Month: March 2022

Buyers remorse. It’s the one thing every homeowner weighs as they shop for home improvement items.

When buying a new area rug, for example, you might imagine vibrant colors and added warmth to your room’s decor. Yet when buyers remorse kicks in, you might discover the area rug has too much color, or doesn’t stand up to all your family dishes out.

Top worries before people buy a new area rug include:

• Cost – will I pay too much?
• Size – will the area rug look good once it’s installed in the room?
• Color – will the color and pattern blend well with my decor?
• Longevity – will the area rug look good and wear well for years to come?

If you’ve had any of these fears, we have a few tips for you. Ultimately, homeowners want value. An area rug that looks good and handles well over time is key.

What we recommend is spending a little time thinking about your ultimate goal before you finalize your purchase.

• Where will the area rug reside?
• How much foot traffic will it receive?
• Will food be a constant factor, such as in a dining room?
• Will pets be part of the equation?

Start with the end in mind. You may fall in love with an area rug, but if it isn’t the right material to suit your needs, you’ll hate it almost from the start.

Want your area rug to look good for years to come? Here are a few tips to keep in mind that will help you extend the life of your purchase, and make you love your area rug for years.

Pay attention to the patterns and colors

Spills and stains will happen. It’s part of residing on the floor. However, you can plan for spills and stains long before laying the area rug into place.

Consider where the new area rug will be. Dining rooms have a far greater chance of being stained than something in the bedroom. Use this to direct you to colors and patterns that will handle well in each unique situation.

Most area rugs today are stain-resistant. Yet area rugs are made from fibers, and fibers will stain over time. A forgiving pattern can hide the stain better, and will ensure it looks good, longer.

Regular maintenance is key

There are many ways you can preserve the fibers. Take off your shoes at the front door. Be careful with food and drink.

Yet because an area rug will always receive foot traffic, occasional messes will frequently land on your area rug.

Vacuuming should be a part of your regular routine. Whether you pull out the vacuum daily or weekly is dependent on the kinds of messes your rug sees. Cleaning regularly allows you to pick up dust and dirt as it sits on the surface, before it has a chance to be ground into the fibers.

If you have pets or kids, your cleaning routine may be more frequent. Vacuuming a few times a week can help remove pet dander before it settles into the fiber.

You should also check with manufacturer’s guidelines. Many have specific guidelines about cleaning schedules, and will tell you what products are considered safe.

If you do spill, clean it right away. Never rub it in; blot the stain instead. The sooner you work to remove it, the better chance you have of helping it disappear from view for good.

We also recommend that you plan on rotating your rug 180 degrees at least once a year. This helps prevent wear marks or fading in certain areas of the rug.

Use an area rug pad

There are two steps to installing a high quality area rug: lay down a rug pad and place the area rug on top. A rug pad acts as a buffer between the hard surface underneath and the fibers of your area rug. The pad acts as a buffer to ensure the fibers aren’t crushed.

A rug pad also acts as a holding agent, preventing the rug from slipping as you walk.

This isn’t the time to skimp on quality. It’s as much about protecting your area rug and floors as it is giving your investment longevity. A poor quality pad will decrease your area rug’s life.

What fibers are used for your area rug production?

Just like carpet, area rugs can be woven from a variety of different fibers.

Synthetic fibers make up the majority of area rugs on the market today. There are four different synthetic fibers used: olefin, nylon, polyester, and the newest, triexta.

If you prefer natural fibers, wool is the staple used for Berber. You might even be able to find other natural fibers such as silk or cotton.

The differences between the two vary greatly.

Natural fibers are considered more eco-friendly. They are made from sustainable resources, and will have the least amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Synthetic fibers are considered to be more stain-resistant, although wool does a fairly good job at protecting the fibers.

Both can be extremely durable, especially if you get a high quality fiber and construction. Pay attention to manufacturer details, as that can lead you to an area rug that will handle well considering your lifestyle.

Size and shape matter

It may seem like an elementary point, but size and shape of your new area rug do matter.

In general, area rugs come in an array of sizes and shapes, with the most common being:

• 2’x3’
• 4’x6’
• 5’x8’
• 6’x9’
• 8’x10’

Of course, you’ll find many larger, and with different measurements to suit every homeowners’ needs – rectangle, square, oval, circle, even octagons and runners.

While area rugs ultimately depend on personality and your individual tastes, there are a few ground rules that help homeowners to be happier with their purchases for the long haul.

Measure your room.

Measure the space where your area rug will reside.

Have measurements of the furniture and design of the room.

Spend some time looking at design sites and magazines for direction.

It can be difficult visualizing an area rug in place before you bring it home. The more research you do ahead of time will help you prepare for the final look you’re trying to achieve.

Then bring your ideas in, and we’ll help you find exactly what you’re looking for. With our knowledge and expertise, we can help you select an area rug perfect for your location, one you’ll love for many years to come.

The post Buying a New Area Rug? Tips For Extending The Life Before You Buy first appeared on PRO! Flooring.

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

Laminate flooring is a great choice, especially if you are on a budget, or don’t want to spend a lot on flooring. Laminate has been popular for years and is known for being easy to install.  Over the years, the quality of laminate flooring has increased immensely.  There are some really innovative and authentic designs, at a high quality.  You can choose laminate that looks like wooden flooring or even stone or ceramic tiles. Read More

Hardwood flooring can be expensive. That’s why many homeowners prefer to remodel one room at a time, adding new flooring to each room as they update. 

But that causes a dilemma that’s widely debated among designers:

• Is mixed hardwood flooring an acceptable design trend inside a home? 
• Is it okay to have two different wood floors, especially when they’re close together or touching?
• Can you mix different hardwood flooring brands, and not create a mishmash appearance when moving from room to room? 
• What about using different planks, different materials, and different tones as you install a wood floor in your home?

What mixed hardwood flooring really means

Flooring is never an exact science. What works for one home might not work for another. What’s recommended by one designer may be shunned by the next. In design, rules exist. At the same time, rules are meant to be broken. 

That’s because every homeowner has a different approach to design. 

Maybe you’re building your dream home one room at a time. Hardwood is expensive; yet you know if it’s well cared for, it can last decades. Why not install one room at a time? 

Or maybe you’re looking for ways to display your individuality. You love different looks, and want personality in your home. Why can’t you mix different types of hardwood? 

With a little bit of research, you can find your ideal design displayed online. Using visuals as your queue, we can help you create a floor you’ll be proud to walk on every single day.

When we refer to mixing hardwood flooring, we believe it can refer to two different things. 

First, mixing hardwood can mean adding a particular product to each individual room, each in its own time. This allows you to remodel based on budget and time constraints, and gives you flexibility of selecting products for the project when the work is performed.

Second, mixing hardwood can also refer to using two different types or styles of hardwood planks, and using them to create a unique flooring pattern in one area of your home. If you like both a light and darker color, why not mix the two together?

Can you do that? 

Why not? 

The look and feel of your home’s decor should always be about what’s most pleasing to you. If you do any searching online for design ideas, you’ll find many opportunities waiting for you. 

Hardwood in its natural form contains many different undertones, colors, and shades. Even if you stick with one product line, you’ll often find planks with other characteristics, personality that shines when it’s laid into place. That adds depth and character to your space, making your design truly one of a kind. 

Ask yourself: Do I like uniformity? Do I prefer creativity? Am I okay showcasing differences as I move from room to room? Use this to guide you to the right choices. 

Advantages of using the same flooring throughout your home

If you love hardwood and want it in a variety of rooms in your home, should you use the same product throughout? For many homeowners, it’s the only way.

By installing one product, one color, one design, you increase a natural flow throughout your home. It creates a calm and soothing image as you move from room to room. 

For some fans of hardwood, this is a great way to create harmony in every room. Rather than focusing on each room as an individual, you set the stage for the personality of your entire home. 

This also allows you to create your base with a flooring choice you’ll love for years to come. While it might be a bigger hit to your budget upfront, you’ll know you have a solid base to work with for years – decades – into the future. Because hardwood can be sanded and refinished multiple times, even if you want to change things up, you can always play with the color. This can lead to cost savings throughout the life of owning your home. 

If minimalism and conformity are important to you, a uniform hardwood base may be perfect for you. It’s less time thinking about how things flow together. It creates a stunning appearance in every room of your home. 

Advantages of mixed hardwood flooring throughout your home

Have you entered other homes and felt a sense of sameness that isn’t necessarily appealing? If you’ve seen one hardwood floor, you’ve seen them all. “Boring” is the only word that comes to mind as you see an endless amount of sameness throughout the open concept floorplan. 

That’s not a feeling every homeowner likes. Or wants. 

And that’s okay. 

Mixing hardwood allows you to let your creative juices flow. 

If you want to clearly define the purpose of each room, decorating each separately allows you to design based on needs. Kitchens are messier than bedrooms. Having more color, character, and texture may make it easier to hide the messes that undoubtedly will happen every time you step into the kitchen to cook. Bedrooms are meant for tranquility – maybe a calmer texture and a softer color are just what you were looking for. 

Manufacturers also know that people have different tastes in design. If you stick with one manufacturer, you’ll find an array of stains and color options, yet the quality of the product remains the same. Instead of worrying about how grains and textures will match, vary the colors, tones, and materials, letting the floor be your canvas and creating a dynamic new look. 

Mixing your hardwood flooring as you go along also gives you more flexibility when things go wrong/ If your child “forgets” to mention the spilled juice box for hours, you can easily replace a few planks and get right back to living. No worrying about matching – you can work in smaller areas and achieve the same results. 

Can you have mixed hardwood flooring throughout your home? 

Why not?

Let your creative juices flow, and create the home of your dreams. 

The post Mixed Hardwood Flooring May Be Just What You’re Looking For first appeared on PRO! Flooring.

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