Blog
The Oshkosh Designs blog is home to the latest design ideas, trends, product information, tips and resources from the flooring and interior design industry. We want to help you create the home or office of your dreams with the perfect hardwood floor, wall accent or piece of home décor. Contact us today to speak to an expert if you have any questions or see something you like in one of our articles!
Flooring Design Trends in 2020
Hardwood Is Still the Popular Choice Hardwood flooring continues to grow in popularity, and is far and away the preferred flooring choice for homes. While there is an expanding array of flooring materials that attempt to imitate the appearance of wood, most homeowners...
Understanding Janka Rating: How Hard Can It Be?
The Janka hardness scale, or Janka rating, is a standardized, industrywide measurement of the relative hardness of an individual species of wood. This number is a simple, but useful, way to quickly determine how resistant a particular wood might be to scratches, dents...
Winter Air and Your Hardwood Floors
As winter settles in over a large portion of the country, temperatures drop and the air becomes cool and crisp. While the onset of this winter wonderland brings holiday cheer, it also ushers in reduced humidity levels along with the falling temperatures. One of the...
Hardwood Flooring for Pet Owners
If you have small children or pets at home, you might think that installing wood floors is an impractical dream. After all, dings, scratches, spills, and messes will be inevitable. But does this mean you should avoid hardwood flooring altogether? Not at...
Installation Projects in a Tight Labor Market
Good help is hard to find. This is perhaps truer today than it has been at any time in recent memory. As of May, 2019, the unemployment rate in the U.S. has fallen to 3.6%. Significant job gains have been reported in various sectors nationwide, including...
Decorative Stonework: A Timeless Classic
Nothing in a home says “class” like stonework. Whether it’s a stone tile backsplash or a marble medallion, a well-placed stone piece always seems to impress. And while we often associate stone with the grandiosity of a cathedral or palace, recent trends in home design...
Hot Flooring and Design Trends for 2019
If you’re looking for inspiration as you consider a home makeover, look no further. Oshkosh Designs has been keeping an eye on what’s hot in the flooring and design world, and we’ve put together a collection of the latest fashions for 2019 and beyond. If there’s a...
The Thrill of Custom Ordering
Are you the kind of person who loves home makeover shows? Or wandering through the lighting section of your local hardware store? Will you spend hours browsing to find the perfect style of handle for your kitchen cabinets? Or pore over paint samples until you’ve found...
Wood Wall Panels: A Quick Guide to Installation and Design
Although there was a time when wood wall paneling was synonymous with dated décor, those days are fading fast. Real wood panels, parquet, and three-dimensional wall coverings are currently making a comeback in the design world. Forget cheap faux wood...
Tips for Effective Hardwood Floor Border Placement
Border designs can serve to define a space, accentuate elements within a room, and generate visual flow. Adding a floor border is an excellent way to bring out the natural beauty of your room and add that little extra something that will make your space...