From the Floors Up

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!

2019’s Hottest Color Schemes for Summer

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Summer is almost here and with it comes an excitingly new color palette. Each quarter has colors which complement the season and can help you embrace the months. Fall is full of burgundies, reds, yellows, and oranges whereas winter decor is embraced with soft whites and spruces of red and green around Christmas. You also may be familiar that pastel colors enhance spring. So, what colors work best for summer?  If we use colors to help strengthen our decor and keep our home lively throughout the year, which colors represent this bright, cheery season. If you are unsure or need a little design guidance, keep on reading!

Bright Primaries

Primary colors like red, yellow, and blue demand attention. Primaries are great at making hard contrasts against one another. Add these energetic colors to your interior or exterior this summer for added flair and spunk. Items like bright red sun umbrellas, blue lounge chairs, and yellow flowering pots can help brighten your space while giving respect to the season. Since summer is upbeat and thrives well with these lively colors, you will be able to enjoy the warmth and your decor with these primary hues.

Soft Pastels

Fortunately, pastels can be carried over from spring and enhance our room’s aesthetics. Pastels are loved for their muted, soft hues that bring a little bit of color to any space. They mesh well with neutrals and other colors to create a timeless design. If you are unsure where to put your pastels, we recommend trying purchasing wall art that can be swapped during the different seasons. Different pastel watercolor prints will make a suitable wall decal during the warmer months while creating a stunning focal point.

Fun Patterns

Adding patterns is another fun way to create a theme during the summertime. There is something to be said about the interaction of repetition in a design. Adding striped or polka dot throw pillows during the warm months can be a seasonal twist on your decor. Repetition with patterns can create harmony in your home while adding interest and style. Try finding matching pillows, curtains, and lampshades to make your home feel like summer fun and balanced.

Coastal Hues

Nothing says summer like the beach. Coastal hues are always great to add to your home during the summer months. Plus, coastal homes have been using this theme for decades. It encapsulates the soothing, warm feels of summer daily. Morph the feeling of your home into a more casual retreat by adding coastal tones: lavender, coral pink, baby blue, and canary yellow. You can even try sprucing up your pool area with some coastal decor and colors for added charm.

Try sprucing up your summer with some of these tropical fun color options. Summer is all about fun energy, and as the days are growing longer, make sure you do not neglect your home’s exterior when designing. Enjoy this summer and stay safe. For more tips and tricks, make sure to subscribe to From the Floors up.

Road Trip Ultimate Planning List – Part 4

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We’ve arrived at the final segment in our series about how to pack smartly for a road trip. It is work, but it’s worth it because road trips are a wonderful way to bond with loved ones and your favorite friends. Just remember, start planning early if you can. More planning equals less stress.  Now, let’s get this finished so you can put the pedal to the metal!

DOCUMENTING

  • Camera, video camera, tripod, memory card
  • Free disk space on camera-phone, SD card with additional memory
  • Journal and pens
  • Calling card for meeting friends along the way

TECH

  • Wall and car charger for phone
  • Laptop, tablet charger
  • Backup batteries or portable charger if possible
  • Headphones

ENTERTAINMENT

  • Books and magazines
  • Preloaded Kindle or Ipad

PETS

  • Pet sitter if they’re staying behind, leashes, treats, plenty of food and supplies, special instructions
  • Medications, veterinarian’s phone number, phone number of pet emergency room near your destination
  • Food and water, dishes
  • Two leashes in case you lose one
  • Crate or bed
  • Sweater, snow shoes, for furry friends not acclimated to cold weather
  • Shampoo and brush if muddy puddles or skunks are possible
  • Tweezers for boo-boos
  • Shade source for outdoor protection
  • Ground stake for tie down – NEVER leave a pet in a car that is even slightly warm, as glass magnifies heat

MISCELLANEOUS

  • Gifts for the people you’re going to see, or plan to give to travel companions
  • Binoculars

BEFORE YOU LEAVE

  • Check the weather – again!
  • Download all content on entertainment devices
  • Download all apps and try out to ensure they work
  • Make sure you have your glasses if needed
  • Call hotel concierge to pre-arrange entertainment plans
  • Exhaust all information sources so your trip is a no-brainer
  • Program air conditioning and heat settings in your home to avoid unnecessary utility bills
  • Double check all locks, windows, doors
  • Note that you closed garage door
  • Turn off coffee pot
  • Load the car the night before to avoid delays and frustration
  • Check oil, top off car fluids, check tire pressure, (do this throughout the trip if you’re going to be on the road for an extended period of time)
  • Set up “auto photo backup” to a cloud drive so you don’t lose all of your photos if you lose your phone
  • Consider micro chipping your pet in case he or she decides to go on a solo adventure

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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