Stone or wooden medallions and borders can make the floor look more inviting

Elegant medallions, inlays and decorative borders on floors were a privilege that only the elite enjoyed in the past. Now, with floor design becoming creative, more and more homeowners are focusing on making their flooring exciting to look at and walk on.

Medallions are no more an expensive option. With a whole range of designs, styles, shapes and colours on offer, homeowners have a wide choice that can suit any budget and lifestyle.

Medallion designs usually become the main focal point in most homes and occupy pride of place. However, with some imagination, medallions can be used virtually anywhere, on patios, landings, stairways and bedrooms. Borders on the other hand, usually define a room or area. Some border designs highlight areas or warp around the perimeter of flooring throughout the home.

Most floor medallions and tiles come with prefabricated templates which are easy to install. These usually come with a web backing on the underside to hold the pieces together. It is prudent to install a medallion when the flooring of the home is being done to avoid damage to the floor later. With pre-finished floors, matching the current floor finish sheen is a priority before inserting any design. But, installing them on existing floors too can be done provided the floor is thick enough to accommodate the medallion. For existing floors the most desirable result would be to have the floors refinished after the designs are installed. This method will insure a continuous seamless appearance in the overall floor itself.

Custom-made medallions and borders are a trend with most homeowners today simply because of the overall theme they design their home on. It seems sensible to decide on the home's interior decor theme before choosing a medallion for the floor. Moreover, since medallions and borders come in various shapes, installing them after ascertaining the size and shape of the room can save a lot of bother.

Floor inlays come in stone and wood. A concrete or tiled floor can look appealing with a stone medallion or inlay while a parquet or wooden flooring can gel with the the wooden inlay. Mixing both materials is not taboo but can look incongruous given their different qualities.

So, if you want to make your floor stand out and look more welcoming, an exotic looking medallion or borderwork is just the thing you should go for.

By Leena Mudbidri (TOI)

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