February 11, 2022
Sampling 101: How to Use Your Stuga Samples
by Haley Holm-Pedersen
Featured photo by @amypigliacampo
Sampling is an important step in finding your perfect #EyeScandi floor. Samples can tell you so much about a wood floor, from how it physically feels to how the color looks in your home.
We offer free, 10” samples and we don’t limit the number of floors you can sample. So go ahead and add your favorites to your cart! When you receive your sample box, here’s how to make the most of your samples.
Experiment with lighting
Most homes have variances in natural lighting, so it’s a good idea to see how your floor samples look in every room where you’ll be installing new flooring.
Lighting can affect the appearance of the tone and sheen of wood floors. Our different finishes (ultra-matte acrylic, matte acrylic, and oiled) reflect light differently. Holding an oiled and a matte acrylic sample near a window and moving them at different angles is a good way to compare their sheen levels.
Another factor to consider is how light changes at different times of the day. Take a look at your floor samples early in the day, when morning light is streaming in, vs. midday when the sun is more central. Do you have a routine of turning on lamps at night? Check out the floors in that artificial lighting, too.
Build a mood board
Chances are, you’re picking out lots of lovely finishes that will live alongside your floors. We recommend doing as a designer does and creating a material mood board. Lay your floor sample next to fabric swatches, paint colors, metal hardware, cabinet samples and tiles to get a feel for how the materials play together. Pay close attention to how the colors and textures complement each other.
You can really get creative here! Bringing in bits of inspiration like foraged greenery or a beloved vintage trinket can round out the vibe and make it easier to visualize how your finished space will look.
We want to see your mood boards and sample shots! If you share them on social media, be sure to tag us and use #EyeScandi.
Supersize your samples
Committing to flooring is a big decision. Before you take the leap and order your floor, we recommend ordering large samples of your top contenders. These 2’ x 3’ boards showcase more of the tone, character, and variation in the floor, making it easier to picture the floors on a larger scale.
One fun trial for your large samples is to step on them barefoot. How do they feel underfoot? Do you love the raw texture of oiled and ultra-matte floors, or prefer the smoothness of our matte acrylic?
If you sign up for our emails + SMS, you'll receive a coupon code for one free large sample - so don’t be afraid to go big! It’s the final step in confirming you’ve picked the perfect floor.
Check the specs
Once you’ve found the floor that speaks to you, check out some of its technical specs. For example, the height of our floors varies from product to product. If your wood floors will meet another flooring material like tile, compare the heights of each to see what kinds of transitions will be possible between the two. If you’re using underlayment, be sure to factor that into the total height.
You can find specs on each product page to learn more about the floor’s finish and dimensions. If you have any questions, a Stuga Design Consultant can help! From overall design to technical details, we love helping you plan your Stuga projects. Get in touch at hej@stugastudio.com or 1-844-MY-STUGA.
