From the Floors Up

Choosing the Right Firewood for the Job

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Whatever your reason for building a fire, the quality relies heavily on having the right fuel to burn. If you are bringing some winter warmth into your home with a fire beneath your mantle, you will want to use a different wood than you would for a bonfire with your friends. Choosing the right type of wood will have a considerable impact on the heat and length of a burn. When it comes to burning wood in your home, using the wrong type of wood could actually be dangerous! Therefore, it is essential to learn what kind of fuel is right for your needs.

Hardwood vs. Softwoods

When it comes to purchasing firewood, there are two categories: hardwood and softwood. Hardwoods are denser, so they typically create more heat and burn for a longer time than softwoods do. This makes them the better choice for heating your house, whether with a fireplace or wood-burning stove. There are numerous types of both hardwoods and softwoods to choose, but Ash, Oak, and Birch are a few common hardwoods you may recognize when you are looking to purchase your own firewood.

Indoor Woods

Softwoods are not as dense as hardwoods, so they dry out quicker than hardwoods would. They also ignite better and burn faster than hardwoods, making them ideal as starter wood. Cedar is an excellent example of a good softwood to use indoors as a starter wood. If you plan to build your fire indoors, avoid using pine. It burns very easily, but the high sap and resin content can cause buildup in the chimney flue, which could lead to a chimney fire.

Outdoor Woods

If you are planning a bonfire with your friends, the type of wood you are burning is not going to make much of a difference, but when it comes to burning wood in your home, it is important that you make the right choice. The correct wood is essential in order to accomplish a long, slow burn and produce the most considerable amount of heat. Furthermore, the wrong type of wood could be potentially dangerous, so it is extremely important to know the basics before starting a fire indoors.

While the comfort of fire is always enjoyable, knowing your woods is vital. Remember to stay safe whenever creating a fire. Any questions can be left below in the comment section. We love to hear from you, and remember to subscribe!

Interior Design Styles Trending Around the World | Part Three

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We commonly look at the trends in interior design happening around us; however, the world has a considerable influence on where design is heading. Here is a look at some of the biggest trends happening around the world today in other countries:

Kyrgyzstan – Simple Yet Cozy

Kyrgyzstan is a small country in East Asia. Many global trends have little to no effect on Kyrgyzstan. Kyrgyzstan puts comfortability, functionality, and coziness at the forefront of its design. You will notice much of the designs are simple. They prefer to put light and airy colors into the design.

Luxembourg – Scandinavian

Luxembourg is a very wealthy country. Being European, you can see a lot of Scandinavian roots coming to fruition in their design. It incorporates modern, sleek lines with a contribution to natural elements that makes a dapper and elegant interior.

Mexico – Patterned Textiles

Mexican culture takes pride in its many elaborate and cultural patterns. You still see patterns being very influential today in Mexico. Even with a modernized influence, patterns continue to flood their designs. You can see patterns in all sorts of textiles from pillows, curtains, blankets, rugs, and more. They also handmake and manufacture many of their own textiles for their designs, making them feel even more authentic to their culture.

Netherlands – Art Deco

The Netherlands is currently exploring a path similar to Art Deco. With many geometrical patterns and strong, unique features, the Netherlands’ design is very unique! It is not uncommon to see their design explore new and contemporary approaches to Art Deco. From Contemporary art to unusually-shaped light fixtures, this design theme takes a whimsical approach in a very unique fashion. Yet they still keep it grounded with a neutral color palette.

Oman – Lavished and Extravagant

Oman design is very intricate and highly lavished. With extravagant detail and tile work, these homes keep beauty at the forefront. These designs will put exaggerated detail in the ceilings, lightings, walls, and everything in between there. One step into an Oman home and you will quickly recognize the beauty they have to offer.

Did some of these countries’ current design trends surprise you? There are still many other countries to explore! Make sure to check out the rest of the series to see some more of the trending designs around the world.

The Best Home Investments for Resale Value

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Home investments can be quite costly at times. When you are looking to put your house on the market, it is important to know what areas will have a higher return-on-investment. Putting money into projects that do not help the resale value or increase the chances of selling your home can be a waste of valuable time and money. You need to remember, when selling a property, do not take things personally. By that, we mean, tailor your home for what will help it sell the quickest and for the best price on the market today.

Tailor to the Market

Selling your home means you cannot personalize it anymore. Instead, it is time to tailor your home to the market’s needs. Look at homes selling in your area. See what they are selling for and what key features make their homes more valuable. You will begin to notice patterns with the more research you do. Perhaps you notice no two-bedroom homes are selling in your areas, but three bedrooms are moving very rapidly off the market. You may want to convert a room in your home to provide an extra bedroom. Additionally, you may also notice homes with solid hardwood floors have a more respectable pricing bracket. Perhaps also granite countertops homes sell for more money. Look at the cost of completing these projects and weigh out the return-on-investment.

Updates

Typically, you will want your home to be up-to-date. If you are making an investment by renovating a home, put the money to good use by using it in outdated areas. For example, if your kitchen appliances or bathrooms need to be finished, consider minor remodels. Since these can be costly projects, try to look for the most cost-effective ways to get these rooms up-to-date. Also, consider that the homebuyer may change out your preferences later, especially if you take a more cost-effective route. You want your home to offer them a move-in-ready appeal with no lingering projects.

Neutral Palette

Homes with a neutral color palette will typically move quicker in the marketplace. While you may love your turquoise bedroom walls and yellow backsplash, this may not be the case for your buyers. Buyers and investors want a home to be move-in ready. They do not want to consider what modifications and home improvement projects they will need to tackle right off the bat. Instead, try to make your home neutral throughout using beiges, whites, greys, and tans. These colors will work with almost any theme that the buyer is looking to put into their home.

Spacious Layouts

You may also want to make rooms look more spacious for open houses by putting extra furniture in storage units. A living room with a minimalistic approach can feel more adaptable than a tastefully done eclectic-style den. While your style may be beautiful, it is crucial to make the space feel large and neutral.

With these investments in mind, you can start to modify your home for resale purposes. Start by writing down the cost of investments. Do your homework and find out the pricing of changing your property. Discover the return-on0investments and what is right for you.

How to Optimize Your Closet Space

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Hearing the phrase “clean your room” can instantly take you back to when you were a child, and your mom would repeatedly utter that phrase to you. As a kid, your method for cleaning was probably a bit more rudimentary and typically involved more hiding than actually cleaning, but hiding things can sometimes still be the answer. With a few simple tricks, you can still “stuff” everything that you can manage into your closet with a bit more organization than you practiced as a child.

Utilize the Back of the Door

If you have a swinging closet door, you can use the back of the door to hang quite a few of the high-clutter items that you may have in your closet. Shoes can be difficult to keep organized and can quickly clutter up the floor of the closet, so to keep from tripping over them, think about investing in a shoe rack for your closet door. This often-wasted storage space could also hold a belt and tie rack, making them easily accessible and well-organized.

Use Boxes on Your Shelves

Closet shelving can be extremely useful for holding pants and t-shirts, but when it comes to the smaller items, it can begin to get cluttered rather quickly. To help, purchase boxes to put on the shelves to keep your smaller items like socks, underwear, and hats from getting mixed together. You can also label the boxes so you can easily find anything you may need.

Take Advantage of Floor Space

A great place to utilize storage containers is on the floor of the closet. If you hang most of your clothing in your closet, it is likely you have a foot or two of space between the clothing and the floor. Instead of allowing seasonal clothing that you may only wear for a couple of months take up space, store it in a bin beneath your hanging clothes. You can store extra bedding, blankets, and pillows in bins here as well. Just organize the items that may already get pushed into the corners of your closet into separate containers to give your closet a much cleaner, more navigable feel.

Most of us have too much stuff and seemingly not enough space for it all. Sometimes it is not lack of space but an underutilization of it, which leaves us with a tangled mess. With a little creativity and organization, you may find that you have much more space than you had initially thought.

What are some easy methods that you have found helpful for organizing and better using your closet space? We would love to hear from you below in the comment section!

The Various Kinds of Paint Finishes

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Are you getting ready to paint a room in your house? If so, we have compiled the information that will educate you on the various types of paint finishes. The finish that you choose will determine if the end result is shiny or matte once it has dried. Generally speaking, oil-based and latex paints can be found in every paint finish available. Oil-based paints are popular in semi-gloss and glossy finishes, while latex is usually a matte/flat to a semi-gloss finish. To help you better understand, we have listed below the various paint finishes and when they should be used:

Matte or Flat

A matte/flat finish is often used on walls and ceilings or in low-traffic areas because it does not stand up well to rubbing or cleaning. Matte/flat finishes do not reflect light, making it an ideal pick to hide small defects such as cracks or bumps.

Eggshell

Eggshell is similar to the sheen on an egg, and it is a little shinier than the matte finish. It also reflects some light, so it is a good choice for interior hallways.

Satin

This finish has a smooth, velvety look with more gloss or shine than eggshell. It is commonly used on window and door trim, but because most manufacturers formulate satin-finish paint to be able to stand up to some rubbing, it is a reliable option for bedroom or bathroom walls.

Semi-Gloss

Mostly applied to baseboards, molding, cabinets, and built-in-shelving in bathrooms and kitchens, semi-gloss dries with a subtle sheen without being too shiny, and it stands up to repeated scrubbing. Semi-Gloss can be used on walls and ceilings, but because it reflects light so well, proper surface preparation before painting is critical since it will show minor imperfections in a wall’s surface.

Glossy

You will want to use this finish in stand-out spots such as trim, cabinets, and furniture because it is similar to a plastic or vinyl coating. But because of the shine factor, prepping the piece (sanding; scraping) before painting is necessary.

We hope you have learned a bit more about various kinds of paint finishes and where and when to use them. Happy painting!

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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