11 Things To Consider When Choosing Window Treatments

Choosing the right window treatment for your home might seem overwhelming. But when you consider a few important factors, you’re sure to find the solution that will work best for you and your family.

• How your space is used helps define the ideal design style for your window treatment. Do you use the space for working, relaxing or entertaining?
• What feeling or mood do you want to create in the room? Is it soft and elegant, casual and comfortable, classic and traditional or clean and contemporary?
• Will you be working with electronic screens in the room? This includes televisions, computer monitors or other devices that are sensitive to glare.
• If there are children or pets in your home, look for a window covering with safety features (such as motorized lift and cordless lift). Are the materials easy to clean and maintain?
• Is privacy a primary concern? This is a key consideration for bedrooms and bathrooms.
• What is the window’s exposure? A window with a southern or western exposure can cause fluctuations in temperature within the room. Direct sunlight also can bleach textiles unevenly.
• How much light control do you need? For maximum shading at your fingertips, consider horizontal or vertical blinds. You can easily redirect the light or change the complexion of a room by rotating or tilting the slats or louvers.
• If you want to maintain a view, consider the bottom up/top down option.
• Do you open the window frequently or do you need easy access for cleaning? If you are opening and closing the window often, you may want to consider a lighter blind or shade.
• Are you comfortable with color? Today’s window treatments are available in a multitude of colors.
• Be sure to examine the backside of the window covering so you will know how it looks on the outside of your home. Some communities have covenants against visible window coverings in non-neutral colors.

Photo: Hunter Douglas

Choose Pet-Friendly Carpet

Feeling isolated or just craving companionship? While we are working from home, our pets have become our company mascots, sitting at our feet or nudging us playfully to take a break for a short walk. PetPoint, a software program shared by some 1,200 shelters nationwide, reports fostering and adoptions are up 700 percent over last year.

Even when or if we return to on-site work, a survey by Banfield Pet Hospital found that 57 percent of pet owners say they’ll be most happy returning to work if they can bring their pets with them. Additionally, 71 percent of Gen Z’ers and 48 percent of Millennials have or plan to ask their employer to start a pet-friendly policy.

When we renovated our home many years ago, we never imagined that our dog would accompany us to our work space and become an indispensable part of our work routine. So the choices we made during the renovation project weren’t based on our pet’s needs. Here are some things we have learned over time that we wished we had known then.

Look for high-performance carpet to stand up to the wear and tear of active pets. Carpet constructed with nylon fiber is widely considered the most durable and resilient fiber. High-performance polyester is also a good choice due to its inherent stain resistance.

Built-in stain protection provides peace of mind. Since accidents are inevitable, easy-to-clean carpet is a  must. Cleaning any mess as soon as possible will help prevent stains and soiling from damaging the look of your carpet. 

Vacuum your carpet thoroughly to extend the life of your floor. It also helps keep pet hair at bay.

Consider a low-pile style with a textured look. A style with a textured visual or fleck of color can hide dirt or debris tracked in by little paws until you are ready to clean.

Do you have a home office? What type of flooring do you have in it?

Photo: Shaw Floors

How the Pandemic Altered the Way We Live

“It was the best of times; it was the worst of times.” – Charles Dickens, “A Tale of Two Cities”

If the pandemic has changed the way you feel about your home, you’re not alone. We have missed celebrating birthdays, anniversaries and graduations with friends and family. We long for the time when we can safely travel to the destinations we have been dreaming of. It’s nearing time to replace those well-worn take-out menus with fabulous sit-down meals at our favorite restaurants.

Sequestration has made us realize the true meaning of “home.” It is a place where we can feel safe, comforted and inspired. We have truly learned during this stressful time what we like and dislike about our living spaces.

Here are some of the changes we have been seeing:       

• During the last 12 months, paint and new furniture have often replaced travel and eating out in family budgets.
• People who had never bought anything larger than a book online ordered rugs and refrigerators they had never seen in real life. Online Christmas shopping took priority over visiting local malls.
• Sales for nearly every category of major home appliance were up last year, according to the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers. Manufacturers are adding new features that were inspired by the pandemic. Some manufacturers are adding UV lights to refrigerators, either to combat the growth of bacteria in water-filtration systems or to sanitize shelving. Vacuum manufacturers are building HEPA filters into a wider variety of models.
• One of the least expensive home improvements is a new coat of paint. Paint industry revenue was up 13 percent.
• The spread of the novel coronavirus unleashed an “unprecedented, never-before-seen-in-modern-times demand for everyday cleaning products,” according to the American Cleaning Institute. As the pandemic unfolded, Lowe’s (as well as other stores) moved cleaning supplies to a more prominent position near the entrance of its stores, so consumers could quickly pick up what they needed.
• Our homes are no longer just a place to eat, rest and sleep. Many homeowners have transformed some areas into makeshift offices, gyms or movie theatres to better accommodate their lifestyles.
• While open floor plans aren’t falling entirely out of fashion, they’re no longer as practical and desirable as they once were. People are using everything from divider screens to curtains and partitions to carve out dedicated zones.
• The demand for private outdoor spaces has increased over the past year. Between travel restrictions and closings of community pool facilities, homeowners are taking the plunge and installing swimming pools, hot tubs and ponds in their backyards. 
• Homeowners want to work with an outdoor connection. When asked where survey respondents prefer to set up their home offices, one of the most popular choices was at the back of the house with direct access to the yard or patio. 
• Since people are making fewer trips to grocery stores, pantries will be more necessary than ever. With the rise of the hands-free mindset, kitchens are being designed with voice-activated technology to control light, faucets and appliances.

Do these trends resonate with you? How are you and your community adapting to the “new normal”?

Photo: Shaw Floors

Where Are You Planning To Spend Your Money?

Photo: Landscape Studio

One of the places we often search for design inspiration is the Internet. With a new year underway, we wanted to know what bloggers, design professionals and others are hailing as some of the hot home improvement trends for 2021. So relax, have a cup of coffee or your favorite beverage, and tell us what you think about these projected trends in the comments section of this post.

• Move over soaker tubs. Many homeowners are kicking their master bathrooms up a notch by adding steam showers, aromatherapy showerheads, and bathtub fillers that can hold a cup of tea or a glass of wine.
• While the open layout living space isn’t going anywhere soon, we may see a rise in sliding doors or partitions that can close off rooms for more privacy for e-learning, working, lounging, and exercising.
• Home offices will be more important than ever this year. One of the biggest trends on Pinterest last year was the rise of the “cloffice,” a portmanteau of “closet” and “office.”
• The indoor houseplant trend is here to stay. When selecting plants, take into account your natural light, exposures, and how much you will remember to water your plants.
• Touchless appliances (like motion sensors for lighting and smart temperature control for bathroom floors) will be more popular in 2021.
• A Zillow survey found 41 percent of people value a well-equipped kitchen more after stay-at-home orders closed restaurants. Most people plan to continue to exhibit their culinary skills in the future. Home shoppers are looking for kitchens with bigger cabinets and an island.
• The top landscaping trends of 2021 are expected to be pandemic-inspired as the health crisis drags on. These trends include turning outdoor spaces into year-round amenities and backyards into activity zones for the whole family.
• Multi-season spaces that feature fireplaces or fire pits, patio/deck areas or screened-in porches that can be used year-round are on the rise. That includes outdoor kitchens, which have become more popular than ever during the pandemic.
• Southern Living magazine asked several design experts about the colors they think will be big in the new year. While their picks run the gamut from airy neutrals, to earthy hues, to crowd-pleasing blues, one thing’s for sure: The new year will be all about creating soothing spaces.

What’s happening where you live? Do you live in an urban, a suburban or a rural area?

Ready, Set, Shop

Have you ever visited a new restaurant and couldn’t decide what to order? Too many choices, you said. Sometimes consumers feel the same way when they visit a flooring store. Should I choose luxury vinyl, hardwood, tile, carpet or something else? Which product will function best for my lifestyle and coordinate well with my décor?

MODA Floors & Interiors has simplified the process of shopping for new flooring. Use our Design Resources to get your project started. The “Style Quiz” will help you discover your décor style. You can find answers to our most frequently asked questions in the “Ask Our Expert” section of the website. Create a personal workbook on the site to keep track of all of your flooring designs. You can even create your room size and get an instant calculation for the amount of flooring needed for your space.

MODA offers three ways to shop. Use our Virtual Shopping Experience or Mobile Shop-From-Home Service. You also can visit our showroom in the West Midtown Design District of Atlanta. We are open Monday through Saturday. Rest assured that whichever method you choose to shop, you will receive a high level of customer service from one of our talented project consultants.

Say Farewell to 2020

2020 has been an interesting year (to say the least). Our homes have become our refuge. They are places where we live, work and learn digitally. But they also are places where we can dream of the future. A time when hugs will be exchanged, entertaining our friends will become possible and travel will begin anew.

We have compiled a list of 15 ideas to help inspire you as you look forward to welcoming the new year and new possibilities.

1. Think about where you would like to go next. Make a Pinterest board to gather inspiration for the trip.
2. Visit your favorite U.S. National Parks on Google Earth.
3. Consider an epic train trip and start plotting your route.
4. Watch walking tours of place you haven’t been yet or want to revisit.
5. Hone your photography skills or learn a new language.
6.  Enjoy some of the world’s greatest museums, symphonies and operas from your couch.
7. Donate to your favorite non-profit organization.
8. Crack open that bottle of wine you have been saving for a special occasion.
9. Take a virtual cooking lesson.
10. Order take-out from that restaurant you never managed to get a table at before.
11. Look for shows filmed right in your home city or state, and remember how lucky you are to be where you are.
12. Start planning your menu and guest list for your next big gathering.  
13. Prepare your home for winter weather. Start planning your spring garden.
14. Keep in touch with your friends and family via phone, online or a quick note.
15. Shop for new flooring during MODA Floors and Interiors “Farewell to 2020 Sale.”

 

Is it Time for a Fresh Start?

Refresh your home with new paint! It’s one of the quickest and easiest ways to recharge a room’s style. Each year paint companies single out shades that capture the current moment in design. Keep reading to learn more about some of the projected hot colors for 2021.

Color affects us psychologically. Warm colors – such as red, yellow and orange – can spark a variety of emotions that range from comfort and warmth to hostility and anger. Cool colors – such as green, blue and purple – often spark feelings of calmness as well as sadness.

When selecting their top colors, paint companies gather insights from pop culture, fashion, architecture and technology trends.

Glidden – Aqua Fiesta

Aqua Fiesta is a bright, refreshing aquamarine color that would look great on an accent wall or millwork. While it might be a little overwhelming as an all-over wall color, it makes a splash even in small doses when combined with other neutral paint colors. You might pair Aqua Fiesta with a cool gray to create a spa-like vibe in your bathroom.

Benjamin Moore – Aegean Teal

Aegean Teal marries the tranquil nature of blue with green’s association with wellness, while a gray undertone helps keep the color modern. The color’s calming qualities make it an excellent choice for bedrooms or home offices. Its casual elegance also shines on kitchen cabinetry or built-ins.

Aegean Teal joins 11 other organic hues that comprise Benjamin Moore’s 2021 color trends palette. Their collection includes buttery yellows, creamy off-whites and deep earthy hues that work beautifully with Aegean Teal’s cool undertones.

Farrow & Ball – 2021 Colors of the Year

Farrow & Ball selected 12 rejuvenating shades for its 2021 color trends. Featuring earthy neutrals and rich natural colors, the shades were chosen to convey a sense of ease and familiarity. According to the company, the selections reflect a broader trend toward warmer, organic colors and away from cool grays and blues.

HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams – Passionate (Pictured above)

Passionate is a rich, saturated red color that blurs the line between modern and traditional. The bold yet elegant hue joins nine nature-inspired shades in HGTV Home’s Delightfully Daring Color Collection. Passionate’s deep red creates an invigorating backdrop for neutral furniture and nature-inspired accents. Want a more dramatic look? Try pairing it with other vivid shades from the collection, such as the classic blue called Long Horizon.

Sherwin-Williams – Urbane Bronze

Urbane Bronze is a warm, grounding shade of gray-brown that reflects the country’s current need for serenity and stability. The company says Urbane Bronze encourages you to create a sanctuary space for mindful reflection and renewal.

What do you think about these colors? Are you planning to use any of them in your home or at a client’s home?

Are Shadings and Sheers Right for Your Home?

Window shadings and sheers are a popular window covering option. All of these products are made from fabric and offer the ultimate in light control. Their versatility can provide complete privacy without complete darkness by simply adjusting the vanes for the desired amount of light.

Shadings and sheers are made with a wide selection of soft fabrics, including opaque and translucent materials.

Both window shadings and sheers consist of soft fabric vanes that are suspended between two-sheet fabric facings. Window shadings vanes run horizontally and sheers run vertically. These vanes rotate for a filtered view allowing for complete privacy or anything in between. Both window shadings and sheers are offered in a variety of fabrics ranging in opacity, texture and color.

Window shadings and sheers are extremely versatile and can be installed in almost any room in the home. These products blend all the advantages of draperies, shades and blinds into one design. Vertical sheers work particularly well on large window patio doors or on window walls.

The elegant and sophisticated looks of these window coverings make them the perfect choice for living rooms, dining rooms or bedrooms. They work well in contemporary and traditional settings.

It is important to note that window shadings and sheers may not be the best fit for pet owners. Being a sheer fabric, they may get damaged at the hand of a cat and its claws.

What are the Types of Wood Flooring?

Reed Plank. Suitable for Commercial and Residential Applications.

Solid wood flooring is made of one piece of wood from top to bottom and can be used in any room that is on or above ground. One of the many benefits of solid wood flooring is it can be sanded and refinished many times.

Engineered wood floors are also made of real wood, but include multiple layers, with the top layer made of high-quality wood. Because engineered wood floors expand and contract less than solid wood flooring, they are ideal for basement installations. While this type of flooring can be sanded and refinished, it cannot be done as many times as solid wood flooring.

5/8″ Unfinished Engineered Flooring in 7″ Width.

Composite engineered wood flooring contains real wood on the wearable surface only. The backing and core material may be made up of any type of composite material.

Wood floors are manufactured in almost any width. Some of the most popular styles are strip, plank and parquet. Each style is available in a variety of species, colors and widths, so choosing the right one is a matter of preference.

Strip flooring is less than 3” wide and often makes a room appear larger. Plank flooring is equal to or greater than 3” wide and often creates a more casual look. Parquet flooring varies in size and generates a geometric, non-linear look.

Wood flooring is made from hardwoods, softwoods, domestic lumber and a variety of imported lumber. Each wood species has unique visual characteristics and maintenance needs.

Source: National Wood Flooring Association

How To Care For Tile Floors

Photo: Bona

Ceramic and porcelain tiles are known for their durability and ease of maintenance. With proper care, your floors can look beautiful for many years to come. Check out the video for maintenance tips.

https://www.modafloorsandinteriors.com/clientcontent/cys_common_content/video/Ceramic-Maintenance2012.html