10. Organic Materials

Bring nature indoors by using organic materials to decorate. Exposed wood grain in blinds and natural woven shades are joining the ranks of bamboo as popular choices. Wood is making a huge comeback in decorative hardware, while bamboo, birch and maple are the materials of choice for the newest finials and pulls.

9. Color

One of the quickest ways to update a window is with colorful treatments. Blue is becoming the new “red” in the window treatment industry, with a variety of ocean hues in teal, aquamarine and soft green. Soft lavender and gray, dusty hues round out the soothing part of this palette. Persimmon, orange and gold will be popular jewel tones, while brown continues to dominate. Brown has been, and continues to be, the new basic color.

8. Luxe Fabrics

Luxe fabrics are exactly as they sound — opulent and showy with bold colors and textures that beg to be touched.  Luxury fabrics key in this category are silks, velvets, damasks, fur, leather and suede.  While the overall design trend leans toward simplicity, this trend will remain popular with those who desire embellishment and luxury.

7. Bamboo

Zen-chic bamboo in Roman shades and decorative hardware will continue to be a popular trend. Bamboo is popular for its sustainable, environmentally-friendly quality.

6. Velvet and Grosgrain

Like luxe fabrics, velvet and grosgrain are a luxury trend taking cues from the fashion industry. Grosgrain, a strong, closely woven ribbed fabric usually made of silk or rayon, is used as a ribbon detailing on blinds and drapes. Velvet banding can also be used as detailing, or as ladder tape to cover up route holes for string in blinds.

5. Sleek Lines

Simple, sleek lines are dominating window fashions in everything from flowing drapes to chrome decorative hardware. Creating sleek silhouettes against a window instantly lends a clean, modern look to any window and room. A quick way to get truly streamlined treatments is with popular panel-track systems.

4. Bold Prints

Bolder and bigger prints with texture are top choices for window treatment fabric. Bright floral designs that attract traditional tastes and graphic geometric patterns that offer youthful spunk are some of the bold prints being seen on windows lately.

3. Silk Panels

Silk has exploded onto the scene and is still going strong. Silk is a pricier option for window treatments, but the shine and luxury of the fabric instantly wakes up a dull room.

2. Luxury Tech

As society increases its obsession with ‘gotta-have-it-gadgets’, people counterbalance with organic and natural products in their homes, and window treatments are no exception.  Window blinds can now be controlled via remote, a light switch or even the Internet. But just because your windows have gone high-tech, it doesn’t mean they have to be stark and uninviting. Layering fabrics with high-thread-count cottons is one trend sure to cozy up a window.

1. Green Design

Green design is becoming a popular trend from consumers looking to combat allergies to those looking for heat- or cold-repellant window panels.  Honeycomb shades, the third most popular window treatment Shades and blinds have always been about keeping light out, but now they can also save you money on your heating bills. Honeycomb shades are a great example of where tech meets nature.  Performance fabrics have also gone “green,” with anti-microbial, anti-fungal traits woven into the yarn or offered as a topical spray. Stain-resistant and mildew- and mold-resistant fabrics are also popular picks for allergy sufferers. Even the environmentally conscious will feel right at home with non-toxic dyes on fabrics.

If your main concern in staining (from kids, pets, etc.), then synthetic would most likely serve you best, as it comes in all levels of stain-resistance, from very basic synthetic fibers, to those treated with Teflon and other solutions. Not that any carpet is spill-proof, but if a spill were left to soak into a patch of wool carpeting, it would eventually seep past the natural oils inherent in the wool, and stain the fiber permanently. Whereas on a synthetic carpet such as nylon, if a spill went unnoticed for some time, you could probably get the stain up with a heavy duty spot treatment. This is because the stain usually cannot permeate into the synthetic fibers like it can natural fibers such as wool.

If your main concern is lifespan & durability, wool is recommended. Wool carpeting can last a lifetime, or don’t have young children or pets in your house, then wool is definitely the best choice.  Each wool fiber has a three- dimensional spiraling crimp, which gives it natural elasticity. This elasticity means that a wool fiber can stretch up to 30% more than its original length and then bounce back just like a miniature spring. You will get the same reaction when it’s compressed. Resilience. Something wool is born with. This natural resilience permits wool carpet to withstand all the day-to-day traffic you can give it.  Wool carpets can recover easily from the unsightly crushing caused by furniture. The resiliency of each wool fiber makes an important contribution to the superior appearance retention of wool carpeting.

These Top 10 hardwood flooring trends are not driven by mere fashion or some longing to keep up with the next-door neighbors. Instead, this Top 10 reflects the desire of homeowner to bring the art of nature into their homes so they can enjoy authentic natural beauty.

1. Authenticity

This is the Big Kahuna of flooring trends today—and for good reason. In this era of smarter and smarter phones, reality TV “stars,” and constant change, where do we find equilibrium and calm? Many of us look to nature and the appeal of slower times.

Authenticity is behind a desire for floors that take inspiration from the past, charms us, or help us live lives more attuned to nature. It leads to these choices in flooring showrooms:

• Wide-plank, hand scraped, distressed floors. These replicate historical flooring, going back to early America.

• Exotics. These are unusual tree species from all over the world.

• Bamboo and cork. Though not hardwoods, these are also products of nature. No trees need to cut down to produce these sustainable products.

Each tells a story about you and your values. Your most cherished value is history, rare beauty, or the environment.

2. Hand scraped Hardwood Flooring

Through the 1800s, finish surfaces for hardwood floors were commonly worked by hand with draw knives. These were simple flat blades attached to two handles. By pulling toward him or herself, the crafter could scrape thin layers of wood off a piece of lumber, slowly smoothing the top surface. Inevitable, scraping marks were left behind; proving for generations to come that a piece of wood had been worked by hand.

Hand scraped marks are commonly seen in flooring reclaimed from old structures. These signs from another time tell a story about craftsmanship that is now replicated by today’s flooring manufacturers who have planks hand scraped in a similar manner to get the look and feel of salvaged historical lumber.

These beauty marks authentically reproduce a genuine look from the past. Today’s hand scraped floors are also distinctive to walk on barefoot. With each step, homeowners will feel slight variations in the surface—their feet feeling the evidence of a crafter’s skills.

3. Wide-Width Wood Planks

The next time you are walking through a building from the 1800s, look at how wide the floor planks are. Instead of the 2-inch to 3-inch widths common today, earlier floors were 5 to 8 inches wide—and more—depending on the species of wood.

The reason is easy to understand. Trees were much more mature when cut in earlier times, which meant they were also thicker. Most of the old-growth trees are gone or protected from harvest now. So trees for flooring are thinner and wide planks rarer.

However, 4- to 5-inch planks offer more authentic beauty than thinner slices. So manufacturers are finding ways to offer this wider lumber. These create a look that is more leisurely and languid. This is a hat-tip to less-hurried time.

 
 
 
4. Distressed Wood Flooring

Those who lived through the distressed-wood trend of the 1970s can relax. Today’s distressed doesn’t go overboard; it merely replicates the look seen from use and age of authentic, reclaimed flooring.

This second coming of distressed wood actually has its roots in the early 1990s when reclaiming flooring from old warehouses and commercial buildings emerged as a hot niche market. Those structures, built in the 1800s and early 1900s, offered a wealth of old-growth lumber, marked by decades of rough use. The gouges, nail holes, stains, slices, and saw marks were scars of authenticity.

By their interest in authentic distinguishing features that had pounded earlier flooring, homeowners today are showing their admiration for an era when skill rather than electronic technology was king.

5. Exotic Hardwood Floors

Exotic hardwoods appeal to a different sense of authenticity. What wins the heart here is the art of nature. How is it that trees can offer such elegance in form and still function so well as flooring? What a marvel.

There is the bold striping of tiger wood, the depth of Brazilian cherry, the rich beauty of teak. There are looks for every taste.

In addition to these authentic woods, manufacturers are also inventing ways to cut, bake and dye woods to mimic many of the exotics. This allows homeowners to obtain the look they want without endangering wood species in this country or abroad.

courtesy of wfca.org

1. SAFETY

Area rugs often shift when they are walked on. Rug pads prevent them from traveling too far because the pad’s surfaces are designed to stick to both the floor and the rug. Without a rug pad to check its movement, a rug can shift enough to cause a fall. This is of particular concern on hard, slick floors — like tile, hardwood and laminate — and in areas where falling might be especially dangerous, such as bathrooms and kitchens. Rug pad tape provides even better security, and non-skid pads allow even less movement than standard pads.

2. LONGEVITY OF FLOORING

One important reason to place a rug pad under your rug is when you’re not protecting the bottom of your rug; the rug rubs against your floor and can start to decay because of this. When you have a rug pad, the rug does not undergo any friction and eventually extends the life of both your rug and flooring.

3. LONGEVITY OF AREA RUG

Rug pads increase the lifespan of area rugs. Particularly if you have large specialty rugs, like genuine Persians, quality pads can save thousands because you will need to replace the rugs less often, if at all. Rugs wear out faster from the bottom up because they are continually being shifted and rubbed against the flooring beneath it. Over time, this friction — along with dirt and other debris that accumulates — abrades the underside. By placing a pad between the floor and the rug, much of this damage can be avoided.

4. CLEAN

Rug pads keep both the rug and the floor cleaner than it would be without one. Pads with ridges or bumps trap small particles. Pads also provide barriers from spills; a wet spill might soak the area rug, but with a good rug pad, it will likely not reach the flooring beneath it. Vacuuming also becomes more effective when a rug pad is used, as pads increase air flow. With better air flow, vacuums are more effective.

5. COMFORT

Rug pads absorb noise and provide for a more cushioned walking surface. They also aid in the rug’s appearance, helping it stay clean and in place. An area rug that continually shifts, moves and bunches is not only bothersome to correct but loses some of its beauty.

Click Here to see Coles’ selection of rug pads.

“According to the 2011/2012 American Pet Products Association survey, 62% of U.S. households own a pet.  That’s 79.9 million homes,” said Anthony Delgaudio, prdocut manager for Miele.  “These homes require a vacuum that stands up to the rigors of everyday cleaning of normal household dust and dirt, but also pet hair, dander and unwanted odors.”

Similar to the S7 Cat and Dog, the S8 Cat and Dog features an Active Air clean filter and mini turbobrush, both of which are ideal for battling pet hair and odors.  The Air Clean filter contains active charcoal to absorb pet odors, while the TurboBrush helps to remove pet hair from furniture, stairs and car interiors.  When combined with Miele’s patented Air Clean FilterBag plus Sealed System the S8 Cat and Dog retains 99.9+%  of lung damaging particles and unwanted pet hair and dander inside the machine, not in your home.  Similar to the other vacuums in the S8 series, the S8 Cat and Dog features +/- foot switch controls, a low-noise vortex motor and a 3D bumper to protect furniture, walls and the vacuum itself from nicks and bumps in the event of minor collisions.  It’s lightweight skeleton construction and tended cord length makes Cat and Dog easier to transport up and down stairs from room to room.  Accented with a bright Koi Orange finish, the Miele S8 Cat and Dog is truly the pinnacle of performance and convenience for pet owners.

Miele vacuums are known for legendary performance, advanced filtration and brilliant design, setting the standard for floor care and cleaning worldwide.  Miele’s long heritage of vacuum innovations dates back 85 years to the use of Bakelite as a sound dampener in the 1960s, the advent of convenient integrated tools in 1971 and to the world’s first HEPA-certified vacuums in the 1990s.  Throughout the century, these award winning advances have established Miele as the “must have” status vacuum – hailed as “so smart it could start its own Mensa chapter.”  Beyond the aforementioned accolades, design awards and sleek good looks, Miele continues to focus on making vacuuming easier through patented new technologies like the s7 SwivelNeck as well as longer cords, automatic flooring sensors, powerful Vortex motor system, and silence settings.  Miele’s passion for quality and innovation has resulted in a vacuum that excels not only in cleaning performance, but also in the area of filtration.

According to recent independent tests, there’s no other vacuum that removes dust, dirt and allergens as efficiently as a Miele canister or upright.  Miele’s unique combination of AirClean FilterBag, HEPA filter and Sealed System design is 99.99% effective in capturing lung-damaging particles.  The key to this design is its hygienic self-closing AirClean FilterBag whose revolutionary multi-ply filtering material helps homeowners dispose of the captured particles without coming in contact with them.

Congratulations to Juan C. for winning our Facebook contest and taking home a brand new iPad!

Recently, Coles Fine Flooring held a contest on Facebook in which fans could play for their chance to win a new iPad.  In addition to an iPad, the other finalists of our contest went home with free area rugs of their choice!

Out of all the considerations in designing a new space, the choice of which type and finish of wood can be a huge one. Aside from the many considerations of the wood itself (and the many fabulous sustainable alternatives to new cut hardwood), color is huge.

Going light or dark with wood can create an entire vibe throughout, and determines what you’re able to do with your space. For instance, you don’t want dark walls with dark wood unless you are creating the Bat Cave. And light wood with light colors may feel more cottagey than you’re wanting.

Similar to your walls, flooring is a blank canvas for your entire room and can set the tone for the rest of the room. When choosing wood flooring draw inspiration from your current furniture, walls, finishes and choose flooring that compliments these colors.

Light flooring will help give the illusion space and make your room feel larger and darker flooring will create a more dramatic ambiance. Depending on how much natural light is supplied to your interiors will help dictate if darker flooring makes your space feel smaller. Choose flooring that will naturally look nice with your current wood furniture as well.

If your home is ultra-contemporary you may opt for a wood floor that shows off the sleek lines and architectural definition of your home with lighter floors, while a traditional historic home may opt for dark wood floors that are reminiscent of the time period of their home. Choose a coloring that will bring out the character of your home and melds well with the architectural details.

Choosing a wood floor can be exciting and you will love how it adds richness to any room of your home. Before you decide on light or dark flooring use these inspiring ideas to assess your decor and furniture, choose a design style and go from there.

Now in its second year, the study measures satisfaction with upright and canister vacuums by examining six key factors: performance; ease of use; features; styling; price; and warranty. The benchmark study is designed to help customers with purchase decisions and to assist manufacturers in their efforts to meet customer needs.

Suction power is the highest-rated attribute in both segments, and is the only attribute to receive a rating above eight (on a 10-point scale).

J.D. Power and Associates offers the following tips to consumers who are shopping for a vacuum cleaner:

• When considering an upright or canister vacuum, focus on your needs. Based on the layout of your home, floor types, and specific needs (e.g., pets and allergies), determine which type and brand of vacuum will be best for you.
• There is a significant price difference across brands. Rather than making a quick decision for the short term, invest in a vacuum for the long term to ensure your needs are met and to maximize the cost of use over time.
• Do not assume a vacuum with more features is necessarily better. It is more important to purchase a vacuum that meets your specific needs.

The 2013 Vacuum Customer Experience Benchmark Study is based on responses from more than 5,000 customers who purchased an upright vacuum and/or a canister vacuum from February 2012 to February 2013.