Personal Flooring & Window Covering Consultations By Appointment Only, Call Ahead For Scheduling
You walk into a friend's house and think "wow, this room looks great!" But in your own home, something feels wrong. Can't figure it out? We bet it's the colors.
Good news - there's a super easy trick that fixes this. Designers have been teaching it in schools since way back in the 1970s. They call it the 60/30/10 rule. And your floors are the secret to making it work.
Let us show you what this means. We'll look at wood floors, tiles, carpet - all of it. By the time you finish reading, picking which floor type that will suit your home will feel like a breeze.
Okay, here's the deal. You use three amounts of color in any room:
Most people use floors as that big 60% chunk. You pick calm colors - maybe tan hardwood or gray laminate. Nothing too crazy. Then your walls and furniture add more color. Finally, bright pillows and art make it interesting.
When you do this, magic happens. Rooms stop feeling messy or boring. They just feel right.
The 60% Part (Your Floor)
Think of this as your room's foundation. Like how a house needs a solid base, your room needs a solid color base. Oak floors, beige carpet, gray tiles - these work great. Since floors are one huge surface with no breaks, they tie everything together.
The 30% Part (Sometimes Your Floor)
In some rooms, floors can be the 30% instead. Picture a white kitchen with fun blue tiles on the floor. The white cabinets are 60%, the blue floor is 30%, and maybe copper lights are 10%.
The 10% Part (Almost Never Your Floor)
Super bold floors - like black and white checkers - might be your 10%. But that's pretty rare. Most folks save the 10% for easy-to-change stuff.
This whole idea came from designers who wanted a simple way to help regular people decorate. Turns out, these percentages work in fashion and art too. Pretty cool, right?
After years in our showroom, I've seen the same thing happen. Someone falls in love with gorgeous floors. But they never think about their green walls or brown couch. Once I explain this rule, their face lights up. "Oh! Now I get it!"
Your brain likes things organized. When rooms have too many colors shouting at once, you feel stressed. When everything's the same boring color, you feel blah.
The 60/30/10 rule fixes both problems:
First, that big 60% gives your eyes a calm place to land. It's like coming home after a long day.
Next, the 30% makes things interesting. Not too much, just enough to catch your eye.
Finally, that little 10% is the cherry on top. It's what makes people say "oh, I love that!"
Floors work perfectly as the 60% because they're huge and unbroken. Walls have windows and doors chopping them up. Floors just flow smoothly across the whole room.
Flat rooms: Everything's beige. Or everything's gray. No life, no energy. Like watching TV with the sound off.
Crazy rooms: Red walls, blue carpet, yellow couch. Your brain doesn't know where to look. It's exhausting.
The 60/30/10 split gives you the best of both worlds. Calm but interesting. Simple but not boring.
And here's what we love - it works for everyone. You like sleek modern style? It works. Prefer cozy farmhouse? It works. Into bright bohemian vibes? Yep, still works.
Wood floors in oak, maple, or walnut make perfect foundations. Go with medium browns - not too light, not too dark. Honey oak is my personal favorite.
These pair great with:
The cool thing about wood? You can repaint your walls anytime. The wood still looks amazing.
Laminate in gray or beige gives you tons of options. That wood-look laminate everyone loves? Perfect for your 60%.
Gray laminate really shines in open floor plans. You know, where your kitchen flows into your living room? One consistent floor color keeps it all connected.
Plus, laminate comes in so many styles now. You'll find one that's interesting but still neutral enough to be your base.
Tile gets to break the rules a bit. In bathrooms and kitchens, fun tile patterns can be your 30% layer.
Imagine this: White cabinets everywhere (60%). Moroccan blue tiles on the floor (30%). Gold faucets and a green plant (10%). Gorgeous!
This trick works especially well in tiny powder rooms. The bold floor becomes the star without taking over.
Vinyl floors come in every color imaginable. Those stone-look ones in soft gray? Perfect 60%. Wood-look in warm tan? Also perfect.
Bonus points: They're waterproof and soft underfoot. Your feet will thank you. Your wallet will too.
Carpet rocks in bedrooms and family rooms. Stick with beige, gray, or taupe for your 60%. Let your bedding and curtains be the 30%. Save bright colors for pillows you can swap out.
Here's the rule: Carpet should whisper, not shout. You can't easily change carpet like you can pillows.
Pro tip from our showroom: Bring your paint chips and couch fabric when you visit. We'll put everything together so you can see what works. No more guessing!
Living Room Success Story
Kitchen That Pops
Bedroom Retreat
Bold Bathroom
Don't stress about exact percentages. If it looks good to you, you nailed it!
Oops #1: Buying Floors Last
Floors cost thousands. Paint costs thirty bucks. Which one should you pick first? Exactly. Start with floors, then pick paint to match.
Oops #2: Missing Hidden Colors
That "gray" floor might actually look purple. Your "beige" wall might look pink. Put samples together in your actual room. Surprises aren't fun after installation.
Oops #3: Forgetting About Windows
North windows make everything look blue-ish. South windows add yellow tones. Check your samples morning, noon, and night. Trust me on this one.
Oops #4: Being a Perfectionist
Maybe 70/20/10 looks better in your space. Or 55/35/10. Who cares? If it looks good, you win. This is a guide, not a strict rule.
Oops #5: Breaking Up Open Spaces
Your kitchen, dining, and living room all connect? Keep the same floor throughout. Different floors in each room breaks up your 60% foundation.
Real story: This couple came in with dark walnut floors already bought. They'd painted everything dark gray too. Yikes - no 60% base! Just dark fighting dark. We helped them repaint in light greige. Boom - suddenly those floors looked rich instead of gloomy.
Listen, you don't have to figure this out solo. We've helped hundreds of families nail this 60/30/10 thing.
Come in for a free consultation. We'll:
Bring These Things:
We get it. Picking floors feels huge. But we make it simple. That's the difference between buying any floor and buying YOUR perfect floor.
Call us or stop by our showroom today. Let's make your 60/30/10 dream happen. Your rooms will finally feel just right.
Let one of our experts help you find the perfect floor!
Spokane - 6018 E Broadway Ave Suite #1
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
There was an error submitting your request. Please try again.
Thank you! We'll be in touch shortly.
