Infloormation

This room’s magic comes from a sense that much of what’s in it was handcrafted.

The fireplace is rustic and charming, with logs serving as a frame for a hearth large enough to hold cooking utensils. Hand-turned bowls and pottery containers sit on the farmhouse table and on the open shelves at the back wall. Even the ceiling has exposed beams that look like they’re needed to hold up the roof.

One critical feature to the overall effectiveness of this room is the floor. The wide planks were common in earlier days, and this floor provides the perfect foundation for this room’s style. Also, the wider planks work better when running with the long narrow shape of the room.

If you want your home to have a flavor of yesterday, consider a wide plank floor such as this one. You can also choose the hand-scraped option, which maintains that rustic feeling. This pine floor has a perfect look for a folk-country style. Other options such as hickory or cherry will provide a wealth of tones and grain options to match your design goals.

Wood floors like this may have a look of yesterday, but you can find more choices today than ever before. We invite you to visit our showroom and work with one of our salespeople to discover just the right wood for your home.

Although the design of this room could be called Gothic, it has little in common with high school students who dress all in black. Instead, the room echoes a medieval heritage.

The mood starts with the Gothic arches chosen for the fireplace surround and doorway and demonstrated more vividly with the window.

Though not common, this window style is available from more than one manufacturer and a number of companies have window coverings that will work well for it.

The next design choice that supports the medieval look comes from the slate floor. With its varied texture and color from one piece to the next, it is consistent with the feeling that this room comes from an earlier time. A floor with this much character is not merely a background element but at the very least a strong supporting player for the rest of the décor.

The stone carvings and tapestry on the walls mirrors the medieval. Several catalogs and online stores carry this type of art. Tall candlesticks with candles and greenery also suit the room. The final touch comes from the choice of tapestry-patterned spreads on the upholstered pieces. Is your home your castle? With a few ideas from this space, it can look more like it!

From time to time, we will be sharing expert advice from our own Bill Gamsby. Bill is a master cleaner registered with IICRC and currently is a salesman for The Carpet Barn (www.cbarn.com) His experience includes previously owning his own carpet cleaning business for 16 years. He still does this from time to time to stay in practice and stay up to date on cleaning and new developments. Because he likes people so much and enjoys solving problems, he plans to share his expert advice that he’s learned over the years in order to help the readers of Infloormation!

Here’s his first advice on how to get chewing gum out of carpet:

1. Put an ice cube on the gum for 5 minutes.  (This will harden the gum so you can hit it with a table knife handle and  break it up. Once it is broken into smaller pieces the back of a table knife works well. Firmly slide the knife across the effected area always going the same direction. DO NOT try to cut the gum out.

If you didn’t get all of the gum out:

2. Now reach for the peanut butter jar.  Place a 1/2 tsp of peanut butter on the gum, let it sit for 20 minutes.  This will soften the gum and
dissolve it.  Using a clean white cotton rag, gently pick up the peanut butter.  Usually the gum comes with it.  If not, squeese each remaining fiber that has gum on it with the rag and slide the rag up the fiber starting as close to the base as possible.
3. To remove the peanut butter residue. Have Fido lick it:)  Seriously,  put 1/2 tsp of dawn (or other mild liquid detergent)  into a cup of cold water, dip a clean rag into the mixture and gently message the peanut butter out of the carpet.  DO NOT RUB! This creates heat and distorts the carpet fibers.  Treat your carpet as though it were your skin. Go one direction carefully then go another direction carefully. I usually take 3-4 strokes per direction.  The detergent mixture will remove the oils and residue from the peanut butter.
TaDa…. no gum!

Beautifully eclectic rooms that pull bits and pieces from different styles and time periods are seen in homes around the world. Perhaps one of the main reasons eclectic style continues to grow in popularity is that it allows us to merge our favorite furnishings and accessories with newly discovered pieces as our tastes change. With a diverse collection of furniture and decorative objects, we are also able to move effortlessly from one home to another over time. Whether the new space is traditional or contemporary, our eclectic collections will look great in any environment.

This stylish dining room exemplifies eclectic style with an Oriental flair. The wood floors and neutral walls, the classical feel of the stone fireplace and the updated traditional chandelier work well together as does the black framed mirror and contemporary wall art. The area rug under the table adds its vintage touch to the space.

The dining table is decidedly contemporary with its dark wood and metal fittings.  The vibrant orange red upholstery and nail head detailing on the wing back chair and its out of sight twin at the other end of the table add modern appeal. In total opposition, the Asian side chairs somehow exist harmoniously with the more contemporary elements of the design.

The furnishings and accessories in this dining room would work equally well if transported into a more traditional space. Because they are an eclectic mix, the transition would seem effortless as it merges the old with the new. It’s easy to understand why eclectic style seems here to stay.

A fireplace generally becomes the focal point of any room, adding a warmth and coziness to the space. However, it’s important to plan your fireplace to protect the rest of the room, particularly the floor.

A few simple precautions will allow you to enjoy your fireplace without worrying about safety or any possible fire damage.

To start, make sure that you have a fire-safe hearth installed with your fireplace. Your local building codes will provide the right size hearth. Recommended hearth sizes are based on the size of your fireplace opening. Tile such as the option shown in this photo will work extremely well as a hearth. It can handle sparks and even burning logs if any fall out of your firebox, and the rich variety of choices will complement any home’s décor.

The fireplace opening shown has a three-part frame. The center section provides a grate to keep sparks under control as well as two vents to help bring the heat into the home. The tile surround provides an additional layer of protection, and the wooden frame connects the fireplace with the rest of the room.

Is your fireplace safe and secure as well as stylish? With a careful selection of hearth and screening, you can have a lively fire with no threat to your wood or carpeted floor.

We hope you enjoyed your Valentine’s Day yesterday!  Just in case some delicious chocolate was dropped on the floor, here’s a few tricks to getting it out of the carpet!

Solvent – A non-flammable spot removal solution, or dry cleaning type solvent, is preferred. Exercise caution when using a solvent. Never pour it directly onto the carpet or allow it to reach the backing, because it can damage the latex that holds the primary and secondary backings together.  Acceptable solvents include Carbona®, Energine®, K2R®, Goof-Off®, etc.

Detergent Solution – Mix one fourth (1/4) teaspoon of a liquid dishwashing detergent per one (1) cup of lukewarm water. NEVER USE A STRONGER CONCENTRATION! Thorough rinsing is necessary to remove detergent residues that may cause rapid soiling. It may be necessary to rinse with warm water several times to completely remove residues. (See Residue Precautions.)  Care should be used in selecting a detergent.  Never use a laundry detergent of any type, because laundry detergents may contain optical brighteners (fluorescent dyes) that dye the fiber. Do not select an automatic dishwashing detergent because many contain bleaching agents that destroy dyes and some fibers.

Vinegar Solution – Mix one (1) cup of white vinegar per two (2) cups of water. White vinegar is a 5% acetic acid solution.  It is used most often to lower the alkalinity caused by detergent solutions or alkaline spills.

Warm Water – Lukewarm tap water should be used in most cases to rinse the cleaning solutions from the fiber. Failure to completely rinse the solutions from the fiber may cause accelerated soiling.

Ammonia Solution – Mix one (1) tablespoon of household ammonia per cup of water. Please note: Be aware that ammonia, if used improperly, can cause a color change.  Be sure to test a hidden area.

Call a Professional – Professional cleaners have the ability and the equipment to use more aggressive cleaning solutions to remove stubborn spills.  Always consider consulting a professional cleaner regarding any spot removal question.  Carpet & Rug Institute – 1-800-882-8846

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, how about making romance a priority? It’s hard to make time with work, children, and other everyday responsibilities, but it’s worth it to let your special someone know how much you appreciate everything they do.

You don’t have to go to an expensive restaurant to create a romantic evening. With just a bit of effort and things you already have around the house, you can create a scene and an event made for romance.

Start by choosing a spot in your home that can be turned into a cozy area for a picnic on the floor. If you have a fireplace, select an area by the hearth. Do you have a bow window or another inviting corner? If you move the coffee table, the area in front of your couch would work well, and you could pull down the couch cushions for comfy floor sitting.

Whether your flooring is tile, wood or carpeting, adding at least one area rug will define the space. You may even want to pile two or three rugs at different angles to create a more exotic mood. Add a collection of pillows and throws to make the space feel more intriguing.

Place a tablecloth or scarf in the center to mark the meal area. For food, pick favorites that are easily eaten – possibly a collection of finger foods or something unusual like fondue. Of course, plan on a chocolate dessert!

Add fresh flowers and candlelight. If you want to have lights on the rugs or “table” you may want to use LED votives such as the ones in the photo rather than risk a fire with real flames. For a final touch, break apart one of your flowers and sprinkle the petals on the rugs. Now you’re ready for romance!

Would you like your kitchen to be more daring and exciting? Adding a tile backsplash is a great way to modernize your cooking space.

This glass tile is a single size and only four colors. But the random pattern creates the sense of an abstract mural on the wall, adding color and style to a simple kitchen design. When you need all your surfaces for cooking, an interesting backsplash takes the place of the colorful accessories you have in other rooms.

Visit our showroom to see some of the newest tile choices, and we can help you turn your kitchen from functional to fascinating. But remember, a tile backsplash gives you more than a pretty face. Tile is an excellent surface for a kitchen. Spills and splashes wipe up easily, and if your grout is sealed, you will have no stains.

Is your kitchen traditional or Tuscan? There are tile options that will complement your taste while adding personality. Every year, new colors and styles of tile come on the market, limited only by your imagination.

Let us show you some of the possibilities a tile backsplash can open up for your kitchen. Turn the space into something that makes you smile every day.

Question: I need some new flooring but don’t know anything about selecting or buying it. How much help can I expect from the store and what should I do before I visit?

Answer: Our salespeople are an excellent resource for information and insights on your flooring options. Their goal, and ours, is to create a customer for life, so we want you to walk out the door happy with your experience and flooring choice.

To make your experience easier, it helps to have certain information in hand when you visit our showroom. This includes a list of rooms you want to renovate with approximate sizes (we will do the final measuring to ensure that installation goes smoothly), a budget estimate, and any specific design goals. You also may want to glance through some home design magazines and bring in photos of rooms you like to help your salesperson understand your personal design preferences.

If you haven’t visited a flooring showroom in a while, you will probably benefit from taking some time to check out the newer flooring options. Carpeting has evolved in recent years to include more patterns and textures. Laminate measures up to wood floors much better than a decade ago. Wood and tile have opened up with a rich selection of options to fit any taste. Visit our website to get some ideas about the products available, and you might want to take advantage of some of our web tools to help define your goals.

Bring your thoughts, taste and imagination to our showroom and it will be our pleasure to help you create a flooring look that meets or even exceeds your dreams.

Do you have a spare room designated as the guest room; and yet you are unsure where to start? Ask yourself “What makes me feel comfortable and welcome when I am a guest?” For instance some sort of storage is optimal. It would be ideal if there were enough storage for at least one suitcase. A comfortable bed is also important. By asking yourself you will be able to distinguish which amenities you can provide given the space you have to work with.

Try to provide comfortable sleeping for at least two people. If you don’t have room for a bed, consider a comfortable sofa sleeper, futon or air mattress.

Carpet in bedrooms is usually favorable as it can be cushy and warm on your feet.  If the room has hardwood, place an area rug under the bed, this will also add style.

Providing space to get dressed is a nice amenity in a guest room. An accent or lounge chair is great for putting panty hose or shoes on.

If possible keep an alarm clock within this space. Having general lighting and accent lighting makes for a comfortable space when you have adequate light to perform different tasks like getting dressed to winding down for sleep.

And lastly, ensure adequate privacy for your guests. Window coverings are a must in this type space.