Now that you have installed beautiful hardwood floors from Carpets N More, we wanted to share a few helpful tips for prolonging the life of your floors. Of course, you want to protect your investment and preserve the natural beauty of your hardwood floors. That is why we wanted to focus on five precautions you should take with your hardwood floors. Let’s take a look!

Clean Flooring

This is an essential task for maintaining and extending the life of your floors. Just like other chores, if you maintain the chore on a day to day basis, the chores will not pile up. Simply sweep and dust mop the floors daily to prevent dust and dirt from spreading. This will also eliminate allergens in the home and prevents the floors from becoming scratched. Also, you will not be chasing those pesky dust bunnies, especially if you have pets! For additional cleaning procedures, only clean your floors with products recommended by the manufacturer.

No Sharp Objects

Do not forget that high heeled shoes can scratch and damage hardwood floors. Simply remove your shoes when you enter and place them in a designated storage area in the foyer. If you are a pet owner, keep your pet’s nails trimmed or purchase footies for your pets.

Floor Protectors

Invest in inexpensive floor protectors to place under furniture to prevent scuffs and scratches. These protectors are also marvelous for sliding large pieces of furniture over hardwood floors. They not only prevent scratches but make it so easy for one person to move furniture, especially for cleaning.

Direct UV Sunlight Exposure

Do not forget that sunlight can and will fade the color of your hardwood floors. During the peak hours of the day, use window coverings to eliminate the sun from directly hitting your hardwood floors. Area rugs are another great way to prolong the life of your floors while adding comfort, texture, and pops of color. Another helpful tip is periodically rearranging the furniture to allow the flooring to age naturally.

Accidents and Spills

Clean spills quickly with a dry cloth or paper towel to prevent staining and discoloration of the natural color. Again, only use cleaning products recommended by the manufacturer.

For advice on your specific hardwood floors, it is always a good idea to look at your manufacturer’s website. Additionally, a Carpets N More sales representative would love to help you with any further questions.

The cool, crisp winds are drifting in and pushing out the summer heat. The green leaves begin to golden as the smell of pumpkin spice and cider fill the air. Autumn has arrived, and we could not be any more excited! It is time to start preparing your home for the season and showcasing your fall pride. Like most seasonal décor, the sooner you can facilitate these décors, the better! Fall is all about the enriched warmth of the atmosphere being showcased before winter finally hits. Being able to highlight some of these beautiful and fun attributes and around your home is a must! If you are preparing to decorate for fall, here are three simple guidelines to remember:

Plaid Patterns

Whether for the interior or exterior of your home, plaid patterns are great for the fall. You can incorporate them by switching out some textiles in your home, such as blankets, rugs, curtains, and even throw pillows. Add a mix of warm and cool tone plaid to your home for design variety.

Festivity Pride

Halloween and Thanksgiving are both great holidays in the autumn. Your fall décor can give homage to these holidays through various techniques. Consider adding a cornucopia as your table’s centerpiece, or you can add fall harvest around the exterior of your house, such as corn stalks, pumpkins, and squash. Scarecrows are also a fun idea to use outside your home. The options are truly endless for this fun-filled season.

Scents

Scent is a considerable aspect of design that can often be overlooked. You could have a gorgeous home, but if it smells bad, you will not be many hosting guests. Likewise, a house with beautiful scents, no matter the size, can quickly become homey and inviting. Decorating for fall can be more than just trinkets and décor. Facilitating fall scents can really bring your fall décor full circle. Try adding candles, soaps, and other aromas to your house. Fall scents can consist of cinnamon, pumpkin spice, burning firewood, apple, and much more.

By adding these techniques to your home, your place will be beautiful and ready for fall. Get creative and let your design express you. It is great to add décor, which can easily be recognized and removed when the season is over. For more great tips on seasonal decoration, make sure to subscribe.

Are you thinking about replacing your current flooring? If so, please keep in mind that choosing specific flooring can actually increase the value of your home. Your home is most likely the most substantial investment you will ever make. In fact, replacing your floors is a good thing that will not only fit your budget but will upgrade the design style of your home. Below, you will find some tips that will answer your questions and motivate you to start this project.

Hardwood Floors

Homebuyers will pay more for hardwoods because they are beautiful and timeless. Harwood offers many species and styles to fit any style. You can choose from Oak, Pine, Maple, Brazilian Cherry, Hickory, and many more. Harwoods are easy on your back and feet, compared to tile floors. Plus, they are easier to clean than carpet.

Natural Stone

Travertine, slate, and other natural stones are stylish, durable, and timeless. Not to mention, they are perfect for indoor and outdoor use. Natural stone is a product that blends well with other décor and flooring. It comes from the earth and has been around forever, and will continue to be popular!

Porcelain & Ceramic Tile

The toughest residential tile is porcelain tile. If you have children and animals, tile is your best bet. It is water-resistant and does not succumb to scratches. Tile is also beautiful and stylish. If you choose neutral colors like white, gray, and beige, they will mesh beautifully with your decorating style and other floorings.

Vinyl Flooring

With new technology, vinyl floors are quite the rage now. With improved printing processes, vinyl really looks like hardwood and tile floors. Vinyl plank flooring is installed by the individual planks, just like hardwood. Consider luxury vinyl tile (LVT); it is durable with fantastic style.

Looking for additional advice? One of Carpets N More‘s expert sales associates would love to assist you. Please do not hesitate to call or visit us today!

So, you have installed beautiful laminate floors in your home. They look great and complement the space perfectly, but how do you keep them that way? We have a few tips for you concerning cleaning methods that you should try and which ones to avoid. This will help to make sure that your new flooring remains as stunning as the day it was installed.

How to Avoid Scratches

The two main concerns you will have with laminate floors are scratching and warping. By simply keeping up with everyday cleaning, these issues can be completely prevented. Scratches result when dirt and debris are left on the floor with foot traffic assisting in grinding the particles into the floors in the process. Investing in a dust mop to keep the surface clean is a must. It will be gentle enough to take care of any messes without scraping the floor. Sweeping along the installed grooves will also help pick up all the dust and dirt that can become stuck in the seams. A standard hard bristle broom will cause minor scratches that can add up over time, so using one should be avoided.

If sweeping takes up too much time on a daily basis, a vacuum with a soft brush attachment will also do the trick. Be sure to set the vacuum on the bare floor setting for the best results. Keep in mind that vacuuming a laminate floor with high gloss may not be the best method for daily cleaning.

How to Avoid Warping

Warping is the other issue we want to avoid while keeping laminate floors clean and looking like new. This can be avoided by making sure excess water does not make its way through the seams of the installed flooring. While sealing is the best solution for making this material water-resistant, it is not impenetrable. Care does need to be taken to make sure that extra water is not dumped on the surface in an effort to clean it. The best method for mopping the floors is to use the same microfiber mop with warm water or mild cleaners if necessary. Applying water or cleaning solution directly to the floors is not recommended. Conservatively wet your mop, so it is not sopping wet and then apply to the surface. This will keep the moisture down while still getting the job done. If you do not have a bucket to dip your mop into, try putting the liquid in a spray bottle and directly spraying the mop.

For everyday spills that can happen, especially in the kitchen, be sure to blot them up with a towel as quickly as you can. If you have a stubborn stain, try mixing a mild solution of vinegar and water to remove it. Remember never to wax or polish the surface or use any cleaners that claim to restore shine as will damage the floors. Now you know how to keep your floors looking as wonderful as the day they were installed. Enjoy!

Carpet can be made of many different materials. Originally, wool was the most common application. Today, synthetic fibers have been engineered to make your carpet more durable, reliable, and easier to clean. However, not all carpets are made alike with polypropylene, nylon, polyester, and more being used today. Although, there are many benefits to having these typically less expensive textiles options.

Nylon

When dying the carpet, there are also many ways to apply color and durability. Solution-dyed nylons (SDNs) are favored by many flooring experts because their ability to be cleaned by 10% bleach concentrate. Carpets can have the dyed applied to the top layer of the filament or homogenous throughout the pile.

Imagine a radish and a carrot. When you cut through a radish, the top layer is red, and the inside is white, whereas a carrot is orange all the way through. SDNs are like carrots. Each fiber is pre-dyed before being tufted yarned onto the backing. This makes the color all the way through and not faded or just printed on the carpet, allowing the color to maintain longer and be more durable to strong cleaning products like bleach.

Olefin

Do not feel limited to just SDN carpets because nowadays, we have also engineered many carpet cleaners other than bleach! Polypropylene (olefin) carpet is highly desired because of its wool-like imitating features. Olefin may not have the “bounce back” feature you have in other carpets but is extremely water-resistant and can be applied outside. It does, however, like to attract oils and makes it hard to clean any oil-based stains.

Polyester

When comparing stain resistance properties, polyester carpet is superior over nylons and olefins. It can be compiled of recycle products and is known for being excellent at retaining texture retention. Polyester carpets are another great option with a wide variety in their color palette.

With the carpet engineering evolving through pile, texture, loop, and dyes, there is a lot going into the manufacturing of each carpet. Find a carpet that fits your design taste and that you like how it feels. Knowing how each carpet can respond to stains and foot traffic can help you make your decision feeling confident.

Because of their size, area rugs tend to draw attention when you walk into a room. That is why it is essential to choose the right one for your living space. Color, texture, and function all need to be taken into consideration when making your selection. There are a lot of options out there, so take the time to be sure which will be the most attractive and useful in your home.

Color

When choosing the color that looks best with your flooring, think about what furnishings are also in the room. If the furniture in your living space is meant to put focus downward, it may be best to use a rug of contrasting color to bring attention to it. This variation will make the colors pop and provide additional visual interest.

For flooring that you may not want to draw too much attention, you can use a neutral color for your area rug. Try to use a color like your other flooring material but slightly lighter or darker to set the area rug apart from it. This way, it will keep everything very even-looking without causing the rug to become invisible from blending in a little too well.

Texture

The textures in a room’s design will have an influence over your rug choice. If there are a lot of sleek, minimalist touches to the space, adding a luxurious shag rug will add instant warmth. If the room is already looking soft and cozy, consider a lower cut pile material to keep things balanced. If there is a good mixture of both warm and cool items, choose a mid-length pile to maintain balance.

Function

Above all, the function of the room is what is most important. Think about how much traffic will be going through the area. Is this going to be used by mostly adults, or are children and pets going to be playing on the floor as well? Choosing a quality rug with stain-resistance that can also withstand daily wear and tear will be a priority.

If you are struggling to find the perfect area rug, Carpets n More is here to help! Call or visit us today for assistance.

Lawn maintenance and care are essential to our home’s curb appeal and overall exterior aesthetics. While bushes and shrubs can offer privacy and shade, sometimes they can become too overgrown and need to go. Plus, this can also be important to do if the plants are dying or diseased. Removing shrubs and bushes is a project you may want to seek professional help for, or you may consider tackling it yourself. If you are an experienced do-it-yourselfer, this is the perfect job for you.

Equipment 

• Safety Goggles 
• Gloves 
• Chainsaw/Saw 
• Shovel 
• Stump Remover 
• Bypass Pruners 
• Hatchet 

Removal

To begin, remove all the branches from your tree. This can be tedious but can help break down your bush or shrub into more manageable pieces. Use your bypass pruners to remove all branches. For large branches, you may need to use a pruning saw or a hatchet. Be very careful when cutting and wear your safety glasses. A power tool like a chainsaw can also help speed up this process but is not essential.

Leave a little bit of your stump exposed to help give leverage to remove. Use your shovel to help dig and remove your stump. You may need to use a trowel or hatchet to help break down roots. With the remaining stump, rock it back and forth until it breaks free from the ground.

Stump Grinder

For harder or more difficult stumps, you may need to invest in a stump grinder. This is recommended if you plan on planting anything new in the spot you are removing the shrub. You can rent one from your local tool rental stores. Put on your safety glasses and start up your grinder. The teeth will rapidly break down your stump to help you remove it.

It is important to be safe at all times and never forget the safety protocol. If the shrub or bush is close to powerlines or your home, you may also want to contact a professional. If you are confident in the situation, go ahead and remove your bush. This task can help improve lawn aesthetics and save you some extra cash.

If you have ever visited a flooring showroom, you will notice how inspiring and beautiful tile’s design element can be. With numerous spectacular displays, there are literally hundreds of different options and designs, all at various price points. But before you make your purchase, it is important to know what types of materials are available to you and the key differences in tile products. To help, here is the lowdown on a few popular types of tile.

Glass

Glass tiles consist of really thin pieces of glass that are usually sold independently or in a mosaic-form, supported with a mesh material. Additionally, glass tiles are more colorful than other tile options. They are reflective and are ideal for backsplashes and walls.

Glass tile can create a really beautiful look, but it can be more expensive. Additionally, since glass is transparent, the adhesive can be visible through the material. That is why it requires installation from a flooring contractor to achieve the best, most flawless results.

Ceramic

Ceramic tiles are produced from a mixture of water, clay, which is then heated at high temperatures. Most ceramic tiles are treated with a liquid coating that is heated under high temperatures to make it really durable. It is also considered more affordable, and you can purchase ceramic products in a variety of colors and patterns.

Stone

Stone tiles tend to be more expensive than most flooring products since stone tiles are handmade from natural materials. You will find that stone products typically have unique and bold patterns or designs. Additionally, when installing stone tiles, they must be sealed since they are prone to etching when encountering to harsh products.

Do you want to learn more about one of the tile products we discussed? If so, do not hesitate to call or visit us for more information. One of our expert sales associates would love to assist you. Thanks for reading!

From dewy yellow to creamy avocado, we have seen fad color schemes come and go in the kitchen area. However, the white kitchen design is a scheme that never seems to go out of style. Whether it is white on white or white warmed with wood tones, you cannot go wrong. In this article, you will discover why white has an enduring value.

If you are gearing up to remodel your kitchen, there is no doubt that you are about to spend a considerable amount of money. To get the most out of your investment, it is important to select a design that will still look great years from now. Here are a few reasons why an all-white kitchen is the best way to go:

Clean and Fresh

Featuring an all-white color palette all over your kitchen gives it that clean and fresh feeling. In fact, white will give your kitchen that healthy glow that is hard to achieve with any other color. Did you know that in the 1920s white was often associated with health and sanitation? To achieve this super fresh look, you will need to select a pure white look that is void of grey undertones.

Versatile

Whether your goal is to design your kitchen to reflect a contemporary or traditional kitchen, white is a color that can seamlessly blend into any style. In addition, since this is a standard color offered by all manufacturers, you will be able to easily find accessories, tiles, appliances, and furnishings that are within your budget.

Super Chic

An all-white kitchen does not have to be boring. Everything does not have to be white. In fact, black or stainless steel appliances can help you create the perfect balance. You can also mix in other neutral finishes such as wood, glass, and steel. For instance, glass cabinetry and stainless steel range hood is a great way to mix things up in your design.

Visually Expands

Because white reflects color, it can visually expand a space. If you have a small kitchen, a predominately white design will make it appear bigger than what it actually is.

Increases Resale Value

White is very marketable. In the future, should you decide to put your home on the market, your all-white kitchen will add some brownie points. It is simple to work from for potential buyers, and they will notice that when they come to see your home.

What are your thoughts on the all-white kitchen look? Yay or nay? Let us know in the comment section!

Designing the perfect bathroom requires that you give attention to two of the most important fixtures in this area: the bathtub and shower. While you might be tempted to cut corners and stick to the basics, adding spa-like features can make a world of difference. Do you know what else can have a massive impact on the design of your home’s bathroom? The right tiling in the shower stall and bathtub is essential for further maximizing the overall look.

Selecting the right shower tile is not as easy as it may seem. A number of factors come into play when shopping for the perfect tiles. The size and style of the tiles are primarily dependent on the shape and size of the area. Here are some tips for picking out the right tile for the bathtub and shower:

Opt for Smaller Tiles for Curves

If your shower features architectural curves, it is best that you install small-sized tiles. If you are aiming for a really polished look, smaller tiles will be able to handle the arches and curves without deviating from the design.

Small vs. Large Glass Tiles

Even though glass tiles are trendy, they can also be challenging to use. With just a few uses, glass tiles can begin to look foggy due to the moisture that gets trapped behind them. This can definitely make the shower look unattractive. Therefore, you should stick to small glass tiles rather than large ones.

Adding a Feature Wall

If you really want to make your shower stand out, consider installing a feature wall. A feature wall will utilize a different tile design from the one you selected to install around the area. It helps add a statement piece to your space while incorporating a jaw-dropping look.

How do you add style and character to your shower with tiles? We would love to hear your thoughts below in the comment section.