Last week I showed you the amazing style of the various players at Cersaie—Italy's enormous tile and ceramics expo. Today, I wanted to introduce you to my favorite vendor, and undoubtedly the star of the expo, Mutina. Known for their fresh approach and focus on innovative design, check out three of their stand out ceramic collaborations. More

Budget is the name of the game, but you'd never know after taking a peek at Andi and Dean's newly renovated bathroom. Following the purchase of their San Francisco Victorian last year, the couple has taken on the remodel room by room. Check out the amazing transformation of their master bath! More

We've seen our fair share of upcycled shipping pallets, but when I came across these floors, my jaw dropped. More

I have seen variations of dark wood floors, but in my opinion these ebonized wood floors are sexy statement looks for any room. Do you like dark dark wood floors? Or are you more attracted to light wood? More

Paint color? Sofa shape? Rug style? Flooring type? So many options!
We’ve all been there – whether you’ve just moved into a new place, are renovating the one you have, or are simply trying to redecorate a bit – there comes a point when you hit the proverbial decision-making wall. Suddenly, the most minute decisions are the most important decisions of your life… More

Eagle-eyed readers may have noticed that I'm obsessed with floors lately. Last week we looked at the difference between chevron and herringbone parquet patterns, but that wasn't enough for me! Feed my obsession with me and check out this gallery of delicious floors. Which pattern do you prefer? More

Wood in the home, on floors, ceilings, walls and furniture, is sometimes relegated to a neutral, background position, trumped by bolder colors and more sumptuous materials. But other times, whether intended or not, wood absolutely commands all the attention, steals the show and proves it's a material worth keeping your eye on. More

Whether it's flooring, cladding or decking, posts, beams or bench tops there is nothing like quality hardwood for finish and longevity. Thankfully there are hardwood suppliers like Salvage Co. who reclaim old timbers and make recycled hardwoods accessible to everyone. More

The Galerie François I at Fontainebleau, c. 1528-39

Last week on Retrospect, we looked at the history of parquet floors, which are hardwood floors arranged in repeating geometrical patterns. This week, let's look at two of the earliest and most enduring parquet patterns: herringbone and chevron. Lately I've been pinning herringbone floors on my Pinterest with abandon, I'm so in love with the look. But it took a second look before I realized there were actually two distinct patterns. Do you know the difference between them? More

Parquet de Versailles is the parquetry pattern that was created for the palace of Versailles in the 1680s, seen here in the apartments of Madame Victoire, Louis XV's daughter
When you think of parquet floors, you think of the cheapo floors in your rental apartment, right? And yet those floors are not true parquet at all — instead they're parquet tile, pre-fab units of faux-wood that bears little relationship to actual parquet floors. Real parquet floors are gorgeous products of careful craftsmanship, a symbol of the luxury and grandeur of Versailles. So what is parquet, and where did it come from? More