Pets are members of the family. Like all other family members, pets create unique cleanliness issues that are battled daily. No matter if your pets stay inside; or are allowed to go outside they constantly shed hair and dander. Don’t allow this battle to become overwhelming. There are some things you can control to help with this never-ending battle.

1. Use washable fabrics for upholstery and drapery. Expensive, delicate fabrics are not practical in a house with pets. Don’t allow yourself to become stressed with constantly protecting expensive luxurious fabrics.

2. If pet hair is an omnipresent entity within your house, a cheap, low power vacuum is not going to help. You’ll need high suction vacuums that may cost more, but will remove more amounts of pet hair embedded in carpet and upholstery.

3. Carpet on the floor where pet traffic is high, is never a good idea. If you have the choice of choosing the flooring, select tile over carpet (carpet can be stained) and wood floors (can be scratched by pet claws). If you don’t have the option to choose your flooring in theses high traffic areas, buy inexpensive rug runners that can be replaced once they become worn out.

4. As far as décor is concerned, you might want to design your pet’s sleeping and eating areas with mats and bowls. While shopping for these, keep your house’s décor in mind and buy accessories that would fit in, not stand out.

5. A toy box with a lid to house all of your pet’s toys.  This can be anything from an attractive basket to a trunk type box. Buy a toy box that will blend in with your décor. A box that can be closed off from your pets will allow you to keep a handle on the amount of pet toys laying around. If the toy box is open to your pet, you will find yourself constantly picking up toys and your pet dragging them all out again!

Pets are members of the family. Like all other family members, pets create unique cleanliness issues that are battled daily. No matter if your pets stay inside; or are allowed to go outside they constantly shed hair and dander. Don’t allow this battle to become overwhelming. There are some things you can control to help with this never-ending battle.

1. Use washable fabrics for upholstery and drapery. Expensive, delicate fabrics are not practical in a house with pets. Don’t allow yourself to become stressed with constantly protecting expensive luxurious fabrics.

2. If pet hair is an omnipresent entity within your house, a cheap, low power vacuum is not going to help. You’ll need high suction vacuums that may cost more, but will remove more amounts of pet hair embedded in carpet and upholstery.

3. Carpet on the floor where pet traffic is high, is never a good idea. If you have the choice of choosing the flooring, select tile over carpet (carpet can be stained) and wood floors (can be scratched by pet claws). If you don’t have the option to choose your flooring in theses high traffic areas, buy inexpensive rug runners that can be replaced once they become worn out.

4. As far as décor is concerned, you might want to design your pet’s sleeping and eating areas with mats and bowls. While shopping for these, keep your house’s décor in mind and buy accessories that would fit in, not stand out.

5. A toy box with a lid to house all of your pet’s toys.  This can be anything from an attractive basket to a trunk type box. Buy a toy box that will blend in with your décor. A box that can be closed off from your pets will allow you to keep a handle on the amount of pet toys laying around. If the toy box is open to your pet, you will find yourself constantly picking up toys and your pet dragging them all out again!

Bamboo, traditionally used for roofing and walls has become a sustainable environmentally-friendly material for floors.

Bamboo is a grass that grows quickly and regenerates easily. With the impetus on green housing, bamboo has become a valuable flooring option. Bamboo grows to a height of 20 meters in 5 years. The root system of bamboo naturally regenerates the plant, making bamboo an ideal renewable resource for flooring.

Bamboo floors were not popular because there was a misconception that bamboo wasn’t sturdy and bamboo floors were uneven. Actually, bamboo floor manufacturers make their flooring in the form of flat planks like hardwood for easy installation. Bamboo floors come in a range of tones to suit all types of room décor.

These floors are low maintenance, durable and easy to install. Bamboo floors are strong and will not crack or splinter even if you place heavy furniture on the floor.  Bamboo floors are laminated and water resistant enough to be used in rooms such as bathrooms, kitchens and dining areas that are exposed to moisture.

Be careful! Bamboo floors may dent or scratch if you walk on them with high heeled shoes. Bamboo floors fade when exposed to direct sunlight and are not compatible with all subfloors. You need to check with the manufacturer on their suitability to your home before choosing bamboo floors.

Bamboo floors are an environmentally friendly, emission free and durable option when choosing your flooring.

Are you a Food Network fan? How about Home and Garden TV? If you enjoy both, consider what would happen if the two channels merged. It would be interesting to see what some of the celebrity chefs would do about decorating.

Bobby Flay has such a distinct style in clothes, personality and food, it’s easy to put some ideas together that would suit him. Living in New York City, his high-rise condo would shine with ebony wood floors. The rich dark tones fit perfectly with his taste – an eclectic mix of vintage mid-century modern and some contemporary pieces.

Flay’s spicy cooking approach can be matched with bold colors. A vivid red tailored sofa sits across from the open kitchen. Several rich yellow chairs sit to one side, with a golden wood asymmetrical coffee table straight from the 1950s linking everything together. Orange pillows and several orange glass bowls bring the room together.

The bright colors echo in the bright red wall behind Bobby’s kitchen countertops, a bright stainless steel to match the pots and pans hanging above. What’s Bobby making tonight? Something from the grill to feed the friends who will be dropping by soon. The space matches the food and the chef – spicy and cool at the same time.

Are you a Food Network fan? How about Home and Garden TV? If you enjoy both, consider what would happen if the two channels merged. It would be interesting to see what some of the celebrity chefs would do about decorating.

Bobby Flay has such a distinct style in clothes, personality and food, it’s easy to put some ideas together that would suit him. Living in New York City, his high-rise condo would shine with ebony wood floors. The rich dark tones fit perfectly with his taste – an eclectic mix of vintage mid-century modern and some contemporary pieces.

Flay’s spicy cooking approach can be matched with bold colors. A vivid red tailored sofa sits across from the open kitchen. Several rich yellow chairs sit to one side, with a golden wood asymmetrical coffee table straight from the 1950s linking everything together. Orange pillows and several orange glass bowls bring the room together.

The bright colors echo in the bright red wall behind Bobby’s kitchen countertops, a bright stainless steel to match the pots and pans hanging above. What’s Bobby making tonight? Something from the grill to feed the friends who will be dropping by soon. The space matches the food and the chef – spicy and cool at the same time.

For fans, HGTV and the Food Network have a lot in common. They’re both channels that provide insights to help you decorate and cook better. The connection has grown stronger recently when a major food firm hired several of HGTV’s celebrity decorators to “design” sandwiches for clients on various condiment commercials.

What do you suppose could happen if this trend continues? It would be fun to see what various Food Network chefs would come up with as ideas for decorating.

Let’s start with Paula Deen. Her southern country style would be a great fit with warm heart pine flooring. The glow of wide planks in a rich golden brown matches the color of fresh-made flapjacks and maple syrup, and pine flooring looks more like home with a few spills and small scratches from her dogs’ paws.

The rest of the room is all about comfort and food. Some open shelves could hold her cooking staples, while a big round kitchen table with old-fashioned cushioned ladder back chairs would hole the whole family while giving table space for all the great dishes she whips up regularly. Finish up with some deep upholstered furniture with a variety of country-style patterns, just made for napping when you’re full. With a room like that, let’s hope Paula will invite us over soon!

For fans, HGTV and the Food Network have a lot in common. They’re both channels that provide insights to help you decorate and cook better. The connection has grown stronger recently when a major food firm hired several of HGTV’s celebrity decorators to “design” sandwiches for clients on various condiment commercials.

What do you suppose could happen if this trend continues? It would be fun to see what various Food Network chefs would come up with as ideas for decorating.

Let’s start with Paula Deen. Her southern country style would be a great fit with warm heart pine flooring. The glow of wide planks in a rich golden brown matches the color of fresh-made flapjacks and maple syrup, and pine flooring looks more like home with a few spills and small scratches from her dogs’ paws.

The rest of the room is all about comfort and food. Some open shelves could hold her cooking staples, while a big round kitchen table with old-fashioned cushioned ladder back chairs would hole the whole family while giving table space for all the great dishes she whips up regularly. Finish up with some deep upholstered furniture with a variety of country-style patterns, just made for napping when you’re full. With a room like that, let’s hope Paula will invite us over soon!

When you’re ready to select a wood floor, do you find yourself concerned with whether your choice is environmentally responsible? Well, fortunately there is a simple way to determine that. Look for flooring with the Forest Stewardship Council certification;

An international, not-for-profit organization, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) was created to protect the world’s forests by promoting their responsible management. With an international presence that extends to over 50 countries and recognition by every major environmental group as well as the Green Building Council in the United States, the FSC is your best source for evaluating your potential wood purchases.

As forests are damaged and destroyed across the planet, FSC and organizations like it work hard to ensure that our children will also be able to enjoy the forested areas we have now. The goal is not to stop cutting trees, but to support responsible harvesting with no hazardous pesticides and no damage to the people who live in the forests.

FSC requires certification to be re-confirmed annually, so it is not possible for organizations to meet the certification once and then go on to break the rules.

How much more meaningful will your beautiful wood floor be if you know that the trees it represents were cut responsibly? If this means something to you, just ask your salesperson to show you products that are FSC certified, and enjoy your floor.

This chart is best used for comparison to show which woods are more relatively stable that others. This means what you can expect as far as shrinkage or swelling. In actuality when the floor is installed and the boards are laid next to each other, this tends to restrain movement so the change would be diminished in a complete floor .

*Note -Although some tropical woods such as Australian cypress, Brazilian cherry, merbau and wenge appear in this chart or have excellent moisture stability compared to domestic oak, actual installations of many of these woods have demonstrated significant movement in use. To avoid problems later, extra care should be taken to inform potential users of these tendencies prior to purchase.

Source: Stability ratings taken from Wood Handbook: Wood as an Engineering Material (Agriculture Handbook 72, Forest Products Laboratory, Forest Service, US Department of Agriculture; revised 1987)