Finishing Touches

By Hugh Heron

Remember poor Cinderella, who had to spend so much time on her hands and knees scrubbing her stepmother's floors? Too bad she's not around today to buy a new home. With innovative finishes and treatments, most modern floors offer an ease of care that appeals to busy, active families who would rather be at the kids' soccer game on Saturday than waxing the kitchen linoleum.

It is remarkable how many choices new home purchasers have when selecting their features and finishes, including flooring. Having so many materials, styles, and colours to choose from presents a wonderful way to individualize a home's interior and make it truly your own.

Builders offer something in flooring for every taste, from traditional to modern. Hardwood is as popular as ever, and is available in a huge array of colours. Laminate is a choice that's gaining momentum, as is cork flooring for kitchens and family rooms. Cork is durable, comfortable, and attractive. Hard surfaces such as ceramic, slate, porcelain, and limestone are seeing a trend toward the more rough, rustic look, and different shaped tiles such as rectangular. Of course, some people still love carpeting, and there is an overwhelming selection available in Berber, petit point, and even a new retro shag carpet that looks sharp in great rooms or dens to compliment modern furniture.

As for the bathrooms - well, the choice of fixtures is equally impressive. Faucets are available in striking finishes like oiled bronze and the concept of the sink has risen to an art form. Companies such as Kohler have come out with a product they call a vessel, which is a raised sink that can be installed on just about any surface including granite. These sinks come in all kinds of materials including glass, ceramic, and metal. Recently, I came across a Kohler sink on display that had a green glass raised bowl with a high-rise faucet set into an espresso cabinet. It was beautiful.

In powder rooms, the trend is away from pedestal sinks and more toward consoles that look like a piece of furniture with a wood top and a hole for a vessel sink. In fact, the chest of drawers or bureau look for vanities is popular for all bathrooms. And you can't say if you?ve seen one bathtub, you've seen them all. Acrylic tubs are now available with one or two backrests and other features that offer homeowners a spa-like feel. The frameless glass shower enclosure is very popular.

Kitchen counters have undergone a metamorphosis in design, too, with materials like honed granite on the market. This is not as shiny as regular granite and offers almost a concrete look. And speaking of concrete, it's now a sought-after counter material.We still find that the most common choices for kitchen cabinets are the maples, darker timber, and cider colours.

People are going for different looks for their fireplaces as well. A popular choice is limestone composite for the mantel, which adds a French chateau look. We're also seeing stone or ledge stone mantels. It's a lovely look for a family room or den. Lighting is important, too, and purchasers are asking for pot lights in particular to accent walls with paintings, work spaces, or alcoves, to set the stage for a particular look.

At one time the only customers who enjoyed this level of choice in features and finishes were custom homebuyers. Today every new home purchaser has the fun of personalizing a space. And because of the easy care aspects of modern products, like Cinderella, you have time to go to the ball and, you can stay past midnight.