From the Floors Up

American Southwest: A How-To Decorate Guide

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A theme in decorating is more than just a plan to keep the colors from clashing.  A theme makes a statement about the area we live in, our hobbies or even our background. A theme can also be a look and feel that speaks to you, but has little to do with where you live or where you are from.  Decorating around a theme is often the best way to create a room that is impressive as well. No more wondering if a new item will be just the right color.  Extra consideration is not needed wondering if that accessory will fit in with your decorating scheme.  Instead, you can quickly and confidently say ‘yay or nay.’ Either it works with the theme or it doesn’t!

We have picked one theme – American Southwest – and created guidelines to make this theme easy and fun.  Don’t’ worry about following the list to the letter.  Just choose the items that speak to you.  Use the other items as inspiration! When going about it this way the overall project seems less daunting. Just pick what you like and work it into your plan!

In this post we are going to discuss the earthy beauty of American Southwest art and design. This very unique aesthetic produces an effect that is both welcoming and exciting.

  • Colors:
    • Warm-toned neutrals, used abundantly
    • Forest green
    • Sienna red
    • Brown
    • Turquoise
    • Slate blue
  • Accessories
    • Wall-hung rugs in bright patterns
    • Kachina dolls
    • Dream catchers
    • Baskets made of natural materials
  • Materials
    • Turquoise
    • Silver
    • Wood should also be prevalent and appear close to its natural state rather than highly processed
  • Lighting
    • Floor lamps with beaded or faux leather shades
    • Dimmer switch on any overhead lighting
    • Candles
  • Furniture
    • Soft, worn leather couches and chairs, ideally large and very comfortable
    • Lots of wood, appearing close to its natural state
    • Angular lines, exposed fasteners, nails, etc
  • Walls
    • Stucco
    • Textured faux finishes
  • Floors
    • Native American area rugs in bold colors, statement piece
    • Aged hardwood
    • LVP or laminate that looks like aged wood

Is there anything that you would add to this list? Do you have a Southwest inspired home? We’d love to hear your ideas in the comment section!

Home Check-Up List

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With how much time people are spending at home, we thought now would be a good time for a home check-up list. Here are five things you should do every year to ensure you’re running a well-oiled machine.

One: Replace the batteries in the smoke detector

Ever heard of the old adage “better than safe than sorry”? Yes, every year you should be switching out the old batteries in your smoke detector for new ones. Modern smoke detectors feature hard-wired backup batteries that must also be replaced. However, it doesn’t stop there. After trading batteries you should ensure that all the smoke detectors throughout the house are in working order.

In addition to the smoke detectors, you should also check your carbon monoxide detectors. Every year thousands of deaths occur due to faulty carbon monoxide detectors. Make sure you change the batteries at least every six months to a year.

Two: Inspect the chimney

Before you fire up your fireplace during the cold winter months you must fire perform a thorough inspection of your chimney. Make sure the gas logs are positioned correctly, look for cracks in the glass door and make sure the burner holes aren’t clogged.

Even when the fireplace is not in use it should be inspected because the chimney has dangerous gases that can be carried to the stove and that shouldn’t be inhaled. Be sure to clean it periodically or make an appointment to have it serviced by a professional.

Three: Gutters

Gutters that become clogged with leaves and other debris restrict the water from flowing easily preventing them from doing their job! This preventative maintenance will save you time and headaches down the road. If you aren’t comfortable on a ladder, hiring someone to do this for you will be worth it in the long run.

Four: Doors and windows

Before winter hits, you should perform an inspection of all the doors and windows in your home. Check for weather stripping around the front and back door. Look for cracks in the windows and tears on the screen. Checking for signs of wear around the window frame is important for safety issues.

Five: Rotate Area Rugs

If you have area rugs that get any exposure from the sun, you’ll want to rotate them to ensure that your rugs receive the same amount of sun exposure on each side for even fading. This is normal and natural for any material that receives exposure to sunlight. If your rugs are on top of hardwood floors, you will want to rotate your furniture where possible so that your hardwood floors receive the same amount of sun exposure for evenness as well.

We hope you find these tips useful in maintaining a healthy home. Take care of yourself and your home!

Guest Bedroom Must Haves

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When getting a guest room ready for house guests, there are some things to consider. Your guests should be comfortable which means being prepared with all of the necessities. Keep reading to get a better understanding of how to stock your guest room for comfort.

First and foremost, the bedding should be comfortable and versatile. Make sure the bedding is soft and layered. Always use the top sheet covered by a duvet or comforter. To add an extra layer of texture, it is also nice to have a throw or quilt folded up at the end of the bed. This helps guests who might get cold at night. Guests can always take blankets away, but they can’t add warm bedding if it is not readily available to them.

Make sure there is storage space for their clothing, belongings and their suitcase. Storage for clothing should be a dresser with some free drawers available. It is a good idea to have room in a closet with empty hangers. It is nice to have the option to hang clothes when traveling. Also, make sure there is enough room in the closet for guests to store their suitcase. If you are like most Americans and there’s no closet space available, add a luggage rack or a bench at the end of the bed. This is convenient for packing and unpacking, using the bed as a place to fold and get organized. Having the suitcases at the end of the bed on luggage racks or a bench makes it easier to pack. This also prevents bedding from gettings stained from dirty suitcase wheels.

Place at least one nightstand next to the bed. Guests need room for their phones, medicine, books and other personal items. Add a bedside lamp to the nightstand as well. A bedside lamp will add extra lighting for guests to use at night. If you want to go the extra mile, provide phone chargers near the nightstand for your guests.

Place clean towels on the bed before visitors arrive. Whenever possible have a place for people to hang their damp towels. It is nice to have racks on the back of the door. This allows for someone to get ready in their bedroom without having to go back to the bathroom and find a place to hang a damp towel.

Details make for an inviting space. To make the room extra welcoming add a vase of fresh flowers to the nightstand or a dresser. If there’s a television in the room, make sure the remote is easy to locate. If the nightstand gets crowded, place items like the remote, flowers or towels on a decorative tray on the bed. Visitors will be very appreciative of your hospitality if you take the details into account.

Creative Kitchen Ideas

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If you are anything like us, you are always looking for new and exciting ways to reorganize. In fact, kitchens are one of the easiest rooms to reorganize. Your kitchen situation can always being changing depending on your buying habits and needs. Instead of sharing basic kitchen organization ideas, we wanted to take it a step further with creative kitchen ideas. If you are looking for fun ways to organize, you will want to stayed tuned because we have five tips for you!

Creative Kitchen Organization Ideas:

  1. Paint Your Wooden Utensils. Have you ever been digging around your utensil drawer trying to find the right spoon? If you find yourself constantly searching, you may benefit from painting the bottom of your wooden spoons. The key is to paint each utensil a different color. This way when you are making dinner, you know to grab the “dark green” wooden bottom.
  2. Switch Boxed Items to Jars. Not only will jars look more organized and sophisticated, but it can cut down on bulky items. Switch all your boxed items into glass jars for a clean, fun look. Just make sure to recycle the leftover boxes!
  3. Hooks for Pans. A way to add uniqueness to your organization is to find antique hooks to hang your kitchen pots and pans. You can line the hooks on your kitchen walls and the pans can serve as decor pieces.
  4. Display Your Dishes. What better way to force yourself to be organized than have all of your dishes on display? You can take the doors off of your cabinets and let the world see your dishes. For a creative twist, you can paint or wallpaper the inside of your cabinets fun colors.
  5. Magnetize The Spices. If you are a lover of spices, you know how difficult it is to find the right spice while cooking. With so many options burdening your drawers, you may choose the wrong one while cooking. To make sure you are always reaching for the right spice, you can magnetize the bottoms. You will just need to buy a magnetic board to attach all of the spices to and write the spices names on the jars.

We hope you enjoyed these easy, creative kitchen ideas! Got ideas to share? Leave a comment!

Refresh Your Home For Summer

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Whether you are looking to completely redecorate some rooms in your home or just spruce up what you have with something fresh for the summer season, there are plenty of easy ways to brighten up your home now that summer is here. Check out these tips below to refresh the look of your home this summer.

Refresh a small powder room by painting an accent wall a bright summery color. Try a matte teal or pale yellow to offset the other white or cream-colored walls. Accessorize the bathroom with a matching soap dispenser and new towels. If you have any wall-worthy paintings from your kids, consider framing their artwork and hanging it on the accent wall.

Add a pop of color to your sunroom, back patio or foyer by adding accent pillows to the furniture in each respective area. Grab some coral, yellow or green throw pillows for the sunroom and foyer. Get weatherproof pillows for your outside furniture.

If you are able to go to the farmer’s market, pick up fresh flowers for your home. Add a large vase of flowers to your entryway, your kitchen island and your dinner table. Fresh flowers really bring in color and fresh scent to make your home feel clean and welcoming.

If your home’s bedrooms have dark curtains or heavy drapes, try refreshing their look with something lighter. Add light-colored curtains to drape over your windows or try making a window treatment with light, beach home-like fabrics, such as linen.

Feeling adventurous? Sand and repaint a piece of furniture! It could be an old desk or dresser or a chair or table. Sand off the old finish from the piece of furniture and clean well. Then, paint a bright color or a chic, clean eggshell white. Allow to dry and it will surely brighten up the room it was in before.

Hopefully, some of these tips will help give you a fresh look for summer or just give you something new and cheery to look at if you’re stuck at home. Have fun! We’d love to see your projects!

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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