FloorTalk – for all the latest flooring fashions

For more information:

• rebuildingcenter.org
• nativeart.net
• oldegoodthings.com
• Building with Reclaimed Components and Materials: A Design Handbook for Reuse and Recycling by Bill Addis. (Earthscan Publications Ltd., April 2006)

Patronize local artisans. “If your area is known for any kind of particular artwork or culture, it would be worth examining to see if there is a way to incorporate that into a project,” Connors says. For example, she recommends seeking out Native American artisans in the area. “You usually think of that as part of the Southwest, but there were tribes all over the country that have a lot of artists who do beautiful work.” In addition, if you can find local artists who create art out of recycled or salvaged materials, your green quotient skyrockets. A little research into your region’s history and culture — past and current — may yield a wealth of accessories, art and furnishings.

Look into deconstruction or architectural salvage shops. Thanks to the modern green movement, deconstruction companies are more in demand than ever. If a home or another building is being razed to make room for a new structure, deconstruction workers will be called in to carefully disassemble the facility, thus significantly reducing the amount of construction waste heading to the landfill.

Many times, deconstruction companies will sell the items they’ve retained; lumber, windows, stained glass, trim and doors are popular products for sale. Architectural salvage shops operate similarly but are more likely to offer fireplace mantels or unique tiles. “If you can get flooring that comes from a local bank, school or house that’s being demolished, you’ll have something really beautiful because it’s from your area,” Connors notes. “And you will be recycling, reusing and bringing something with character back to its best.”

Peruse garage sales, estate sales, antique stores and flea markets for accessories. A keen eye can find a potential gem amid seemingly unusable items. In fact, restoration is one of the easiest ways to go green while introducing a unique piece into your design. If you plan to refinish furniture, for instance, use an upholsterer in your town — and request that he or she use recycled fabric for the project.

I just discovered a new color game from Pittsburgh Paints that is surprisingly accurate.

It helps you discover your color personality. Every color has an emotional association and you are drawn to colors for various reasons.  Pittsburgh developed the color game to help you based on your 5 senses, your interests and your style. It’s a fun game and there are no right or wrong answers. Just be honest and see what it figures out about you. It was extremely accurate for me! You are supposed to answer the questions with the quickest, strongest instincts. The results lead you to your primary and secondary Harmony Collection color families which are most likely to meet your personal tastes and needs.

Here are the questions you are asked:

Question 1: Choose the room with the color scheme that appeals to you the most

Question 2: Choose 10 random words that appeal to you the most

Question 3: Select 3 colors that are your favorites

Question 4: Choose the picture that is associated with your favorite taste.

Question 5: Choose the picture that is associated with your favorite smell.

Question 6: Choose the picture that is associated with your favorite touch.

Question 7: Choose the picture that is associated with your favorite sight.

Question 8: Choose the sound that appeals to you the most.

Question 9: If a genie granted you two wishes what two qualities would you wish to have to most enhance your life.

Question 10: Which dream vacation would you like to see become a reality.

Question 11: Click your eye color, complexion color, hair color and describe how your friends see you

Then voila! You see the results of your color game! I was leather stone and wood and desert spice.

Play the color game and leave a comment with your results and how accurate they are!

Click here to get started.

Hanging pictures in a room is one of the last and final details of decorating a room that make the whole design scheme come together. Picture placement can tie everything together in a room or if not done properly, it can make a room seem disjointed. Here are a few simple tricks to hanging pictures.

Hang pictures at the right height

Often, people hang pictures too high or think the picture needs to be hung in the center of the wall despite the furniture around it. Pictures should be hung at eye level – unless eye level is for a 7′ tall person! As a general rule, I always tell people to hang a couple of inches lower than they think the picture needs to be hung and it usually turns out great. Sometimes, small intimate areas call for pictures to be hung much lower than eye level. Judge each space separately.

Look at a room as a whole and as smaller areas that make up a whole room

When hanging a group of pictures, think of them as one large picture and hang them accordingly. Don’t worry if you have odd or even numbers of pictures or if all of your frames don’t match. This is an evolved and eclectic look and shows that everything was not purchased at the same time all from the same store!

When hanging small pictures, be sure to hang them in a small “area” rather than one small picture on an entire large wall. Use pictures to fill in spaces like between a lamp and the edge of a high back chair. On the same note, don’t hang a picture that is too large in a small area that could use a smaller picture or a group of small pictures.

Before putting the first nail in the wall

Sometimes it is helpful to place the picture on the floor or lean it against the wall it will be placed on. If hanging multiple pictures, arranging the grouping on the floor will help you with spacing and the overall size of the grouping. If you don’t have room to arrange the pictures on the floor, use craft paper to make templates for the wall. Simply trace the pictures on to the craft paper and cut them out. You can use museum putty or painters tape to attach the templates to the wall.

Measure twice, nail once!

When hanging, don’t measure the frame to determine where the nail goes. Instead, place your hand behind the picture with the wire in the position it will hang and mark the spot with a pencil. This will tell you where the nail needs to go. The nail does not go on the pencil mark, but the bottom of the hook goes at the pencil mark. (unless you have a picture hanger that only requires a nail without a hook)

When you go to place the picture on the wall, place your hand with your palm facing the wall and your hand between the wire and the wall. Feel for the hook with the palm of your hand and place the wire on the hook. This is a lot easier than trying to “catch” the wire on the hook blindly!

Not all pictures have to be hung on the wall. For example, they can lean up against the wall while resting on a mantle. They can sit in an easel (floor or table top style). They can be rested on the shelves of a bookshelf. The possibilities are endless and are different for different room settings.

The key is to judge each space separately and place the right size picture for the space it will sit in as well as the whole room. Keep in mind, too that you can move pictures around from room to room to get an entirely different look without investing more money. The only investment you have is your time and maybe some putty and touch up paint!

Have fun with hanging pictures. Put them in unexpected places. Don’t get stuck in a box and think that only one picture is allowed per wall and it has to reside in the center of the wall. Experiment and see what happens!

Choices Driven by Concern for Economy and Optimism for the Future

What colors are in store for us in 2009? According to Color Marketing Group, the top choices have been influenced by both our concern for the economy and our optimism about the future.

Color Marketing Group, the leading international non-profit association of color design professionals, has been accurately predicting color trends for more than 45 years. CMG predicts more evolution than revolution in color trends for the coming new season.

“We’re finding comfort in colors that are familiar, and yet, at the same time, we’re embracing colors that make us happy — especially as accents,” said executive director, Jaime Stephens. “Everyone’s concerned about the economy, yet the spirit of the country coming together after the election is powerfully reflected in these choices.  Also, the demand for colors and products that reflect an environmentally ‘greener’ world goes way beyond a trend. It’s now ‘a given.’ “

According to CMG, look for these color trends in 2009:

Purple, Purple, Purple! – Emerging as a hot fashion color last fall, purple is not just a fad — it’s an entrenched trend, strongly influenced by the election. (After all, red plus blue equals purple.)  Look for a greyed-out violet that works equally well as an accent or a neutral, as well as redder, plummier purples and bluer-influenced fuchsias in a huge range of products.  Purple is 2009’s “must have” color.

Blue is the New Green – Various greens have symbolized “green living” over the last few years, but in 2009 the “green” environmental message is delivered by the color blue. There are watery blues, sky blues and a whole range of blues that now represent our commitment to living on a greener planet.

Cooled-down, Greyed-out Browns and Greys – Complex neutrals satisfy our urge toward classic colors in an economically challenged time. They also bridge the area between black, which seems harsh, and brown, which doesn’t seem strong enough.

Yellow for Energy – The neutrals may have greyed, but look for lots and lots of bright vivid yellow to give us energy as we re-build the economy.  It’s the stand-out accent color for 2009.

Bright Accents from India, China, and Turkey – The exotic has become the familiar. Oranges, turquoises and teals, reds, and yellows will abound in hues from far-away countries that now seem very near. They are the optimistic touches we crave.

White is now a Business Color – Technology has produced amazing new (and very practical) finishes, which helps explain why white is showing up everywhere, even in corporate board rooms. The contrasts are all in the finishes: matte versus gloss; shine and shimmer on reflective surfaces; textured whites versus smooth — all washable and cleanable. White also represents purity of thought, motive and result – exactly what we want from businesses now.

The Return of the “M” Word – It’s mauve. Remember mauve?  An old color that looks new again, in dusty violet shades, mauve works as an accent but also serves now as a neutral, punched up by those bright Asian accents (orange, turquoise, teal, red, and yellow.)

About Color Marketing Group

Color Marketing Group forecasts color trends up to three years into the future for its members, many of whom must plan ahead for product, space and materials introductions. For more information: www.colormarketing.org.

STAINMASTER carpets already stay up to 30% cleaner than other carpets and last 50% longer. The secret to exceptional STAINMASTER® carpet traffic performance – and one of the reasons it lasts up to 50% longer than other carpets* – is nylon 6,6, a fiber with a unique molecular structure designed for superior strength. One of the reasons it stays up to 30% cleaner than other carpets is a technology called LotusFX Fiber Shield that was inspired by the lotus flower.

The fibers in STAINMASTER carpet are different. The fibers are designed for beauty and performance in order to create the innovative and stunning carpet styles that INVISTA’S STAINMASTER carpet is famous for. To protect these fibers from soil and stains without sacrificing the luxury, STAINMASTER looked to mother nature.  The lotus flower leaf has the ability to prevent soil particles from sticking to its surface. The LotusFX Fiber Shield is designed the same way.

Most liquid spills bead up on the carpet’s fiber surface which makes it difficult for spills to penetrate. What does this mean to you? This means that you have more time to get to the spill and remove it before it penetrates the carpet, making it easier to remove the spill. No carpet is fully stain proof, but having a little time to run get the proper cleaning tools gives you a better chance of removing the stain.

STAINMASTER’S website has a great tool for stain removal. To view this guide, click here. The guide is set up as an index of stains listed in alphabetical order.

Also, please see the following STAINMASTER® carpet seasonal stain removal guides.

Fall Stain Removal Guide
Summer Stain Removal Guide
Valentines Stain Removal Guide
Holiday Stain Removal Guide