Preventing Scratches in Hardwood Floors

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When you compare it to any other type of flooring material, hardwood is unfortunately the most susceptible to scratches from moving furniture such as chairs and tables. If you intend on keeping your hardwood floor for any considerable length of time, it’s important to keep it properly maintained and for potential damage to be minimized. Here are some simple solutions to prevent the majority of scratches in your flooring:

The first and most obvious solution is to just not move any furniture. This is likely for large fixtures like dining tables and heavy coffee tables. Pick out the spot where you want the table to go, place it there, and then don’t shift its position. Of course, there is always the possibility that someone will bump into the furniture at some point and leave scratches anyway, so keep that in mind. If you are worried that an accident will move the furniture, place some kind of barrier between the legs of it and the floor. Felt, cork, or rubber pads will protect your floor while allowing you to move the table if necessary. If you are confident that the furniture will not have to move, you can go so far as to add carpet tape or velcro to the bottom of the legs to secure it in place.

We understand that never moving a piece of furniture is unrealistic, especially if you have chairs that need to be pulled out and pushed back in. Luckily, the same rubber pads that can be used for tables can work just as well on a chair! You can also look into either adding wheels to the bottom of chairs and tables if they’re going to have to move, or buying furniture that already has wheels.

What if you have a piece of furniture that needs to move around the house, but you had never intended to move it after setting it down the first time? Not a problem: if you’re moving anything heavy across hardwood, you can prevent scratches in the floor by folding up a cotton towel and slipping it under the legs of the furniture. Just make sure that you have a helper to tip the furniture for you so that you don’t risk getting your fingers caught under something heavy!

– Kelly Dillon

image credit: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/eb/60/1e/eb601e1329360b84457347989629df0f.jpg

Unconventional Floor Options: Cork

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If you own a home, chances are that you have either carpet or hardwood flooring. To the layman, it might even seem as if these are the only two options available to any homeowner. At Classic Floor Designs, however, we offer a host of other choices, one of them being cork floors. What is a cork floor, and what is it good for?

Cork has a very soft and warm appearance that is pleasing to the eye. On top of that, it is incredibly soft and yields easily to the touch, making it feel great underneath your feet. This makes it a popular option for areas where people do a lot of standing, such as the kitchen. The softness also acts as a cushion if your family has children who like to play and are prone to falling down!

The interior of a cork consists largely of air-filled chambers that not only retain warmth, but noise as well. This makes cork a great insulator and will keep noise levels down (useful for upper floors). This can help save you precious money on energy bills!

The one cautionary word that we have on cork floors is that they aren’t the most durable option that is available. Pets can easily scratch it up, furniture and dropped objects can cause punctures and tears, and heavy set pieces will leave dents in it over time. However, cork is very easy to maintain and refinish if necessary. A correctly installed cork floor should only require a regular vacuuming to get rid of dust and small particles, and any spills that occur are easy to clean up since the cork is sealed on installation. Just like a hardwood floor, all that a cork floor needs for refinishing is a good sanding and either staining or resealing.

So what are your thoughts? Does a cork floor sound like something that you could use in your own home? Give Classic Floor Designs a call today to schedule a consultation!

-Kelly Dillon

 

Vacuuming 101

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Classic Floor Designs on Saturday, November 28th, 2015

Plug it in. Turn it on. Vacuuming is really that easy, right?

Well, there might be just a bit more finesse to this routine chore including how, exactly, to vacuum those tricky shag rugs and how to get the perfect W cutline.

Check out this video to give you the inside scoop and become a vacuuming pro!

Ceilings: The Fifth Wall

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Traditionally, homes come standard with white ceilings. Utilitarian. Nondescript. But consider for a moment that the surface of the ceiling is a wonderful place to make a statement. Doing something different, even drastic, allows for an opportunity to showcase your style in a completely new way.

  • Go bold with a dramatic color. Or punch it up just a notch with a pastel.
  • Paper it! Adding pattern to the ceiling brings it to a whole new level.
  • Invest in a mural: clouds, trees, geometrics… the sky is the limit!
  • Include gorgeous light fixtures. They feel like art on the ceiling!

While the floor grounds the room, give your guests the chance to be intrigued by looking up!

Image Credit

Benjamin Moore Color of the Year 2016

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Classic Floor Designs on Sunday, November 22nd, 2015

Autumn is one of our favorite times of year. Not only can we get the perfect spiced pumpkin latte, don our new boots, and cozy up with a soft scarf, but it is also that time of year when color trend forecasts for the coming year start to roll in. We love the excitement, the surprise, and the inspiration!

Benjamin Moore just released their 2016 Color of the Year and we think it is an interesting choice!

Take a peek and see what you think.

Flokati

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Not all the same as old school shag rugs, genuine Flokati rugs are soft underfoot, with ultra high pile fibers, and they just beg to be enjoyed barefoot!

The original Flokati rugs are made from sheep’s wool, but synthetic versions are also popular in the marketplace. The natural color of a traditional Flokati rug is off white, but modern dye techniques allow them to be offered in a rainbow of colors.

Surprisingly easy to clean, Flokati rugs can be vacuumed with the beater brush turned off or spot cleaned with mild detergent. If small enough in size, Flokati can even be run through the washing machine. Most of the time, though, a good shake is all it needs.

Fun and fabulous, Flokati rugs work almost anywhere but are particularly well suited to modern spaces and children’s rooms.

High Point Market Fall 2015

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In October, the home design industry held an event comparable to New York’s Fashion Week – the High Point Market. This assembly of over 75,000 design authorities including merchants, stylists, and other professionals in the home design industry results in a trade show like no other. The aim of the event? To glimpse first hand the fashions and highlights of chic home design for the coming season.

This event is THE event of the season for home design professionals – Showrooms cover 11.5 million square feet of event space and thousands of new products are introduced, this. Over 100 countries from all across the globe are represented, offering delightful diversity in design aesthetics throughout the show.

A not-to-be-missed gathering, High Point Market is the home décor destination of choice for many each year because according to High Point Market, “if you can’t find it in High Point…it probably doesn’t exist.”

To catch a glimpse of the wonderful variety of products, ideas and inspiration at this year’s show, take a look at this highlight reel:

Four Ways to Protect Your Floors This Winter

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Winter brings harsh weather and with all that ice, snow and rain, our floors can take a beating.
Following these four guidelines will help keep your floors in great shape all the way through the season.

  • Line of Defense #1: Keep walkways and driveways clear of snow, ice and debris. The less there is to track in, the less there will be in the house.
  • Line of Defense #2: Invest in a good doormat. A mat with enough friction will remove sand, dirt and salt from guests’ and family members’ shoes. This has the added benefit of keeping your doorways dry and safe.
  • Line of Defense #3: Remove shoes. Even better than simply wiping feet is taking off all shoes at the door. A nice basket or bin can keep footwear organized.
  • Line of Defense #4: Vacuum and sweep floors regularly. It is unavoidable. Some dirt, salt and sand will inevitably be tracked into the house. Being diligent with cleaning will preserve the floor.

Make a Statement

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An area rug grounds a room, creates a defined border, and provides for softness underfoot. While the role seems simple, the styling is key.

Large neutral rugs create blank canvases to enhance boldly upholstered pieces of furniture, but the addition of a boldly chosen area rug as a statement piece truly changes a space. Graphic prints, upscale feminine or modern florals, and industrial glam geometrics are perfectly on trend.

Patterns with small scale and repeating colors work well in neutral and otherwise monochromatic spaces where the busy colors shine without detracting from the rest of the décor.

In a neutral space, a daring graphic print works well as the focal point. Experiment with a bold stripe or more subtle ombre style, try a playful chevron, pop some polka dots, or dabble with diverse ethnic styles such as Ikat or Kilim.

One rug creates a boundary for a  space, for a different effect try playing with the juxtaposition of two rugs with contrasting colors or dissimilar textures. The layers of colors and texture build interest.

A rug can unify a space, but with a little confidence and courage the rug can become the star.

Serene Spaces

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Our homes serve as our refuge from the world. The busy world continues outside as we arrive home at the end of each hectic day. We cross the threshold, kick off our shoes, and prepare to unwind.

Try these tips for building serenity and calm into your spaces:

  • Color definitely affects our mindset. Soothing colors include soft neutrals, verdant greens, calm blues, and pastels. Brighter colors such as purple or yellow can be calming, if they are tempered with a dose of gray.
  • Symmetry is calming. Asymmetrical placement of furnishings, light fixtures and art pieces keeps the mind unbalanced and wondering what to expect. Symmetry brings balance and allows for relaxation.
  • There is nothing like collapsing into softness at the end of a busy day. Fabrics, rugs, carpets, and pillows add texture and softness to our spaces. Upholstery feels cozy and rugs dampen the sound in a space with hard surface floors.
  • Sunny days uplift our spirits, and interior lighting is a factor when it’s time to unwind. Soft lighting, lamps with warm bulbs, and even candlelight help to bring serenity.

Let your home become your retreat from the world.