From the Floors Up

5 Remodeling Projects To Take On Before the Holiday

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Is your list of home improvement projects piling up? If you plan on hosting guests in your home during the holiday season you no doubt want it to look its best. Since it can be a huge challenge to get everything done in the nick of time, we’ve created a list of home improvement priorities you’ll need to focus on in order to get your house ready for visitors.

Below are five home improvement projects that will make a huge difference in your holiday season and for years to come.

  1. Get New Floors: Now is a great time to get new floors! New flooring can change the entire look and feel of your home. Many flooring retailers offer financing programs that can help you get the floors you really want before the holiday. When you get new floors it also provides great timing for changing furniture layouts, cleaning out drawers and cabinets – all good things to do before the end of the year.
  2. Upgrade Your Kitchen: Since there will be a lot of food preparation during the holidays you’ll want to ensure that your kitchen is both functional and stylish. Now is the time to invest in a new backsplash. Be sure to select a pattern that best represents your personality or that will be a timeless choice for resale, depending on your plans for your home.
  3. Install A New Stair Runner: Do your stairs look old and tired? Chances are your staircase is in the middle of your home where everyone can see it. Stairs get so much traffic it’s expected that after a while, they begin to look used, worn and even dirty despite regular cleaning efforts. Before your guests arrive, wouldn’t it feel great to update your stairs with a new runner or new carpet? There are numerous style options when it comes to choosing a stair runner. Will you choose a pattern? Or something with color?
  4. Make Over the Fireplace: Who doesn’t love to gather around the fireplace during the holidays? Give your fireplace a modern look by making an update. You can update the existing tile or stone that you already have. You can add more tile or stone by running it all the way to the ceiling creating a dramatic focal point for the room. You can add or update a mantle and change the look entirely!
  5. Create A Focal Point in the Room: Why not do something to wow your guests a little and create something that you can enjoy the rest of the year and for upcoming years? Do this by adding a focal point to the room. A focal point could be painting an accent wall a bold color or even a beautiful painting. You can mix prints as well as layer different shades within the same hue.

Give yourself the gift of something new for your home this year! You’ll be glad you did!

How to Remove Gravy Stains from Carpet

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If little Tommy drops his Thanksgiving dinner plate on the carpet tomorrow, don’t worry. This year, we’re sharing some of our best stain removal techniques with you. We hope you find these tips useful.

Nail Polish Remover – Two types of nail polish removers are available. One type contains acetone, a dry cleaning solvent. Use the same precautions as with other dry cleaning solutions. The second type contains amyl acetate, which is used in many paint, oil, and grease (POG) removers. Many POG removers leave residues that may cause rapid soiling. When using a POG remover, always rinse the area thoroughly with a dry solvent.

Solvent – A non-flammable spot removal solution, or dry cleaning type solvent, is preferred. Exercise caution when using a solvent. Never pour it directly onto the carpet or allow it to reach the backing, because it can damage the latex that holds the primary and secondary backings together. Acceptable solvents include Carbona®, Energine®, K2R®, Goof-Off®, etc.

Detergent Solution – Mix one fourth (1/4) teaspoon of a liquid dishwashing detergent per one (1) cup of lukewarm water. NEVER USE A STRONGER CONCENTRATION! Thorough rinsing is necessary to remove detergent residues that may cause rapid soiling. It may be necessary to rinse with warm water several times to completely remove residues. (See Residue Precautions.) Care should be used in selecting a detergent. Never use a laundry detergent of any type, because laundry detergents may contain optical brighteners (flourescent dyes) that dye the fiber. Do not select an automatic dishwashing detergent because many contain bleaching agents that destroy dyes and some fibers.

Vinegar Solution – Mix one (1) cup of white vinegar per two (2) cups of water. White vinegar is a 5% acetic acid solution. It is used most often to lower the alkalinity caused by detergent solutions or alkaline spills.

Warm Water – Lukewarm tap water should be used in most cases to rinse the cleaning solutions from the fiber. Failure to completely rinse the solutions from the fiber may cause accelerated soiling.

Ammonia Solution – Mix one (1) tablespoon of household ammonia per cup of water. Please note: Be aware that ammonia, if used improperly, can cause a color change. Be sure to test a hidden area.

When in doubt, call a professional – Professional cleaners have the ability and the equipment to use more aggressive cleaning solutions to remove stubborn spills. Always consider consulting a professional cleaner regarding any spot removal question. Carpet and Rug Institute – 1-800-882-8846.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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7 Realistic Holiday Decorating Tips

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Although the holiday season is a time for joy and happiness, it can be stressful preparing for this time of the year – especially in 2020! From shopping for presents and decorating the Christmas tree, to getting the house ready for family, it can seem like there is so much to do. Bringing the holiday spirit into your home should bring as little stress as possible. Here are some realistic tips for decorating for the holidays:

Start Planning Ahead


While you may be a superhero to your family, realistically you’re just human. Therefore, keep in mind that you can’t do everything. Being too overwhelmed prevents you from enjoying the holiday season with your family. Before you start decorating the house, decide what areas you want to focus on. The outdoor area, entryway, and perhaps the family room may be top on the list.

Throughout the house
Instead of potentially overdoing it with the Christmas decorations you can add small, simple touches in every room. Simple touches like mistletoe in the entry, holiday towels in the guest bathroom or a simple wreath on the front door can make the whole home feel decorated.

Purchasing Ornaments
When decorating the Christmas tree don’t feel like you have to purchase expensive ornaments. Discount stores and outlets sell inexpensive ornaments that look just as festive and elegant. Look for things that bring you joy that you can simply add a hook to hang on the tree. A family project could include making ornaments for the tree.

Wrapping Your Gifts
Get creative! Repurpose newspapers, magazines and other types of unique papers to wrap Christmas presents. You can even create your very own wrapping with glitter, paper and drawing pencils. Top it off with a ribbon or an accent piece. You’ll be saving money and the environment. Craft paper with decorative ribbon can be a chic and elegant look. Try this look with colored pen messages on the gifts!

Light dimmers
Purchase light dimmers for your lamps that can easily be plugged into an outlet. They are inexpensive and can be purchased at hardware stores. Light dimmers allow you to really set the mood providing the perfect ambiance for Christmas Eve.

Plan for hiccups
If you plan on having a lot of people over to the house, make a plan for the unexpected. Prepare extra food and purchase inexpensive gifts that can be held in a glass bowl for unexpected guests. Wrap extra gifts that you wouldn’t mind keeping if you end up without unexpected guests. Just remember to keep blank tags close by!

Get the family involved
Make sure you get the whole family involved. The kids can help you decorate the house. Allow them to decorate their rooms as they please. The family can help you design the Christmas tree and prepare food for the guests. Don’t be shy about asking for help!

Happy Holidays!

Shabby Chic Christmas Décor

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We spend a lot of time and effort in designing our homes and tailoring them to our style. Having a Shabby Chic style can say a lot about you. This pastel, vintage wonderland can create a soft and dreamy oasis. Everything in your design has a purpose and place to help achieve the vintage look. However, traditional holiday décor may not always go with your home theme. While holidays décor is timeless, Shabby Chic has a very distinctive color palette and styling. Adding a forest-green tree with red bulbs can seem to clash with your home design. So, this year, why not make your Christmas décor accommodate your home? Investing in Shabby Chic seasonal décor is just another way to take more pride in your style even during the holiday seasons.

Christmas Tree

What is Christmas without a Christmas tree? While traditional styles may call for a rugged pine, your home will thrive with a more frosted look. Look for a frosted white, all-white, or silver Christmas tree this holiday season. You can decorate this beautiful tree with silver tinsel, pastel bulbs, and your favorite antique ornaments. This conversion from the traditional tree to a Shabby Chic appearance will make it hard for you to take down the décor after Christmas passes! Consider even the wrapping paper you use. Go with wrapping paper designs that complement your design in order to take your Christmas tree scene to the next level. Top it off with some white lights and a floral tree skirt to help complete the whole look!

Christmas Wreaths and Garland

Another aspect that is part of every Christmas design is the wreath. If you have already converted your Christmas tree to a Shabby Chic style, consider changing out your Christmas wreaths and garland. Having them be uniform with your tree can help accessorize your design. Plus, adding some Christmas bulbs and accessories to spruce up the look never hurts. In fact, you will find that these are great ways to help keep your design flowing throughout your space.

Other Décor

Also, your whole home is an outlet to express yourself. There are thousands of décor options for Shabby Chic homes to use during Christmas. From antique fireplace mantel décor to cute laced stockings to candles, you will have endless options to express yourself. Remember to keep your theme focused and agreeing with your current design. Do not over clutter your home during the holiday season so you can keep it feeling homey and well-kept.

All these little tricks will help complete your home. Remember, you can decorate your home how you want. If you love Shabby Chic, take pride in your design and let your Christmas decor also feel beautiful.

Do you love Shabby Chic? What are some of your favorite Shabby Chic holiday decorations? Let us know below in the comment section, and for more holiday ideas, make sure to subscribe!

Rustic Christmas Decor

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Do you love Rustic design? Many homeowners and businesses love to incorporate this authentic, homey style to create a cozy environment. It takes the strengths of nature and facilitates them throughout your space while the earthy tones help ground the design. This rural design style is charming, and unpretentiously uses many raw elements of nature and ties them together in the design. If you love Rustic design, you should consider incorporating it into your Christmas décor. Not only is Rustic a homey and welcoming design, but it can be a perfect complementary style to the already cozy Christmas atmosphere in your home. Here are some great ways to make Rustic design part of your Christmas décor:

Christmas Tree

Your Christmas tree will be the focal point of your Christmas design. With Rustic design already being grounded with country-style living, this green pine will be the staple piece to harmonize your designs. A real authentic tree would be ideal for helping capture the true smell of pine and raw nature. Just make sure to decorate your tree with all the Rustic décor you can. Add some earthy tones to your tree like beige tinsel and brown Christmas bulbs for an earthy feel. Also, pinecones are an excellent addition to make your tree feel even more authentic.

Fireplace Mantle

In many Rustic home designs, fireplaces are classic focal points of living rooms. They help create the Hygge and comfort in your home. Plus, winter is a perfect time to have a fire and really facilitate this feature in your home. Try to decorate your fireplace mantle with some very Rustic-inspired Christmas décor. Garland and pines are excellent. You can also look for some cozy-looking stockings to hang from your fireplace mantle. Creating this scene will make your space feel very comforting and cozy while perfectly complementing your Rustic design!

Seasonal Décor

Hygge is a Danish word that encompasses the quality of comfort in your home. Create Hygge by making your Christmas feel cozy. There are hundreds of additional Rustic Christmas décor pieces to add to your home. From soap dishes and candles to wash clothes and blankets, the possibilities are endless. Take pride in your Christmas décor and allow it to help accent your Rustic design.

As Christmas quickly approaches, it is time to start thinking about putting up your yearly décor. If you love Rustic décor, this is the perfect time of the year to incorporate it into your home. Have your Christmas feeling cozier than ever with a true pine tree, a beautifully decorated fireplace mantle, and other miscellaneous Rustic Christmas décor.

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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