Revitalize Your Hardwood Floors

Clean floors last. It’s best to clean rooms from the top down so that any dust and debris won’t find their way onto a newly-cleaned floor.
Dry mop/dust floors. Use a microfiber dusting cloth or a vacuum to remove the initial layer of dust and debris on floors. If you are using a vacuum, avoid using the beater bar so the vacuum’s brush doesn’t damage the floor.
Spray mop floors. Use a cleaning solution designed for your floor type. Avoid DIY vinegar solutions or steam mopping your floors since they both can damage your floor’s finish leaving it to look dull and cloudy. If your mop doesn’t have a spray function, fill your cleaning solution in a spray bottle and spray floors a bit at a time to avoid an excess amount of liquid on your floors.
Apply a new coat of polish. Now that your floors are clean and dry, applying a coat of polish is a great way to revitalize your floor’s finish. A coat of polish can even out a floor’s look, filling in any small scratches and adding a new protective layer on top of your floor.

Here are some tips that can help protect your floors even more.

• Use floor mats and area rugs to protect high traffic areas. If using mats and rugs, try to get rugs and mats with a natural rubber backing since some materials can discolor floors after extended use.
• Protect floors from sun damage. Rearrange furniture or use curtains to protect floors from fading and UV damage.
• Protect furniture legs with appropriate pads and covers. Felt or rubber pads can help avoid scratches from accidental dragging of furniture on your floors.
• The best way to revitalize your floors is with a deep clean. A good deep clean can get into the seams of the floor where normal spray mopping can’t.

Source: Bona

Get a Jump on Holiday Decorating

Are you ready to blow the dust off those holiday decorations stored in your attic or basement? Cooler weather reminds us that Thanksgiving and other holiday gatherings are just around the corner. How will you gain inspiration for decorating your home this year? Here are a few events around the metro Atlanta area to check out.

Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles 10^th Annual Home for the Holidays  (Nov. 15-Dec. 9, 2018)

Located on a 1.5-acre lot in Buckhead, this year’s showcase is a new English country home with a locally sourced limestone and brick exterior, five bedrooms and an expansive loggia with a fireplace and separate grilling terrace that overlooks the pool. Tour proceeds benefit Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

Roswell Woman’s Club 2^nd Annual Holiday Home Tour (Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018)

This holiday-themed event includes five beautiful homes in Roswell. Tickets are $35.

Grant Park 38^th Annual Candlelight Tour of Homes (Dec. 8-9, 2018)

Imagine being greeted with the warm glow of candles and holiday lights at every stop. Founded in 1885, the neighborhood consists largely of original Victorian, Queen Anne and Craftsman homes that were constructed between 1885–1910. The Grant Park neighborhood became Atlanta’s largest historic district in 2000. Since its conception, the tour has grown and evolved into a fundraiser for three community organizations: St. Paul United Methodist Church, the Grant Park Cooperative Preschool and the Grant Park Parent’s Network.

Georgia Governor’s Mansion Holiday Tours (Various dates)

The holiday season kicks off with a Tree Lighting Ceremony on Sunday, Dec. 2 at 6 p.m. Holidays tours are scheduled Dec. 3-8 (9:30-11 a.m.); Dec. 9 (2-4 p.m.); and Dec. 10-14 (9:30-11 a.m.). Admission and parking are free.

What other holiday events do you hope to attend?

 

Elevate Your Bar

Here are a few pretty, colorful and practical ways to kick your bar up a notch for entertaining.

 

Shaw Floors Introduces 2019 Color of the Year

Shaw Floors has announced a full palette of colors for its 2019 Color of the Year: Whisper. The palette of five hushed neutrals will be embodied in Shaw’s 2019 hard and soft surface product introductions.

Whisper features five colors: Glacier Ice, Clay, Blush, Mist, and Dusty Lilac. Infused with a dusty softness, the approachable palette provides the neutrals consumers love with subtle pastel undertones for interest, beauty and variety. The colors are easy to integrate into a home’s design scheme and may be used alone in a space or together as a palette.

“With Whisper, we’ve moved away from our obsession with grays and are embracing colors that inject a calm, inviting serenity into the home,” said Pam Rainey, ASID, IIDA, Shaw Floors’ vice president of product design. “The palette conveys an ethereal, dreamlike environment where we can find peace and relaxation.”

Shaw Floors will launch new products in 2019 that not only coordinate with the Whisper palette, but embody the colors as well. Alongside the products, the brand will release a selection of design themes that showcase the palette in various ways.

The Importance of Vacuuming

The most important step in caring for your carpet is vacuuming it thoroughly and frequently. This is particularly true in high-traffic areas. Walking on soiled carpet allows the soil particles to work their way below the surface of the pile where they are far more difficult to remove and can damage the carpet fibers. Frequent vacuuming removes these particles from the surface before problems occur.

For rooms with light traffic, vacuum the carpet traffic lanes twice weekly and the entire area once weekly. In areas with heavy traffic, vacuum the carpet traffic lanes daily and the entire area twice weekly. Up to three passes of the machine will suffice for light soiling, but five to seven passes are necessary for heavily soiled areas. Change the vacuuming direction occasionally to help stand the pile upright and reduce matting.

Extend the life of your carpet with a quality vacuum
An inexpensive machine may remove surface dirt but will not effectively remove the hidden dirt and particles embedded in the pile. Invest in a good vacuum cleaner to get the dirt you can’t see and prolong the beauty and life of your carpet. To ensure that your vacuum will conform to the highest industry standards, make sure that your vacuum cleaner is certified through the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) Seal of Approval/Green Label Vacuum Cleaner Program. Visit www.carpet-rug.org for details.

Select the best vacuum for your type of carpet
Shaw Floors recommends using vacuums with a rotating brush or combination beater/brush bar that agitates the carpet pile and mechanically loosens soil for removal. Carpet with thick loop pile construction, particularly wool and wool-blend styles, may be sensitive to brushing or rubbing of the pile surface and may become fuzzy. In addition, shag (or cabled) styles with long pile yarns tend to wrap around the rotating brushes causing damage to the yarn. For these products, Shaw recommends a suction-only vacuum or a vacuum with an adjustable brush lifted away from the carpet so it does not agitate the pile. Be sure to test a vacuum with a beater/brush bar in an inconspicuous location before regular use, to make sure it doesn’t produce excessive fuzzing.

Source: Shaw Floors

Create a Dramatic Difference in Your Room

Photo: Shaw Floors

Unlike furniture and décor, flooring trends shift and evolve slowly, making it possible to select a style that stays fresh for years. Here’s a list of time-tested trends that have captured the attention of flooring and design experts.

Low-Glow
Delustered flooring—meaning no glossy finishes—creates a dry, European look. Choose hardwood with a raw, hand-hewn appearance and carpet with a woolen, cottony finish. These styles shine without any added luster.

Domestic Hardwood
The trend is moving away from exotic looks to a feeling that’s more familiar. The classic nature of these traditional domestic grains has another benefit; knowing exactly where the wood is sourced ensures environmental responsibility as well as quality.

Play With Patterns
This is no passing fad. Patterned carpet can create layers of texture that add plenty of visual interest to any space. Choose a classic pattern to accent your style without overwhelming it.

Go Wide
When picking your planks for hardwood looks, go for wide and long. These bigger pieces add just the right amount of modern for a clean look that’s still traditional.

Bespoke Charm
Not all floors are truly bespoke, or made-to-order, but trends are leaning toward floors that are made-to-last. Choose a high-quality floor with unique details for a look that will be in style for a long time.

Source: Shaw Floors

Give Your Living Room A Wow Factor

A rug on top of your living room hardwood is an accessory that can easily transform your space. Small rugs look great on top of sleek hardwood flooring and can add a whole new dimension to the room, especially if they include rich colors, textures or patterns.

Any carpet can be custom bound into a unique area rug. With such a wide variety of carpet styles and designs, giving your room a completely different atmosphere is simple and effortless. Consider these rug ideas for your living room design.

Durable Patterns
Houses catering to a family should include a rug that can withstand the wear and tear usually inflicted upon the floor by children.

“Real Simple’ magazine suggests patterned rugs to make the space more visually interesting, adding another element of texture to your living room.

Use Your Rug As An Accessory
The size of your rug should be smaller than the area that your furniture covers. People often make the mistake of using an oversized rug for their room, covering up more of their hardwood floor than they have to. According to HGTV, the front two legs of your sofas or chairs should be placed on the area rug, supporting the gathering space, but not taking away from the overall sleekness or openness of the room. Think of the rug as an accessory, just like your ottoman or coffee table. It shouldn’t take over your flooring, but complement it instead.

“Real Simple” recommended using a decorative rug to draw attention to a specific piece of furniture, like your bold-colored sofa. This is easily done by contrasting the color of the rug with that of the piece of furniture you want to make the focal point of the living room.

Source: Shaw Floors