From the Floors Up blog was created with the goal of providing a destination for consumers, designers and those interested in the flooring, design, … Learn More
Understanding Your Flooring: Luxury Vinyl Planking (LVP)
LVP has come a long way over the years. Now being the fast grossing floor in the industry, this versatile option has many beautiful planks … Read More »
Understanding Your Flooring: Hardwood
Adding hardwood flooring is a luxurious upgrade that homeowners absolutely love. The authentic nature is a timeless remedy that can … Read More »
Understanding Your Flooring: Carpet
As most homeowners already know, not all floors are made equally. From hardwood to carpet, every flooring option gives you a list of … Read More »
Pro’s and Con’s of Hardwood Floors | Part Two
Hardwood flooring is aesthetically pleasing, low maintenance, durable, and it can be refinished multiple times. With so many benefits, why should you not invest in hardwood throughout your whole home? Well, every up has its downs, but that does not mean these beautiful floors are not worth the investment. Hardwood may be the perfect solution your home is missing, yet having a better understanding of the product never hurts. Join us as we explore the other side of the coin and see some of the cons in hardwood flooring.
CON’s
Cost
Home investments can be pricey, and hardwood is no exception. The cost of the product, specialized tools, and installation can make hardwood flooring a more costly investment. However, the durability of this flooring and return on investment in real estate may be worth the long-term investment.
Noise
Hardwood reduces hollow sounds and can improve the home’s acoustics. Therefore, hardwood is installed in dance studios. However, this allows the sound waves to travel very easily and does not dampen unwanted noise. To reduce sound, you may want to invest in a cork underlayment or area rugs.
Water
Water is not hardwood flooring’s friend. The planks will expand and contract and become damaged. It is not a good practice to put hardwood near watery areas in the home like bathrooms or laundry rooms.
Subfloor
Unfortunately, hardwood floors cannot be installed over any surface. Hardwood is an organic material and can expand and contract due to temperature and moisture levels. Concrete retains a lot of moisture and can damage the floor. While some engineered hardwoods can be installed over concrete by gluing the planks down, it is not recommended.
Remember, not all hardwood flooring is created equal. All woods have different scratch resistant level, stain different, and come engineered or solid. While the pros may outweigh the cons, it is essential to understand if hardwood is the best suit for you. If you missed part one, where we talked about the pro’s, visit it here.
Pro’s and Con’s of Hardwood Floors | Part One
Hardwood flooring is a timeless home improvement that enhances your space with an authentic, awe-inspiring look. While many homeowners love the look of hardwood floors, it is not practical in every application. Hardwood floors offer many benefits to the home, yet knowing when and where to install them will help you create your space. Explore the pros and cons of hardwood floors and decide for yourself if they are best for your home!
PRO’S
Aesthetics
The first pro is no surprise. Hardwood floors have been around for centuries for a reason: they are simply beautiful. Apart from being gorgeous to look at, they are an excellent investment. In fact, hardwood floors can also raise the real estate value of your home.
Low Maintenance
Hardwood floors are extremely low maintenance. They are more stain resilient than carpet or untreated tiles. While carpet imbeds dirt, dust, and debris, hardwood can be easily cleaned by simply sweeping the surface with a swifter or broom.
Longevity
Hardwood can last for an extremely long time. While it may be an expensive investment at first, in the long run, it is a high-quality flooring solution worth the venture. Hardwood floors can be sanded and refinished several times to make your flooring look brand new.
Enhanced Air Quality
Consider how much of a nuisance it can be for dust to get trapped between your carpet fibers. If you or your children are allergy sensitive, you may want to stray away from carpet. Dust, pet allergens, and pollen love settling in on the surface of your flooring. Even tile grout lines can create a home for these unwanted nuisances. Hardwood flooring ensures an easy to clean surface to remove these and create a high-quality air environment in your home.
Ultimately, hardwood floors are excellent for homes. They flow with virtually any design theme and enhance your home’s overall aesthetics. Make sure you carefully explore some competitive options like LVP or Tile to really make sure your floor is tailored for what is best suited for your home. From engineered to solid hardwood or oak to maple, discovering which floor is best is up to you. Ask your sales representative if hardwood will work for your application. If so, you will not be disappointed with this timeless home remedy.
The Return of Past Trends
The circle of life quite literally continues to repeat itself. As we spectate, styles that were popular years ago have returned to fashion and design. From hairstyles to outfit choices and even interior design, some trends continue to fade in and out over time. Some styles that have become entirely obsolete are recently making their way back into the market today. Are you up to date on the latest trends? If not, here are some trends that have begun to return–see how many you have recently noticed:
Berber
Berber became popular in the ’80s and ’90s as plush carpets began to fade out of the marketplace. The demand for more level-loop, lower profile carpet grew higher and higher. Berber had a distinct character that it would add to a room. This carpet slowly faded as the next generation of first-time homebuyers strayed from this look. However, Berber has gradually been on the uprise again–making its way into homes all over the country. As the demand for hard surface flooring increases, the need for unique styling carpet has also increased. Berber has fit the bill and has slowly returned to becoming a highly sought-after carpet that homeowners and businesses alike want.
Wallpaper
Wallpaper became outdated and was often referred to as a “poor man’s solution” for adding character to walls in a room. As people began to affiliate wallpaper as tacky, it slowly faded off the market. However, over time, technology has advanced wallpaper designs. With highly enhanced designs in wallpaper, wallpaper can now add more depth to the room. These incredible styles have been used in whole rooms or to create a focal wall. For areas that do not have exposed woods or brick, wallpaper can now be an alternative option to help enhance your design.
Floral
You may remember grandma having floral sheets and throw pillows. This trend became outdated, and out of style in the early 2000s; however, with women’s fashion, it slowly returned. The repetition in these patterns is a great accent to emphasize in a room. Drapes, throw pillows, and fabrics are all coming with beautiful floral prints. This once outdated style is now the hottest trend.
Natural Materials
Contemporary, Modern Design, Scandinavian, and Art Deco took a strong run in the last decade. With this, plastics were heavily introduced into furniture and décor. While natural materials never became obsolete, the demand went decreased. Yet now, the demand is at an all high. Natural hardwood floors, marble countertops, stone fireplaces, and much more are all becoming the new hot trend in homes.
Maximalism
While we watch minimalism take a strong term in the last years, many experts believe maximalism is back. We have not seen maximalism in design themes since the Victorian Era. Maximalism has an eclectic look featuring many highly lavished décor pieces being added to the room. While less is more will never become unwanted, maximalism is coming back and is considered to be very trendy.
Which one of these trends have you recently noticed? Do you see other trends we forgot to mention? Let us know below in the comment section. For more insight on the latest trends in interior and exterior design, make sure to subscribe.
Checklist for Your First Apartment
Moving into a new apartment can be very exciting. Whether it is your first time renting or you are just looking to relocate, you want to make sure you are getting the best bang for your buck. Each apartment will come with different amenities and options. Try to get your list down to about 3-5 apartments you are considering. If you have too many, you will be overwhelmed, whereas not enough will not allow you to make an educated choice. You want to find one that is best tailored to your specific needs and wants. In order to do this, we created a comprehensive checklist to consider. Use a scoring system of 1-5. Let 1 represent not adequate, while 5 represents superb. Talley up your apartments at the end and discover the winner.
Location
One thing you should consider is the location of your apartment. What is the neighborhood like for your lifestyle? Are you near work and family? Try using this checklist on your apartment options.
- Distance to work
- Distance to loved ones
- Distance from gas stations
- Distance from freeway entrances or main roads
- Distance from grocery stores
- Safety of the community
- Is the location quiet
Cost
Your budget will play a massive role in your apartment search and this goes deeper than just rent. Additional fees may add up quicker than you think. Here are some things you may need to consider:
- Rent
- Security Deposit
- Water
- Parking
- Waste Management
- Gas
- Renters Insurance
- Late Fees
- Laundry
Appliances
Since we are looking at if your apartment offers laundry, we should consider appliances. Not all apartments come fully loaded. This may happen problematic to you. Remember to view all the appliances:
- Laundry Machine
- Dishwasher
- Stove/Range
- Microwave
- Refrigerator
- Garbage Disposal
- Services/Amenity
Services/Amenities
While everything in your unit may make a significant role, do not forget amenities. Look at services you plan on using–this can quickly create an outlier for some apartments:
- Gym
- Movie Theater
- Pool
- Entertainment
- Convenient Store
- Maintenance Office Hours
Before ranking everything, you should consider what is important to you. If you do not need a garbage disposal, do not make it a deciding factor on your list. If you are not looking for an apartment with a gym, do not add it to the list. Once you determine what is important to you, rank each item 1-5. This can give you a definite number ranking for each apartment. However, if you feel like you are in love with one option over another, always go with your heart. For more lifestyle and living tips, make sure to subscribe!
Trending Designs of 2019
We are now entering halfway through the year 2019. With predictions coming to fruition and patterns being seen, we can now step back and look at some of the trending design styles. What has 2019 brought to offer to interior design? What has come and went through the past decade of interior design? Are certain elements here to stay? We explore all these questions and more as we investigate the Trending Designs of 2019.
Matte Black
Traditionally faucets would come in stainless steel. The color spectrum began to broaden over the years as gold and copper started to be thrown into the mix. Lately, many people are switching out handles to a drawer, faucets, and other hardware with a matte black finish. This look feels crisp while no drawing attention in the room.
Agate Stone
People love incorporating different stonework in their homes. Agate stone has an exceptional look that is becoming trendy throughout 2019. This stone can feel raw due to its nature, but its highly symmetrical designs allow it to work in the most contemporary atmospheres.
Urban Inspired Décor
The millennials have begun to put their imprint on the design world. Urban inspired décor has becoming reinstated for its edgy look. This blend of urban and modern pop culture is seen in many commercial designs lately and is bleeding into the residential areas as well.
Contemporary/Vintage Lighting
Individuals are now straying away from traditional light fixtures. From ceiling lights to floor lamps, unique styles are being added to room scenes. Whether vintage to help make a statement or contemporary lighting, homeowners are investing more attention to the aesthetics of their light fixtures.
Maximalism
The constant cycle of minimalism and maximalism repeats itself throughout history. From Victorian Era design to Edwardian Era, maximalism faded and became minimalism. Now the once loved styling of minimalism has begun to repeat itself in the cycle. Maximalism is allowing people to add more personality and ornate touches to their homes. It is eliminating the less is more mentality and beginning to stick.
Many things in fashion and design tend to repeat themselves. We are in the cycle of a new generation. Even as technology advances, it can begin to transform the needs and wants we include in our designs. Where do you think interior design is headed? We would love to hear your thoughts below in the comment section.
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