Wednesday, December 23, 2020

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas!


The big day is almost here and we have a tiny chance of snow in the forecast!  Who is dreaming of a White Christmas?
  
This year celebrations may be smaller, you may see many family members only on Facetime or Zoom, but it is still a special time for fun, reminiscing and looking forward. We wish you much joy and happiness.

Here are a few fun things to do over the coming days:
~Make and decorate cookies.

~Have a Christmas movie marathon. Maybe in your matching pajamas. 
 
~Set up a Christmas Eve hot cocoa bar. Or a Christmas morning mimosa bar.
   

   ~Make a holiday greeting video or have a silly family photo shoot and send it to friends and family.

~Check out holiday lights in your area. Get in the car, play holiday music, and find brightly lit houses to "oooh and aaah" over.
    
 
~~Yummmm, we all love the smells of the holidays.  Keep a simmer pot going with cloves, nutmeg, and other spices to give your home a fragrant holiday smell.
    
  
~~Have a Christmas item scavenger hunt. If you have older kids, use the camera on your phones instead of actually gathering the items.






What We Are Doing While You Are Having Fun
We are installing new floors in the Showroom. Brand new laminate floors, hardwoods, and carpet. We have chosen the newest looks and colors, as well as some tried and true best sellers. We know you will be inspired when you see our beautiful new floors.  After all, seeing the floor installed is so much better than looking at samples or pictures.
 
There are also some new product lines coming in:
Karastan BelleLuxe          Raintree 
Hardwood Floors              Waterproofed Wood
            

Metroflor                                    Quickstep
Engage Inception LVP          Laminates
            

We will have our Grand Reopening in January 2021. There will be prizes and giveaways all month long, including a free floor that someone will win! Watch for details on our website and Facebook page. 
 

  We are scheduling appointment times in the Design Center so that everyone is safe and socially distanced. Here's the link to reserve your private appointment time:
   
Be sure to watch our progress on Facebook and Instagram.  See each new floor as it is installed, get inspired, and choose your favorite!

Wednesday, December 16, 2020

New Year New Look

  A lot will be going on at Enhance over the next couple of weeks.  While you are celebrating the holidays, Enhance Floors & More will be hard at work installing new floors in the Design Center.  It's time for an update -- so you can see the newest looks in hardwood and laminate floors and carpet.

Grand Reopening celebration that will last all month long. We are offering private showroom consultations where you will have the opportunity to explore our newly renovated showroom with one of our flooring experts. There will also be free gifts and giveaways plus a chance for you to win a FREE FLOOR!
 
What about LVP,  you may be thinking? We installed seven new luxury vinyl plank and tile looks a couple of months ago, and they look great! If you have been in the store recently, you have already seen our best selling COREtec, Karastan, Mannington, Pergo, and Mohawk LVPs.
  The new carpets we will be installing include a Karastan wool berber and a Mohawk LCL (loop cut loop), one of our best selling berbers, and a gorgeous ColorMax plush carpet.

The new hardwood floors will include beautiful new Palmetto Road and Mohawk products in colors you will fall in love with.
   



Our laminate section is getting a major update, featuring new Mohawk RevWood and Mannington styles. And QuickStep. That's right, we are adding QuickStep to our laminate selection. 


 

We are showing off our new look in January with a:



  
We are scheduling appointment times so that everyone is safe and socially distanced. Here's the link to reserve your private appointment time:
   
Be sure to watch our progress on Facebook and Instagram.  See each new floor as it is installed, get inspired, and choose your favorite!

Design Tip
Adding a home theater room to your home? Here's some good info from diynetwork.com:
  
--Choose a room with as few windows as possible to block out natural light. Or ask our Hunter Douglas Specialist Robin about room darkening window treatments. 

--Rectangle shaped rooms offer better acoustics than squares. Place your screen along the short wall to get the best sound.  

--Choose dark, matte paint colors. Bright colors and semi-gloss paints will reflect light from the screen.
 
--The TV screen should be placed at eye level, not up, for the best viewing angle.

  
--Hardwood floors, LVP, and tile all cause an echo. For a superior sound experience, make sure your home theater has either wall-to-wall carpet or a lot of rugs to cut down on the noise. (Good thing you know a great place to get new carpet or rugs!)



  



Can You Help?
We are a location for Angels Among Us Pet Rescue Holiday Supply Drive.  Your donations are greatly needed and appreciated!

Suggested items include:
- dry food for adult dogs and cats
- puppy/kitten wet food
- treats
- soft toys with squeakers
- hard durable toys like Kongs and Nylabones
- disposable puppy pads
- litterboxes
- non clumping litter
- cat toys like mice, balls, wands
 
We will be open today thru Saturday 10 til 5 to accept your donations. Thank you!

Thursday, December 3, 2020

New Looks for A New Year

2021 is fast approaching. Thank goodness, right? Let's leave the not-so-wonderful 2020 behind us and welcome the new year with a new look. Here's what's trending in flooring:


Carpet
Pattern reigns supreme Today's carpet is bolder, brighter, and more stylish. No more boring builder beige! Look for bold patterns, striations and linear designs, as well as small scale geometric looks. Most clients still choose carpet for their bedrooms and upstairs due to the desire for something soft and warm underfoot combined with the noise reduction qualities. Patterns allow for unique styling that can bring character to any room. 
The best selling loop-cut-loops (LCLs) include solids, subtle tonals and contrasting multicolor designs.  Berbers are also popular again - but not the stiff and scratchy Berbers you remember from the 90s. Soft is the word of the day.

Pet preferred Another trend within the carpet segment focuses on pet-friendly designs. These carpets are durable and easy to clean. Some loop carpets even have warranties against snagging and unravelling.  

PRO TIP: If you have pets, be sure to upgrade to a pad with a liner.

Carpet is still your most budget friendly flooring option.
 
HARDWOOD

Wider, longer prevails Wide plank, long length boards are in high demand. These stylings are more in scale with today's open floor plans, or will make your not-so-open home feel more spacious. Look for lighter colors and low or no gloss finishes.




LVP
Wonderful waterproof flooring 
No one is turning their nose up at vinyl anymore. The realism of the higher end products will fool an expert. Who doesn't want a floor with commercial wear ratings, that is indentation resistant, and handles moisture like a champ? And just like with hardwoods, look for wider and longer planks. There are also great looking tile and stone looks to consider. 

PRO TIP: ask how many faces (repeats) to expect. The premier LVPs have 30+ planks before a repeat.
 
TILE
 
Options galore Large-format tiles are in high demand (remember, more tile, less grout!), and decorative looks are a must. Even if it is just a row of a decorative tile in your backsplash, this is the "bling" you need to style up your look. 

In terms of colorways, greys and blues have moved to the top of the leader board. Black and white is also popular. 

In decoratives, look for metallics, art deco, and Moroccan influenced designs. Popular shapes include hexagons, fans, and arabesques.

LAMINATE

Better than wood? Laminate never really went away, we just forgot about it as we embraced LVP. Most laminate has waterproof warranties, and the embossing techniques, screening and digital printing technologies render not only extremely realistic wood visuals but also great textures and heft. 

Today's laminates are scratch, stain, and fade resistant and incredibly durable. Most laminate are made in the USA, thus avoiding the tariffs that many imported LVPs currently incur.

Say goodbye to your worn, tired, outdated floors and hello to beautiful floors that are so much more your style!

How Much Does It Cost? 
Not all wide plank hardwoods are expensive. We just installed a 5" Mohawk hickory wood floor in the family room, living room, dining room, and hall of a Vinings home, 678 square feet of hardwood installed for $5900. The lighter color and wider planks our client selected made the not so big rooms feel much larger!
 
I Was FLOORED By Enhance
Becky in Canton writes:
 
"We replaced all the flooring in our home and Enhance was so helpful through the whole process: from deciding on color of carpet and wood, to coming out in a timely manner to measure, to efficient and well done installation. They even followed up to make sure everything was still okay. I would recommend them for anyone needing to replace any flooring in their home!"
 
Thank you, Becky. We enjoyed working with you and meeting your pups. We are glad to have helped you find floors that you loved and that would hold up to your dogs. We are all pet owners at Enhance, that helps us in making the right product recommendations. 

Wednesday, November 11, 2020

Is Thanksgiving Happening This Year?

We can all agree that 2020 has been a particularly challenging year. First wildfires, then coronavirus, now election drama - nothing has been easy. But we are still here, hanging in there in spite of it all. We think Thanksgiving is needed more than ever this year. 


Thanksgiving Day is a day for people to give thanks for what they have. Families get together for a meal, which traditionally includes a turkey, dressing, casseroles, vegetables, cranberry sauce, gravy, and pumpkin pie. Then parades, football, shopping. It's a great family day!  And there are friendsgiving gatherings, too.

We did a quick survey to find out if traditional Thanksgiving activities were happening this year. Here's s what we found out:

~~47% of our respondents are celebrating at home with only their immediate household. For many it is only one or two people, maybe just the husband and wife. Please, if you know someone that will be alone, call them on Thanksgiving (Facetime or Skype if possible), send a card or leave a small gift on their porch. Many are not comfortable going out, but please don't forget about them. Isolation, loneliness, and depression are prevalent these days, and are real health concerns.

~~21% are celebrating at home with guests. For most the guests are family members that don't live in the same home, or a close friend. 

~~20% are celebrating at someone else's  home locally, usually a relative.

~~12% are traveling out of town to celebrate, most to a relatives, though a few are vacationing. 

The groups may be smaller this Thanksgiving, but let's not let our concerns and fears overpower our love of family. We still have plenty to be thankful for.

Are You Decorating For The Holidays?
On a happier note - Christmas and Hanukkah are coming. And holiday decorations make us all feel better. 

We did another survey to see if everybody was "decking their halls" for the holidays, and if so, when they were putting up their lights and tree. 

Here's what we found out:
~~62% of our respondents are decorating after Thanksgiving.

~~29% are decorating between now and Thanksgiving.

~~6% are already done!

~~Only 2% are not decorating at all.

We learned that almost everyone is decorating for the holidays. For those of you that aren't finished, here are some ideas to inspire you:

Popular color combinations this year include red and green (of course!), green paired with pale shades of brown to evoke that winter in the woods look, and red with pink and silver for a super glam vibe. A monochromatic white palette is also trending, for a crisp and clean feeling.

Many are doing two trees: an artificial tree now and a live tree in a few weeks. 

White flocked trees are extremely popular this year. Important note to pet owners: The flocking (imitation snow) on a Christmas tree can be very hazardous to pets if ingested. Tinsel is also very dangerous. If your pet ingests even a few strands of tinsel - and pets do this more often than you might guess - they are highly likely to suffer the ill, and even deadly effects of an intestinal obstruction.

Living through a global pandemic has made us appreciate the small things in life, so we're fully embracing the nostalgic trends, like the iconic lighted ceramic Christmas tree. Be sure to check your attic for family heirloom decorations - you may find items your kids made years ago that are sure to make everyone smile.  

Twinkle lights and candles add magic to any space. Bring in extra cozy light by adding battery powered twinkle lights to glass hurricane jars, light tapers on a fireplace mantel or add candle votives to deep windowsills.

Don't forget your home's exterior. What once may have felt like too much work will now feel like a thoughtful way to send a distanced hug to all our neighbors. Place battery-lit candles in your windows, hang simple greenery wreaths in all your windows, add festive bows to your mailbox post.

Use your holiday china for casual meals with your family. Add a simple centerpiece (greenery, fresh flowers, candles) to your tabletop. Enjoy the entire month of December and make each dinner special by sitting together at the beautifully decorated table.
 

I Was FLOORED By Enhance
Here is a recent review from Dana in Smyrna:
"LOVE my new LVP floors from Enhance Floors! We had disgusting carpet for years and decided on LVP because of its durability with pets (we have 3 dogs). After visiting Enhance Floors showroom, we chose the flooring we wanted. Our salesman even showed us some choices that were on sale and we ended up choosing one that saved us money. No up-sell! They were very communicative about delivery and installation. The crew that came to install was very nice! They were very careful about moving our furniture and taping off cabinets, etc. to minimize the mess. They showed up exactly when they said they'd be there every morning. They cleaned up every day before leaving. They got it done a day earlier than promised and my floors look amazing! I couldn't be happier with Enhance or my new floors!"

Thank you, Dana. We really enjoyed working with you. Enjoy your new floors this holiday season -- we know you are loving how easy your floors are to take care of.


How Much Does It Cost
You may be wondering exactly what we installed for Dana.  She chose COREtec Pro Plus color Belmont Hickory for her family room, living room, dining room, kitchen with breakfast area, pantry, bath, hall and foyer.  It was a large job (1125 sq. ft.) and a good bit of floor prep/levelling was needed.  The total price was $8900.  Not bad for a floor that will still be looking great in 15 or 20 years!

Wednesday, October 21, 2020

Halloween Ideas

It's Fall, Y'all!

But it's different this year, isn't it? Trick or treating will involve social distancing, tables set up in driveways with small bags of candy for pickup, no big costume parties for adults. It may not be the same, but it will still be fun. 
  
Here are some ideas for celebrating Halloween:
~~ Many neighborhoods are doing traditional trick or treating. If you want to participate, porch light is on, if you don't porch light off. You can also tie a large ribbon, ghost, witch, goblin, or welcome sign on your mailbox.
 
~~Leave individual bags of candy on a table close to your front porch.

~~ Put candy in individual containers like paper cups or plastic/cellophane bags and line the cups or bags along your sidewalk or porch for kids in the neighborhood to safely take.

~~Set up a table to stand behind (wear a mask) and hand out candy using tongs or big spoons.

~~If your subdivision is golf cart friendly, do  a "witches ride" -- 
the adults dress up like witches (or warlocks) and ride around on golf carts throwing candy at the kids.
  
~~If your kids are going trick-or-treating, travel only with your household members (wearing face covering and gloves), be sure to maintain 6 feet of social distance from others, and make interactions brief with others outside your household. Maintain a safe distance from other families. Pack a travel bottle of hand sanitizer.
  
~~Many subdivisions have specific starting and ending times for trick or treating this year.

~~ Neighborhoods are having Halloween house decorating contests.

 ~~Instead of carving your pumpkin, paint it. 
PRO TIP use a spray sealer first, then start painting once the sealer has dried.

~~And an important reminder: many of the Halloween treats you purchase are highly toxic to dogs, especially chocolate and sugar free gum and candy with xylitol. Be sure to keep them out of reach of your pets. Be particularly alert when you are walking your dog since many homes will have candy offerings outside.
 

Fall Decorating Idea
Fill lanterns or tall glass hurricanes with pillar candles surrounded by acorns or candy corn to easily create a charming display.
  






Remember The Troops This Holiday Season
Sending holiday packages to our military personnel serving around the world is a great family project.  Some things to include in your package include:
  • $25 VISA and M/C gift cards (gives them maximum flexibility for WIFI, etc.)
  • Personal hygiene items (unscented whenever possible)
    • Wet wipes, individually wrapped
    • Disposable razors 
    • Chap sticks
    • Body wash, lotion, face wash, mouth wash, deodorant, Q-tips, shampoo, conditioner
    • Foot powder
  • Magazines (clean content)
  • Fun posters and calendars
  • AA and AAA batteries
  • 3M sticky wall hooks
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Beef jerky
  • Hard candy, candy bars, gum
  • Protein bars
  • Tins and packets of flavored coffee and cappuccino
  • Breath mints 
Look for organizations like Any Soldier, Support Our Troops, and Operation Gratitude. Be sure to include a card or letter and a family photo so they know who made the care package.
 
What's New At Enhance
Countertops with brushed finishes. What is a brushed finish? A satin finish, with a soft and smooth feel and a low luster surface. 








BRUSHED
Polished finishes are still available, with the traditional reflective surface you are familiar with.

POLISHED
  
I Was FLOORED By Enhance
Nancy in Roswell recognized our "very helpful staff. Easy to work with. Took a good amount of time looking at different options for me, explaining pros and cons of each." Thank you, Nancy. We hope you are enjoying your new luxury vinyl floor. Our goal is to ask the right questions so we can recommend the best floor for your situation and budget.
  
How Much Does It Cost?
And while on the subject of budget - there is a big price range in LVP prices. Quality, thickness, design, embossing, length, there are many different reasons why a product costs what it does. We have LVP starting in the low $4s with basic installation all the way up to the high $8s installed. If your kitchen/breakfast room is 300 square feet, you can expect to pay anywhere between $2000 to $3300 installed. If you have room measurements, we can ballpark pricing for you on the products you are considering, so that you do not fall in love with something that is beyond your budget.

Wednesday, October 7, 2020

Smart Ideas For Updating Your Home


Maybe you thought about buying a new house, looked around some, found nothing you liked, and decided to stay put. Now you are thinking about updating your home to make it just right. Here are some great ideas from realtor.com, with the current pandemic in mind:

Upgrade your outdoor space

Most of us are suffering from an acute case of cabin fever these days. It's little wonder that outdoor space has become more important than ever to prospective buyers.

"Even pools are becoming more popular in areas where they weren't before," says Bill Walker, chief operating officer of Kukun, a web resource for home improvements.

That doesn't mean you need to splurge on a new in-ground pool; even a minor landscaping refresh can make a big difference and increase curb appeal. Depending on your budget and your neighborhood, you might also consider adding an in-ground fire pit or outdoor kitchen to maximize your outdoor space.

You can also "get a low-cost outdoor heater and area rug to use the space as an outdoor living room," says Francie Malina, a real estate agent in New York's Westchester County

Create a functional home office or classroom

Many workers aren't heading back to the office until 2021 or even later, which means home office space is at a premium, along with space for kids to log in to their virtual classrooms.

"People need a dedicated space for multiple people to be able to be on calls at the same time," says Walker, who currently works at home alongside his wife, and his kids attending school virtually. "It definitely creates challenges when we all need to be on calls and need space to work.

"Using a guest bedroom as a home office or classroom is a good idea," Walker says. Use versatile furniture pieces - for example, a sleeper sofa.  Most of us host guests in our guest rooms for less than a month per year, and probably even less during the pandemic.


Add separation of space

Since the pandemic, open floor plans are not proving to be functional and may be on the way out.  "Open floor plans are losing a bit of luster," Malina says. "Homeowners are looking for distinct spaces for family members to work or study."  

If your space isn't well-segmented, you may want to create separate spaces by adding barn doors or pocket doors -- or even room dividers for a quick and easy solution.

Having distinct rooms helps to minimize volume from other people's activities, and can also create a different feeling in each part of the house.

"As people are spending more time at home, they want rooms to feel like different environments so they don't feel stuck inside," Walker says.

Add space for a home gym

Many people are forgoing the gym during the pandemic, preferring to work up a sweat from home to minimize risks of coronavirus transmission. That means people are looking for space to house gym equipment, from yoga mats to treadmills and stationary bikes.

Your home may not have the space for a fully equipped home gym, but you can still carve out a corner for your Peloton and weights.

Give your in-law suite a makeover

If you have a basement, an in-law suite is great for multigenerational households, or people looking for a potential source of rental income. 

"With people bringing elderly family members home, [additional dwelling units] are a good option, especially if there is a kitchen and bathroom," Walker says. "Even if this space isn't used for personal reasons, it can be an investment property.

~~Spruce up the laundry room

Concerns about cleanliness and hygiene have been at an all-time high during the pandemic, which means "laundry rooms are more important than pre-COVID," Malina says.

People are doing laundry more often after running errands, and many of us have become more diligent about washing our bed linens. Plus, who couldn't use more room for ironing, folding, and hang-drying clothes?

"Having a dedicated space to do laundry is a wonderful luxury, and buyers often want the space to be beautiful like the rest of their homes," Malina says.

Meet with and Enhance Floors Design Consultant and learn more smart ways to make your dream home a reality.

What's New At Enhance

You already know that luxury vinyl wood-look planks have been the "it" floor for years.  Tile and stone looks in luxury vinyl are now super popular as well. These floors are waterproof, so they are perfect for kitchens, bathrooms, and sunrooms. LVT is not cold, hard and loud, does not need grout, and comes in at a lower price point than real tile and stone.   Be sure you take a look at COREtec Stone, Armstrong Alterna and Alterna Reserve, and Pergo Tile Options. Come in and learn more about these great looking floors today.

Design Tip       

Trick or treating will be very different this year. Many homeowners are creating outdoor displays using  hay bales, pumpkins, skeletons, scarecrows. Google "outdoor Halloween displays" for even more ideas.  

Here's a fun and safe family event: a Halloween scavenger hunt through the neighborhood.  Give children a list of things to look for while looking at Halloween decorations from a distance. This can be done during the day (no darkness required!) or by car. You can then have a few treats ready for the kids when they get back to the house with their completed lists.

How Much Does It Cost

We have a client that finally (her words) finished her basement. She has it set up as a big great room, two guest bedrooms, and a full bath. She chose a wood look LVP for the flooring. We installed 1060 sq. ft. for just shy of $9000. We had to do a good bit of floor prep and levelling on this installation. (Basements slabs are notorious for not being smooth and flat.) No worries, we know what needs to be done to get the subfloor ready for your new floor.  



I Was FLOORED By Enhance

Julie in Atlanta writes "I love my carpet! I give Enhance an A+. We were pleased. All of their workers were very professional, and we had no problems." Thank you, Julie. You were a pleasure to work with.  Enjoy your new carpet!