Luxury Housing Trends & Home Improvement Ideas

When it comes to hardwood floors, the hand-scraped look is in. Finer wood-flooring makers are offering planks that are scraped by hand to create a warm vintage look. And you’ll pay for that kind of character, too, at least when it comes to hardwoods.

However, you can now get laminate flooring with the unique texture of hand-scraped wood. Obviously, no one is actually down there scraping those laminate boards with their hands, but if you want the look without the high price tag, it could be something to consider.

Numerous laminate manufacturers are offering lines, so just browse at any flooring store to see what’s out there. You can also find great deals shopping online, but you may want to actually feel a sample board for yourself before committing to a room full of the stuff.

Tired of all those table lamps that look like, well, lamps? Looking for something different? Something a little exotic? Something made from alabaster? (Now, that I’ve weeded out 99.97% of the readers, I should probably talk about the lamp…)

This George Kovacs White Alabaster Stone Curve Table Lamp is definitely on the unique side. Aside from the illumination aspect, it doesn’t even look like a light fixture.

“A curled sheet of white alabaster stone panels, this sculptural accent light has a captivating glow. The banding and variations in opacity that are characteristic of alabaster create interesting patterning when lit from within. An inline dimmer switch insures that you can achieve the mood you desire.”

It takes 2 60 watt bulbs so it may even be bright enough to read by (so many of the more unusual lamps aren’t very practical).

$350 from Lamps Plus