Summer Time And Easy Living

Still feeling patriotic from the 4th of July? We sure are! We are in the final weeks of our big Made In America Flooring Sale – big savings on floors made here, not overseas.  Come in now and take a look at products you will feel good about purchasing. Throwing An Outdoor Party?

Here are a few tips to make it fun, festive, and easy:

Opt For Easy Eats and Drinks Create a menu that focuses on foods that can be eaten with your hands (and maybe even without a plate or bowl). Think hot dogs, corn on the cob, then cupcakes or popsicles for dessert. Not only will it give you that laid-back party vibe, but it'll help cut back on waste by reducing the plastic utensils or disposable plates you use (or cut back on the dishwashing you need to do!) Or do a fun DIY bar (like make your own tacos, or an over-the-top salad bar with all kinds of goodies). Ice cream and sundae fixings take care of dessert.

Set up a lemonade stand to keep guests hydrated. Place glasses within easy reach on a dessert stand. This way, everyone can grab what they need, and you won't have to play bartender.

Set up tables in separate areas―say, drinks in one spot, dessert in another―to encourage guests to roam. If guests have to cross the backyard to grab a drink, they're more likely to strike up a conversation along the way.

Make It Comfy Thick, comfortable chair cushions will encourage guests to linger at the table. If you have a yard that gets full sun, consider setting up multiple patio umbrellas and mini-seating areas around the backyard or deck. These shaded retreats will also encourage mingling at a larger party, as guests will congregate at the various seating areas.

Keep It Cool To keep dairy-based dips and other perishable dishes chilled, fill a large bowl with ice, and sprinkle it with kosher salt. Place the dish on top and it will stay colder for longer. Just be sure to keep an eye on these dishes and replace the dip and ice bath as needed.

Set The Mood Paper lanterns draped from tree limbs are charmingly festive (use dark extension cords that will blend in). Repurposed white Christmas lights also provide a magical twinkle effect. Even inexpensive tea lights set in clean glass jam jars can create ambience. Careful—with a scene this magical, your guests will want to stick around late into the night. Keep Bugs Away Circle your party area with citronella candles or incense sticks to light when the sun starts to set. The scent will help keep bugs at bay. Also consider setting out a bottle (or two) of bug spray on the perimeter of the party for guests to use. Time Flies The first day of school in Cobb County is Tuesday August 1. If you are a teacher, that leaves about three weeks to get your summer projects completed.  Conversely, we find a lot of parents wait til the kids are back in school to schedule their around-the-house jobs. We are going to get busy!  Come in today and meet with an Enhance Design Consultant and get your project started. And If New Flooring Is On Your To Do List You are probably wondering what you need to do to get ready for your installation. As with any home improvement project, the fear of the unknown is inevitable. To help relieve some of that worry, we have put together a guide of what you can expect when you have new flooring professionally installed in your home. Prepare The Room Prior to the installer’s arrival, it’s important to remove any personal items in the space to be refloored. This includes furniture, clothing, toys, and breakable items. Disconnect any electronics that could get in the way of install, including light fixtures, televisions, and computers. It’s also important to ensure your home is an optimal temperature. Flooring is best installed when your home’s internal temperature is between 65-and 75-degrees Fahrenheit. Look Out For Dust During install, you can expect to see a bit of dust and debris. This is typical when removing your existing floor and installing the new one. Installers will do their best to keep dust at a minimum, but it’s not completely avoidable.  Pro Tip: cover your doorways so the dust doesn’t enter other rooms in your house.   Know That Unseen Issues Could Pop Up Issues like loose subflooring, rot, insect damage, or mold can be discovered once your old flooring is removed. Many of these issues are almost impossible to detect until your existing floor is taken out, but they’re not uncommon. If any of these issues present themselves during your install process, be aware that an additional cost may be added to your final bill, depending on the extent of the damage. Certain floors also require levelling to be done prior to the flooring installation. Ask your estimator what type of floor prep you can expect. There Will Be Excess Materials When ordering your new floors, a waste factor of 5-15% is added to your order, depending on the product. The additional percentage covers cutting waste, defects/damages, and ensures there’s enough material to complete your install. It is also recommended that you keep any extra material for possible repairs in the future. Flooring May Appear Slightly Different When you’re shopping for flooring, you’re shopping from a sample size. Once the floor is installed in your home, both natural and artificial lighting can affect the way the flooring appears. It may vary slightly in the shade or texture you remember from the sample, so it’s important to make your selection carefully. To help ensure your new floors appear as you thought they would, place the sample under the various types of light that present themselves in your home. Finish The Room Damage to the floor often occurs when appliances, furniture and fixtures are moved back into place. Whoever is responsible for finishing the room should use proper flooring protection to complete the job like thin sheets of Masonite for moving appliances and felt/furniture pads for furniture legs and support bases. Ease your mind! Know what to expect so that you can prepare for your next flooring installation. How Much Does It Cost? Carpet is the best known flooring product that is made in America. The story is interesting -- Dalton was the bedspread capital of the world in the early 1900s and eventually tufting machines were invented there to meet the demand. As synthetic fibers were created (nylon, polyester, olefin) in the mid 1950s the tufting machines were upgraded to be used in the manufacture of carpeting.   The Dalton area produces more than 70 percent of all the carpet made worldwide. Dalton is known as the "Carpet Capital of the World." When you are buying carpet, you are not only helping the USA economy, you are also supporting our state. Carpet is highly desired in the bedrooms, and super soft carpets like Mohawk's SmartStrand Silk products are very popular. We just completed an installation of a 55 oz Silk carpet in a client's primary bedroom. two guest bedrooms, and four closets. We installed a little over 900 square feet of carpet and new pad in these areas for just south of $5000. This included the removal and disposal of the existing carpet and pad and moving the furniture in the rooms.  Carpet ...... it just feels better! Wonderful World Of Window Treatments The federal government is now offering energy tax credits on select energy-efficient Hunter Douglas Duette® Honeycomb Shades—letting you earn 30% of the purchase price* back in the form of a tax credit, up to a maximum annual amount of $1,200 SAVE UP TO $1,200 IN FEDERAL ENERGY TAX CREDITS! CLICK HERE