Tips for Choosing Home Flooring in Wellington

The floor is one of the most important parts of interior design and choosing new flooring for your Wellington home is an important decision. Most flooring can last for decades, and there are multiple elements to consider when choosing a flooring solution for the home. Below are several factors to consider when choosing home flooring materials.

Choose a Versatile Floor Covering

As mentioned previously, a householder will have to live with their flooring choices for years. Therefore, it is important to select materials, styles, and colours that will work for the family’s lifestyle, both now and in the future. With recycled timber flooring Wellington, the buyer will get a wide spectrum of tonal depths and colours, which makes it easier to adapt to changing interior colour schemes and new accessories throughout the floor’s life cycle.

Go For Strength and Durability

Durability and longevity are crucial attributes in home flooring. Hardwood flooring is designed to last and, if properly cared for, it can last as long as the home stands. When choosing wood flooring, householders should consult an expert who can recommend materials that will stand up to years of heavy use.

Choose a Sustainable Flooring Option

Recycled timber flooring receives a high sustainability score from Green Star and the New Zealand Green Building Council. With accredited manufacturing processes, a very high content of recycled materials, and industry best practices, recycled timber flooring contributes to green, sustainable building.

Choose Flooring That’s Easy to Maintain

Most families have busy lifestyles, making it important to choose hard flooring that’s simple and inexpensive to maintain. The physical, mechanical and aesthetic properties of timber flooring can be kept for years with simple cleaning steps. Regular sweeping can prevent gritty particles from scratching floor surfaces, while gentle cleansing can help it keep its lustre for years to come.

Whether a householder is building from scratch or upgrading a home’s existing flooring, choosing the right flooring materials can be difficult. For help choosing the right home flooring, you can visit us at Four Star Flooring or see us online at www.4starflooring.co.nz. We offer recycled flooring in Lower Hutt which provides an eco-friendly, sustainable, and affordable option for New Zealand householders.

Areas of Your Home That are Affordable to Modernise

There is an assumption among many homeowners that getting your home to look magazine cover-worthy is super expensive. But it does not have to be so. There are simple affordable ways you can modernise your home and make it look much better. If your house feels dull and aged, here are five simple ways to make it chic without going broke.

1. Bring in more light

The effect of natural light is often underestimated. Without making any other change, more light coming in can transform a dull stuffy room into a bright airy space. Not only does it make the house look better, it also makes it more comfortable to live in.

Go around the house with a contractor and find ways you can bring in more natural light. Some good ideas include installing more and bigger windows, using screen doors, installing a skylight or replacing an entire wall with glass.

For small rooms, natural light instantly creates the effect of space. Once you combine the added lighting with a few other decor changes, the impact is dramatic.

2. Install hardwood flooring

If you are using carpet or some other cheap flooring such as PVC tiles, maybe it is time for an upgrade. While high-end flooring like marble and slate can be quite expensive, hardwood is much more affordable. Hardwood flooring creates warmth and style within a space. It makes a place feel more modern and welcoming.

These days, with so much variety to choose from, you will easily find the perfect flooring for your home. If you want a unique look, go for options like distressed wood, dark hardwood flooring or wide plank flooring.

Just make sure you have the best solid timber floors Wellington experts to do the installation for you. If you already have hardwood flooring, consider hiring floor sanders in Wellington to give it a shine.

3. Reupholster your furniture

Stained, torn and dented sofas can make your living room look really old and ugly. An affordable reupholstering project can make your old-looking furniture new again. The seats will also be more comfortable.

If the furniture is really old, consider buying new pieces though this can be a bit expensive.

4. Go open

If you look at modern decors in magazines and home design websites, you will notice that open plan designs are all the rage. They make the house look chic and luxurious. So why don’t you try it for your own home?

Knock down the walls between the kitchen, living room and dining room. The added flow of space creates a feeling of luxury. It also results in a better flow of light around the living area.

5. Adorn with art

Find unique art pieces and use them to adorn your walls. Find a unique mix of pieces to create an even more eye-catching look for your living areas.

Timber floor experts in Wellington

Whether you are looking for recycled timber in Wellington, expert floor sanders or experienced contractors in laying timber floors, we are here to help. Four Star Flooring specialises in timber flooring installation, repair and maintenance.
Visit our website at www.4starflooring.co.nz to get a free quote.

The Flooring Space Illusion

Creating space in the interior of an already tight living area can be as easy as is challenging. Regardless of the endless thoughtful and innovative design ideas that you may have applied, the flooring of any space is a high determining factor to the eventual results that many tend to overlook.

Installing the right flooring not only creates the illusion of a larger space, but also transforms the room into a whole new look; you would not believe it is the same place. So, if you still feel like your walls are closing in on you, here are five flooring tricks that will blow your mind.

1. Size

Stick to wide plank hardwood flooring

To dramatically increase the visual expanse of your room, wide planks, usually greater than 8 cms, are highly recommended. They tend to create fewer seams that are less confining. Consider this when looking for solid timber floors in Wellington.

Go for larger tiles

Larger tiles, greater than the typical 30 cm tiles, are a great way to increase the illusion of more space of your living area.

2. Colour

Dark will never disappoint if correctly paired with the correct wall, trim and moulding colour. Intrusive colours for the walls will often optically narrow the room but  unobtrusive colours like white will give a sense of spaciousness.

Many will advise against darker floors but they are surprisingly efficient in creating an expansive feel plus they give character to the space.

3. Pattern and orientation

Regardless of the material you decide to pick for your flooring, be it exotic hardwood or stone luxury tiles, placing the material diagonally enhances visual space. The technique creates a pleasing perspective.

With wide plank hardwood flooring, laying the planks along a longer wall also helps elongate the room.

4. Consistency

Visual balance is an element that you don’t want to overlook. Avoid changing the floor colour and if you need to change the type of flooring material, stick to the same colour family throughout your home for continuity. Consistency also prevents the feeling of cramped spaces and connects one room to another.

5. Shapes

Varying between square and rectangular tiles of the same colour and texture gives the room a dynamic mix that enhances visual variety. Choosing the correct sizes and shapes is a tricky endeavour that requires professional assistance.

Bottom line

In addition to choosing the right colour scheme for your space, utilising the same material for different purposes, allowing plenty of natural light and using minimal floor designs, flooring is a great strategy to create an expansive illusion in your space.

So if you are challenged on how to transform your miniature space into a dazzling new expansive look then Four Star Flooring at www.4starflooring.co.nz is just what you need to solve your flooring dilemma. Our expert flooring team in Wellington ensures high quality flooring and allows you to be you in your space.

Many homeowners are making the discovery that solid timber floors are the new modern. Well, we never disappoint. Visit our website to learn more about our flooring Lower Hutt and Wellington services.

Interior Design Ideas for Small Houses

Love your New Zealand home but feel you are outgrowing it? Perhaps you have had more children but don’t really want to leave the Wellington area you love or your children’s schools. There are other options to selling up and moving into a larger house and they can be more cost effective than the costs associated with getting your house ready for market and then the additional costs of moving house.

With a few tips for redecorating and redesigning your living space you can make better use of the spaces you already have and make them work better for you and your family.

Interior design ideas for small bedrooms

• bunk beds
• loft beds
• fold down beds
• bed and desk combinations
• dual purpose rooms e.g. office/spare room
• convert that roof space into an extra bedroom or en suite master bedroom
• fit a bed into a wall design with storage underneath, around and over, freeing up floor space
• bunk beds for kids (especially ones with storage incorporated) or have sets custom built

Interior design ideas for small kitchens

• floor to ceiling storage
• room dividing shelves with storage on both sides
• an island for more counter/preparation space (can even be on wheels)
• breakfast bar instead of dining table
• smaller appliances

Interior design ideas for small living spaces

• divide a living room/dining room space with curtain/screen/open shelving rather than a wall and door
• downsize furniture (do you really need that eight seater dining table or lounge suite?)
• use area rugs to define smaller areas within a larger shared space

Top tips

• make use of under stair areas with fitted shelving, cupboards or a workstation
• use floor to ceiling blinds or curtains to add height to a room (draws the eye up)
• use light coloured walls, flooring and window coverings to enhance the feeling of space
• vertical wallpaper or paint effects will also add height to a room
• mirrors will expand a space visually (attach to wardrobes in bedrooms)
• open shelving will appear more spacious than cupboards and encourage decluttering
• multi-purpose furniture e.g. window seats for storage, sofa beds in spare room/office, bed/desk combinations, especially the loft styles
• you can fit a home office space into a cupboard (often called a nook)!
• turn the garage into a work space, gym or games room freeing up a room inside the house (use a carport for car instead)

A small space will encourage you to de-clutter and come up with innovative storage ideas to make the best use of all available space without appearing too stuffed in. A minimalist approach to possessions is a good idea when trying to live in a small space , although many people like the cosiness of being surrounded by numerous personal possessions.

Having decided on which areas of your home you want to redesign to maximise space, starting with the flooring can be a great choice and then you can build on top and colour coordinate all the other furnishings. If you have solid timber floor finishes in Wellington already it is easy to get them refinished, perhaps even sanding them and changing the colour to a lighter finish.

Visit www.4starflooring.co.nz for a fabulous gallery of their whitewash floors. For flooring in Lower Hutt and flooring Wellington wide you should definitely get a free quote from Four Star Flooring, a Wellington based company who are specialists in floor supplying, floor laying, floor sanding and staining all timber floors.

How to use Recycled Timber

Recycling timber is very common in Australia and New Zealand where there is an abundance of old wood in buildings. Recycling timber rather than choosing wood from forests, even those grown sustainably, is still the most environmentally friendly form of wood production. Recycled timber has many uses including furniture, flooring and structural uses such as stairs and window frames. Recycled timber is also known as reclaimed timber and can add a rustic charm to your home or business.

Sources of recycled timber include demolished:

• wharves
• buildings
• bridges
• rail yards
• factories

Recycled timber can either retain its character with nail holes and staining or can be remilled and made to look like new. Using recycled timber in your building projects reduces the need for new wood and also keeps old wood out of landfill or from being burned and contributing to greenhouse gases.

Some uses of recycled timber include:

• wood flooring
• staircases
• shelving
• fireplace mantels
• cupboards
•  windows
•  doors and door frames
• decking
• kitchen counter tops
• structural framing
• furniture
• window frames
• exposed beams or columns
• furniture making (e.g. dining table and chairs, hall table or bed)
• outdoor furniture

Recycled timber whether kauri, rimu, tawa or matai (all commonly recycled woods in New Zealand) can add a wonderful character and feature to your home or business renovations. You can use the timber for structural purposes and even allow large beams to be left exposed as a feature. If you want to incorporate recycled timber into the kitchen area look at utilising a large slab as a countertop or smaller sections for cabinet doors or frames. Wooden doors can be stripped of their paint and varnish to be retreated to look as good as new.

Recycled timber is popular in gardens, particularly old railway sleepers as garden beds or path edging. Timber is a great choice for outdoor furniture as it will weather well. Wood adds warmth to your home or business decor. Imagine a beautiful staircase as the centrepiece of your home with the steps and/or rail constructed from beautiful, carefully selected timber. Wood is hard-wearing and so makes a great floor covering. You can sand and refinish original floor boards to make them like new again or if they are not in the best condition you could consider laying a timber floor finish with wood milled from recycled timber.

Basically anywhere you would normally use wood in the home you can use recycled timber. One of the disadvantages of using recycled timber can be the cost of the finished timber due to the processing involved. Old nails need to be removed before the wood can change its use and this can be a time consuming process. Old wood may be different lengths compared with new specifictions for construction, making them difficult to use in framing. Recycled timber is perhaps best used as a feature timber to retain its character.

Four Star Flooring Ltd are specialists in recycled timber in Wellington. They install and maintain wooden floors and do floor sanding in Lower Hutt and the wider Wellington area. Contact Four Star Flooring for all your Wellington flooring needs. Visit their website for a quote at www.4starflooring.co.nz.

Benefits of Hardwood Flooring

Wooden flooring is very popular in Wellington homes and throughout New Zealand. People choose hardwood floors for their many benefits. Hardwood floors are easy to clean and maintain. They are also hardwearing, durable and last for decades. Wood is a fantastic insulator and is environmentally friendly when sourced from sustainable forestry.

Here are some of the benefits of timber floors:

• Easy to maintain
• Durable
• Fantastic insulator
• Environmentally friendly (when sourced sustainably)
• Easy to install by experienced fitters
• Easy to clean
• Look fabulous
• Long-term investment
• Better acoustics (no hollow sounds or vibrations)
• Healthy indoor air quality

Hardwood flooring is the most abundant renewable flooring material available. Sustainable forest management relies on replacing the trees that are cut down with new trees to grow in their place. During their lifetime trees absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen making them carbon neutral.

Wood floors last for hundreds of years and at the end of their lifetime can always be burned as fuel or recycled for other uses. Wood floors improve the air quality inside your home as there are no fibres to trap allergens such as animal fur, dust and pollen, as you get with carpets.

Hardwood floors can last decades and with correct care and maintenance they can look even better as they age. Hardwood floors are hardwearing and will wear extra well if coated with polyurethane or oils for protection. Hardwood floors are a cost-effective option over carpets as they can be sanded and refinished and made to look like new; rather than having to be completely replaced after five years as can be the case with carpet due to wear, tear and staining.

As well as being durable, hardwood floors look fabulous. Wood comes in so many different shades that you can use light colours to make a room look larger or use dark timber to create warmth.

You can choose to add underfloor insulation to further enhance the wood’s natural insulating properties. Hardwood floors are easy to keep clean, just sweep or vacuum up debris and mop it regularly to remove dirt, spills or marks. Wipe up spills quickly and use a damp mop rather than soaking wet to prevent water damaging the timber.

Hardwood floors generally do cost more than carpeted floors. On the plus side though they also require less maintenance, last much longer than carpet and can be “repaired” (instead of replaced). Hardwood floors are an investment in your home as a good quality and well maintained wood floor can add value to your home especially when compared with a threadbare carpet that requires replacement.

Hardwood floors look fantastic and are a great long-term investment. Four Star Flooring install a wide range of timber floor finishes in Wellington. Four Star Flooring can also help you with refinishing and maintaining your existing solid timber floors and they offer this service to customers throughout the Wellington region. Visit their website www.4starflooring.co.nz for a quote and detailed information on the services they offer. For all your wooden flooring needs in the Greater Wellington region contact Four Star Flooring!

Take Advantage of Wooden Floor Staining

You definitely do not want to take any chances when it comes to hiring a wooden flooring specialist in Wellington. For high-quality flooring services in Lower Hutt and throughout Greater Wellington, you can always count on the professionalism and experience of Four Star Flooring.

Owned and operated by Kim Baker, the nationwide renowned flooring specialist, this company has been serving the Wellington and Lower Hutt areas for almost two decades, offering a range of of high quality flooring services.

Whether you live in Lower Hutt or Wellington, you can now take advantage of our wood floor staining and installation services including:

1. Polyurethane: by using this service, you are coating your wood floors with polyurethane. A polyurethane finish will give a stunning look to your wood flooring, increasing its durability and enhancing its beauty. Best of all, we use only water based polyurethane to ensure you benefit from an environmentally friendly coating for your floor.

2. Whitewash and blockout: if you want to enjoy different floors that can literally change the look of a room and make it stand out in your house, whitewashed and blockout floors is the right service for you. Whitewashed flooring is synonymous with brightness, more light and increased charm. The solid colours add to the wow factor in your room and make it look more spacious.

3. Sanding: sanding your floors can make them come alive. Old, rugged and stained floors become brand new once again. Our professional floor sanding in Wellington and Lower Hutt is offered to both residential and commercial customers.

When it comes to your unique flooring needs, we refinish your hardwood floors using the best materials, including recycled timber sourced in Wellington. At Four Star Flooring, we hire only the best contractors with experience in timber flooring. Our professional team can redo your hardwood floors in no time at all. For each one of our Wellington based flooring jobs, whether it’s polyurethane coating, sanding, hardwood flooring or floor staining, we do our best to ensure you get the best services at the best price on the market.

What really makes us stand out from the crowd is that we offer a unique 60 day money back guarantee and you also get to enjoy five years of free restoration services and regular flooring check-ups. No other wood flooring company in Wellington offers that much, so visit our website today at www.4starflooring.co.nz to book your free consultation.

5 Eco-friendly Interior Design Tips for Your Wellington or Lower Hutt Home

Making your home more eco-friendly could increase its value and, according to research, more and more homeowners in New Zealand are opting for sustainable features when remodelling their property. If you need some design inspiration, you’ve come to the right place. Here are some simple eco-friendly interior designs that can transform the look of your Wellington or Lower Hutt home.

1. Use energy-efficient doors and windows

Energy-efficient doors and windows are a great way to provide your property with extra insulation – keeping the heat in when temperatures drop but ensuring your home is cool in warmer weather. Not only do these energy-efficient windows and doors look great, but they could save you money on your electricity bills – a win-win if you are a homeowner in Wellington and Lower Hutt.

2. Incorporate wooden flooring

Wooden flooring allows you to incorporate natural materials in your home and can dramatically improve the appearance of your interior spaces. Use timber floor finishes in bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens and lounges for a natural effect that will catch your eye as soon as you enter the room. Using a professional contractor to do the work for you will save you a headache; these professionals will be able to complete the job to an excellent standard, providing you with high-quality flooring in your home for many years to come.

3. Use plants

Not only do plants and flowers look great by adding natural elements to your home but they can filter the air and help to remove any nasty chemicals inside your property. This eco-friendly design trend is easy to achieve. Tall, potted plants can be placed in your lounge or kitchen and make attractive centerpieces in any room. If you’re not keen on having to maintain your plants, choose a type that requires little effort but looks great throughout the year.

4. Use energy-efficient light bulbs

One of the easiest ways to make your home more sustainable is to use energy-efficient light bulbs for appliances in your home. These provide you with a good quality light source so you can illuminate your interior spaces and are good for the environment too. In fact, you could see huge savings on your electricity bills when you incorporate these light bulbs into your home.

5. Use natural light

If you want to be more energy-efficient, allowing natural light to flood into your home can prevent you from having to turn the light on during daylight hours. Large windows in your kitchen allow sunlight to enter the interior space and they could increase the value of your home. It goes without saying that incorporating natural light into your home could save you money on your electric bills – and can be a great way to do your bit for the environment.

Become more energy efficient by using natural floor solutions like water-based floor polyurethane in Wellington for your solid timber floor finishes. Four Star Flooring in Wellington have a wide range of flooring solutions for your property, including recycled timber. Just visit their website at www.4starflooring.co.nz to view their wide range of options.

Eco Friendly Interior Designs for Your Home

Not many homeowners consider the environmental impact of their interior décor. This is understandable considering that the focus of many people is the creation of a beautiful home. But the next time you are redecorating, you might want to opt for more eco-friendly options. You will still get a beautiful home but at the same time you can play your part in protecting the environment.

Here are some of the best eco-friendly interior design ideas for your home and most of them do not require you to dig too deep into your pocket:

1. Use natural light

Use large windows, glass walls and skylights to let in as much natural light as possible. That way, you don’t have to keep the lights on as much, even in the early evening in spring and summer. This not only protects the environment but can also lead to significant energy savings.

In addition to its eco-friendliness, natural light has a magical effect in any room. It creates an atmosphere of life and relaxation. It is especially perfect for rooms such as bedrooms and the living room. If you have few or small windows, use mirrors positioned opposite the windows to magnify the lighting effect.

2. Use indoor plants

Have a potted plant or two in your indoor areas. Plants help to purify air by absorbing particles and chemicals from it, leaving the room’s air cleaner and healthier. When chosen well and positioned properly, they can create a striking effect in the room. The best plants for improving air quality are bamboo palm, lilies and gerbera daisy.

3. Use energy efficient lighting

Lighting is one of the biggest gobblers of energy. Switching to energy-efficient lighting such as compact fluorescent lighting saves the environment while cutting huge chunks out of your monthly bills.

4. Use energy-efficient windows

Another major user of electrical energy is air conditioning. By choosing the right kind of windows, you can cut back on your cooling needs. Some energy efficient windows have special coatings or layers to prevent loss of heat from the interior.

5. Multipurpose furniture

Reduce your carbon footprint by reducing the amount of furniture in your home. One way to do this is to multipurpose furniture. A dining table, for instance, can double up as a preparation area for the kitchen. A well-designed storage chest can also be used as a coffee table. Another way to go green when it comes to furniture is to buy second-hand.

6. Use natural and organic materials

From wall coverings to table tops and flooring, try to stay as natural and organic as possible. A good example is furniture made from recycled timber, you can buy recycled timber in Wellington and other parts of New Zealand.

Flooring experts

For help in installing, maintaining or supplying flooring choose Four Star Flooring. They provide flooring to homes in Lower Hutt, Upper Hutt, Kapiti Coast, Wellington, Eastbourne and Johnsonville. Whether you need a solid timber floor, polyurethane finished flooring or recycled timber floor finishes in Wellington then Four Star Flooring can help. Visit www.4starflooring.co.nz to request a free quote.

4 Simple Ideas for Eco-friendly Interior Design

Your home is a very important part of your life. It is where you spend much of your free time, so you want to make sure it has a relaxing and comfortable atmosphere. One question many people have is about how to create a beautiful home in an eco-friendly, environmentally conscious way. Luckily, there are lots of ways to do this!

Here are a few great ideas for designing an incredible home without impacting the environment:

1. Recycled wooden flooring

Wooden flooring adds an elegant and comfortable feel to your home. Recycled wood is great for the environment because it keeps new trees from being cut down while also blocking old wood from being sent to the landfill or burned.

As far as design goes, recycled wood has a beautiful appearance that makes it hard to tell it was ever used for another purpose. If the wood was more heavily used, it is refurbished to give it an amazing touch of character and a uniquely vintage style that is highly appealing for the home. Getting high quality recycled timber floor finishes in Wellington, New Zealand is a lot easier than you might think if you work with the right flooring company.

2. Live plant decor

One of the easiest ways to make your home design a bit more eco-friendly is to bring in some live greenery. Live plants can improve the air quality in your home while also giving back a bit to the world. Plants are very easy to care for with just a little sunlight and water every few days.

3. Energy-efficient lighting and natural lighting

If you really want an easy solution to your eco-friendly interior design, spend some time focusing on the light inside your home. Using energy-efficient lamps, light bulbs, and other sources of light can do a lot for the environmental friendliness of your home. You should also make the most of the natural light available in your home. Sunlight can really add a beautiful glow to your home and by opening up your home more and focusing on how to maximise the incoming sunlight, you can eliminate the need to use lights and lamps during the daytime.

4. Focus on sustainability

The main thing to think about when looking for eco-friendly interior design ideas is sustainability. Where did the materials come from for new furniture or renovations? Does the new design give anything back to the environment or use any resources more responsibly? Where were the new items sourced from? Any design idea that does not use sustainable products is not as environmentally friendly as you might think.

Flooring in Lower Hutt and Wellington

If you need new or recycled wooden floors in Wellington or Lower Hutt, there are a lot of options for you. One of the best is Four Star Flooring Ltd. When you use their services you’re guaranteed to get high quality materials, expert installation, and an end result that is both beautiful and sturdy. Call Four Star Flooring www.4starflooring.co.nz or check out their website today if you’re interested in a quote for recycled solid timber flooring in Wellington.