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What better way to keep your home warm and comfortable than by employing a radiant heating system? While in-floor heating is considered a luxury, it is quickly becoming a trend in home design. It is a smart strategy for effectively heating an entire house, and it is a feature that can seal the deal with prospective buyers, especially if you plan on putting your home on the market. Here is what you should know about where, when, and how you should use an underfloor heating system:

Why Should You Consider Radiant Heating?

Perhaps one of the most significant advantages of radiant heating is that it can be more effective at heating your home than traditional heating structures. Sub-floor heating allows for better heat distribution. Instead of hot air being quickly dispersed into a space, it emits into the room over time, which is especially ideal for homes with tall and big rooms.

Where Should You Install Radiant Heating?

So should you install radiant heating in your entire home or in specific areas? That depends on essential factors like your budget and the flooring material installed. Radiant heating is considered a luxury upgrade because it can be expensive to install. This pricing factor is separate from additional flooring costs in the process of remodeling your home.

Additionally, radiant heating is ideal for areas of the home that have natural conducive flooring. For instance, in-floor heating is a match made in heaven for bathrooms because most bathrooms use ceramic or tile floor, which can be naturally cold to the feet. However, if you have carpet, radiant heating may not be as effective since this flooring material has insulating properties.

What Radiant Heating System Should I Use? 

There are several different types of radiant heating systems that are available. The most popular sub-floor heating system that we recommend is the Ditra-Heat System. This system allows you to customize where exactly you want the heat in your space without creating a height difference. Additional features include: 

• Waterproofing Capabilities 
• Vapor management 
• Uncoupling 

Ditra Heat is the only product in its category that works to protect the structure of your flooring while providing the warmth that you desire.

Do you have additional questions? If so, please leave us a comment below, or call or visit one of our showrooms for more information.  

Learn how to create a modern luxe living room with design expert, Suzanne Winn.

Things that we see every day, we begin to build immunity toward. It is easy to walk into a new home and see its strong and weak design attributes. However, consider your own life. Sometimes, we do not even notice ourselves aging because we see ourselves every day. However, run into someone you have not seen in ten years, and they may look different! Likewise, this immunity can occur in our own design themes in our homes. Over time, we become numb to weak points in our design and do not make them priorities to fix.

Step Back and Reevaluate

We live in our homes every day. It is easy to come immune to clutter or outdated designs. It is time to step back and unbiasedly assess your space. Are there areas that are outdated? Are there places that could use some decluttering? Stepping back and honestly assessing your space is the only way to reveal weak points. Do not look at your home as yours anymore. Try to disconnect your personal attachment and truly critique each room.

Declutter

One sure way to improve a design is to declutter. While minimalism is not for everyone, it is a style or genre which is easy to follow. The process truly consists of less is more. If you are at a total loss on where to begin in your design, you may need to declutter. We accumulate a lot of stuff over time. From furniture, outdated electronics, and décor, our homes are filled with miscellaneous clutter. Try to remove clutter from rooms to help reveal a more minimalistic aesthetic nature to your own design.

Continue to Learn

Another way to improve your design is to enhance your knowledge continually. Expand what you know and explore different designs. From social media, design catalogs, or blogs, all these can be continual avenues to explore in your own design. Maybe you have outgrown your old-style, or it has become outdated. Try to explore some of the newer trends and see which may work in your home.

Too often, we become content. There are endless tasks to be completed in every household. It comes down to how much you prioritize them. Try to assess your own design honestly.

Of course, the next best thing to watching your baby bump grow is setting up the nursery. No doubt, you want this space to be stylish and comfortable for your new baby, but you do not have to break the bank to make it look good. Today, we are going to discuss tips for furnishing the nursery.

Picking out baby furniture does not have to be complicated. While the internet and magazines can provide great inspiration, it is crucial not to get caught up in getting it perfect. Remember that designing the nursery is more so for the parent because the baby does not care.

Style, Space, and Budget

Before you begin selecting furniture, you have to first assess the space you are working with because some pieces may not be ideal for the size of the room. You will want to select furniture that is proportionate to the size of the nursery. Too much furniture in a small nursery will make the room feel cluttered, which is the opposite effect you want to create when designing the nursery.

In addition, you will have to be confident in the style that you have chosen as well as be honest with yourself about what you can and cannot afford. Sometimes expecting mothers can go overboard and feel that they have to purchase the trendiest pieces, which are usually the most expensive.

Shopping Tips

When shopping for furniture, you want to try to get the most bang for your buck. Popular boutiques may have trendy furniture, but you can also find some great pieces at discount stores and online shops. Scour the thrift stores and other local shops. This allows you to inspect and even try out some of the furnishings before you make a purchase. Being able to view what you are buying prior to the purchase is crucial because you want to make sure the product is top quality and that it is comfortable.

You can also find some deals on baby furniture online. Shopping online allows you to compare prices easily, and if your purchase is over a specific amount, you may even qualify for free shipping.

Do you have any tips and tricks for expecting mothers? We would love to hear your personal thoughts below in the comment section. Thanks for reading!

Are you shopping for lighting fixtures for your home? If so, then you may want to consider pendant lighting, which is suspended in the air via a chain or cord. Pendant lighting has become trendy because it is generally less expensive than chandelier lighting, and it does not take up much space. Some of the benefits of using a pendant light over traditional lighting sources include:

• Pendant lights serve as great focal points. So if you are interested in adding subtle drama to your living room or bathroom, a funky designed pendant light will bring some emphasis to the area.
• If you need to save on space, then pendant lights are necessary because they do not use floor space, and they do not require something to be propped on like a table lamp.
• You can purchase pendant light in a variety of colors and styles.

When purchasing pendant lighting fixtures, you will have to consider a number of factors such as:

LED or Standard Light Bulbs

There are pendant lighting fixtures on the market that only take LED light bulbs and traditional bulbs. LED bulbs are extremely durable and more efficient than standard light bulbs, making for great task lighting. However, LED bulbs are more expensive than traditional light bulbs.

Hardwiring or Plugin

Plugin pendant lights are easy to install. However, you will need to use a longer cord or an extension cord to pull off this look. On the other hand, hardwiring your pendant light will provide a clean look. However, hardwiring is labor-intensive, and if you are not handy, you will need to seek help from a professional. If you desire the pendant lighting fixture that you selected to be permanent, then you may want to opt for a hardwiring installation.

Materials and finishes

Most pendant light fixtures on the market are made with plastic, glass, metal, and cloth finishes. Glass and metal finishes reflect light, which means that more light will be distributed across the room. Plastic pendant lights are cost-effective, but they wear easily. Cloth pendant lights collect dust easily and are best used in areas like the living room where cleaning is done on a regular basis.

All in all, our best advice to you is to be sure to shop around before settling on a pendant light fixture for your room. There are a variety of styles out there. You just need to find them.

Create a stunning home bar with these expert design tips.

Are you planning a kitchen remodel? If so, there is no doubt that you are probably considering having an island installed in your kitchen. In fact, believe it or not, an island is one of the most sought-after features during a renovation project. A well-designed island that is proportionate to the size of the kitchen can provide a smooth workflow while making cooking and dining comfortable. You will even find that installing a kitchen island can enhance the space.

Does Your Space Allow for an Island?

When it comes to installing a kitchen island, you might be concerned that your kitchen is not big enough. However, it is important to remember that islands are not a “one size fits all” feature. Even if you are working with a smaller space, that does not mean that you will not be able to install an island. In fact, there are numerous ways a contractor can make it work since kitchen islands are built and tailored according to the design and size of the kitchen. In fact, most companies will customize a kitchen island with reduced depth or height to fit the dimensions of the space.

What Is the Clearance Zone?

An additional factor that you will have to consider when having an island installed in the kitchen is how many people live in your home and how often they use the space. This factor is essential because you will want to have adequate room for everyone to navigate the area. This is called the “clearance zone.” A practical distance from the clearance and the edge of the countertop is at least three feet. This spacing allows for free and safe movement around the island.

Consider a Tailor-Made Kitchen Island

If you decide to have your kitchen island built from the ground up, you can design it to be much more efficient by having drawers, extra storage, and even built-in seating. In fact, your kitchen island can be completely customizable to your lifestyle and space.

Fitting an Island into Small Kitchen

As previously mentioned, kitchen islands vary in size and shape. A fixed island should be at least 40 by 40 inches. Although it sounds small, these nifty islands still provide a good chunk of workspace, and you will still have the option of integrating some of your favorite appliances on the island.

All in all, kitchen islands are a fantastic feature that you may want to incorporate in your kitchen remodel. They provide an additional workspace with extra storage and seating opportunities.

What do you think about kitchen islands? We would love to hear your thoughts below in the comment section.

If you are ready to bring some style to a space with a stylish window treatment, then you are probably either considering purchasing curtains or drapes. Curtains and drapes are popular window treatment options. For many shoppers, both options are considered the same. Although, according to home decor experts, drapes and curtains are quite different from each other.

The Difference

Both curtains and drapes will instantly add a sense of style to a room and make your window more appealing. However, here are some of the key aspects of each form of window covering:

Curtains

Curtains are generally made from a thin and lightweight fabric that is simply designed to add a decorative flair to the window. While window coverings like blinds and shades are installed inside the window, curtains are mounted outside the window. Curtains can partially or completely cover a window depending on what type you purchase and how you install them. Plus, some curtains run to the windowsill while others are floor length.

Curtains are often used in combination with other window coverings such as blinds or shades. Curtains can help extend the life of your existing window treatments by preventing them from continually getting dirty so that you do not have to clean them as often. In addition, you can protect your blinds or shades from damage with curtains.

Since curtains are made from a translucent material and are not usually produced with lining, you cannot expect high levels of privacy and insulation. When used without blinds or shades, you will not be able to block out the light during the daytime.

Drapes

Unlike curtains, drapes are made from thick and heavy materials that can effectively block out the sunlight. Drapes are typically floor length. Compared to curtains, drapes are much more expensive since they are usually of higher quality.

Drapes have excellent insulating and soundproofing properties. Thick thermal drapes will keep the heat inside the room and hold cold air at bay during the winter months. They also provide a dampening effect to loud noises.

While curtains are more informal, drapes are formal and add a sophisticated flair to a room. Therefore, drapes are ideal for a room, such as the dining room or the living room, where you will be entertaining guests.

Now that you have all the facts, what are your thoughts? Do you prefer curtains or drapes? Let us know below in the comment section.

Technological advancements are continually making life simpler and more efficient. We have been seeing smart devices making a tremendous impact in homes today. Being able to be continuously connected and in control of your home is a comforting feeling. With today’s smart devices, we have the ability to control more than ever in our homes. If you are curious about learning about smart devices, here are the best smart devices your home needs:

Smart Lights

Smart light bulbs are the way of illuminating the future. These adaptive lights can be sync with your smartphone or a smart HUB in your home. Using voice command or your cellular device, you can control turning on and off your lights in your home. With some brands, you also can change the color of the light as well as dim them.

Smart Lock and Doorbell

Home security begins at the front door. Smart locks are locks that sync to your phone. Go keyless and just approach your door. When your cell phone is in range, the door will automatically lock or unlock. You can pair this with a smart doorbell as well. Smart doorbells are equipped with a camera. When you get a package delivered, or someone approaches your door, your phone will be alerted. Plus, you can have recorded footage of the time when the individual is in the vicinity of your door.

Smart Thermostat

Keep your electric bill down with a smart thermostat. These thermostats learn when you are home and away from your house. They will turn on or off your heating and cooling system to adjust when you are present. This feature can help save you money throughout the year. You can also adjust your temperature straight from your cell phone.

Smart Security Camera

Another tremendous smart security option is a security camera. These smart cameras can be set up in your home. They will alert your cell phone with a recorded feed whenever movement is detected. Plus, some smart security cameras can begin to learn your animals and individuals to prevent false alerts.

Smart HUB

While a smart device can work with your phone, they can all be synced to a smart HUB. There are a couple of great smart HUBs available on the market today. Find one which works best with your smartphone.

These smart home upgrades can be a game-changer. Stop living in the past and begin to make way for the future. Once you convert, you will never go back. For more home improvement ideas and tricks, make sure to subscribe.

Designing and decorating made simple with Carpets N More.