The Test Lab Episode 1: Mixing Floor Materials
Last updated August 21, 2024
Chris and Yvonne Johnson are the owners of Reclaimed Karma, a boutique design and build firm in Atlanta, Georgia.
Their firm specializes in residential and light commercial renovations with their sweet spot being kitchens and baths. The two have found success in business through pride in customer service as well as creating entertaining content focused on the scope of their existing renovation projects.
A Note From The Home Depot
The Test Lab at Home Depot shows you how to create that modern mixed-material floor that you’ve always dreamed of!
Keep reading for more information on how to up your flooring game in your own home.
Table of Contents
In our first episode of The Test Lab (The Test Lab is an episodic web series we partnered with The Home Depot on to help Pros in our industry tackle some of the not-so-common requests they may encounter while on the job) we decided to tackle this new craze Pros are starting to encounter: mixing flooring materials.
With Reclaimed Karma being a busy design and build firm, we often receive a host of interesting special requests from our clients. As of lately, thanks to some of the greatest inspiration platforms out there…you guessed it, Pinterest and Instagram, clients have been asking for that “WOW” factor that they feel comes with mixing different flooring materials in their homes to form a dramatic transition from one room or space to the next.
When it comes to this topic you may have a few questions, and rightfully so. You might be asking yourself, “What’s the big deal anyway?” or, “Why would a client want to go through all of the trouble and spend all of this extra money on a unique flooring transition in their home?” Well, to answer your questions, of course having the look they see and swoon over on social media plays a major role in their decision. Mixing materials in unique transitions really does look super cool! But, besides huge design coolness points, transitioning while mixing different flooring can actually help with functionality as well.
Take moving from a wet space to a dry space like a bathroom to a bedroom or even the entryway from a pool patio into the home. These are great examples of times where the combination of different, interesting flooring materials may be used in transitioning through the client's spaces.
Additionally, it could actually save clients money during a renovation where a wall is being removed from their existing layout. This may prove to be a creative more cost effective way to weave their old flooring into their new without having to replace all of their existing floors.
So with some of the “Whys” out of the way, let’s discuss the “How.” Here is where it can get a little tricky, but no need to sweat, we’re all Pros here right!
First things first, you have to determine the right materials to use to achieve the look without jeopardizing the functionality. In this episode of
The Test Lab, we’ll test out Luxury Vinyl Tile, Luxury Vinyl Planks, Ceramic and Porcelain Tile and Hardwood Flooring.
After landing on which two flooring materials pair best together, the next step is to formulate the pattern and trace that pattern out on your client's floors.
You would then cut out the wood to that desired pattern.
Thus giving your client the WOW that they are looking for!
Make sure to check out The Test Lab video “Mixing Floor Materials” for a deeper dive into this latest trend and find out which scenario we’d recommend. This video not only shares the “How-Tos,” but also some of the best practices as well as pitfalls to watch out for.
Check out all five episodes of The Test Lab on The Home Depot YouTube channel for more important do's and don’ts while on the job!
This post was created in partnership with The Home Depot. The author may have received compensation for this article and associated images or video, potentially in the form of products and/or services. All expressed opinions and experiences are the author’s own words.
