Guest Post | From the Floors Up

Introducing Our Guest Blogger: Tracy Daves

May 25, 2019 By creatingyourspace 4 Comments

It is a bloggy-blog world, and Shaw Floors is here for it. Tracy Daves is the Director of Design for the East Coast with Shaw Floors. She is a time-juggling wife, mom, designer, and chicken lady who travels extensively chatting up single and multifamily designers. You may have seen her representing Shaw Floors in HGTV’s Green and Smart Homes, several episodes of Lifetime’s Designing Spaces, Ship Shape TV, and Shaw Floors YouTube channel. Tracy is the resident blogger at Shaw Floors and is published in many online publications.

Backyard Chickens 🐓 We get some popular lingo from chicken life.

Fly the coop
Ruffled feathers
Shake a tail feather
Henpecked
Pecking order

Cooped up…are all happening in backyard chicken pens taking over rural and urban dwellings.

Back to Basics is a lifestyle trend that people are craving in our overly stimulated technology age. The yearn to unplug and connect with nature is catching on. Community neighborhood gardens are attracting home buyers, and farm-to-table is only growing!

I must admit. I too am a crazy chicken lady. I have 13 sassy chickens that give my family and friends beautiful organic rainbow eggs. We also have over 18,000 bees 🐝 for our garden and for local honey.

Today, I am sharing with you four back to basics hard and soft surface flooring looks that complement this homestead style for some modern farmhouse inspiration.

Golden Gate Color Pacific Heights:

Farmhouse style lends itself toward old world brick and brick pavers. Not only are they beautiful, but they are practical. This textured 4×8 porcelain ensures it is suitable for indoor/outdoor use. The coloring is very forgiving if you have been working hard on your garden or with your critters. Be as creative as you want with the pattern installation and coordinating grout choices.

Floorte Lazio Plus Color Pino:

Wide Planks, hand-scraped texture, multiple hues and colorations, waterproof and pet proof–this is a winner for any homesteader to clean up after a hard day’s work. Plus, it is muck boot approved!

Park Avenue Color Astor:

Farmers used powdered lime (limestone) to white-wash their homes and fences. They did this because it was safe for animals, effective, and inexpensive. The whitewashed look is on-trend today. You can achieve that clean minimal look with our white oak on your floors, walls, ceilings, and island fronts for a new twist on shiplap, and in herringbone? (Shut up!)

Presidio Tonal All Colors:

Durability and cleanability are key with carpet today. Our patented R2X combined with our Endurance Carpet Fiber Technology makes our carpet ideal for high traffic areas, and bonus, it is super soft to boot! Tonals cover a lot of sins in between vacuuming–one less chore to fool with today.

Do you have a farmhouse inspired project? Swing by Tractor Supply for fun country inspired accents. Order your fashionista chicken/farm decor from Fluffy Layers (egg aprons, duvet covers, linens, and shower curtains.)

And get your Shaw Floors country chic on. Tag us folks at #shawfloors so we can take a gander. Now, you are officially as country as cornbread!

Y’all come back now ya’hear,

Tracy

Building a House…I Wish I Had Thought of That! (Part Two)

June 11, 2013 By creatingyourspace 2 Comments

As promised we have added more helpful tips that will hopefully keep you from saying “I wish I had thought of that!”

Bathroom: I wish I had thought of this one…when designing your cabinets for your bathrooms, think about longer drawers and fewer cabinets. The storage in drawers can be so efficient. Adding draw organizers is sure to make anyone happy!
Rounded Corners: Round corners create a smooth custom look throughout your home, which is sometimes easy to miss when you’re thinking about the design of your home.
Wall Texture: have you ever noticed the wall texture on homes that you have visited? Some are rough, others a little textured (referred to as knocked down), and then there is smooth. Think about the style of your home and remember there are options when it comes to wall texture.
Hardwood or Ceramic Floors: You don’t have to pick one or the other, you can have both! Combining wood floors and ceramic adds texture and style to any home. Just remember that the transition from one material to another can make or break a design. Make sure you have a clear-cut line between the two rooms; adding a border in the wood creates a very clean look.
Basement Ceiling: The average basement ceiling is 8 to 9 feet tall. To make your basement feel more open and like the rest of your house consider 10-foot ceilings. You will pay a little more but at the end you will be happy you did it!
Interior Doors: Solid 8-foot wood doors throughout your home will make a statement. Larger doors bring a custom feel to your home that you will enjoy for years to come.

Building a house takes a lot of time and planning. Try to put things in perspective and prioritize what is important to you and your family.

We’d like to take this opportunity to thank Megan for spending her time and sharing her home building insight!

Building a House…I Wish I Had Thought of That! (Part One)

June 5, 2013 By creatingyourspace Leave a Comment

We would like to introduce Megan, one of our readers who has been kind enough to share her story and advice on building a house.

If building a house is in your future there are many things to think about and consider. Below are some helpful tips that will hopefully keep you from saying, “I wish I had thought of that!”

Window Shape: When I built my house I was set on having bamboo shades. It wasn’t till after I moved in that I discovered bamboo shades couldn’t be customized to an arched window. This actually made a lot of sense, but I had not thought about it when we were designing the window shapes in the house.
Master Shower: This is a brilliant idea instead of installing shelves in the corners of the shower for your shampoo. You can do pocket shelves on the same wall as the shower knob. This provides a dry area for all your shower essentials and keeps things neat, tidy, handy, and dry!
Hallways: For an added touch use arch niches in your hallway. This is great for a picture or plant. Don’t forget the accent light!
Entry Area: An insert of tile or slate is the perfect solution for keeping your wood floors from getting moisture from rain and snow. It’s easy to maintain and worry free.
Carpet: Make sure you get a good carpet pad. A good pad will extend the life of your carpet and you’ll be able to feel the difference on your feet! Also, go one step further and research carpet beyond “base grade”.

You don’t want to miss next week’s post! Megan has even more information she’d like to share. Stay tuned.

Choosing the Best Flooring for Kids

August 24, 2011 By creatingyourspace Leave a Comment

The flooring in your child’s room has to be versatile: safe, easy to clean, and hopefully durable enough to withstand all the jumping, scraping, and playing that is bound to happen. Luckily, there’s a wealth of choice available—all you need to do is pick the one best suited to you and your child’s needs. Some of the pros and cons to consider:

Carpet

Crawling toddlers and active kids will appreciate the soft surface. Easy on knees and elbows, carpet also helps cushion falls. Children with allergies may want to stay away as carpet can breed mold and mildew if, for example, a drink is spilled and left there for too long (as is prone to happen in kids’ rooms). While carpets are vulnerable to stains, certain types are available that are stain-resistant.

Hardwood

Hardwood can be made to be scratch-resistant and more durable with protective coatings, or by choosing particularly hard species on the Janka scale. However, the downside is that it can also be less comfortable to play and take tumbles on. Thicker boards allow for several refinishings, which can minimize marks of wear and tear. However, boards may swell if exposed to excessive moisture. Solid hardwood flooring requires more environmentally-controlled conditions for these reasons. However, engineered hardwood floors can compensate in areas where higher moisture levels are more common.

Bamboo

Eco-friendly and high-replenishing bamboo offers a trendy floor that is easily refinished if scratched or marked. Unfortunately, the softer, carbonized bamboo floors are more susceptible to scratches. The harder ‘blonde’ or ‘natural’ bamboo may be your best bet. Natural anti-bacterial qualities make it a good choice for kids sensitive to irritants.

Laminate

Spills won’t leave a trace and are easy to clean up. The slippery surface can be a concern for small ones learning to walk or kids running in socks, although zoning a kids room with brightly colored area-rugs can help to minimize slippage. Individual boards can be replaced, with laminate offering the look of wood but requiring less surface maintenance.

Cork

A good option for kids with allergies or sensitive to irritants, cork is hypoallergenic and resistant to bacterial growth. This antistatic surface is a plus for playtime, while the softness is a good shock-absorber for clumsy toddlers. Heat-retaining floors make it comfortable for kids to sit and play on. Unfortunately, the softness also means the floor can be more easily gouged or scratched than a choice like hardwood might be. However, Cork absorbs noise more than a laminate or hardwood floor, keeping parents happy as well.

As with any flooring decision, there are trade-offs that need to be made. Harder floors are typically easier to clean, but are not as comfortable for playing or falling on. Soft floors are comfortable, but are also more easily dented or scratched up. Ultimately, your flooring choice will be decided by the needs of your child, such as their age, allergies, and level of activity.

Alexandra Wong is a writer for BuildDirect, leading online supplier of wood flooring and other quality building materials.

Foam Floor Tiles – Think Soft!!!

February 20, 2011 By creatingyourspace 2 Comments

What an honor it is to be writing as a guest to you all in this thorough and informative blog. I’m Bill Harris of Foamtiles.com. We are a website dedicated to marketing and selling closed cell EVA (Ethylene-vinyl acetate) foam tiles in many varieties.

For those of you not familiar with what closed cell, EVA foam is, it is the same material high quality flip flops are made from. If a little patch under each foot can last years, imagine the longevity you can expect with an entire room’s floor covered in it! The “closed cell” part of the description means that, while foam, it is non-absorbing. Liquids will pool on top and can be easily wiped away with a towel. There are many uses for EVA foam. You can find this amazingly versatile product in shoe soles, seat cushions and ski boots to name a few.

This inexpensive and resilient flooring option has becoming one of the most popular choices for flooring in many different applications. It has been used for years in children’s play rooms and day cares as kids play mats. The wide variety of colors, durability, ease of installation and cleaning have all aided the increased usage of these products to protect little heads and knees.

Additionally, foam tiles can now be found in home weight rooms and light duty commercial gyms where a lot of ground work or body weight exercises are performed. The increased popularity of the P90X and plyometric type routines has added to the popularity of soft floor tiles. I can tell you from experience that it is much nicer taking a knee or doing sit ups on foam flooring products than a wooden or hard rubber surface found in many work out areas, providing extra cushion for the joints without being so soft that it will compromise stability. For gyms, it should be noted that heavy equipment like tread mills or weight racks can cause indentations where the feet sit that may not fully recover if the machine is moved from its place.

Another usage that has become increasingly popular lately is in martial arts studios. Anyone that has watched a competition or demonstration can tell you; these guys hit the ground with all their body weight. Having anywhere from ½” to 1 full inch of padding to land on will allow you to extend your workouts and prevent bruising from the throws associated with this kind of sport. They link together tightly with a jig-saw type puzzle interlock that prevents separation during even the most vigorous sparring.

Closed cell EVA foam tiles have infinite color options. There are even tiles that have a very realistic wood pattern laminated to the surface. Tiles like these can be found in trade show booths at nearly every convention center in North America. It is an excellent way to set your booth apart from the competition while providing antifatigue properties for you and your presenters. Being light and easily installed means you can set up and take down quickly as well as take them with you from show to show, avoiding the costly rental of the facilities flooring. They can also be reconfigured to fit any booth size.

In closing, if you are interested in soft yet durable, affordable and versatile flooring for an area in your home, studio, exercise area, child’s room or trade show booth, consider soft floor tiles next time. They work great as a portable foam mat or as an installed wall to wall soft flooring solution. For more information, please feel free to www.foamtiles.com.