From the Floors Up

Expert Tips for Choosing Your New Floors

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The time has come and you are ready to replace the floors in your home.  After a lot of thought, you are prepared to transform your home. Before you begin, we recommend giving serious consideration to the rooms that you are going to be updated. Below, we have shared a few tips to help you get started. Let’s take a look!

Inspiration

Determine what style you love the most. Do you lean towards traditional, contemporary, transitional, industrial, eclectic, or maybe another design theme? If you are unsure, you can read design magazines, browse Pinterest, scroll through online boards and blogs, and attend home shows for inspiration. Also, consider visiting new home models that are open to the public. This is a great way to see everything new and current in today’s market.

Lifestyle and Function

Lifestyle and function are considerations that are most often overlooked! There are many factors to consider after…is it pretty? Are there children and pets in the home? Do you spend a lot of time outside? Do you have a pool? Is your yard grass, natural, sand, rock, or mulched areas? Think about the outside debris that is tracked inside of your home. Are you a clean freak or a hit and miss housekeeper? Does anyone in the home suffer from allergies or asthma? Once you gathered answers to these lifestyle questions, make sure you choose a floor that will withstand and last according to your household. If you are unfamiliar with the choices that match each type of lifestyle, no need to worry! We have an expert sales staff ready to answer any and all of your design questions.

Lighting 

Lighting, natural and artificial, affects everything in the home from flooring to paint to fabric and even furnishings! The best advice for choosing your flooring regarding lighting is to take samples home and lay them out on your floors. Take a look at how the sample looks in daylight and in the evening with interior lights. This will help with not only color, but with surface finish, and the texture of the floor. You will be surprised how much lighting can affect the overall look of your home!

We hope these tips help you make a more informed decision when it comes to your next flooring project. Remember to lean on the pros. Share information about your style and how you live. Then, shop and buy with confidence that you will have floors you will love for years to come.

Best Flooring Options for Dogs & Cats

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If you’re a pet-owner, you’re probably already all too familiar with the wear and tear that our furry friends can cause to your home over time. Scratches, stains, odors and dirt are all common pet-caused hassles that can be especially damaging to floors.

That’s why many pet-owners, whether they’re building or remodeling a home, are cautious about what type of flooring they choose to install in the areas in which their pets live with them.

Before you begin your search, there are 4 common concerns that pet owners should consider when searching for flooring for their next project.

  1. Scratch resistance: How well does the floor resist scratches and other marks, commonly caused by dogs’ nails as they walk around?
  2. Damage resistance: Does the floor have a natural resistance to damage from things like pet urine and other accidents?
  3. Traction & comfort: Does the surface of the floor allow pets to move, walk, run, sit and lay safely and comfortably?
  4. Durability & ease of cleaning: How easy is it to regularly clean the floor and return it to its original look?

So, with all of that in mind, which types of flooring are best for dogs and other pets? You may be pleasantly surprised to learn that you have a lot of options when it comes to pet-friendly flooring.

Modern innovations have led to pet-focused technologies and warranties across the entire spectrum of flooring categories. We’ll dive into each one and give you our top product recommendations.

Pet-friendly carpet

Many people prefer soft, warm carpet in their bedrooms, but it’s probably not your first thought when you’re trying to pick flooring for a home with pets.

Carpet feels good for your pets to lie down, but it can be tough to clean and is prone to easy wear and tear. If you do opt for carpet, consider keeping it in low-traffic areas (such as bedrooms) where your pets don’t spend much time playing and running around.

Pet-friendly tile

Tile is well-suited to homes with pets in the family. Its hard surface and dense makeup make tile extremely durable and resistant to scratches from toenails.

Tile is also very easy to clean, as soil and pet hair sits on the surface. A routine sweeping, dusting or gentle vacuuming will pick up most solid debris. Wet mop as soon as spills or accidents occur, and you’ll be able to keep your tile looking and smelling as fresh and clean as the day you bought it.

The only significant drawback to having tile in a home with pets is that the surface is relatively cold and hard in comparison to most other types of flooring. You can solve this by laying down area rugs throughout your space, or a soft dog or cat bed or cushion.

Pet-friendly vinyl flooring

Luxury vinyl is arguably the ideal choice for pet-friendly flooring. The list of benefits is long. For example, vinyl flooring:

  • Is extremely affordable compared to other flooring options
  • Can be installed anywhere in the home, on, above or below grade
  • Offers great traction with realistic wood textures
  • Comes in a variety of beautiful, natural designs that mimic wood and tile
  • Is easy to clean and resistant to scratches and stains
  • Does not trap or release allergens into the air
  • Is comfortable and quiet underfoot

You may be considering LifeProof Vinyl Flooring. Be sure to educate yourself on the pros and cons before making your decision.

The main potential drawback to vinyl flooring is that it can be susceptible to water or other liquid damage. However, modern innovation has led to a number of waterproof vinyl options that are well-suited to homes with pets.

Pet-friendly laminate flooring

Laminate is similar to vinyl in many ways. It looks like hardwood, is easy to clean, and it resists water and scratches well.

You’ll want to familiarize yourself with the difference between vinyl plank vs. laminate before you start the decision making process.

One drawback to laminate are that it often has a slippery surface that isn’t great for soft paws. You can avoid this by choosing a laminate with a textured surface. These floors are beautiful and are especially good for active or older dogs.

Show Your Floors Some Love!

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Spending time at home due to Covid and got some time on your hands? We’ve got some tips to help you show your floors some love. You’ll be surprised at what showing your floors some love can do for how you feel about your floors and the room they are in!

Give your floors a good clean.

Properly and thoroughly cleaning your floors can change the look and feel of an entire room. If you’ve got a stubborn stain that has become an eyesore, removing the stain can visually make the room feel completely different because the focus is no longer on the stain.

If the stain is too old to be removed and the room is a high traffic area or common place for stains, you might want to consider newer floors that are either lower maintenance or a different color that hides stains better.

Click here to see how to properly clean most any stain our of all types of flooring.

Rotate your area rugs.

Rotating your area rugs will help the rug wear and age evenly. Area rugs should be rotated annually unless they are in a heavy traffic area. In this case, they should be rotated twice a year. Rotating your area rugs will help hardwood floors that receive sunlight fade evenly. You’ll thank us later when it’s time to move or change the room and you’ve done the work to avoid uneven fading.

Add an area rug.

Don’t have an area rug? Adding an area rug can completely change the look of a room. Consider adding an area rug that introduces color to the room or a pattern that helps the room feel larger. Adding an area rug and a few decorative items can refresh a room and breathe new life into it!

Read this post on to get more ideas on decorating with area rugs.

Clear out the clutter from your door mats.

Dirt and other aggregates can collect in your doormats. Once enough dirt and debris collect in your mats, they no longer serve their purpose. The dirt and debris on top just gets carried into your home via your shoes as if you didn’t have one at all. If your doormats are work or too hard to clean, consider replacing them. Doormats have come a long way! There are doormats with cute and clever sayings on them as well as classy and decorative looks that are easy to maintain.

We hope these tips help you fall in love with your floors or your room again or at least give them a fresh feel!

Simple Guide to Cleaning Out Your Closet

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Part 1

Women are notorious for closets that are bursting with apparel, but in most cases, they are only wearing about half of it on a regular basis. We’re all guilty of saying, “I don’t have anything to wear,” while staring at a closet chock-full of clothing. The problem lies, in part, with not knowing what needs to replaced or filled in.

If you were to get rid of all of the garments you don’t actually wear you’d have a much better idea of what you need to buy on your next shopping trip. Here’s a handy list of questions to help you clean out your closet fast, so you can create an immediate excuse for saying, “I simply must go shopping! I don’t have a thing to wear!” What woman doesn’t want to be able to say THAT in good conscience?

Does it fit? If it’s within one size either direction you can keep it because our weight fluctuates all of the time. For example, if you’re a size 8, and you have things you like and will wear when a size 6 or 10, go ahead and keep them. But get rid of anything that’s off size more than that.

Do you feel amazing in it? If you don’t feel amazing make room for something that makes you feel good about yourself.

Have you worn it within the last 12-18 months? A lot of organization experts recommend making this judgment based on just the past year. However, there are events and occasions that happen less frequently and they often require a specialty garment. So give yourself and 18-month window, but then be strict with getting rid of everything you haven’t worn for longer than that.

Does it have sentimental value? If so, but you don’t actually wear it you can still keep it. However, it now belongs in a box with your other keepsakes. Not clogging up your closet and brain when you’re trying to get dressed for the day.

Stay tuned for more closet tips in Part 2!

How To Choose Flooring For A Kid’s Room

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Flooring choices today seem nearly endless. There are products made of nearly every conceivable material in both hard and soft surfaces. Homeowners installing new flooring in a room of their home have a lot of choices to consider. These choices become even more important when the flooring is going into an area predominately used by kids.

Kids’ Flooring Considerations

While style or sustainability may be factors that you look for in the flooring used through the rest of the house, there are several other considerations that need to come to the forefront of the decision for kids’ room flooring.

What How the Room Is Used

A room that is used for crafts and playtime will need a very different floor than a room used mostly for sleeping or reading. Consider how the kids will use the flooring when making your choice. Will the kids be down on the floor playing? Will the children be doing activities such as painting and drawing? up above it?

Clean Up

Whether you are looking for flooing in a playroom or a bedroom, most parents are aware that kids’ floors tend to get messy. Spilled paint from a craft project or an overturned cup can quickly create a stain that requires some attention. That’s why choosing either a product that is stain resistant like luxury vinyl or a product that can be easily cleaned like stain-resistant carpeting make better choices than something that could absorb the stains. When possible, eliminating things like grout joints and other places that stains can settle is also a wise move in helping to keep the flooring looking great over time.

Resiliency

Some kids like to play rough. Others like to wrestle, and some occasionally are known to drop things. When considering the flooring, take its resiliency into consideration as well. Carpet, luxury vinyl, linoleum, and cork can all be softer underfoot cushioning falls and making for a more comfortable play surface. Bamboo and hemp flooring, on the other hand, will be harder—but more resistant to dents and scratches. Plus, they’re often more eco-friendly flooring choices.

Color and Style

Kids’ rooms should be a reflection of their personalities and things they do there. Consider choosing flooring that can be laid in a variety of colors or patterns or that comes in bold colors that can complement the rest of the kids’ décor.

Choose Wisely

The flooring in your home should last for as long as the room you put it into does. Make a wise choice considering the flooring in a kid’s room to help ensure it outlasts their activities. 

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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