The Carpeteria Blog

Are you ready to convert a room to a home office but not sure where to start? Taking a minute to plan your space allows you to create an environment that combines the best of commercial space and a residential environment.

Laminate floors provide one of the best options for a home office. The top quality laminates look much like traditional wood floors, but with the stamina to handle the depredations of wheeled office chairs. If you would rather have carpet or wood, be sure to pick up a mat for under the chair – either plastic from any office supply store or one of the new bamboo mats available in a number of catalogs.

Home office walls give you the opportunity to bring in a color you love that wasn’t a fit with any other space in your home. Sky blue sets a tone of relaxation, or maybe a peach works for you to echo the orange of energy. Do you need a bulletin board? How about spray painting one in a bright tone that coordinates with your walls? Most office furniture is pretty neutral, so take advantage of this chance to bring in color.

Finish up with art that makes you happy. Do you have any photos that remind you of your dreams and goals? Would a landscape draw you in when you need to escape from your work for a moment? How about a reproduction of the work of an artist that you find inspiring? Touches such as these make your office a personal and inviting place to work.

There are a handful of activities that can keep your new carpet looking good for many years. First, review your carpet manufacturer’s warranty to identify whether they require regular hot water extraction to keep the warranty valid.

Since studies have proven that the bulk of soil on your floors comes from entryways, it is extremely important to utilize appropriate walkoff mats and entry rugs. Statistics have proven that about 80% of the soil entering your carpet comes in on the first 4-6 steps!

After entryway protection, regular vacuuming is the next most important tool you have. Soil particles have sharp edges that can damage the carpet fiber, causing a matted or crushed appearance. Areas of high traffic should be vacuumed daily. The best vacuums are those with good suction and strong beater bars, which will remove the greatest amount of soil. If your vacuum uses bags, change them regularly.

Every carpet should be deep cleaned by professional hot water extraction every 12-24 months. Don’t use a home model, as they generally lack the heat or power to adequately clean or to remove dirty cleaning water and solution.

Spills and stains must be addressed immediately! For water-based spills, blot with an absorbent, clean, undyed cloth, starting at the outside and working towards the center. Use a neutral pH cleaner, rinsing well (still blotting) with water to remove any residues. Vacuum and allow the spot to dry completely before walking on it.

Cover oil-based spots/spills completely with cornstarch, baby powder or baking soda and allow it to sit overnight. Vacuum completely in the morning. If the stain persists, repeat this process, then follow the procedure for water-based stains above.

The Four Seasons of Decorating: Fall

Everyone has a favorite season. If autumn is yours, consider making one or more rooms in your home a reflection of fall. You will find it easy to integrate all of your design elements if you use the season as your guide, and you will end up with a room you love.

Flooring is a good place to start when planning your room. Thinking autumn with its emphasis on the warmth of trees and woods, how about a rich dark wood floor? Consider a cherry for its deep brown tones or pecan for the combination of browns and blacks that echo a forest floor. Any wood floor will help bring fall to mind.

Color is easy – fall has its own palette. Are you drawn to the aspens and birches with their rich golds? How about the amazing reds and oranges of maples, or the soft browns and maroons of oak trees at their fall peak? Pick any or all of them. They work together in nature, and they will work in your home. Even an olive or sage green can serve as a natural element in your fall space.

For accessories, you decide how far you want to go with the fall theme. Maybe you just want to echo your floor with some turned wood bowls. How about a few bronze candlesticks? Or if you want to take the fall theme further, just pick up some gourds, pumpkins and Indian corn to create a centerpiece or two. Acorns and pine cones in a bowl give you an inexpensive way to show off the season.

Bring fall into your life every day with a room that haunts you with a sense of the season.

For the other seasons, click here.

The Four Seasons of Decorating: Winter

Winter images range from hot chocolate and warm fires to that cold-wet feeling when you’ve had to dig your car out of its parking space again. Winter rooms need to bring warmth inside, along with a nice dose of coziness.

Carpet is the flooring for winter. Find a ‘”dig your toes in” kind that makes your feet happy when the boots come off. Or maybe you’ve fallen in love with sculptured carpeting. Whatever the type, the softness perfectly complements the harsh weather outside.

If you long for a dark accent wall, or even a dark-walled space, your winter room gives you that opportunity. Pull in a rich brown or wine red, or how about a dark sage green? Introduce ivories and creams to lighten the space through furniture and pillows. For windows, velvet curtains that go to the floor keep the warmth in and the chill out – visually and in terms of temperature.

Lighting is particularly important when the sun sets so early. Table lamps in the corners and candles for special occasions create a sense of invitation and comfort in your winter room. Accessories should include a couple of throws to wrap around your legs on chilly evenings.

When it’s cold outside, curl up in your winter room and enjoy the best of the season.

For the other seasons, click here.