As we head into a third unprecedented year, pandemic-weary homeowners are looking for innovative ways to express their personalities and individual style in living spaces that need to function for work and school, in addition to personal care, relaxation and recreation. Creative solutions that provide physical separation, or the illusion of it, are top-of-mind for many — including families, couples, singles and students.

MyDomaine and SuperModern offer numerous design tips for small homes and open concept layouts, including dividers, paint, furniture placement, area rugs and — our personal favorite — flooring. With a myriad of products on the market, the use of contrasting flooring is an easy way to achieve or enhance visual separation. For example, you can add stone or carpet in a nook adjacent to a hardwood living area, or insert a patterned section in a plain tile floor.

TIP: Accent tiles can also be used on walls or partitions to create definition.

Shaw Floors’ stunning tile and stone collections allow you to unleash your creativity with endless combinations. Designed to mimic natural textures — like quarried slate, travertine and limestone — these looks embody sophistication.

Some of the top flooring trends for 2022 are:

  • Parquet in shades of greige (a combination of beige and grey)
  • Laminate, in diagonals or herringbone
  • Matte or glossy porcelain stoneware
  • Hexagonal mosaic tile
  • Bleached or patterned wood
  • Aged timber and upcycled barn board
  • Concrete
  • Stone, in patterns or slabs
  • Terrazzo
  • Multi-colored and patterned carpet
COLORS OF THE YEAR 2022

Each year, paint companies and color experts choose a hue that best represents current international trends in pop culture, fashion, technology, and design. Most of their choices for 2022 have been announced and they all have a similar uplifting message for a work-at-home world: Bring Nature Inside! Additional buzzwords to describe them include rejuvenation, organic, comfort, relaxing, peaceful, earthy, cozy, botanical, restorative and soothing. But enough with the words — here are the colors!

BEHR’S Breezeway MQ3-21: A relaxed and uplifting sea glass green expressing peace and tranquility for forward movement.
(Photo credit: Behr)

BENJAMIN MOORE’S October Mist 1495: Evocative of the stem of a flower, this gently shaded sage anchors and uplifts.
(Photo credit: Benjamin Moore)

BETTER HOMES & GARDENS’ Laurel Leaf: The first-ever paint color of the year from the BH&G collection, this rejuvenating shade mimics the soothing, dusty green hues found in nature, such as eucalyptus.
(Photo credit: Better Homes & Gardens)

DUNN-EDWARDS’ Art and Craft DET682 evokes an earthy, sophisticated quality—the perfect backdrop for showcasing handmade objects and works of art.
(Photo credit: Dunn-Edwards)

GLIDDEN’S Guacamole PPG1121-5 spirited yet soothing green “brings an organic energy to any space — which is needed because we all know you’ve probably killed at least three plants this year.”
(Photo credit: Glidden)

SHERWIN-WILLIAMS’ Evergreen Fog SW 9130 is a versatile and calming hue, a chameleon color of gorgeous green-meets-gray, with just a bit of blue.
(Photo credit: Sherwin-Williams)

For more Colors of the Year, view the article at Better Homes & Gardens.

TIP: Pastel bedroom colors and natural light help your brain shift from work to relaxation.

Are you looking to highlight your personal style with updated flooring, and transform your space into the perfect getaway? To stimulate your creative juices, be sure to download Shaw Floors latest Lookbook— featuring six design trends that will inspire you with new colors and textures. Best wishes for health and happiness in 2022!