring provides a pristine background that blends especially well with crisp Modern lines.

Rehmeyer Pioneer Hickory hardwood flooring

Another blonde-toned wood, Maple flooring is available in either the Prestige Collection or the Pioneer Collection. The Birdseye Maple we select for our Prestige Collection is a creamy color that rivals Ash for lightness. With limited availability, its unique markings capitalize on the sandy tones that are just right for Nautical décor.

White Oak is more of a golden blonde hue and can be finished in any of the five Rehmeyer Custom Collection styles. Those that use a character-grade version of this domestic favorite find that it offers visual warmth to any room. Farmhouse design blends especially well with any of the three distressed collections.

Contemporary bedroom with Rehmeyer Hardwood Flooring

Go Dark or Go Home: Rehmeyer Dark Wood Flooring Options

Dark tones create a rich, glamorous appearance that many find striking. The favored species for this look is Walnut. Both Industrial design, with its exposed beams and rustic elements, and Bohemian styles, with their rich, warm hues and dramatic statements, blend well with Walnut wood floors. When given a distressed finish, Walnut becomes even more dramatic, hinting at heritage designs. While Rehmeyer offers Walnut wood floors in any of our five Custom Collections, we think it looks best when it’s distressed. Authentic Hand Scraped Collection Walnut with Time-Worn Pegs is definitely a favorite.

For the best of both worlds, you may want to consider one of our Extreme Custom designs, Pin-Striped Walnut with a Hard Maple Feature Strip. Designed for a Nautical themed room, the dramatic statement made by pairing the Walnut with the Maple was truly a work of art. Along with other accessories, feature strips are available in Hickory, Purple Heart, Red Oak, or Walnut, as well.

Rehmeyer Wood Floors

Is an Open Concept Floor Plan Right for You?

Last updated on November 3, 2016 by Sozo Staff Leave a Comment

open floor plan rehmeyer flooring — Home with open floor plan and Rehmeyer Flooring

While compartmentalized floor plans were the norm back in the 1950s and 60s, most of today’s new homes have open concept floor plans. Even older homes are being renovated to match this modern ideal, but it might not be right for everyone. If you’ve lived in an older home, without an open layout, perhaps you yearn for those wide open, airy spaces. But before you take that leap and knock out walls or buy that new home across town, you may want to consider what exactly that shift will mean, and if it’s right for you and your family.

Visual Impressions

Open concept layouts can appear spacious and inviting, evoking a Zen-like aura, especially in the magazines. But in real life, they can also lend toward being cluttered, offering no place for the not-so-fastidious housekeepers among us to hide the piles when unexpected guests appear. That visual disruption of the calm can lead to a stress response that certainly conflicts with the unified, peaceful look and feel you’re after.

Pennsylvania Street of Dreams home with Rehmeyer Flooring

An added down side to an open concept layout is that it leaves less wall space for decorations, including family photographs and other artwork. If surrounding yourself with such items is important to you, less wall space will offer you fewer opportunities to display the things you love.

On the flip side, of course, you’ll get to let in more natural light. And for some people, the idea of having fewer places to hide clutter can provide helpful motivation to keep everything neat and get rid of unneeded things, without the dreaded task of going through the catch-all “bonus room” hanging over their head. The task of decorating several rooms with barren walls can also be intimidating for some, so fewer walls can offer a welcome reprieve from more to-do’s.

Sound Considerations

Just as the visual flow of an open concept can be a positive or a negative, auditory movement can also go both ways. Without walls to interrupt and absorb sound, being on the other side of the house can sound like you’re right next to someone. For some, that means more family connectedness and entertaining interaction. For others, it can mean never having respite from the noise of electronics or other family members, leading to either conflict or retreat to bedrooms or other locales.

You can certainly make up for some of these auditory issues by incorporating textiles into your home’s décor. From blankets and pillows to area rugs, you can provide sound-absorbing accent pieces.

You can also eliminate the extremes of visual clutter and auditory overstimulation by using wood floors throughout, instead of using tile or having different flooring in various areas of your home. Whether you decide on an open concept layout or take a more compartmentalized approach, premium wide plank hardwood floors from Rehmeyer can enhance your home’s appearance, spanning all kinds of stylistic trends.

Rehmeyer Wood Floors

Interior Design Trends: Farmhouse Entryways and Bedroom Accent Walls

Last updated on March 10, 2016 by Sozo Staff Leave a Comment

hallway with rehmeyer wood flooring

Rehmeyer Hand Scraped White Oak Wide Plank Flooring

Living rooms and kitchens aren’t the only places where new trends are forming: from the entryway to the most intimate rooms of your home, a central theme is trending. What is that trend? It’s really not new at all. It’s wood. From cabinetry to walling and flooring, the most sustainable, green building material out there is trending all over the house!

Farmhouse Entryways

What’s being called the farmhouse entryway is focused on function, not frills. We’re not talking about anything fancy here: smart storage and durable materials and finishes are important in this room that takes a beating every day. If you’re in a cold climate, heated floors are growing in popularity, melting snow and drying boots like it’s 2016. Of course, not all flooring types are ideal with such heating, but wide plank wood floors in a variety of species can combine with the right storage and room design to provide the perfect farmhouse entryway that offers the beauty found in practical simplicity.

Rehmeyer Legacy Red Birch Foot Worn Flooring with Pegs

Rustic Bedroom Features

Today’s accent walls aren’t just painted a different color than the other walls of a room — the accent walls of today include real texture by the use of rustic wood.

With its variegated color and the naturally warm ambiance that wood evokes, this kind of wall can provide a unique pairing with an otherwise Modern décor scheme; however, it’s perfect for Eclectic design as well.

You could continue the time-worn look with hand-scraped, character-grade Legacy Collection flooring, or you could offer a contrast with clear-grade Prestige Collection flooring. Another popular option for those with larger remodeling/construction budgets is to go completely nontraditional and create your own Extreme Custom wood floor.

rehmeyer old trail distressed pine flooring — Rehmeyer Old Trail Distressed Pine Flooring

Hardwood Flooring

Among the many flooring options out there, hardwood flooring is one that you can count on to both coordinate with all the 2016 design trends and increase your home’s value and salability. Its appeal is not going to disappear with next year’s trends. Home buyers everywhere request hardwood floors, and if your floors have a different finish than your home’s next owners prefer, they can always have them refinished.

While hardwood floors may be more costly initially than other flooring types, they definitely outlast most other options and earn their keep. If you’re afraid your hardwood floors won’t help you retain the warm, cozy environment you’re after or that they’re becoming too common, Rehmeyer offers specialty options like accent colors that will truly make your floors one-of-a-kind works of art. And since our floors are made individually just for you, you can be sure that you’ll have a unique floor that you helped design! Made in York County, Pennsylvania since 1995, our flooring will stand the test of time – and the trends.

Rehmeyer Wood Floors

Interior Design Trends: Multi-Functional Kitchens

Last updated on March 10, 2016 by Sozo Staff Leave a Comment

pennsylvania street of dreams kitchen with rehmeyer flooring

Like the increasing trend toward fireplaces as living room focal points, many 2016 design trends revolve around a functional home where people do more than just sleep. Perhaps nothing makes this statement as clearly as the carefully designed, multi-functional kitchen, where people spend time preparing everyday meals as well as entertaining guests. We might consider why moderns are making the kitchen so significant.

Relational Connection

In an article entitled “The Psychological Significance of the Kitchen Table,” the significance of the kitchen table is explained: “Far more than a flat surface upon which to dine, the kitchen table can be the heartbeat of a family. It’s a place to gather, to talk and to reconnect. Parents look back on the times spent around the kitchen table when they were growing up and long to recreate those memories with their children.”

Rehmeyer Authentic Hand Scraped Cherry Flooring with Wood Pegs

Instead of losing its place of value in modern life, it’s actually gaining in appreciation. “For many people, the kitchen table is synonymous with family time and real conversations. It’s hard to find time to do things in today’s busy world. But everyone has to eat.”

As important as the kitchen table may be, the kitchen island is gaining in popularity. Instead of being limited to more counter space, many islands also include prep sinks, additional seating, and vast amounts of storage space. They’re also the focal point of many of today’s kitchens.

Physical Health

Our increasingly health-conscious society continues to wage war on obesity and other health problems; for many, that means a whole foods diet. And that requires us to actually cook. In 2016, convenience meals may be no-no’s, but conveniently designed kitchens are definitely yeses!

Rehmeyer Old Trail Red Oak with Wood Pegs & Smoke Accents

To accommodate the preparation of nutritious meals, today’s busy cooks are treating themselves to luxury appliances like steam ovens, warming drawers, and induction cooktops. And all those specialty and family-sized pots and pans need places to live, and it’s so much easier to get them in and out of deep drawers than those bottom cabinets! Even deep corner drawers and drawers under kitchen sinks and range tops are becoming popular.

Entertaining Potential

Many of today’s kitchen trends reach beyond the everyday family life to larger gatherings and the kind of informal entertaining people like to do in their homes. Special features include dining tables on casters, allowing easy re-arranging for larger groups. “Barely there” kitchens flow seamlessly with open-concept designs, eliminating full-size appliances and upper cabinetry and creating a truly multi-functional space.

Rehmeyer Pioneer Ofram Hardwood Flooring

Some homeowners are also re-discovering the benefits of having a formal dining room, allowing an alternative to the kitchen for special celebrations. Other kitchen trends include mixing modern materials (such as butcher block counter tops, soapstone, and marble along the same wall) and installing two-tone kitchen cabinets.

With kitchen design continually in flux, one mainstay you can count on is your hardwood floor. Rehmeyer offers several Collections, ranging from Authentic Hand Scraped Collection flooring to a clear-grade Prestige Collection flooring, with several options in between.