Summertime, and the Living is Easy

The lazy hazy days of summer are here. Temps in the 90's and pop up storms.  Swim team and ice cream. Life just takes on a whole different rhythm. And moms love it as much as the kids do.  But summer will blow by before you know it--the first day of school is fast approaching!

So, what are some of the things you could (and should) do to make summertime last a little longer, and taste a little sweeter?

First, plan your meals around what is so abundant over the summer! Gorgeous tomatoes, green beans, corn, yellow squash, peaches, and blackberries- YUM!  Plan an outing with the kids to a U-Pik-Em place. There are many within an easy drive of where you live, in pretty much any direction. If your kids have a part in picking the veggies and planning and prepping the meal, they will be much more open to eating something they otherwise would decline. And it's a day in the sunshine without electronics. Win/ win.

Planning meals in the summer is easier because there's no homework, no band practice, just less demands on our time in general. My routine especially this time of year, is to make a list once a week of 6 meal ideas- real basic, like "salmon, rice, fresh green beans" and then check the list every morning, and decide which works best for that day. No hard and fast rules. I have a structure, I've done whatever shopping needs to be done, and then after I make that meal, I cross it off. This helps, too, I find to actually use what's in the fridge. I discover those old tired overlooked squash less often, because I have made myself a list that includes them, and then followed up on the list. Really, no reason this wouldn't work all year!

Dinner doesn't necessarily mean you have to "cook" either. Plan a great cold soup- we love both gazpacho and borscht- and a loaf of fresh sourdough- great way to end the day! Or a gigantic salad- I make these huge salads I call "everything but the kitchen sink". Recently I was reading a recipe for something called a Buddha Bowl, and I realized I've been making super-duper Buddha Bowls for years!   Greens, beans, cheese, nuts, something crunchy, some sort of meat if you want, and even a little fruit- some diced peach or blueberries- and then a little something to moisten- a little vinaigrette, or just some honey, or lime juice, DELICIOUS! And light, not heavy, but healthy and filling. Best part, the kitchen stayed cool, and only a salad bowl and a cutting board to wash up!

See the beautiful kitchen here? Want yours to look like that? Enhance Floors & More can help! We have had a flurry of kitchen remodels this year, and we are loving it- so fun, and creative, and it is so rewarding to see our customers in a new space that we helped them bring into reality. If your kitchen needs a makeover- big or small- come in and bring us some pictures and your wish list, and see what we can do!

What's Trending?

It is TILE! People are learning that tile is a great alternative for floors! Easy to care for, cool underfoot, and with beautiful visuals. We are installing lots of wood-look tile, and we have a lot to choose from, greys to browns to chestnuts to ebonies.

Tile in the kitchen, tile in the bathrooms, tile in the laundry room. And we recently installed a wood-look tile in the doggy room for a customer. It coordinates beautifully with the wood in her adjoining rooms. She has multiple dogs and wanted the easy care of tile floors. Aren't they great?

We also carry a huge selection of wood look vinyls. These are not your mama's vinyl! Vinyl floors are so realistic looking, and so practical. We are installing them in kitchens, basements, playrooms, and family rooms.

The colors that are selling these days are cooler-tones no reds, no yellows. Pretty mid-browns and grays. Dark floors are becoming less popular, as busy moms and dads are learning that they demand a bit more upkeep than a medium color. But if you love dark floors, and don't mind dust-mopping frequently, buy what you love!

What Comes First?

We are frequently asked this question when we are doing a kitchen remodel for customers:  Which should be installed first- my cabinets, or my floors?

While it is fine to install cabinets on top of glued down or nailed down wood floors, we still usually recommend cabinets first, then floors. Why? Well, for one thing, you will have to purchase less wood for the floors that way! Also, if you are having solid wood or tile with a cement backerboard, it will change the height of the cabinets if you install on top of the new floor.

Cabinets absolutely should not be installed on top of "floating" floors, laminate, wood, or luxury vinyl, as these floors need to be able to slightly shift and expand from time to time, and cabinets will hinder that.

Let us help you pick out your new floors and answer any other flooring questions you have! We are here 7 days a week, and we love making your home look beautiful!

School Bells Will Be Ringing Soon

Yes, school starts early these days.  The trend is more frequent breaks during the school year, resulting in a shorter summer holiday.  School is back in session in Cobb and Cherokee Counties on Wednesday August 1. Fulton County commences on Monday August 6.  

Unfortunately, some families need help getting ready.  Here's what you can do so that all children start school with all the supplies they need to succeed.  Purchase items like:

--new book bags 
-- 3 ring binders

--scissors 
-- colored pencils

--pens/pencils 
-- college and wide-ruled paper

--calculators 
-- rulers

--crayons
-- highlighters

--folders

There also prepackaged supplies at office supply and grocery stores. Kroger is taking donations from July 15-28 and WSB-TV is sponsoring Stuff the Bus on Saturday July 21 from 10 to 3.  Here's the link for the locations for Stuff the Bus: wsbtv.com/stuffthebus.  Please contribute what you can!