With a dizzying array of looks you can see, feel and touch, Guhde Flooring America makes it easy to discover the looks you’ll love to live in
By Patricia Nugent
Launched in 2010 as a “visual discovery tool,” Pinterest provides a platform for people to share ideas and find inspiration for projects ranging from a kitchen renovation to decluttering.
While you might enjoy spending time pinning notions to your boards, there are a gazillion ideas waiting for you in the real world—and talented folks to help you bring them to life.
One day last week I popped into Guhde Flooring America and spent the afternoon with Monica Guhde Rosa and Caitlyn Rudolph, office manager and special projects manager, respectively. These darlings of design and masters of makeovers love spending time with customers getting to know their personal style and putting together different possibilities that fit their likes.
“We ask lots of questions and go through tons of samples to see what clicks,” says Monica.
Since 1957, the family-owned store has expanded its offerings to include anything you’d need for an inspired refurbishment, from flooring to cabinets, counters, backsplashes, even paint and cabinet hardware. Last year they opened the Kitchen & Bath Design Center within the expansive showroom, featuring life-sized room vignettes that make for a phenomenal shopping experience.
If injecting a little design life into your home is on the docket for spring, here are just a few Pinterest-worthy room ideas the ladies put together for me.
The Kitchen
Inspiration: “This look is perfect for someone who is a little edgy, making a bold graphic design choice with the sheet vinyl flooring and pairing it with rich cabinetry. You can go a few directions with the backsplash, and we’ve picked out oblong hexagons in three-dimensional polished blue-gray glass, as well as the trendy lantern-shaped tiles in pale gray marble,” Monica says. “Counters feature a sparkly metallic champagne color, which is hot right now. Paint color choices range from a buttery yellow to a medium Wedgewood blue and burnished gold.”
The mood: Vibrant and dramatic.
Laundry Room
Inspiration: “There’s no reason this can’t be your favorite room in the house,” Monica notes. “We’ve brought in beach-glass shades of blue and green to round out a soothing palette of creams and soft grays. Counters serve as a counterpoint to the bold graphic wall tiles, which can be used as an accent or all over, as well as sheet vinyl flooring in a pattern of random-colored hexagons. Two distinct directions for backsplash include tiny round pebble tiles in varying shades of gray, or diamond-shape tiles broken up with squares.”
The mood: Restorative and restful.
Family Room
Inspiration: “Rich-looking hardwood floors in the oh-so-stylish 10-inch planks set the tone for this space. We mix it with carpeting, which can also be made into an area rug with different shades and textures,” Monica suggests. “It feels so soft on bare feet. Three-dimensional tiles in gold, gray and white would look fabulous on a fireplace surround. And we’re thinking with these deep shades, maybe go with a pale wall color, and mix it up with an accent wall in bold eggplant.”
The mood: Refined and classic.
Master Bath
Inspiration: “This retreat features regal-looking engineered stone flooring that resembles in-laid marble, swanky black and white counters with loads of movement, and beveled sculptural backsplash tiles. We soften the palette with natural woods and one of spring’s poshest shades, a barely-there dusty pink,” Caitlyn describes.
The mood: Drop-dead glamor.
Home Office
Inspiration: “You’ll want to put in overtime in this chic office, complete with charcoal gray carpeting or area rug in an arabesque pattern, pale bleached-looking engineered hardwood, and pops of crimson,” Caitlyn says. “We can build custom desks and bookshelves to fit our clients’ needs, and we like mixing pale cream wood with medium gray and black matte hardware for a signature look.”
The mood: Sleek and sophisticated.
Guhde Flooring America is located at 1880 Mentor Avenue in Painesville Township. Hours are Monday, 10:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.; Tuesday and Wednesday, 10:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; Thursday, 10:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.; Friday, 10:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; and Saturday, 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Call 440-639-1990 or visit GuhdeFlooringAmerica.com.