Decorating with Area Rugs

Shown: Tiburon in Rusted Rose from Colonial Mills, Inc.

Area rugs make a wonderful addition to nearly every type of room in your home. Regardless of the type of flooring or carpet you have, the addition of an area rug can spice up the décor as an accent feature or become the focal point of a room. Area rugs come in many shapes, styles and colors to match nearly any decorator’s taste.

Aside from being a great decorating tool, area rugs have quite a few benefits you may not have considered. One of the best features is that an area rug can protect high traffic areas of the home. Placing an area rug on a hardwood or laminate floor can help prevent wear and tear and protect the floor’s surface from scratches and gouges that may happen due to chair legs scraping the surface under normal circumstances.

Large rooms can be a challenge to decorate, especially rooms in the home designed to serve multiple purposes. Many people love open floor plans which can include living rooms with sitting rooms or sunrooms attached: but a real challenge is found with laying out furniture in these types of rooms. With a lack of wall space comes the difficulty of blending one room into the next. An area rug can easily divide a large room into functional parts by drawing attention to the rug itself, with furniture placed strategically around the rug. This set-up can make furniture in the room without a wall appear to be in place, rather than out of place.

In contrast, area rugs can do the opposite of dividing a room if multiple sizes of the same patterned rug are used throughout the home. For example, a living room with a dining room attached can feel like a cohesive space with the use of matching rugs in both rooms.

Tips for Choosing a Rug Size:

• Leave 18 to 24 inches of border between the rug and wall on all sides in rooms used as living or family rooms

• Leave 2 to 4 inches between the walls and the rug in hallways. Hallway rugs should also be roughly two feet shorter than the hallway.

Is It Time to Re-Carpet?

Homeowners, landlords and even business owners will face this dilemma at some point – Do I re-carpet or just have the existing carpet professionally cleaned? Most carpets on the market today are designed to last anywhere from 10-20 years. If you experience any of the issues below, it’s probably time to invest in new carpet.

1. Matted Appearance – when certain areas of your carpet (typically high-traffic areas) look flat and matted down, this means that the carpet fibers have lost their resiliency. Chances are a professional carpet cleaning will not greatly help the fibers go back to their upright position, especially with carpets that are made from polyester fibers. Carpets made from Nylon or Sorona® have a better chance of bouncing back, at least a little bit, after cleaning.
2. Stains That Won’t Go Away – anti-stain treatments such as Scotchgard™ are only applied to the carpet surface and will eventually wash or wear off. Over time, stains will become difficult or impossible to remove – especially stains like tea, wine, or blood.
3. Ripples – a worn carpet will start to show signs of rippling and wrinkling, especially in main walkways and on steps. This is the result of typical wear and tear from years of foot traffic. If ripples or wrinkles happen to appear after a new carpet installation, however, contact your installer right away.
4. Mold or Mildew – stains like mold and mildew can be the result of water damage, humidity, or pet stains (such as urine or feces). Carpets that show signs of mold and mildew should be replaced immediately to avoid potential health hazards.

Another instance when it may be worth the investment to re-carpet your floors is if you’re getting ready to sell your home or business. Research shows that not only do sellers typically recover the carpeting cost, but they often make a profit from it. Remember, a buyer will usually choose a property that’s in move-in condition, not the one that needs updates like new carpet or paint.

So is it time for you to re-carpet? If so, visit our website to get some helpful carpet buying tips.

 

Don’t Forget – The Home Show Begins Friday, February 8!

We’ll be there to answer any questions you may have and help you make the right flooring and installation decisions when updating your home. A great selection of quality carpeting, ceramic and porcelain tile, hardwood flooring, laminate and vinyl flooring will be on display. We’ll set you on the right path for your Spring projects. Hope to see you this weekend!

Here are all of the details you need to know about the show:

Suburban Pennsylvania Spring Home, Hot Tub & Landscape Show

LOCATION
Lancaster County Convention Center
25 South Queen Street
Lancaster, PA  17603

ADMISSION IS FREE

CLICK HERE for directions.

SHOW HOURS
Friday, February 8, 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Saturday, February 9, 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Sunday, February 10, 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM

 

Choosing Floors With Children in Mind

Choosing flooring options that are both aesthetically pleasing and child-friendly, can be a tough decision. The trick is to find the perfect balance between safety and budget-constraints.

While stone and ceramic tile flooring have a classic look about them, they offer no cushioning for falls or dropped items (such as your child’s favorite toy). Even with their beautiful look, these floors are not child-friendly and will not absorb the inevitable tumbles and spills children take daily.

Kid-friendly carpeting from Heritage Floors, Inc.

Wood floors are an option when considering flooring. The convenience about wood floors is that you can have them installed, and then easily place an area rug over floors in the rooms where your children spend the most time. One downside to wood floors, though, is that any messes/spills that happen have to be cleaned up immediately so the liquid does not penetrate into the flooring.

Finally, another option is wall-to-wall carpeting.  The idea of a soft, cushioned, padded floor is perfect for children to sit and play, and even take the occasional tumble.  As a very forgiving floor, it’s important to remember to color-coordinate your carpeting to match paint/furniture, while also taking into consideration the possible spills on the carpet and the best color necessary to cover those up.

While all floors have pros and cons connected to each, ultimately it is your decision as to which floor will work best for you and your family!

Your Life – Your Carpet

Every room in your home has its unique function and personality. To make finding the perfect carpet for those rooms easy, we’ve broken out our carpet selections the same way. Click here to find the lifestyle that matches your room…

Featured here, Hollytex® Iconic Influential, Bliss Carpet Beaulieu® Solution-Dyed carpet fiber, for deep, beautiful and vibrant color that lasts. The harshest sunlight won’t fade them and Solution-dyed carpet fiber is also perfect when you’re carpeting an area that will get a lot of wear and tear. The color simply doesn’t wear out. Amazingly, should a spill occur, it can be cleaned with a 50/50 mixture of water and bleach with no effect on color. Whether you prefer nylon or polyester, Bliss Carpet is as durable as it is beautiful!

Visit our showroom or www.heritage-floors.net for more beautiful carpeting options.

Buying Tip for Carpeting: Don’t Judge Quality by Feel Alone

When choosing carpet, determine the performance you want and the conditions affecting your floors. Thick and luxurious carpet can fool you at times. A tighter, twisted fiber doesn’t feel as soft, but it will generally give you better performance over the life of the carpet. A tightly twisted yarn will resist soiling, matting and crushing. When a yarn is not tightly twisted, it may feel more luxurious but it will tend to crush and flatten out more quickly.

Visit the Heritage Floors Showroom.
Monday – Thursday 8:00 AM – 5 PM
Friday 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Saturday 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM