There isn’t anything quite like a fireplace to help warm up your home and add some holiday spirit. Don’t have a built-in feature fireplace in your home? No problem – build one! Something as simple as an old desk hutch or bookshelf can easily be rehabbed into a chic fireplace surround with the help of some paint and a new wood backboard. Such is the case with this thrifted desk hutch turned faux fireplace featuring the stunning chevron Zanzibar.
We’ve rounded up three ways to style a faux fireplace using items you likely already have around your home! But before we get to style inspiration, here’s a look at the “before”!
The Before
It may not look like much, but a little paint goes a long way!
The After
1. “Electric Stove” Space Heater
Perhaps our favorite option for a faux fireplace insert would be a “stove” space heater! Completely electric, this space heater has realistic flames that lend both a warm aesthetic and practical heat on chilly nights!
2. Rustic Tray & Electric Candles
Simple and understated, a rustic tray and battery-operated candles allow you to see more of the gorgeous wood backboard and yet still adds a warm glow!
3. Cozy Blankets & Pillows
A few festive blankets and a fluffy pillow provide a simple, casual aesthetic. Bonus points if your pillow has a snowman or other Christmas character!
When it comes to decorating a faux fireplace, the options are truly endless. From stacks of books to candles and birch logs, there is no wrong way to style it!
One of our favorite things about hardwood floors is that they are incredibly versatile. From ceilings to feature walls, here are a few of our favorite creative projects featuring our floors:
The crazy year that has been 2020 is now coming to a close. We are celebrating the coming of the new year with the launch of four new, stunning wide plank European oak colors in our premium L’artiste collection. Read below and you’ll see exactly why we couldn’t wait until 2021 to share these floors!
ANTIGNA
The depth of color and feeling of Alexandre Antigna’s compassionate works of art is mirrored in the multidimensional color of the European oak Antigna. The smooth texture of natural grain is like brush strokes on each beautiful 8 5/8″ wide plank. Its neutral tone, created using state of-the-art reactive staining techniques, creates color and character from naturally occurring components of the wood and is unmatched by traditionally stained floors. With a durable 6mm wear layer and strong cross-finger core, the Antigna matches its beauty with an enduring construction.
BELLINI
The wide planks of the European oak Bellini are the perfect canvas to showcase its unique, warm, multidimensional color tones created using state-of-the-art reactive staining techniques. Each smooth plank brings a richness and a warmth wherever it is installed. Completed with a hard-wearing UV lacquer finish, the Bellini is an investment in both quality and beauty.
LORRAIN
The paintings of French artist, Claude Lorrain, seem to emanate light from within. For decades, his sweeping landscapes with glowing, multidimensional light have transfixed the masses. This incredible use of contrast and the talented capture of elusive light inspired the European oak Lorrain. A rich, depth of color is displayed on each wide plank. Delicate grain and a smooth texture provide the ideal surface to showcase a stunning reactive stain that creates an aged aesthetic right out of the box. With a cross-finger core and strong wear layer, the Lorrain is an excellent choice for those who are seeking durability as well as finesse.
MATISSE
Henri Matisse had a fondness for bright and expressive color. His works are bursting with a vibrance seldom replicated in other works. This love for rich, bold color is embodied in each plank of the European oak Matisse. This unique floor is neutral and yet exorbitantly rich in color. Beautiful, natural variation is complemented with reactive stain technology, creating a one-of-a-kind floor with unapologetic beauty.
Click here to view the entire L’artiste collection!
With the rise in popularity of bohemian and organic design aesthetics, neutral tones and natural flooring hues are back in the spotlight. The Hickory Tumbleweed’s timeless, soft stain shows of the intrinsic beauty of American hickory. It is the perfect fit for modern trends and, with its subtle character and rustic charm, ensures a lasting aesthetic that will continue to elevate your home no matter where design trends may go in future.
AESTHETIC & STYLE
The Hickory Tumbleweed is constructed using American grown and harvested hickory wood, carefully selected for its rustic character and natural beauty. Each 6”-wide plank offers an organic, inviting ambiance with its creamy color tones and stunning natural variation from plank to plank. With a defined grain that is more visible than maple and more subtle than Oak, the Hickory strikes the perfect balance. The Hickory Tumbleweed has a dimensionally stable engineered core and durable wear layer. Its strong construction makes it the perfect choice for those who love an airy, relaxed aesthetic and need their hardwood floors to stand up to the rigors of day-to-day life!
STRENGTH & DURABILITY
The Hickory Tumbleweed’s durable 6”-wide planks are able to withstand heavy foot traffic. Hickory is the hardest North American flooring option, having an impressive Janka hardness rating of 1820 (see more on the Janka Hardness Test). Since Hickory is so durable by nature, it makes it a fantastic option for households with children and pets. The Hickory Tumbleweed is backed with Urbanfloor’s lifetime structural and 30-year finish warranty (see warranty information here for more details). As a result, you can choose the Tumbleweed with confidence that its elegant style will be around for years to come.
SAFETY STANDARDS
We ensure cleaner air for your family. In accordance with our company’s values, all our engineered wood flooring is proudly FloorScore certified. FloorScore certification is a voluntary, independent certification program. It tests and certifies that hard surface flooring and the materials that they are made with are in compliance with stringent indoor quality emissions.
With proper care, hardwood flooring can stand the test of time and uplift the appearance of homes for generations. One of the most popular trends in recent years is wide plank flooring. Classified as 5” wide and greater, wide plank flooring is gorgeous, timeless, and it is clear that this stunning style is here to stay!
For those who love a rustic or traditional design style, wide plank flooring is a fantastic option. With the wider planks, there is more room to showcase the natural beauty of real wood. These charming and distinctive elements (such as knots, splits, and sapwood) add a sense of heritage, warmth, and unique character.
Chavannes, 8 5/8″ Width
Bach, 11.5″ Width
For those who prefer a more refined aesthetic and a contemporary or more modern design style, Select Grade wide plank floors have very few knots and feature a cleaner grain. Lighter toned wide plank floors are especially popular in these design styles.
Ravenna, 9.5″ Width
In large spaces and smaller spaces alike, wide plank flooring can make the space more airy and feel more open. This is especially true with lighter toned flooring. The wider the plank, the fewer seams between boards. This means few interruptions in the pattern of your flooring and in the natural lines of the room.
Ravenna, 9.5″ Width
Strength & Stability of Wide Plank Flooring
It is important to note that the wider the plank, the more susceptible the plank is to seasonal expanding and shrinking. While this is normal and to be expected of hardwood floors, engineered floors help to minimize these seasonal changes with an extraordinarily stable multi-ply, cross-grain core. With each layer of wood reinforcing the next, the beautiful aesthetic of wide plank flooring can also be dimensionally stable.
Genuine hardwood comes in a wide variety of textures. Something as simple as the texture can completely alter the look and overall feel of hardwood flooring. Let’s take a closer look at each texture we offer, from elevated smooth flooring to wire-brushed rustic planks brimming with character.
Smooth
A smooth texture is sleek and elegant. Many traditional hardwoods feature smooth texture, though this style also pairs well with lustrous modern designs. A smooth hardwood floor captures the beauty of each species’ natural grain without added textures by hand or machine.
European Oak Mauritius
Wirebrushed
A wire-brushed texture is created when actual wires are brushed across the surface of the wood by hand. This careful process removes the softwood from the top layer of the floor and creates a beautiful and hardwearing texture and enhances the natural beauty of the woodgrain.
European Oak Carrara
Hand-scraped & Heavy-scraped
Hand-scraped hardwoods offer a sculpted and time-worn appearance. Utilizing historic methods, each plank’s surface is shaped by hand to create an entirely unique floor that is full of charm and character. Heavy-scraped floors take the hand-scraping process a step further, creating deeper grooves and a more heavily sculpted surface.
European Oak Brindisi
Sawn Marked
Sawn marked floors are created using a distressing technique, mimicking rough sawn wood and favors a rustic aesthetic.
European Oak Rousseau
Distressed
A distressed floor generally combines several textures (i.e. wire-brushing, hand-scraping, saw marks) to create a unique, reclaimed aesthetic and a one-of-a-kind floor.
Maple Legacy
Click here to view all of our products and narrow your search by texture!
We are so excited to share four new beautiful additions to our Villa Caprisi collection! These incredibly beautiful 9.5” wide European oak floors are expertly crafted with a delicate wirebrushed texture and a matte finish.
Each beautiful 9.5″ wide plank of the Modena is delicately wirebrushed to accentuate the natural grain of genuine European oak. With its strong cross-finger core and its durable lacquer finish, this beautiful floor can easily stand up to the rigors of day-to-day life.
The stunning color tones of the Palermo are complemented with a delicate wire brushed texture that brings out its natural grain. Each ultra-wide and extra-long plank boasts a durable lacquer finish and, with the strength of genuine European oak, will endure for years to come.
The perfect light and airy tones are presented in the European oak Ravenna. Each 9 1/2″ wide plank features a beautiful wire-brushed finish that accents the natural grain of genuine European oak. The stunning neutral tones, elegant texture, and scratch-resistant surface come together to create a floor as beautiful as it is durable.
The beautiful light tones of the Carrara are showcased on incredible 9.5″ wide European oak planks. Each board is carefully wirebrushed to accentuate its natural wood grain and provide a strong surface and luxurious texture. Completed with a modern matte finish, this engineered wood floor provides a stunning, storied ambiance wherever it is installed.
Loving what you see? Click here to view the entire collection!
We have something very special to share with you today. We teamed up with design powerhouse, Megan Molten, to bring you one of our favorite installations of the Villa Caprisi Romagna to date! Great things happen when you combine a stunning 9.5″ wide European oak floor with Megan’s fantastic eye for design. Continue reading below to hear Megan’s thoughts on her new floors!
One of my favorite new features of our home renovation is our beautiful hardwood floors by Urbanfloor . They make the biggest statement throughout our home and really captured the modern, fresh look we are going for. We decided to go with Romagna from the Villa Caprisi collection. I love the wider planks and how the European Oak brightens up our home. The floors are engineered hardwoods which we chose for a few reasons starting with the cost. Engineered hardwoods are a much better price point than regular hardwood flooring. I also loved that there is no waiting. We put our furniture in the day our floors were installed! You cannot do this with regular hardwood floors. With regular hardwood floors there is a sealing process and wait time before you can walk on them again. There is a lot of conveniences to not having to worry about that! We were on a tight timeline to get settled in and this was especially important to us.
We carried the hardwood floors through the open kitchen/ dining room, living room, mud room, entryway, hallways and bedrooms. The light floors and white walls give our home an airy feel. We chose to paint our entire home Chantilly Lace by Benjamin Moore from my go to ~ Spectrum Paint . The walls are a flat scrubbable finish while the trim and doors are satin. I love how the Charleston Peninsula Print by 42Pressed pops at the end of our hallway against the white walls and hardwood flooring.
My favorite feature of the hardwood floors is the idiosyncratic knots, mineral streaks and other elegant imperfections. I love seeing the original characteristics of the wood. The floors have a wirebrushed texture with a lacquered finish and are so soft to walk on! I love the matte finish of the floors.
The floors are so durable with a scratch-resistant surface great for high foot traffic areas of the home! We have pets and are always on the go so it was super important to us that the flooring would stay looking beautiful after lots of use. I wanted low maintenance and these floors are super easy to clean and do not show dirt easily! The floors contract and expand with the moisture levels which we needed given we have a crawl space home on the marsh ~ there is A LOT of moisture.
If you are looking to update your flooring I highly recommend Urbanfloor. Their selection of luxury hardwood flooring is unparalleled. Their variety of unique flooring fits any style. You can order free samples of the exact flooring featured in this post by clicking here ! What you see if what you get ~ you receive the sample in the finish of your choosing and that is what gets put down. There is no stains or working to get the perfect color that doesn’t exactly translate once applied. We loved knowing exactly what the finished product would look like once installed!
To purchase from Urbanfloor check out their dealer locator page to find a retailer in your area.
xx
Megan
SHOP THE POST
Thank you for sharing your experience, Megan! If you’d like to see more of what Megan is up to, check out her Instagram or her website!
As the Coronavirus situation evolves, we are committed to safeguarding the health of our employees, customers, and the general public. As a part of this commitment, we are actively following this ever-changing situation and abiding by the guidance of the Center for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) as well as the orders put in place by the local and federal government.
We are partnering with other essential businesses to maintain the critical supply chain and are dedicated to providing the same care and quality materials to our valued customers. Our manufacturing will continue as usual and no supply interruption is foreseen at this time.
As of now, our business hours and services remain unchanged and we are implementing health and safety precautions at our headquarters.
We understand that this situation is fluid and things change quickly. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and adjust our operations accordingly.
The 9” wide Cascade Anguilla is inspired by the pristine sand beaches and rocky cliffs of its namesake. It’s beautiful neutral brown color and modern wide plank design make it the perfect foundation for any design. The Anguilla not only has the appearance of genuine hardwood, it also features an embossed grain design. This detail makes this stunning SPC floor look and feel like genuine hardwood.
With the help of state-of-the-art scanning technology, the Anguilla provides the look of premium reactive stain European oak in the robust structure of SPC. We hand selected planks from our finest reactive stain European oak floors and had them scanned to create the uniquely beautiful Anguilla. The end result is an incredible depth of color and richness of tone previously not available in an SPC floor.
The Cascade Anguilla is luxury SPC vinyl floor. This rigid core floor is as durable as it is beautiful; each plank is 100% waterproof and scratch resistant. The Anguilla can be installed in any room – kitchens, bathrooms, and basements alike. Not only is it versatile, it is also structurally stable; its resilient construction minimizes seasonal expanding or shrinking, and its rigidity helps to cover minor imperfections in subfloor. With an easy click installation system and enduring construction, the Cascade Anguilla is a popular choice for DIY-ers and households with large families or pets.
Safety Standards
In accordance with our company’s values, all of our flooring selections are proudly FloorScore® certified. FloorScore® certification is a voluntary, independent certification program that tests and certifies that hard surface flooring and the materials that they are made with are in compliance with stringent indoor quality emissions.
We are going to tackle an important question today: should you choose luxury SPC vinyl or engineered hardwood for your home? We are proud to offer many selections in both of these categories in a variety of colors. Let’s take a closer look at each of these kinds of floor so you can decide which is the best fit for your family.
First, let’s take an individual look at each type of construction.
Engineered Hardwood Floor
Engineered Hardwood Construction
Engineered hardwood floor is made of 100% natural wood and is constructed in multiple, cross-grain layers. The top layer, or wear layer, comes in a variety of species and colors. Each layer of the core is laid cross-grain, in different directions, and ensures that the structure is highly stable, with less expansion and contraction when it encounters moisture, humidity, and fluctuating temperatures.
Luxury SPC Vinyl
Luxury SPC Vinyl Construction
SPC stands for Stone Polymer Composite. SPC refers to the core of our luxury rigid core floors. This core is affixed to a premium foam underlayment. On top of the SPC core is the image layer (which gives the floor its fabulous wood-like appearance) that is protected with a clear wear layer and a UV scratch-resistant protective coating. This durable floor can be installed in any room – kitchens, bathrooms, and basements alike. Our Cascade SPC is 100% waterproof and designed to absorb impact and resist scratches. SPC is structurally stable, meaning that its resilient construction minimizes seasonal expanding or shrinking, and its rigidity helps to cover minor imperfections in subfloor.
Now that we have defined our terms, let’s see how these amazing different constructions compare.
Luxury SPC Vinyl – Cascade Alamere
1. Installation
Engineered Hardwood
Depending on the type of hardwood floor, and given the correct environmental conditions, engineered hardwood floors can be installed below, on, or above grade using many different installation techniques (including glue, float, nail/staple). It can also be installed over all types of subfloor (including wood and concrete).
Luxury SPC Vinyl
SPC planks may be installed over on grade, above grade or below grade concrete subfloors, wooden subfloors, and even over most existing smooth, single layer, hard surface or un-cushioned resilient flooring. With a glueless, easy click installation system, and an attached UrbanShield Premium Underlayment, SPC flooring can be very simple to install. It is easy to cut and there are no specialized tools required, our SPC planks click together for a fast and trouble-free installation.
Click here for detailed, downloadable installation guides for your specific flooring.
Engineered Hardwood – European Oak Chardonnay
2. Design Options & Aesthetic
Engineered Hardwood
Modern engineered hardwood comes in a variety of species and design styles, from smooth finished maple to ultra-wide, wire-brushed European oak.
Luxury SPC Vinyl
Likewise, SPC flooring comes in a range of design options. Our SPC selections are complete with embossed grain which helps provide the look and feel of genuine hardwood.
Luxury SPC Vinyl – Cascade Yellowstone
3. Cost
Engineered Hardwood
Engineered hardwood comes in a wide range of prices from entry-level to premium. The price per square foot largely depends on the species, wear layer thickness, or width of the plank. Whatever kind of engineered hardwood that is selected, as it is constructed from 100% natural wood, it will add value and style to any home.
Luxury SPC Vinyl
SPC is cost-effective and generally at a lower price-point than most engineered hardwood flooring. It is an attractive option for many homeowners because of its resilience and ease of care.
Click here to find an Urbanfloor retailer near you who can assist you with pricing and purchasing information.
Engineered Hardwood – European Oak Grigio
4. Longevity
Engineered Hardwood
Engineered hardwood, when properly cared for and maintained, can last for years and years to come. While some engineered floors can be completely refinished, it is not a guarantee with this kind of construction. Whether or not sanding and re-refinishing is possible depends on the thickness of the wear layer. Make sure to select a product with a thicker wear layer if you plan on sanding and refinishing in the future.
For those who do not want to go through the extensive sanding and refinishing process, a screen and re-coat is always an option for refreshing your floors. This process is much less intensive and does not require sanding of the wood. Instead, a screen and re-coat involves buffing the original finish and reapplying a new top coat to restore your floors to their original glory. This can be done multiple time throughout the life of the floor.
Luxury SPC Vinyl
SPC flooring is extremely scratch resistant, but not scratch or damage proof. If any large gauges or damage should occur, a plank replacement is a great, low-cost option. SPC floors can last for many years with proper care and attention. The best way to keep SPC floors looking as beautiful as the day they were installed and to get the most out of your investment is proper cleaning and care.
Want to know more about your Urbanfloor warranty? Click here.
Luxury SPC Vinyl – Cascade Niagara
5. Cleaning & Care
Engineered Hardwood
Today’s hardwood floors are quick and easy to maintain, and with a few low-cost cleaning tools and a little preventative maintenance, can look beautiful for years to come. In addition to maintaining a stable environment, engineered hardwood floor should be cleaned regularly. Simply sweep, dust mop or vacuum to remove dirt and grit. When necessary, engineered hardwood can be cleaned with a hardwood floor cleaning product.
Luxury SPC Vinyl
As SPC floors have a completely non-porous surface, they repel water – making clean-ups a breeze! Dust, dirt, and grit can be an SPC floor’s worst enemy and cause them to scratch prematurely. The faster they are removed, the less wear and tear to the floor. Daily sweeping or vacuuming is recommended to help keep them scratch-free. If the vacuum has a beater bar (rotating bristle brush), it should be turned off. Twice weekly washing is recommended to avoid buildup of dirt and debris.
Click here to view our comprehensive cleaning & care guides for both engineered hardwood and SPC products.
Engineered Hardwood – Hickory Cloud 9
6. Summary
Both engineered hardwood and luxury SPC vinyl are fantastic options when it comes to updating the look and feel of a home. While neither is inherently superior to the other, each has different pros and cons that make one or the other a better fit for different families or lifestyles. Some may opt for SPC as it is DIY friendly, waterproof and extremely easy to maintain. Others may select engineered hardwood for the unparalleled warmth, beauty and added value that genuine hardwood brings to a home.
Whatever your preference, we have floor we know you’ll love. Click below to browse our entire catalog of products and order free samples directly from our website!
