Month: January 2022

There’s a problem with most flooring choices – they last for a very long time.

• Carpet can last between 5 and 15 years.
• Luxury vinyl planks can last between 10 and 20 years with proper care.
• Hardwood can remain in place for up to a century with proper maintenance and occasional refurbishing.

That makes it worth time and thought before you make your final decision.

Rather than fads or trends, it pays to think about timeless flooring choices. This ensures you have a high-quality flooring material that you’ll be happy with for years to come.

Colors, styles, and patterns

Before we get into specific materials, it’s important to note that neutral stands the test of time over all else. Think back to the wild colors we’ve seen come and go over the past few decades.

Orange. Gold. Avocado green. Sunshine yellow.

They all have one thing in common: their bright shades and tones.

If you want a timeless, classic design, neutral is always better. If you can find it in nature, your chances of longevity are better. Think white, beige, and brown. If you see the same color, pattern, and style running from product to product, it’s more likely to stick around.

Of course, sticking with neutral doesn’t have to be boring or blasé. In fact, quite the opposite can take place. It can set the stage for strong, powerful lines. It can make the rest of your decor pop. And because flooring is often one of the more expensive items in any remodel, selecting wisely means it will last for years to come. Paint the walls. Buy new pillows. It’s nice to know your flooring will still be looking good.

With color and styles in mind, here are several timeless flooring materials we’ve seen selling well throughout the years.

Hardwood

Nothing is more beautiful than hardwood. That makes it top the charts of flooring lists year after year.

Here in Colorado, hardwood is also a classic design. It’s been used in mountain lodges, and the most sophisticated homes across the Front Range.

Hardwood creates a soft surface area that makes it comfortable enough to walk on with your bare feet. It’s warm enough to keep you comfortable even on the coldest nights.

While many homeowners might think twice once they look at the cost, it makes it one of the most economical investments you’ll make in your home when you factor in longevity. Hardwood can last for years with proper maintenance. And when it shows wear, it can be sanded down and refinished to add even more life to the material. Select wisely, and it can be refinished up to ten times!

Don’t forget about engineered hardwood. Engineered hardwood may be the solution if you’re having trouble justifying hardwood in a room because of your lifestyle. It has the classic good looks of hardwood because it is hardwood. The hardwood veneer on top provides you with timeless looks, while the core structure makes it even more durable than hardwood. That gives you a flooring choice that will continue to look good throughout the years.

Luxury vinyl

If you’re looking for something more cost-effective that still gives you long life, you can’t ignore luxury vinyl.

It still sets the standard for places where moisture is a problem. Bathrooms. Laundry rooms. Mudrooms. Even kitchens. Plus, there’s an added benefit today from the classic good looks.

Luxury vinyl has come a long way since your grandmother’s time. Thanks to today’s technology, you’ll find luxury vinyl so closely mimicking hardwood, stone, and tile, you have to get down to touch it to notice the difference.

Choose wisely, and it has an added benefit: It’s waterproof. That makes it a flooring of choice for rooms where water may be a problem. Let the kids splash away. Don’t worry about the tub overflowing.

No matter what style or pattern you choose, if you make luxury vinyl your choice for timeless good looks, you won’t be disappointed.

Carpet

Travel back in time and you’ll find evidence of rugs dating back 4,000 years or more. That’s because we’ve long since loved the feel of soft fibers between our toes. Whether you walk across it, sit down and enjoy its comfort, or simply want to add warmth to your room, carpet is often the best way to go.

Wall-to-wall carpet is a newer addition to homes, but it’s still one of the most popular choices. While you might not want it in your high-traffic areas, nothing can beat it for comfort. That plush feeling you get when stepping out of bed in the morning can’t be initiated by any other product.

This is the one product where staying neutral can set the stage for your decor. Add a pattern in the fibers, and it won’t showcase traffic marks or surface dirt. Carpets today are also designed in ways that won’t attract stains, grime, and other messes. With good maintenance habits, your carpet will stay looking new for years to come.

Tile

Can you imagine a bathroom without tile? Neither can we. It’s been a staple in bathroom projects for decades. It’s one of the most timeless materials available.

Ceramic tiles can be crafted in an almost unlimited supply of patterns, colors, and styles. Stick with one or combine several for a truly unique look.

Thanks to today’s technology, tiles can mimic natural wood too. It’s a great way to bring the look of hardwood to places you might not be able to install it. Think bathrooms, laundry rooms, or basements.

Another benefit is they pair well with radiant heating. Slip the heating material underneath tiles, and you’ll never have a cold floor again. It can be a great addition to your master bath. You might like it well enough you extend it to other rooms in your home. Tile is a natural heat conductor, which means it’ll warm up faster and stay warm longer.

What’s your choice for a timeless flooring material?

If you stick with the basics, something that’s been around for years, you’ll love what you have installed.

It will be a great addition to your home for years to come.

The post Timeless Flooring Choices That Will Never Go Out Of Style first appeared on PRO! Flooring.

This post appeared first on https://pro-flooring.com

It snowed! We celebrate, not only for our ski areas, but because our recent temperature drop brings much-needed moisture to Colorado. Our hearts are with our neighbors in Boulder County who recently suffered catastrophic fire loss.

Unfortunately, our colder temperatures also firmly place us in the heart of cold and flu season.

The best ways to prevent illness

Why are colds and flu so common in January and February? As you know, when it’s chilly outside, we retreat indoors, crank up our thermostats and close our windows. We hang out more with our family and friends. Our physical closeness passes around germs in enclosed spaces. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), this is especially true if we:

1. Don’t stay away from others when we are sick: Gone are the days of “powering through” a cold or sickness. Stay home when you feel rotten and don’t gift your crud to others. Also, rest and let yourself truly recover. Your immune system will thank you by staying strong.
2. Touch our faces a lot: This one got hilarious meme treatment early in the pandemic, but frequently touching your face, nose and mouth for whatever reason (mask, itchiness, fidgeting) is a serious habit to break NOW.
3. Forget to wash our hands often: Plain old soap and water (yup, for 20 seconds) are still the best defense against sickness. Use hand sanitizer when you cannot access a sink.
4. Don’t cover our mouths and noses when we sneeze or cough: This is disrespectful to others and gross.
5. Neglect other good habits: The CDC recommends getting enough sleep, exercising, eating right and ensuring our living spaces are properly cleaned and sanitized.

Reduce infections at home

Which brings us to our main subject. As Sir Isaac Newton discovered in 1665, what goes up must come down (AKA don’t sit under a fruit tree in the autumn). Gravity enables all those viruses and bacteria to drift down and eventually settle into our carpets and upholstery.

Some viruses, like norovirus (think nasty stomach bug) can stay in carpeting and upholstery for up to a month if not removed, according to the National Institutes for Health (NIH). Thankfully, studies show the COVID-19 virus does not typically cause infection from soft surfaces after 72 hours. According to livehealthily, the flu virus sticks around for 24 hours and the jury is out about just how long strep bacteria can survive on a surface to make you sick.

Fear not. Our houses help us out and there are things we can do to reduce infections!

Carpets are actually our friends. According to the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI), carpeting “plays the role of an air filter: carpet traps dust, pollen and other particles, taking them out of the breathing zone until they can be removed easily…”

Regularly vacuuming your home, 1-2 times per week, as well as routinely cleaning and disinfecting your upholstery and carpeting can help keep your family well during the cold and flu season.

Fight the flu and other bugs with steam

A Personal Touch Carpet Cleaning recommends steam cleaning your carpets every 18 months with a reputable high-temperature, truck-mounted steam cleaning service.

One of our own employees testifies that regular carpet cleaning keeps his family healthier, “I have 5 kids and 2 dogs and now 5 grandkids. We don’t get colds and flu like other families.”

But, don’t take our word for it. Recent studies like this one at the NIH report steam cleaning works to minimize germs in carpets. The NIH reports, “…our results support a previous finding that steam vapor can reduce viruses beyond the EPA standard in short contact times…”

A Personal Touch can sanitize your chairs, ottomans and couches as well. Our trained technicians are knowledgeable about many different kinds of upholstery from canvas and corduroy to silk, lace and leather. They will clean your upholstery’s fragile trim and piping with care. Upon request, they can apply a special fabric protector to help extend the life of your furniture.

Stay healthier during cold and flu season. Call us at 720-344-2870 for a free estimate or simply schedule an appointment.

The post How can regular carpet and upholstery cleaning help you through the cold and flu season? appeared first on A Personal Touch.

The new year is here. With a new year comes new trends in home design. Discover the 2022 hardwood flooring trends:

The first 2022 hardwood flooring trend is an unusual flooring design. Visually interesting and eclectic flooring is growing in popularity for the new year. Designs like chevron and herringbone are two examples of this. Herringbone is a type of hardwood that interlocks with itself in a diagonal direction, as opposed to straight planks that line up next to one another. If you want to try something different in your home, think about this type of hardwood flooring.

Another 2022 flooring trend is wide plank floors. Typically hardwood floor planks are narrower in size, but this can look busy to the eye. That is why wide plank hardwood floors are growing in popularity. These floors are both subtle and interesting, helping to spice up your home in a casual way.

If you’re looking to add a more rustic feel to your space, consider switching up your hardwood. Rustic flooring is on-trend for 2022. Rustic hardwood includes things like natural textures and colors, which can give a calming feel to a space.

Maybe you’re going for a more contemporary or modern feel in your home. If this is the case, select bleached or whitewashed floors for your space. This 2022 trend helps a room feel fresh. Whitewashed floors can also open up a space and help it feel larger.

On the other hand, rich and varied colors are also on-trend for 2022. If light, white tones aren’t your style, consider selecting rich tones of hardwood to help your space feel vibrant and cozy.

To shop these 2022 hardwood flooring trends, visit Flooring.org. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to us by giving us a call at (800) 689-9006.

This post appeared first on http://www.flooring.org

Yes, of course you can have a wooden floor if you have a dog.  In fact, hardwood floors are great for pets as they are durable, hygienic and easy to clean.  Here is why a wooden floor is a great choice: Read More

When you’re ready for new carpet, trends tend to dictate the style and pattern you select. Remember when shag carpet was the rage? Can’t imagine having that in your home any longer? Luckily, you don’t have to.

But that doesn’t change the fact that trends matter.

If you aren’t sure what type of flooring to install, you may be wondering what flooring will last the longest, or what flooring holds its resale value well. But if you’re sold on carpet, even before you step into a store, you understand a lot of options await you. Possibly an overwhelming number of choices. Where do you start?

Carpet is able to do what very few flooring choices can. It adds softness to any area. It can add a pop of color, or stay neutral and subdued. Bold, bright, and stylish? Traditional and minimalistic? You get to decide.

Carpet also opens up opportunities that you can’t get from other flooring choices. With hardwood, you can select from different shades of grays and browns. Not so with carpet. Every color of the rainbow is ready and waiting for you. Want even more? Mix it into a pattern, and your carpet becomes more than floor coloring; it becomes a statement.

What should you know about carpet trends before you start to shop? Some are timeless and elegant. Some will give you the personality you crave. Here’s what we’re seeing this year.

Carpet doesn’t have to be plain – select a pattern instead

Many of us are stuck in the thought that carpet must be plain, subdued, neutral. Not so.

Several thousand years ago, the first carpet was made from sheep wool or goat hair. It was woven together to create a comfortable space for sitting and gathering on the floor. Colors were subdued, typically made by using dyes from plants and materials that changed the color of the fibers.

These designs are what powers through today to give us patterns that can wow. But technology gives us an advantage to be even more creative. When combined, prints can take on either curves or straight lines and create infinite designs. Maybe you prefer the timeless beauty of Oriental rug patterns, with floral motifs and weaving depicting nature. Maybe you prefer highly scientific designs with their bold geometric patterns.

Come in with an idea, and we can help you find what you’re looking for.

Aren’t sure what you want? We can show you a world of possibility, and help you narrow down what will work well inside your home.

Carpet gives you the opportunity to play

Can’t imagine a bright color in your main floor living space? With carpet, you don’t have to choose. Hardwood may be easier when it flows from one room to another. But with carpet, you can select different patterns and styles based on the individual room itself.

Have a music room where color matters? Or a media room where you choose to mimic a theater? Want a specific color in the master bedroom, a color you wouldn’t dare place in a kid’s bedroom?

Color and creativity are a central theme in 2022. Why not make your small home office pop with a color that matches your branding? Color works even in the smallest of spaces. This is all about letting your personality shine.

Who says you have to stick with wall-to-wall carpet? 

The good news with today’s carpet industry is you have so many choices available to you. Many homeowners move straight to wall-to-wall carpet, planning on covering the flooring from corner to corner. With carpet tiles, you have another choice.

Patterned carpet choices were once only prevalent in commercial applications, with carpet tiles giving free rein for playing with color and patterns. Why limit that to commercial applications? With carpet tiles, you can be even more creative with the designs you create, mix and match as you go along.

Why not add edgy strips or abstract graphics to your room? If you spill and cause a stain, it’s easier to correct. Just pull up the square and replace it with one you’ve set aside in reserve. It’s a way to give your carpet an even longer life while still looking good.

Color, color, everywhere 

A lot of designers will tell you to stay neutral with flooring, and move your color to the walls. It’s easier to paint than it is to exchange your flooring.

We ask: Why not have color in both places?

Many of us fear color, worrying will tire of it long before it wears out. But if you stick with a pleasing color that suits your taste, you’ll love the looks for years to come.

How often do you change out a sofa or a chair? Look back ten, twenty, thirty years – have your tastes changed that much in color preferences?

Chances are you enjoy certain colors for a reason. That’s not going to change. If you like, stick with green. Green carpet can be a great accent for your furnishings.

But if minimalism is still your thing, don’t fret. Neutral carpet will never go out of style. A classic white, beige, or tan carpet can easily set the tone for whatever design options you’re looking for.

Is carpet coming back? 

We’d argue that carpet never really went away.

Carpet is a great choice for the rooms you want warmth, comfort, and style in. It gives you a feeling of luxury, a pop of color, and a chance to let your personality shine.

If you’re trying to decide what trend would be best for you, we’ll tell you to follow your heart. How will the room be used? What level of traffic comes through it? Are you looking for a calming space? Or would you prefer something bold and bright?

Carpet doesn’t have to be what other people think. Carpet gives you a chance to let your imagination run wild. Use it as a palette to set the stage for your overall design.

Whatever carpet trends you prefer, you’ll find them here when you stop by.

The post Carpet Trends To Stay Stylish in 2022 and Beyond first appeared on PRO! Flooring.

This post appeared first on https://pro-flooring.com

Yes, a wooden floor will look good in your dining room!  A dining room is often a place where the family come together to eat, possibly you host dinner parties or events, so you will want a stunning looking floor.  What better than a natural wooden floor that looks beautiful and is easy to clean. Read More

Remodeling your home this year? One of the most difficult choices can be in determining what flooring to install. Select wisely, and it can be an investment that will last for decades.

For many homeowners, the thought of installing “the same” flooring as everyone else is a turnoff. You want uniqueness, personality. Why settle for anything but the best?

What about parquet flooring? Is it the right choice for you?

What is parquet flooring?

Decades ago, homeowners didn’t have a lot of choices in flooring materials. That made builders more flexible and innovative when using what they had access to.

Parquet flooring was a way to use smaller hardwood pieces and create tiles by rearranging them in geometric patterns. They are designed with repeating patterns to create truly unique looks.

While popular in the 1960s, this option gradually decreased over time as laminates, vinyl, and other flooring choices became more commonplace. Gradually hardwood flooring dealers moved to other options, leaving parquet harder to find.

Like other flooring trends, you’ll find parquet flooring popping up through time as people look for ways to innovate in their home decor. It’s starting to make a comeback in recent years because it has a lot to offer a homeowner.

It’s affordable

When homeowners originally started installing parquet flooring, it was because of cost. Parquet comes in tile format, which makes it easier to install. That cuts down on both product and labor costs.

It’s stylish

While it may cost less than other flooring options, it doesn’t lack on beauty. What makes parquet flooring unique are the many colors and patterns available. While they vary greatly, the most popular include:

Herringbone – this is a classic design that has been installed in homes across the world for decades. Herringbone is achieved by laying wooden planks in a rectangle, with each one placed at a 90-degree angle to create a zigzag effect.

Double herringbone – to create an even more sophisticated style, a double herringbone is made the same way as the herringbone design. However, the planks are doubled to create a bigger focus on the zigzag pattern. Because this takes more space for the pattern to shine, many people recommend this in larger spaces. However, when worked correctly, it can add grace and elegance to any room in your home. Diagonal placement is best to really let the beauty of this design out.

Chevron – unlike the herringbone, the planks are cut at an angle to create an arrow point. It can be laid diagonal or parallel to the wall, depending on the look you’re striving for. Because there are more angles to produce this look, it does take more labor costs to ensure it’s laid into place correctly.

Basketweave – this takes on the classic design of the handmade craft of basket weaving, where different planks are laid together to give the appearance of a basket. It can be installed parallel or diagonally, depending on your preferences. This design is usually created by weaving two or more colors together to ensure a pleasing visual effect.

Brick – the planks are laid together to simulate traditional brickwork. It’s one of the simplest and effortless designs that can keep classic good looks running throughout your home.

It’s different

Let’s face it, flooring can start to feel the same when you head down a traditional path. Hardwood is everywhere, especially here in Colorado, when it’s a big part of our culture. You love hardwood, but you want something different. Parquet flooring may be the perfect solution to suit your needs. It stands out in today’s industry because it brings a fresh new look into your home.

It can make your flooring shine

Sometimes flooring blends into the woodwork. It’s nothing more than a base for your decor. That will never be the case with parquet. Your flooring will be the center of attention, depending on the design you ultimately choose. Depending on the pattern, wood type, and color, it will be the star of the show.

It gives you a chance to create something new

While we’ve mentioned the basic patterns in this article, it by no means includes everything available. The good news is with a little creativity, you can design something truly unique. We suggest picking out a room and focusing on style – how about the dining room? Weave a pattern together, and it can complement your dining room furnishings. Who needs a rug when your flooring says – Wow!

Parquet flooring installation

Parquet flooring tiles are easier to install than traditional hardwood planks, since they are usually glued into place rather than nailed. They can be professionally installed, or if you’re looking for a DIY project, this may be one you can take on. If you select a urethane-based adhesive, you’ll have up to 60 minutes of working time to make movements in the tile placement. This gives you wiggle room if you adjust the way the tiles are laid into place.

The tiles are relatively thin – about 5/16 inch – so they are easy to cut with a jigsaw. They are primarily prefinished, meaning you won’t have to sand, stain, or varnish.

Yet because these tiles are relatively thin, it means you’ll have to ensure your subfloor is properly in place. Ensure that the subfloor is flat, clean, without anything to cause the tiles to flex. You’ll notice this visually and as you walk over it.

Also pay attention to getting the layout correct. Because of the dramatic geometric patterns of parquet, if they aren’t symmetrical along the edges, you’ll notice the way it makes the room feel.

Another distinct difference between today’s parquet and the products from yesteryear is construction. Most parquet tiles today use solid wood, which means you might be able to refinish the flooring in the future. It’s still thin material, meaning you might not be able to refinish multiple times. But if you’re considering parquet and want that as an option, it’s work finding the right manufacturer to suit your needs.

Is parquet flooring making a comeback?

Because homeowners are adding their own personality into design, and the modern midcentury style is coming forward once again, interest is growing in parquet. If parquet flooring is for you, stop by today. We’ll show you options you’ll love for your home.

The post Is Parquet Flooring Making a Comeback? first appeared on PRO! Flooring.

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