From the Floors Up

Capturing the Perfect Pictures of Your Home

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From uploading photos to help sell your space or just sharing pictures of your latest home improvement project over the internet, there are hundreds of reasons you may want to capture pictures of your home. Residential photography may not be professional photography; however, mastering some pro tips can help take your photos to the next level. Since a picture can say a thousand words, taking a poor picture can give a negative impression on a truly beautiful project or home. To help, here is everything you need to consider when photographing your home:

Lighting

Lighting has a very dramatic effect on the quality of your pictures. It is essential to have a well-lit room whenever taking your pictures. Make sure all your light fixtures are turned on while also allowing natural outdoor lighting to have an effect on the photos. You do not want one or the other to overpower one another, so you may need to find the perfect time of the day. Some photographers will refer to this time as the Golden Hour. This time is when the sun is just rising or just setting. Also, you should make sure to take outdoor photos during this time as well.

Composition

The composition of the photograph is what you initially capture. Try capturing the main focal point of the room directly in the center of the shot. Accenting architecture and decor can allow our eyes to wander and explore the picture. However, the demand for attention should be directly in the center of each picture!

Angles

Lights may create a glare. Taking a photograph at “eye-level” is rarely the best angle to capture a picture. Angles can portray a room to be much smaller or much larger. Make sure you are capturing your photographs at the most optimal angels. This could be from an elevated corner of the room or from outside a doorway. Mastering angles on your photography is one of the most effective ways to dramatically change a shot.

Try to adopt some of these techniques in your own photography. They can help make your photographs more than just social media worthy, but truly awe-inspiring. Just remember when posting that your photographs should truly capture the beauty of your estate.

Top Flooring Trends for 2020

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With the new year, new trends are making their way into the market. Throughout time, many flooring trends come and go. We have seen plenty of them in the last decade as technological advancements in flooring have changed the market. Since buying flooring is not something that you do every year, it is easy to get outdated information on what are the latest trends in the industry. Lucky for you, we are here to help keep your head in the game. Here are some of the most trending floors as we make our way into 2020:

Waterproof Flooring

Flooring advancements in technology have really answered the demand for waterproof flooring. Many different flooring options come with their own sets of pros and cons; however, a considerable drawback for many flooring options is not being able to withstand wet environments. That being said, we are seeing flooring like vinyl planks and even carpet coming as waterproof options. This feature can allow you a significant variance of flooring selections in your home in 2020.

High Variation Hardwood

A newer trend in the flooring industry is a high variation of colors and sizes in planks in hardwood. Hardwood is already desirable for its wide variety in character. Now, homeowners and businesses are allowing hardwood to be even more expressive with high variations of colors and sized planks being mixed together in a single room installation.

Greige Flooring

We saw grey rule the market for some time over the last decade. It came in as the neutral color choice that pushed out beige tones as the highest demand choice. However, now we are witnessing an exciting turn in tides. Greige is the mixed color of grey and beige together. It is becoming quite popular in the flooring industry, showing both interest in the colors beige and grey.

Encaustic Cement Tile

Encaustic tiles are typical handmade tiles with colorful patterns on designs. They are becoming very trending in bathrooms and kitchens lately. These designs can be incredibly unique and help create a stunning design pattern in any home.

These are just a few of the great flooring trends that we see staying around for some time. What are some flooring trends that interest you? Let us know your thoughts below in the comment section!

Pros and Cons of Carpet

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Carpet is a timeless flooring option that businesses and homeowners continue to love. It comes in many diverse styles with added benefits. That is why it is no surprise that the popularity continues today as we see advancements in fiber technology and resistance to staining. However, like any flooring option, carpet has its own set of pros and cons. Let us explore both to see if carpet is right for your home.

PROS

Comfort

Carpet is one of the most comfortable flooring options on the market. When paired with a heavy 8 oz pad, it is unrivaled by any flooring option for comfort. This feature can make the coziness from your ground spread to other areas of the room, creating a comfortable oasis.

Options

Carpet also comes in a wide variety of colors, patterns, and textures. The endless options make finding the perfect carpet to complement your house easy. Plus, with so many diverse styles, carpet is versatile enough to work with any design theme.

Warmth

Carpet is also a very cozy and warm flooring option. Rest assured that you can wake up and walk around your home barefoot without getting cold feet. It is an excellent insulator and stays warm all year round.

CONS

Stains

Technology improvements are making carpets better at being stain resistant. From solution-dyed fibers to stain guards, carpets have come a very long way. However, carpet fibers can still stain. This feature may be a concern depending on the environment that you are looking to have it installed.

Seams

Carpet is typically manufactured in twelve-foot-wide rolls. This feature means any room that is over twelve feet in width or length is going to need a seam. It is also directional, which means your carpet will have cross seams as well. No seam is 100% invisible, so you may need to consider this depending on the application.

Traffic Patterns

Some carpet can wear down and matte. The resilience is much better in nylon carpet than polyester, yet you may begin to see traffic patterns. Note that all carpets are made different, and some can help prevent this better than others.

Water

We are beginning to see waterproof carpets, just starting to enter the market. However, many carpets are not waterproof and can be ideal for bacteria to form. It is best to keep carpet away from wet areas.

All and all, carpet is an excellent flooring choice. It is incredibly versatile and adaptable for many environments. Keep in mind that different qualities of carpets can handle situations differently. Be sure to talk to your sales representative about the right carpet for your lifestyle.

Color of the Year 2020: Classic Blue

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Did you know that every year the color authorities announce a new color of the year? In fact, this color is selected by a team of color experts at Pantone Color. They research and explore what color seems to be most influential and significant in the world at that given time, and the color is selected in December for the following year. This color is then used by businesses throughout the next year in design and marketing.

Classic Blue

The year 2020 will kick off with the new color Classic Blue. This classic color is construed of the deep and passive shade of blue with undertones of indigo to help create more serenity. Classic Blue is a very stable and reliable color. This traditional color was chosen to allow your mind to wander. In fact, Laurie Pressman, Vice President of Pantone Color, says, “what’s the future going to bring as we move into the evening hours?” is the thought this color can help provoke. The team at Pantone Color believes that Classic Blue is more than just visually stimulating but also helps to awaken all your senses.

Who Decides the Color of The Year

In 1999, Pantone Color became the global authority on color. Each year in December, they select a color that seems very influential in the world. They look at different aspects of life and carefully choose the color they see most meaningful at the current time.

Where You May See This Color

Every year these colors make history by being used by many major companies. Many large and small companies can use this trending color to help promote themselves. If you are looking to keep your home or business up-to-date, consider giving some homage to Classic Blue. You may notice it being used in apps, phone colors, paint themes, clothing, and other materials more frequently.

In 2020, be sure to keep your eyes out for Classic Blue, and see if you notice it in marketing, design, fashion, or other aspects of life. You will be surprised how common this color becomes in the following year.

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.

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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