What is the first thing you notice about this room scene? Red, right! Red is a bold color that tends to stand out whether in interior design, an accessory to an outfit, or as a car color driving by on the street.  It reminds us of the power of red as a color in decorating.  Red is a great color for the home and can be used as a wall or accent color.

A few years ago red dining rooms were all the rage. This could have stemmed from the study that showed red increases our appetite. Today we are seeing fewer red dining rooms but not less red in interiors.

Red is a powerful color when used in its pure form. Power suits and ties are often red because of the strength of this color.  Having a red wall or red carpet makes a very strong design statement in a room.  For this reason many people prefer to use red as an accent color. Red today is often used as an accent color on area rugs and pillows.

The variation of red hues can run from plums to tomato reds, which allow red to be used in a wide variety of color palette. Terracotta red tile floors are great in the kitchen while deep plum is a cozy color for the walls in a master bedroom.  Red and grey is also a great color combination for the living room.

Reds work with neutrals like grey, other warm colors like orange, or contrast with cool colors like aqua.  Adding a pop of red to your counter top or sofa will bring energy to your room.

Green as a color or green as an environmental movement can be a powerful addition to a space. Green color can be introduced through paint and fabrics, rugs and accessories in both color and environmental friendliness.  A simple way to be green in both senses is to have house plants in your home.

Not only do houseplants add a pop of green color to a room, they can also clean the air.  Great for a room like a nursery or home office where you spend a lot of time. Variations of house plants do a better job than others cleaning the air, so do your research or ask at your local garden center.

A hot trend in decorating right now is terrariums. If you hear the word terrarium and think of a school project, think again. Today’s terrariums are stylish and chic. What they do have in common with the old school terrariums of your childhood is that they are a great DIY project. Almost any glass vessel, from a mason jar to a fishbowl, can be turned into a terrarium. This is a great project to do with your kids.  It is a nice way to introduce them to growing plants, which could lead to an interest in a kitchen garden.

Terrariums are great decoration for a shelf, table or even the kitchen window sill. Check online for tips and tricks to designing and maintaining a chic and stylish terrarium. House plants and terrariums are a great way to go green in your home.

Looking to spice up your holiday festivities this year? Instead of the same old boring ham, cheesy potatoes and green bean casserole it may be time to try out some new recipes. Instead of just sitting around before and after your holiday dinner why not make a new tradition with a themed party? Here are a few ideas for holiday entertaining this year.

To keep the kids busy give them each a small gingerbread house to decorate. Have plenty of royal icing and candies available so each small guest can create their own masterpiece.

Do dessert fondue. Use mini fondue pots instead of one large one. This will ensure each guest will get served without too much fuss or mess. It also gives you the ability to vary the fondue flavors by serving both dark and white chocolate, caramel and everyone’s favorite nutella marshmallow.

Instead of an elaborate dinner throw a simple and modern cocktail party. Come up with a signature festive cocktail and then run to the store for pre-made deli appetizers. Use glitter, oversized sequins, fun patterned fabric and tulle to decorate your table.

To limit your baking time plan a cookie exchange. Set out everyone’s cookies on your buffet or dining room table. Be sure to leave room for recipe cards so that you can add new favorites to your repertoire. Have plenty of to-go boxes or holiday tins on hand. Serve milk and hot cocoa.

Have the kids do a holiday pageant. They can make up their own skit or sing carols. It’s a cute way to spend an evening. They could make paper mache puppets (think candy canes, stockings and gift wrapped boxes) and do a puppet show for the children.

By thinking a little bit outside the box you can wow your guests and add some new traditions to your family events.

The holidays are on the way whether you like it or not. You may have made your annual appointment for the holiday themed family photo and you may have started thinking about what you want to write about in your holiday letter.  Below are a few tips if you want your letter to be entertaining for all of your friends and family instead of just a list of everything you did in 2013.

Be real: Write about what really happened in the past year without sugar coating every event.  It’s much more relatable and interesting for everyone reading it.

Be conversational and funny: Write in first person. Family and friends who receive your holiday letter want to hear from the real you. Forget the big, fancy words; write as you speak.  Remember, this isn’t a formal essay that’s going to be harshly critiqued for a grade. This will bring a breath of fresh air to your readers. Telling a funny story about your youngest is better than bragging about their excellent grades and extracurricular activities.

Know your audience: Know who you are sending your letter to and if it’s personal then send it to your close friends, family, distant relatives, etc.  Your work colleagues may not be the best, especially if they already know about your daily life.  Remember, the whole purpose of writing a holiday letter is to update your readers on what has happened the past year.  Business associates won’t be interested in a chatty, family newsletter, and vice versa, distant cousins won’t care too much about the ins and outs of your workplace politics.

Keep it short and sweet: Hit the highlights of your year and save the ins and outs of summer vacation for personal phone calls or lunches with relatives.

Don’t “photo-bomb”: Sure you want to share your many photos that were taken throughout the year, that’s what Facebook is for, right? Send one or two shots instead of a page filled with tile size pictures.

Personalize: Take a few minutes to personally sign and write a short note at the bottom of your letter.

Overall, have fun with your letter!  If you didn’t want to tackle the entire letter and you have family members, then have each of them write a small paragraph in their own words about their year.  Happy writing!

If you have a passion for granite and love working with people who have the same passion, you’re in luck! We are actually looking for an experienced granite professional to manage field operations and area management.

Must have:

• Quality Assurance
• Field supervision experience

If this sounds like the job for you, please fax your resumé and salary history to:

•  702-458-6294 Attn:  Angel
• OR Email to astearns@carpetsnmore.com

If you have kids, you know that they can be tough on your house, especially floors.  For a kid’s playroom or bedroom, there are plenty of flooring options that will please your style and stand up to the daily rigors of life with kids.  If your kids don’t have a designated playroom, having the right flooring in your living room and family room is even more key.  Once the toys and games are put away, you’ll want to feel like you are sitting in your room and not a play zone.

If you are putting in new flooring, talk with us about the best options for kids.  You can also take our “How I Live Quiz” to learn more about the best flooring options suitable for your lifestyle and home. There are many stain resistant and stain repellent carpets on the market. This means you can put carpet in a kids’ area and not fear every time something spills it will stain forever. Another option for carpeted rooms is to put a large area rug over the carpet to protect it.  Feel free to browse our area rug catalog to learn more.  As the kids get older, you can remove the area rug or swap it out for a new pattern or color. With this same idea in mind, carpet squares can be used and replaced if they get stained.

Hard surfaces like tile and stone are durable but might be too tough on little knees and elbows. Hardwood is good as is cork, which has a soft feeling under foot. Again, area rugs are your friends when it comes to protecting floors.

Kids and pets are probably the hardest on your floors.  Work with your flooring person to choose the best option that will be durable and stylish for years to come.