More Choices in Flooring

Christy Ferer says the following about floors:

• Ceramic tile is synonymous with Spain. Glazed in bright colors, such as yellow, red, and blue, and polished to a high gloss, they are often arranged in tight, highly decorative patterns.
• Leather is the greatest extravagance possible for flooring. Leather "tiles" are made of steer hide cured with vegetable tanning and dyed. They can be embossed or printed with pattern. The gaps between the tiles are usually filled with Carnuba wax.
• Cork is soft, warm and available in many colors and grain patterns. It is sold as tiles that are laid over a sheet cork underlay.
• Mosaic tiles can be played with to give a new take on tradition. Bette Midler uses mosaics to "paint" Hawaiian designs and sayings like "Aloha" in her house.
• Glass blocks can be set in concrete to make a honeycomb pattern. Or round, lenslike glass blocks can be set in a polka-dot pattern. Glass is used to open up a space and bring in light from the level below.