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explained. The styles that resonate most with her customers include the contemporary farmhouse look and industrial chic, where faucets and lighting have a stylish but industrial look to them.
Lighting also reflects black and gold color schemes, with open fixtures cre- ating an airy look. Pendant lighting, which once featured small pendants suspended from the ceiling, have grown into larger pendants that fill more space and provide more light.
Kitchen floor upgrades were once limited to hardwoods or tile floors made of ceramic or porcelain. Eclips- ing both of those choices, the current most popular trend in flooring is LVT, or luxury vinyl tile. Resembling wood planks, LVT floors click into place and
Mixed metals are an increasingly popular option for kitchen faucets.
are known in the industry as ‘floating’ floors, so named because they are not glued down. Jake Levine, manager of Advanced Rug and Flooring Center, said the waterproof properties of LVT make it a best seller in his store.
“Because LVT handles water so well, it is replacing other more expensive alternatives,” he said. “LVT is also 40% warmer to the touch than a tile floor, and it’s not prone to chipping, also an issue with tile floors.”
Installing a hardwood or tile floor takes real expertise, Levine explained, noting that LVT floors can be a do-it- yourself project because they allow more room for error.
“If you don’t like the direction of the planks, you can unclick them and rein- stall,” he said. “I’m not saying everyone will get the same results as a profes- sional, but a capable DIY-er can do it.”
For customers who prefer a tile look, LVT is available in 24-by-12-inch pieces featuring stone patterns that click in place similar to the planks. This style and its waterproof properties make it a good choice for a bathroom, but Levine
said most people still prefer porcelain or ceramic tile.
“For many people, the word ‘vinyl’ suffers from an old stigma of linoleum floors that discolored and peeled,” he said. “The click floors are very good for bathrooms because they are designed for areas that get water.”
As Western Mass. is known for its many older homes, a bathroom reno- vation can often involve converting
a spare bedroom into a larger, more modern bathroom, usually adjacent to the master bedroom. Lloyd said this is a popular renovation among empty- nest couples.
“People who want to stay in their
home are figuring out how to use the same square footage, but improve it,” he explained. “The idea of living space is changing, where people will give
up a bedroom for a luxury bathroom with better lighting, better shower, and more storage in the cabinetry.”
While many bathroom renovations replace the tub with a more upscale shower, Loughlin said that decision is usually driven by personal preference.
“There are bath people, and there are shower people,” she noted. “People who like to take baths will spend what- ever they want for a bathtub, while those who only want a shower won’t even install a bathtub in their master
bathroom.”
As Seen on TV
For those considering upgrading a kitchen or bathroom, popular media such as the HGTV cable network and social-media sites Pintrest, Instagram, and others offer endless examples of what’s new in design and accessories.
“Every customer who comes in has at least one Pinterest photo on their phone, or they reference something they saw on HGTV,” Lloyd said, adding that houzz.com is another influencer.
Kitchens
Continued on page 45
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