From the Floors Up

Area Rug Placement for a Guest Bedroom

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Area rugs are a favorite element for designers wanting to add ambiance, texture, and coziness to a room. We love how area rugs will add pops of color and specifically define a space. We have two essential tips to share with you for furniture placement in regards to your area rug that will bring the entire bedroom together. Please enjoy!

Options for Rug Placement: Guest Room 

  1. Buy an area rug that will fit under the bottom two-thirds of the bed so that it can be seen from both sides and at the bottom of the bed. 
  2. Buy hallway runners and place them on both sides of the bed and one at the foot of the bed. 

Typically, we prefer the first option, but let’s talk a little about the size and shape of the space.

Option 1

If your bed is centered in the middle of the room, designers will go with option one by placing an area rug under the bottom two-thirds of the bed. You need to make sure that your area rug is large enough to extend to the nightstands on both sides of the bed and try to make at least eighteen inches are visible from the end of the bed. If you choose a rug that is too small and does not meet these guidelines, the room and furniture placement may look misplaced! Generally speaking, try and keep about eight to twelve inches from the edge of the rug to the wall.

Option 2

We love this option of using runners, especially if you have gorgeous hardwood or natural stone floors! Also, this is a perfect look if you have a smaller bedroom. We will start with a single runner at the foot of the bed. Make sure that your runner goes from edge to edge or a little wider than the bed for a perfect placement! For runners on each side of the bed, make sure they start at the front of your end tables and run to almost the end of the bed.

If you are still having a little trouble trying to figure out the furniture placement, actually map it out on a piece of paper. There are also free websites where you can enter the room’s dimensions and lay the furniture out with respect to the size of the area rug. Good luck, and please let us know how your bedroom turns out!

Measuring for Flooring and Its Variables

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Many companies will come out and measure before installing flooring – this is not because you are naïve and do not know how to measure a room. In fact, it is to ensure they order enough flooring for your project. Every room will come with its own variables, and in many situations, you need to know more than the square footage of a room. While linear footage can help give your flooring company a general idea, there are still many variables to consider. Here is a brief look at why measuring flooring can have many variables:

Carpet

When carpet is manufactured, it is typically created on a large roll. These rolls are traditionally 12-feet in width and can be up to 300-feet in length. The size of your room determines how much length you will need. So, if your room is below 12 feet in width, you will just order for the length.

  • Example: 11×11 Bedroom will call for a 12×11 roll of carpet
  • Example: 10×14 Bedroom will call for a 12×14 roll of carpet

However, what happens when you have a room that is 16×14 can completely change the equation. A room over 12-foot will need to be seamed. Carpet is directional, which means it needs to run the same way to be installed correctly. So, a room that is 16×14 could be complete with two 12×16 piece rolls; however, there would be a substantial amount of wasted product! So, these areas are created by making cross seams.

Carpet can also be calculated out differently depending on how many rooms or the shape of the rooms being done. Some rooms may be L-shaped. There are several variables that can go into the exact measurement needed for carpet.

Tile, Hardwood, & LVP

Prepackage flooring that comes in boxes can be a little simpler to figure out the measurements. If a box says it contains 27 square feet of material and you are doing a room that is 100 square feet, you will need four boxes. Unfortunately, the problem arises when you have an area that is just over a box amount. Let us say you have a box of LVP that covers 20 square feet, and your room is exactly 100 square feet. Would this mean you need five boxes of LVP? Not quite because you need to calculate waste. In these situations, you will most likely need to invest in six boxes of flooring. Also, some products may come damaged from the manufacturer with a broken tile or a splintered piece of hardwood. Calculating a little heavy is always a safe bet.

If a company asks to come out and measure, it is best you have them do so to help keep your quote exact. With many variables from transitions to installation, a trained eye is best. This can help assure that you are getting just the right amount of flooring.

Solution-Dyed Carpets

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When shopping for carpet, you will come across many different styles, materials, loops, and colors. Carpets can all have added pros and cons, depending on how they are manufactured and what material is used to create the fibers. You may be interested in a natural material such as wool or go another route such as a synthetic carpet fiber like polyester. There are two types of ways that synthetic carpets are dyed. While how your carpet is dyed may not seem like a big deal to you, there are benefits that may interest you in purchasing a solution-dyed carpet. Let’s take a look!

Traditional Dyeing Methods

There are many ways carpets are dyed, but generally, the traditional way is through dipping the fibers. Fibers are created with a very neutral color like grey or beige. These fibers are created then ran through a dye to stain the fibers. While this process is very complex and can have different stages in the process, this is, traditionally, how color is added to fibers. Imagine an apple. When you see an apple, it has a red coat on the outside of it. However, when you cut a knife through the apple, you can reveal the true white color beneath the skin. This is how the traditional dyed method affects carpets.

Solution-Dyed

Carpets have been engineered to be constructed through synthetic materials. These materials can consist of liquid polymer compounds and chemicals being converted into fibers. Unlike the traditional method, where the fibers are dyed after the carpet fibers are created, solution-dyeing adds the color with the chemical compounds. This allows the fibers to be dyed pre-production and be the true color all the way throughout the carpet. The liquid is then fed through spinnerets and created into yarn to make carpet fibers. So, unlike an apple, you now have a carrot. If you cut the carrot in half, you will still have the orange all the way throughout the vegetable.

Added Benefits

While this can only be done with synthetic fibers, there are many added benefits to the process. The fibers hold the color through themselves. This makes them very difficult for color to fade from sunlight or foot traffic. They are also more stain-resistant since the fibers have already been fully stained. This makes it much more difficult for them to absorb a new stain. Some solution-dyed carpets can also be cleaned with very heavy-duty cleaning compounds such as bleach without color fading!

Whether you are looking for commercial or residential carpet, understanding some of the added value to solution-dyed carpet may help you in the decision-making process. While non-solution-dyed carpets are still excellent choices, this added benefit should not be ignored. For more insight on flooring and manufacturing benefits, make sure to subscribe!

From the Floors to the Walls: Tips for Carpet and Paint

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When creating a room, two of the most influential design elements will be your paint and flooring. The colors you choose will set the mood since colors have a psychological impact on the environment. Neutral, warm, and cool tones can all make us perceive an atmosphere differently.

We physically walk on our floors daily; however, carpet is a softer flooring option. It makes a room more welcoming and inviting. Putting carpet in a living room, bedroom, or den can allow the floor to become an extension of seating. Choosing a paint and floor combination that works together is important. Today, we are going to look at pairing paint and carpet. Let’s get started!

Paint

You can start by choosing your paint or your carpet first. Remember to take your paint swatches home. Color can look different in certain lighting. Some paint shops may have overhead fluorescent lighting while you may have a more ambient style of lighting or natural light coming from your window. Additionally, remember that neutral colors are great because they tend to work with everything. If you decide to go more bold with color, you can purchase a test paint mix to sample on your walls prior to buying the whole paint can.

Carpet

Take your selected paint swab to your flooring store. Try to find a carpet that complements and matches your paint. Most fleck carpets are good at matching multiple colors while also hiding dirt and stains. Carpet can have slight changes in dye lots, which is important to note. You can also request to take your carpet sample home to see in your own lighting. Feel the sample and imagine it in your own home. Remember that padding is important to giving carpet its extra cushiony feel.

Paint and Install

Always paint your room first. While installation may scratch some of your walls, you can always fix them with touch up paint. However, paint splattering on new carpet may not be as easy of a fix. For both projects, you should clear your room or all the furniture before beginning.

In a short time, your room will look and feel completely different. It is amazing what carpet and paint can do to a home. While it may seem like the options are endless, selecting a paint and carpet combo can be fun. For more tricks on home improvement, make sure to subscribe.

Advice for Maintaining & Caring for Your Carpet

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So you have finally decided to go with carpet for your home. Even though carpet is super comfy and stylish, it does have its drawbacks. Anyone who has had the pleasure of owning carpet knows that it is challenging to maintain. Fortunately, we have got you covered. Here are some tips to help you keep your carpet looking like new for longer:

Vacuum on a Regular Basis

If you want your carpet to last for a long time, it is important to vacuum on a regular basis. Vacuuming is essential because it helps prevent dirt, allergens, and dust from accumulating. An excessive build-up in your carpet fibers will make the carpet look dirty and diminish air quality. Therefore, you want to make sure you vacuum at least once a week.

Clean up Spills Right Away

As hard as you try to prevent spills, the inevitable will happen. Be sure to clean up spills immediately because if you let them linger, they can become permanent. If you do not have a special cleaning solution on deck, you can blot the stain clean with water.

When cleaning up spills, make sure you blot instead of rubbing against the surface. Rubbing against the surface will cause the substance to spread further into the carpet. It is best to start at the outer corners of the stain and work your way inside.

Use a Carpet Protector Spray

Apply a carpet protector spray on a regular basis. This is an important step because such a formula will serve as a protective layer, making your carpet stain-resistant. Before applying the carpet protector to your entire carpet, you should try testing it out on a small area that is out of general view. This is just to be sure that it does not tint the carpet.

*Always consult with your flooring manufacturer before applying any products to your carpet.

Seek the Professionals

Some things are best left to the experts. Increase the longevity of your carpet by having the carpet cleaned professionally. A professional can do a deep cleaning of the fiber effectively removing stain remnants and deep cleaning the material.

A consistent maintenance schedule will keep your carpet looking new, and you can plan to have it for many years to come.

From the Floors Up

From the Floors Up blog was created with the goal of providing a destination for consumers, designers and those interested in the flooring, design, and kitchen and bath industries. Here you’ll find, current, accurate and informative information that is always just a click away!

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