Some homeowners may view their apartment as a temporary living situation. But if you open yourself up to the space, it can become home. Whether you plan to stay in your apartment for six months or six years, we want to help you make your space feel like your own. To help you add personalization and uniqueness to your space, we created ten simple ideas to help you make your apartment become home. Enjoy! 

10 Ideas to Make Your Apartment a Home:

 1. Show off.

No home is personalized without a few photos. Create a gallery or picture wall to display all of your favorite family photos. This idea would work perfectly in your living room, master bedroom, or even dining room! It can instantly make your apartment feel more like home without breaking the bank. 

 2. Color Me Creative.

If you can paint your apartment’s walls, consider yourself lucky. The rest of the apartment owners may not have that delicacy. If you are not so lucky, unfortunately, wall paint can bring together your room’s design and complete the overall look. Fortunately, we have the perfect solution for you! Adding colorful furniture pieces can add personality without costing a fortune. Plus, you can transform old furniture pieces into new, beautiful pieces with just a fresh coat of paint. 

 3. Be Open.

Using open storage can showcase your items in a beautiful way. Open storage works fantastic in bathrooms and kitchens by displaying your more attractive items. Decorative pieces can be displayed on your open shelves for your guests to see and enjoy. 

 4. Supply Coziness.

Imagine stepping out of bed in the morning and placing your feet on a plush, warm rug. Your dreams can become a reality by using rugs throughout your apartment. They are an easy solution and help make a home feel more comfortable. Try adding rugs in front of your front door, living room, bedroom and bathrooms. 

 5. Add a Bold Entrance.

Nothing says home like a warm welcome! Make your front entrance special by providing an entrance. Try adding things to the space to help make it useful for yourself, your family and your guests. You can add seating for putting on shoes, a mirror for checking yourself before you leave, a coat rack for hanging jackets, and a boot bin for storing your shoes. Little touches in your front entryway can transform the way you see your home. 

 6. Embrace Your Windows.

Do not cover your windows with bulky curtains during the daytime. Let the sun shine through the windows into your apartment. This will help put you in a good mood each morning. 

 7. Double Trouble.

If you are running out of space, try using furniture that serves two purposes. Items like sofa beds or desks that turn into dining room tables can save you a lot of space.

 8. Light up The Night.

Light up your space by adding extra lamps and lights in each room. The lamps will provide an extra level of coziness during the nighttime and help the space feel more homey. 

 9. Secret Treasures.

Hide your visually-unpleasing items in decorative baskets and bins. Items like toys, craft supplies, portable electronics, and blankets can be stored and saved for later. 

10. Personality.

Lastly, you want to add things that are special to you. Your apartment will not feel like home until you add your special touches. Heirlooms and sovereigns can make your apartment more special to you. Get creative and add personal touches wherever you can! It is your home after all. 

We hope you enjoyed these ten ideas. To add coziness and style to your space, be sure to purchase your apartment’s rug from us. We have a great selection of stylish and affordable rugs that will help finish off your space. Stop in or call us today for more details! 

Have you ever entered a home and wondered what design style it is embodying? With our guide, we are going to dig deeper into the top ten most popular designs. After reading this, you will be able to know which design style your friends are using and which one you want to use. 

Ten Popular Design Styles for Your Home: 

1. Art Deco. 

An art deco home is a home inspired by the 1920’s decorative arts and architecture. The pieces in this style are often simple geometric shapes with mirrors to help accent it.  

2. Asian. 

An Asian inspired design takes the culture’s history and embodies aspects found in nature. You will see a lot of natural elements in Asian-inspired designs to help create a calming oasis for homeowners. Also, you may find hand-painted, one-of-a-kind furniture pieces to bring together the entire design.

3. Coastal. 

Kick your feet up; this design will make you feel like you are on vacation. A coastal design is inspired by the beach and ocean. The design embodies light, airy colors to make the design feel seamless. Designers finish off the home with nautical-themed decor to match the setting. 

4. Contemporary. 

When you think of contemporary, your mind will probably go straight towards clean, defined lines and a mixture of neutral colors. You would be correct. A contemporary design is sleek and simple. You will see metal pieces of furniture to exaggerated the piece’s form and design. Also, you will see a lot of muted neutrals with a pop of color here or there. 

5. Country. 

Strap on your cowboy boots; we are talking about a country design. A country design embodies a rustic glam. Country homes will have a lot of white wood, floral, and barn-like attributes. In a country design, homeowners want their space to feel homey. They want all guests to feel at home and comfortable during their stay. Whether that means incorporating hand-made goods or cozy furnishings, country homes will have a cozy, rustic feel. 

6. Eclectic. 

We are not going to lie, capturing eclectic design can be rather difficult. It is much more than just throwing together patterns. Eclectic takes a lot of time and planning for the homeowner. To create an eclectic design, homeowners must carefully plan out which patterns work well with one another. This style tends to borrow from other designs listed to create a bold, interesting look in a home. 

7. French.

French culture incorporates rich detail into their architecture and this does not fall short throughout their home’s design. A French design is very elegant and monochromatic. They tend to repeat the same color throughout the space to intensify its elegance. They will also add drama by textured fabrics. Lastly, they will finish the space off with fresh flowers to add an airy feel.

8. Mediterranean. 

A Mediterranean style home is inspired by no other place than, you guessed it, mediterranean countries. Countries off of the coast of the mediterranean sea inspire this timeless look. The color palette is a blend of colors found in the sea and housing around the mediterranean area. In these homes, you will find terra cotta, yellow, lavender, and beiges on the fabrics. Whereas, the furniture provides a harsh contrast to these soft tones. You will tend to find that the furniture and wooden accent pieces are a darker toned wood. 

9. Modern. 

A modern home has a minimalistic approach to decoration. You will find that these homes have clean lines and a neutral-toned color scheme. The furniture has very polished surfaces and they may or may not be a use of geometric shapes. To help you envision it, a modern design could be thought of as a combination of “Art Deco” and “Contemporary.” It borrows its neutral colors and clean lines from the Contemporary design and it borrows its shapes and polished surfaces from the Art Deco design. 

10. Traditional. 

Last, but certainly, not least is the traditional design. A traditional design uses classic furnishings to embody a well-put-together room. The room is often in muted-tone to create a peaceful, relaxing environment. If patterns are used, they are muted-toned and mild to help not distract from the room’s elegance. 

Are you ready to take on one of these design styles? Let us help you! With a wide selection of flooring to meet any preference, we can help you create the home of your dreams. Contact us today for more information.

When you have a busy life, organizing your home in your free time is the last thing on your mind. With booked calendars and full agendas, you want to organize your home, but fast. To help you organize your kitchen, we have created helpful tips for the busy homeowner. This way you can focus on what is important and leave the organizing to us! 

Kitchen Organization for The Busy Homeowner:

Make a List, Check it Twice. 

One of the most difficult parts of organizing your kitchen is your food. Before you go to the grocery store, have a pre-prepared list. As you use items, write it down on the list to avoid confusion and potentially forgetting things. Plus, if you are looking for a beautiful grocery list, you can paint a chalkboard wall in your kitchen. This way you know what you need at all times and everyone in the family can contribute. Plus, it is totally stylish. 

The Right Place. 

Organizational experts want homeowners to realize that organizing can be easy. If you want to make your kitchen more functional, place everything near its purpose. By that we mean, place your pots near the stove and your cups near the fridge. When things are within easy reach, it can make cooking clean up a whole lot easier on you. 

Labeled. 

Labeling is one of the most affective and useful organizing tools. If you use clear containers, print a label out for it. Label each of your food items to help you and your family has ease of mind and ease of use. 

Reuse + Repurpose. 

Old mason jars and glasses can be reused and repurposed throughout your home. Before you throw away emptied glass jars, think about the different ways you can use it. 

Expired. 

Always a good idea to keep an eye out on your food’s expiration date. Throw away things in your pantry that have expired and keep an eye on your refrigerator’s items. 

Get Contained. 

Clear containers are one of the most functional storage options for kitchens. They work well for storing your flour, seeds, spices, etc. Just be sure to print a label! 

How do you keep your home organized? Be sure to leave us a comment below!

 Does your fireplace need a facelift? As the center of attraction, the fireplace provides a big design opportunity. Unfortunately, most homeowners are stuck with outdated fireplaces with poorly proportioned fireboxes, tacky fireplace doors. If you’re ready to remodel your fireplace and turn it into the focal point of the room, know that there are numerous design possibilities

From dramatic to subtle yet impactful designs you can remodel your fireplace on any type of budget. In some instances, a professional craftsman is necessary, but in most cases, you can complete yourself.

Refresh With Paint

      If you’re working with a relatively small budget, applying a coat of paint to the surrounding wall can take your fireplace aesthetic to another level. Get creative with the paint color by selecting a bold hue that will complement the room’s interior. The color looks great when used only around the fireplace.

Use Texture

If you have more a minimalist style than you might want to use texture around your fireplace. You can replace traditional brick or marble tiles or stone from around the fireplace and use textured tiles.  When using textured tiles be sure to use a color that matches your walls for a polished look.

Accentuate with Artwork

Another budget-friendly way to upgrade the fireplace is to accentuate with art.  A grouped collection of prints can be just the thing to highlight the area.  To achieve the look you can use a series of your favorite art pieces with any theme.

Traditional Fireplace With A Twist

Enjoy the look of a traditional fireplace but still looking for a way to make it stand out?  Try playing with traditional elements and putting your own modern twist on it.  For instance, brick tiles around the fireplace is a staple design. You can add your own creative twist by arranging the brick tiles in a vertical orientation.

Statement Tile

Add a decorative flair to your fireplace by using surround it in a statement tile. Select a tile that features a vibrant hue or pattern. Keep the mantel knick-knack free so that the tile can stand front and center. 

No matter what you choose for your own fireplace, we are happy to help.  

You have just gotten a call. You have two hours to get your house in tip-top shape for a showing of your house. While you are across town running errands, you agree to the showing, but you have zero ideas for how you will get your home cleaned in time. First, we want you to pause and take a deep breath. You can and will get your home cleaned in time because we have five tips to help you! 

How to Clean Quickly for a House Showing: 

Tip 1: Clutter-less. Before you begin cleaning, you want to clear out the clutter from each room. It will make the cleaning process more difficult if you have to clean around the clutter. 

• Pro-Tip: Grab a trash bag and run around your house. Throw away all trash. Make sure you stay focused solely on this task. 

Tip 2: The Sock Trick. If you are pressed for time, place an old, clean sock on your hand. Run your hand over all of your flat surfaces to remove dust quickly and efficiently. 

Tip 3: Top to Bottom. You will want to work from the top of the room to the bottom of the room. This way if dirt or dust particles fall while you clean your fans and the top of your furniture pieces, you can gather the dust later while you clean the bottom layers. 

Tip 4: Load The Dishwasher. Odds are that the people touring your home will not feel the need to look inside of your dishwasher. Put all the dirty dishes inside of the dishwasher and run the load before they arrive. If you are pressed for time, leave the clean dishes inside of the dishwasher during the open house. While the dishwasher is running, you can focus on the kitchen. Wipe down all of the appliances with a damp, soapy rag. 

Tip 5: Vacuum/Mop Your Way Out. While cleaning your floors, you want to make sure you do not trace any dirt back into your space. This is why we suggest vacuuming/mopping as the last step and vacuuming/mopping your way out of the room. 

Tip 6: Get Everyone Involved. If you live with other people, get them involved in the cleaning process. Have everyone tackle a different room to prevent people from getting in the way of one another. 

Tip 7: Stay on Task. Do one thing at a time. Focus on either throwing out the trash or collecting laundry, do not do tasks simultaneously, because you could potentially get distracted. 

Tip 8: Do the Urgent Things First. If you are pressured for time, start with the most important tasks then move to the minuscule tasks. This way if you end up running out of time, you will have the major things accomplished. 

We hope you enjoyed these tips and have a happy house showing! 

Wood floors in this space work beautifully with the rest of the room. The floors add warmth and comfort to this eclectic minimalist design style. Minimalist design styles are difficult to successfully achieve. These floors make this design work perfectly.

The stairs are also made of wood. The stains are similar for both the floors and the stairs. These two elements working together are very important to the achievement of this room. A warm stain color adds a contrast to the dominant white colors in the color scheme. The stain color adds the right amount of warmth that this space requires. Treads of the stairs and the sides of the stairs are two different stain colors. Those same colors can be seen amongst others in the wood planks. Having various colors in wood floors can be a helpful way to tie together other woods within a space. Other wood furniture fits in perfectly because there is so much variation of color in the floors.

Natural elements in this minimalist space are further enhanced by adding greenery. Making the space feel full of life; despite the fact that there is not a lot going on here, is how to successfully create a minimalist space.

Wood floors are carried throughout here. It makes the space flow seamlessly and gives the floors a chance to be showcased. The entire scene looks warm and inviting; which is exactly what wood floors do best! If warmth and comfort are desired, wood floors help achieve that instantly.

Two area rugs are strategically placed, to further enhance the warm and inviting feel throughout this area. It is nice to add area rugs in various places, when using wood floors, especially if they are carried throughout the space.

With a wide variety of different styles of flooring, choosing the best option can become difficult. Each flooring option holds a specific benefit that may work better in a particular room than the other flooring options. For example, your bathroom contains a lot of moisture and wetness; therefore, you want to choose a water-resistant flooring for this room. Once you understand the properties of all of the flooring options, it will be easier for you to choose. 

Flooring Types:

1. Hardwood Floors

Let us start off with the most classic flooring option available. Wood flooring is a draw-dropping option that will finish your home off with a touch of elegance. 

Advantages: 

• You can have long-lasting wood floors with proper care and maintenance
• Easy to clean 
• Great option for people who suffer from allergies 

Best Room(s): Family Room & Hallways

2. Laminate

Want the look of wood flooring without the cost of wood flooring? Then vinyl flooring is the perfect option for you. 

Advantages: 

• Scratch Resistant and extremely durable
• Less expensive

Best Room(s): Family Room & Hallways

3. Tile

Tile is not only for your floors. You can have tile on your walls, countertops, ceilings, etc. Tile is extremely versatile and comes in an array of different patterns, textures, and styles for you. 

Advantages:

• Easy to clean
• Extremely durable
• Water resistant 
• Eco-Friendly

Best Room(s): Kitchen and Bathrooms 

4. Carpet

The best way to give your home the natural warmth and coziness it needs is with carpet.

Advantages:

• Adds warmth and coziness
• Softens any slips or falls
• Helps decrease sound and makes for a quieter home 

Best Room(s): Bedrooms & Family Room 

5. Sheet Vinyl

Sheet vinyl is a mind-blowing design that gives you look of wood flooring in areas that attract a lot of moisture. You can have floors that look like wood in areas that you never imagined possible. Plus, it is extremely durable. 

Advantages:

• Wide selection of different colors, patterns, textures, and styles for you to choose from
• Durable
• Water resistant 

Best Room(s): Bathrooms, Kitchens, Laundry Rooms, & Basements 

Come visit our showroom and explore all the options we have for you! Our expert staff is eager to answer any questions you may still have! Stop in today for more information.