Area Rug Maintenance - Do’s and Don’ts March 5, 2008

Smart, regular care and upkeep will keep your area rugs looking great, and your home looking as beautiful, stylish and unique as ever. Check out the following advice and be a little smarter about smart and stylish, colorful and captivating, area rugs.

Do’s

    § You should vacuum or sweep your rug as you would wall-to-wall carpeting. Be careful that the fringes don’t get pulled or sucked in by the vacuum cleaner.

    § Rotate your rug 180 degrees every few months, or every year, depending on traffic patterns. Rotation is necessary for two reasons. First, all parts of your rug should be exposed to light equally so that the colors fade evenly. When colors are exposed to the sun evenly, they become harmonious and the rug ages nicely, but if different parts of the rug receive unequal amounts of sun exposure, over time, one side might look over faded and one side too bright. Second, is traffic. All parts of the rug should be exposed to an equal amount of traffic so that the pile wears evenly.

Test your laminate flooring maintenance knowledge! March 4, 2008

 

 

One of the greatest benefits of laminate flooring is that it requires so little care, upkeep and maintenance. The very best laminate floors feature special “wear layers” that prevent scratches, dents, dings and fading from exposure to sunlight. So they are perfect for busy families and high-traffic living spaces.

Although laminate floors are extremely durable, they are not indestructible. Keeping these tips in mind will ensure your laminate floor will look newer, longer.

 

 

 

 

Take this true/false quiz to test your knowledge on laminate maintenance!

1. Doormats are needed only at the front door.

False. Place doormats or walk-off mats at each entryway to collect excessive moisture and dirt. Place doormats or walk-off mats at each entryway to collect excessive moisture and dirt.

Baby Safe Floor Cleaners March 3, 2008

Do your children spend time playing on the floor? Do your children put toys in their mouths that have been on the floor? Have you ever thought about the toxins in your floor cleaners?

Some cleaners may contain toxic ingredients that are not listed because they are proprietary or trade secrets. Often it’s not only the contents of the cleaner, but the odors and fumes that the cleaner gives off.

Warning labels on containers refer only to toxic hazards from ingestion; however, only 10% of health problems from chemicals are caused by ingestion. 90% are caused by the inhalation of vapors and absorption of particles.

Can’t live without…..Walker Zanger’s Line of Bamboo Tiles February 29, 2008

WALKER ZANGER LAUNCHES THE WORLD’S FIRST LINE OF EXQUISITE BAMBOO TILES

The Exclusive Sobu Collection Leads The Trend In Green Design

Sylmar, Calif., Feb. 28, 2008—WALKER ZANGER puts a new spin on the traditional beauty and versatility of bamboo with its exclusive line of mosaic tiles. Crafted from renewable bamboo, the Sobu Collection is truly an innovative design product. This environmentally friendly product is made of a renewable resource; indeed some species of bamboo can grow as much as three feet a day. The Sobu Collection of bamboo mosaics adds warmth and depth to any room and is a visual and responsible delight for homeowners and building professionals committed to using green building products.

While Sobu is made of bamboo, it can be employed in the designer’s palette just like tile.

It’s available in multiple mosaic patterns: Straight, Basketweave, Herringbone, and Random Planking, all of which showcase the material’s delicate veining, rich linearity, and subtle variations of texture and hue. Three colors are available: Gold, which highlights the classic look of cut bamboo; Sable, which adds a warm, reddish brown; and Espresso, a deep, dark brown which complements virtually any color. All colors feature a matte finish and a smooth texture.

WALKER ZANGER Sobu is at home in a wide range of decorating styles, ranging from Asian Zen to Classic Modern to Contemporary. It can add a modern green design to a traditional kitchen backsplash or evoke a sense of serenity for a home spa.

WALKER ZANGER is the world’s most comprehensive stone and tile company. WALKER ZANGER combines traditional tile-making techniques with a modern sophistication that transcends any singular design style. A leading choice for design professionals and consumers, WALKER ZANGER natural stone and tile products, as well as, its new line of exquisite bathroom vanities, can be found in luxury homes, trendy boutiques, lavish spas and resorts, famed museums and fine restaurants around the globe.

WALKER ZANGER is available through 17 beautiful showrooms and exclusive distributors nationwide. To learn more about Sobu and the full line of WALKER ZANGER products, visit www.walkerzanger.com.

2008 Color Trends February 28, 2008

Color Trends - Color trends in fashion and home styles often cross paths. The thing to remember is that trends are always changing, changing with the seasons. Don’t feel pressure to change your home’s color palette every time fashion trends change! The natutral time to change your home colors will happen when you are ready. These changes over time will help create your own personal style. Over time you will have an eclectic look that you can be proud to call your own.

The ultimate source for color forecasting in fashion is Pantone. Click here for Pantone Fashion Color Report Fall 2008 and Pantone Fashion Color Report Spring 2008. My favorite color from the spring report is Cantaloupe!

Hot Colors

• Purple - in fashion and home, purple is the front runner of color.
• Yellow - Yellow is the new orange! Orange will still remain with a presence, but not quite as hot as yellow.
• Blues - varying shades from soft spa blues to robin’s egg blues to deep sea blues. Many nature inspired blues.
• Greens - with all of the buzz about the environment, natural greens are making their way into the home
• Browns -look great with other hot colors, especially the softer colors where black would be too harsh.

Enter the World Floor Covering Association Spring Sweeps with prizes totaling over $20,000 in flooring! February 27, 2008

Vinyl Flooring Mainenance February 27, 2008

Flooring, no matter how new or beautiful, is meant to be walked upon. Vinyl flooring is no exception. Time and the onslaught of foot traffic will most certainly take its toll. But take heart, keeping your vinyl flooring as beautiful and inviting as the day it was installed just requires a little knowledge. So, check out the following advice and be a little smarter about smart and stylish vinyl flooring.

New vinyl floors are extremely durable and long lasting, but like any floor covering they still need regular maintenance to stay looking like new. Follow these general guidelines for vinyl flooring. For more detailed information always refer to the manufacturer’s written floor care procedures. You can’t avoid wear on your vinyl flooring, but knowing how to care for and maintain it can keep you floor in beautiful condition and make it a source of pride for years to come.

 

• For the first 24 hours after your new vinyl floor is installed, protect all the seamed areas. Also, don’t walk on the seam sealer. The seams in the floor need time to set properly.
• Keep the room at 68° F or greater for at least 2 days after installation. This allows the adhesives to setup properly.
• Do not roll heavy objects directly on to a newly installed vinyl floor for at least 5 days. This can cause the vinyl and adhesive to become compressed, and once the adhesive sets up any compressed marks will become permanent.

Do’s and Don’ts about Carpet Cleaning February 25, 2008

New carpeting can be elaborate and elegant, cool and contemporary or tasteful and traditional. It’s one of America’s most popular floor covering choices, enhances virtually any room and it can add value to your residence. Keeping that feeling, and your carpet in beautiful condition, is a challenge if you don’t know the proper steps of maintenance. And that’s why we created this section. We want you to know that, with the care guidelines below, your new carpet can stay attractive for many years, and many bare-foot crossings, to come.

DO’s

• Place walk-off mats wherever there are entrances to your home from high-soil areas like backyards, garages and so on. A few dollars invested in these mats can prevent a lot of dirt and grime from being tracked across your beautiful new carpet.
• Buy a quality vacuum and use it regularly. There have been significant improvements to vacuum cleaners in the past few years, making them easier to use, and better at doing their job. They’ve gotten lighter in weight, stronger in suction and loaded with convenience features. A good vacuum cleaner can be your carpet’s best friend so vacuum as often as you want! Thorough vacuuming removes loose dirt and dust from the fibers. Over time these particles dull your carpet’s appearance; frequent vacuuming maintains the beauty of your floor covering and extends its life.
  

December’s Child….. February 23, 2008

I was tagged in a game an exercise to get to know fellow bloggers by Christine Whittemore . She is the highly motivated and generous author of Flooring The Consumer and co-author of Carpetology.

I am a December baby - snow is one of earth’s best floorcovering!

The rules of the game are simple

1. Mention the person who tagged you and create a link back to them.
2. Pick your month of birth.
3. Copy-paste the traits for all the twelve months (see below).
4. Highlight the traits that apply to you and if you would like write some wit or not.
5. Tag 12 people and let them know by visiting their blogs and leaving a comment for them.
6. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve done it!

DECEMBER’S CHILD IS: Loyal and generous. Sexy. Patriotic. Active in games and interactions. Impatient and hasty. Ambitious. Influential in organizations. Fun to be with. Loves to socialize. Loves praises. Loves attention. Loves to be loved. Honest and trustworthy. Not pretending. Short tempered. Changing personality. Not egotistic. Take high pride in oneself. Hates restrictions. Loves to joke. Good sense of humor. Logical.

In more detail….

The Right Way to Clean Ceramic Tile February 21, 2008

Because of the success of What Feeding the Bears and Ruining Your Hardwood Floors has in Common, today will begin a series of maintenance guides for all types of floor covering. Stay tuned for more!

Tile Maintenance

Sooner or later, time and traffic, life and living, will take its toll on any floor covering. Ceramic tile is no exception. But take heart, keeping your tile as clean and beautiful as its first days in your home just takes know-how. In fact, understanding the best methods to care for your ceramic flooring will help maintain its beauty and keep it close to its original condition. Plus, knowing what’s expected of you regarding upkeep can be a determining factor in which type of ceramic tile to purchase. Knowing how to care for and maintain your ceramic floor will help keep your investment beautiful, durable and a source of pride for years to come.