Christmas is less than two weeks away, and we are all hustling and bustling to get everything done. Here are a few tips to help you keep your sanity this holiday season:
~~~put all family activities on a calendar and always check it first so that you do not over commit
~~~set up a wrapping station in a low-traffic area of your home; wrap gifts as you buy them
~~~spend some time in your guest room if you are having overnight visitors. Assess the mattress, linens, and pillows and make any needed changes. Be sure there is adequate lighting and a luggage stand. Is there adequate tabletop and drawer space for belongings? A place for hanging clothes? Do your window coverings block streetlights and the early morning sun?
~~~set aside a single place to collect all receipts for returning or exchanging items
~~~buy or charge batteries for gifts, cameras, etc.
~~~guests coming over? The holidays are all about the treats. Even if you can't bake, slice up pre-made cookie dough and stick it in the oven. The smell of cookies baking is enough to put anyone in the holiday mood.
~~~and, most important, remember that Christmas is not about things.Christmas is a day of meaning and traditions, a special day spent in the warm circle of family and friends
Design Tip
Interior colors you'll be seeing a lot of in 2017:
~~Pale blue hues
~~Warm golden colors, soft coral, peach and yellow, skin tones
~~Earthy colors that symbolize nature: deep greens, red wine colors, all shades of light and dark brown, soft orange, peach, and pinkish-orange
~~Soft and tender light pinks
~~Greige, grey, taupe
Descriptive color names to look for include Blue Serenity, Stormy Monday, Wet Concrete, Sea Life, Rose Quartz, Sealskin, Shadow, Pink Bliss, Mountain Air, Guacamole, Grandfather Clock Brown and Brandywine. Inspired yet?
Wool---Not Just for Sweaters
Speaking of trends- everything old is new again! We are seeing a huge resurgence in the popularity and sales of wool carpet. Of course, wool was the first carpet fiber, and remained the leader until new fibers came along mid-century. First polyester, then nylon, and later Triexta (which is still our strongest seller.) However, wool never really went away. It had, for many years, a reputation for being high-end. And while it is relatively pricey, as the King of Carpets it is a great investment. Wool is the ultimate green carpet, as it is a renewable resource, and is extremely low in chemical processing (usually only for an anti-static treatment.) We have many beautiful wools to choose from, from manufacturers like Karastan, Fabrica, and Stanton, in Berbers, patterns, and prints. Wool is an elegant and sophisticated carpet choice, and will look beautiful for many, many years.
Buy Now, Install Later
No one ever likes to hear about price increases, but you need to know that we have received notifications of first of the year cost increases from almost every one of our product manufacturers. This is not unusual in our industry; the New Year seems to be a clear date for price changes to be made effective. These increases are averaging around 6%. That is around $150 on a typical $4500 project.
The good news is we can order products and accept delivery and store your order in our warehouse until you are ready for your installation in January. So, if you plan on making a flooring purchase soon, but just can't get it installed til after the holidays, don't worry. All you need to do is get everything finalized by December 30 and your price is locked in, regardless of any future increases.
When You Have Some "Me" Time
Work on building your profile on Pinterest or Houzz. Both are such handy tools! On both, you can save pictures of rooms, furniture, appliances, practically everything that you like. After you have done this for a while, you'll begin to get a really good sense of your style in more than just words. Both can be accessed through our website (www.enhancefloors.com).
Houzz is a website that focuses on home improvement projects. There are thousands of articles about decorating, remodeling, design, furniture, and more. Pinterest is a giant application that allows you to have a virtual corkboard and "pin" anything you like--- from hairstyles, to wall colors, to weddings, to remodeling. Both are also good ways to see new trends, and to conduct your own research for decorating, DIY, or remodeling projects you have in mind.
We love it when clients can show us what they like instead of just trying to describe it---a picture is truly worth a thousand words! Simply allow us to look at your board or Ideabook with, for example, the picture of the backsplash design that you like, and we will be able to take you to similar products in our store. There are so many helpful ways to use Pinterest and Houzz as you begin your home improvement journey.
I Was FLOORED by Enhance
Becky in Marietta writes that "Enhance just put in pre-finished oak flooring for us. We had a real challenging floor to put in-it's an older home-and they put it in very nicely. Their technicians were excellent; they knew what they were doing. The owner was a really good guy too, and he seemed to know what he was doing as well. We had gotten a couple of estimates, and we liked him. Their business is very close to where we live, and they've been in East Cobb for 15 to 20 years, so we figured if they're there that long with all these major outlets around, they've got to be doing something right. We're happy with Enhance. I'd give them an A."
Thank you for the great review, Becky. Enjoy your new floor! And please call us anytime with any questions or concerns you might have.
