Understanding Color Part 3: Color Blending from Room to Room

Now that you have that dream home with a great room approach, are you feeling concerned about how to use color? One color can feel boring, but too many different colors in one space can cause color overload. The easiest way to handle this decorating challenge is to select three colors that work well together, and feature one of the three in each space: kitchen, dining room and family room.

Not sure which three colors to use? Start with the furniture you already have, and decide which colors you want to keep that will work in the space. The next place to visit to choose color options is an upholstery fabric store. You will find many patterns that feature your three colors together, and you may find one that you can use as a color tool. Make sure you set your colors against your flooring and paint choices, to make sure they all work together.

The next step involves determining which color will be the focal color in each space. Do light cabinets in your kitchen beg for a dark, rich contrast color? Could your dining table’s dark wood benefit from a bright color? Is the sofa anchoring your family room covered in a dark red that will be a perfect choice for one of your three colors? Once you locate your focal colors, use curtains, pillows, table linens and accessories to pull those colors across the entire great room’s space, so that areas are clearly defined, but everything links together.

If you missed Part 1, click here and if you missed Part 2, click here!

Understanding color part 2:


Warm vs. cool neutrals – which choice works best for your home.


One of the best ways to take a room in a cooler or warmer color direction is by bringing in cool or warm neutrals. Warm neutrals consist of tans, gold and beiges, as well as warm blacks. Cool neutrals include white, ivory, gray and silver. Blacks can come together as a cool neutral if the undertone is cool. Also, ivories that lean toward cream become warm neutrals. When you’re not sure if a neutral is warm or cool, look for the undertones: blue for cool and orange or yellow for warm.


Neutrals are like the sky in a landscape painting – giving you room to let the colors of your space stand apart, and letting the eye rest. If you want to take a chance with a monochromatic room in neutrals, think carefully about textures to add the variety and personality that color normally provides.


The term neutral sounds like the tones can be combined without thought, but clashing neutrals is possible. Compare all the neutrals with each other when developing a room’s color palette. A neutral flooring choice frees you to experiment with color in paint, furniture, accessories, and other easier to change decorating choices. Be sure to bring samples home when making the final decision, or bring a room’s color samples with you when making your selection. Choose the right neutral, and you are well on your way to creating a room that works for you.

Did you miss part 1? If so, click here to read part 1 and stay tuned for part 3!

Understanding Color Part 1: Warm vs. Cool Colors

For most of us, color is simply a matter of taste. You may be drawn to reds, blues, greens, or browns without questioning why. When you start decorating, it pays to consider colors a bit more deeply. Some colors almost seem to approach you in a space, drawing you toward them. Others appear to be calm, receding. One reason for this is that warm colors seem to stand out and approach you while cool colors have a more distant feel.

You may not have heard about warm or cool colors since art class in grade school. Here’s a quick catch-up. Warm colors are yellows, oranges, and related colors such as orange-reds, yellow-greens, and browns. These colors are termed warm because they seem like the colors of a sunny day. Cool colors, such as blues, purples, turquoises and some reds and pinks with a blue undertone, match the color palette of a rainy or foggy day.

As the “approachable” colors, warm hues draw the eye, and tend to seem inviting and invigorating. High energy rooms such as dining and family rooms can benefit from a warm color scheme. Cool colors are more calming, and invite quiet and reflection. Bedrooms work well with a cool color scheme, calming you down and possibly even helping you to sleep. This is one reason why yellow is not recommended for an infant’s room. The color is too distracting and energizing.

For most rooms, a combination of warm and cool tones works best. Warm colors can be overwhelming without a bit of cool color to reduce the color noise. However, a room containing only cool colors may appear to be unfriendly. Adding only a few warm colors can change a cool room immediately, because warm colors have a stronger visual impact than cooler ones.

When you’re ready to change the colors in a room, first determine whether you want it to be lively or peaceful, and choose your colors accordingly. Does the balance of warm and cool colors work right now? If so, stay on the same side of the color wheel when you make your adjustments. If the colors of a room aren’t working, consider the balance of cool vs. warm colors. Do you need to cool it down or warm it up? Make a few color experiments with fabrics and accessories you already have at home, to help you decide the changes you need to make.

Stay tuned from Part 2 and Part 3 coming soon!

Submit pictures of your kids or a kids room for a chance to win!

Here are the details:

• Contest runs through June 30th, 2010

There are 2 ways to participate.

• Come to our store and pick up the contest poster and your free T-shirt.
• Or visit www.shawfloors.com/disney , register on the website, vote for a photo

Then:

• Take a picture of a kid 0-12 years old or take a picture of their room showing the Disney poster

Next:

• Go to www.shawfloors.com/disney, register and upload it to the Shaw website

Finally:

• Invite everyone you know to vote for your photo (hint hint – post it on your Facebook page or Tweet about it!)

The GRAND PRIZE for each category (kids and kids room) is $5,000 for the picture with the most votes. There are also prizes of $5000 for each category and the voter that is drawn after the contest is over. Finally, there are $10,00 in other prizes.

The winners of the Colorado Grand Opening give away just recently took their trip to Las Vegas where they enjoyed luxury accommodations at the Paris Hotel and show tickets a part of their prize. The couple is soon to be married and had these kind words to say to us,

“A huge thank you for the fantastic trip to Las Vegas my fiancé and I won through Carpets N More!!! Everyone was wonderful in making sure every last detail of our trip was perfect, from the best seats in the house for our Cirque du Soleil show to our amazing room at the Paris Hotel overlooking the pool…it was all abso…lutely wonderful!! Again, thank you so much. We sincerely appreciate your generosity and the fabulous people at Carpets N More who go the extra mile, you have all made a fantastic lasting impression with us!!!”

We are so happy that the winners of the drawing had such a great time. Thanks to everyone that came out for the Grand Opening of the Colorado location!

Please read the following letter from Michael Spada from Las Vegas who needs your help. At the end, you will see how you can do your part to help make a difference in someone’s life!

Hi!

My name is Michael Spada.  I am 14 years old and live in Las Vegas, NV.  On March 17^th I was diagnosed with Burkitt’s Lymphoma.  I am blessed and fortunate enough to be fighting this disease with the help and support of the wonderful doctors, nurses and staff on the pediatric oncology floor at Sunrise Children’s Hospital in Las Vegas, NV.

I am not alone.  There are many children who are at Sunrise Children’s Hospital to be treated for horrible malignant diseases.  One of the side effects of treatment is loss of weight.  When this happens we get very cold.  The pediatric oncology floor has standard hospital blankets but I am blessed to have people who love me that have given me blankets that comfort me and keep me warm while I’m being treated.  The staff has commented on my cozy blankets and has mentioned that they once had blankets that were donated to them.  But with the economy the way it is the blankets have stopped coming.

I would like children being treated on this floor to be blessed like me and have nice, soft, cozy, and warm, blankets to comfort them too.  That’s why I have started a blanket drive.  I am asking if you would be so kind as to make a donation of a blanket or two, whatever you can do and get them to my mom & dad, or the hospital floor that I am on.  I want every child that has to come here to be warm and comforted and to know that people care.

The blankets need to be brand new and free from pet hair and cigarette smoke smell. It is best if the blankets are a soft fleece material.

You can email my mom & dad at spada656@yahoo.com, or send to or drop off the blankets at:

Sunrise Children’s Hospital

Children’s Administration

3186 South Maryland Parkway

Las Vegas, Nevada 89109,

Thank you so much for all your help,

Sincerely,

Michael Spada

You can also drop off your blankets at Carpets N More. Please bring your new blanket (free from pet hair or cigarette smoke smells) to any of the following locations.

Come to either our Craig Location  at I-95 & Craig Rd.

7091 W. Craig Rd.
Las Vegas, NV 89148
702-589-8150
Mon – Fri: 10:00 – 7:00
Saturday: 10:00 – 6:00
Sunday: 11:00 – 5:00

or our Tropicana Location at Tropicana & Pecos
3265 E Tropicana Ave.
Las Vegas, NV 89121
702.433.0295
Mon – Fri: 8:00am – 7:00pm
Saturday: 8:00am – 6:00pm
Sunday: 11:00 – 5:00

or our Corporate Office at Dean Martin & Warm Springs
Corporate Office and Design Center
7260 Dean Martin Drive, Suite 100
Las Vegas, NV 89118
702.458.9999

You can get directions to all locations here.

Thank you in advance for your support!

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)

If your memory of vinyl flooring is that of industrial style vinyl tiles underfoot at the old supermarket, memorize this: today’s vinyl tile has gone beautiful. That’s one reason it’s called Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT).

LVT is illusional. LVT features printed designs that mimic hardwoods, stone, ceramic tile, metal flooring, bamboo, marble — you name it. It simulates these materials so well that most people can’t tell the difference between the real and LVT. (We dare you to try!)

LVT is luxury without the price tag. We know you’re not made of money and neither is LVT. It’s beautifully affordable, and that’s no illusion.

LVT is tough. It offers you the look of ceramic tile or stone without the cold bare feet. (brrr!) It’s stable, quiet underfoot, stands up to wear and tear and won’t splinter, chip, crack or need waxing.

LVT celebrates versatility and flexibility. Practical in any room in your home, LVT comes in countless styles and patterns, colors galore and sizes from 4”, 6” and 8” planks to 12”, 16” and 18” tiles.

LVT is, BTW, ideal for DIY. Easier to install than ceramic tile or stone, LTV is a favorite project for weekend handymen and even handier women.

Note: “peel and stick” vinyl tile is not the same as LVT and can fail over time, creating loose tiles. Ask us for guidance.

Feel free to call us for more information or to ask a question. And don’t hesitate to leave a comment here – we’d love to hear from you!

Please take a few moments to get to know Las Vegas employee Stuart Harris a little better!

What is your name and position with Carpets N More? Retail Store Manager at the Craig Rd Store IE Sales Person Extraordinaire.

How long have you been with the company? I’m not sure. What time is it?

What is your favorite thing about Carpets N More? The freedom to be myself and provide the kind of service that I would want.

What do you think makes Carpets N More unique? People like me that care about what they do.

Do you have a memorable customer experience that you can share? I love all my Customers but one Lady that wasn’t even my Customer handmade some thank you cards for me that matched my business cards. Very special.

Why should a customer choose Carpets N More over a box store or another retail store? We care about the job that we do and stand by it. Personal service.

What is the best part about your position? See # 3

If there’s one thing you could tell past, current or future customers, what would it be? Don’t forget to remember me! (See Carrie Underwood)

What’s your favorite floor in your home and why? My carpet and the duet pad in my bedroom. Very cozy!

If you could have any product that Carpets N More sells in your home what would it be? New counters and closet organizes. I dream of closet organizers.