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How to Remove Easter Egg Dye from Carpet

April 8, 2017 by iccfloors Leave a Comment

Spring is here and with the flowers and fresh air comes Easter. Dying Easter eggs is a fun-filled traditional activity to share with children. However, it can be stressful when that colorful dye reaches your carpet. Have no fear, we have a recipe to remove dye stains from carpet!

As soon as you realize a spill has occurred, it is important to act! The longer a stain goes untreated, the harder it is to remove. Use paper towels or a clean rag to absorb as much of the dye as possible. Blot the stain, do not rub it.

It is important to follow the measurements for the ingredients below. Heavier concentrations of cleaners will not help, but could have negative outcomes for your carpet! Mix as directed.

To clean a dye stain that has just happened, it is best to use the soap and water route.

Mix 1 teaspoon of clear (fragrance-free and dye-free) dish detergent per one cup of luke warm water. Rinse with lukewarm water. The area may need to be rinsed several times. If the area is not rinsed properly it can cause dirt to stick to the fibers; which will cause rapid spoiling.

For tougher stains, rather than use the mix above, try this ammonia-based solution. Mix one tablespoon of ammonia per one cup of water. Test this in an inconspicuous area first, as ammonia can cause a color change to the carpet.

Have you found this advice helpful but need guidance on even more types of stains? We have a large reference on our website for Floor Care and Stains. If you can’t find the help you need on our site, please feel free to contact us or come into one of our locations! We are always happy to help.

Pulling Inspiration from European Kitchen Design

April 4, 2017 by iccfloors Leave a Comment

Redesigning your kitchen is quite the task and there are multiple style options to choose from. There may be a common theme that runs through your neighborhood which might tempt you to stick with what you know, but why not try something new? Using popular European kitchen design can help set your home apart from the rest while giving the room a much-needed update.

The style most closely resembled in these types of kitchen designs is known as the modern look. While minimalistic in appearance, this format is meant to keep surfaces looking clean while using cabinetry and other storage ideas to create a high-functioning space. European kitchens tend to be smaller in size so using this format is popular as it is an easier way to keep the room less cluttered.

Busy-looking wall decor and shelf figurines are unnecessary. Less is more when it comes to this design. If the room is on the smaller side, the minimal decorations will help enhance the space, while using lighter colors for your cabinetry or flooring will help even further. Having a contrast between a dark and light material will also make the space even more striking when balanced properly.

Modern kitchens tend to utilize more synthetic materials like concrete, plastic and glass which can give the room a cold feeling. This is counter-acted by implemented a few natural elements into the layout to soften it up a bit. A natural wooden serving tray or hanging potted herbs can give your kitchen an earthier look. Cabinets can also have a natural wood front while the siding and back remain synthetic. Get creative and mix things up!

Consider the items you own and the most convenient way to access them. Use this in your design to customize storage drawers and utensil holders. Pots and pans can have roll-out shelves installed in their appropriate space to save you from having to pull everything out to reach them. Knife blocks, cutting boards and assorted ladles and spatulas will all have their designated space. All you need is a little inspiration and organization to make your European kitchen design happen!

Mixing Wood Finishes in the Kitchen

March 25, 2017 by iccfloors Leave a Comment

Looking for a style idea that will give your kitchen more character but you don’t know what to do? Try mixing woods to create beautiful accents throughout the space. The key to this method is to find the right balance between natural wood and painted finishes. Doing so will give the room a more complex, rich look than you would expect from a kitchen where every feature matches throughout. By simply being a little less predictable in design you will have automatically added visual interest to the space.

Using blocks of color is a simple way to bring variety into the room. Using a medium to dark stained natural wood for the oven hood and the top of your island while painting your cabinets white will make a beautiful statement and give the kitchen a custom look.

If you prefer to stick with natural wood only, keep the undertone of the types of wood you are using in mind. Woods have a base color that can be considered as a cool tone or a warm tone. Incorporating lighter stained pieces with darker ones will tie together better if you match warm tones with warm tones and cool tones with cool tones. Be sure you know which ones you are working with before purchasing materials.

If you will have wood flooring in the kitchen, be sure to use a contrasting color for your lower cabinets to prevent the two areas from blending into one another. This can make the room look drab and you will lose out on the opportunity to add some personality to the room.

Speaking of cabinetry, don’t be afraid to mix it up with your lower and upper units. Having a natural look up top while painting the lower cabinets is a great idea that will add dimension to the room. Doing a mixture up top and below is also an easy way to make things more exciting. Be careful with spacing out the differing finishes to achieve proper balance.

Lastly, use any natural separations in the room to implement a change in wood. It will break things up nicely while also maintaining the harmony of your design.

Design Your Own Room!

March 17, 2017 by iccfloors Leave a Comment

One of our favorite online tools is our Virtual Room Designer. This tool enables you to visualize a variety of floor designs and materials in many different types of rooms. This can be incredibly helpful when you are just beginning to decide what kinds of flooring you want to use in the room you are redesigning. Not only can you choose from several preloaded rooms — you can also load a picture of your own! In this article, you will find step-by-step instructions on how to use this powerful tool. In a future post, you will find instructions on how to upload your own photograph.

It can feel overwhelming when you first begin exploring the myriad of options presented when beginning to design a room in the Virtual Room Designer. So here’s a quick walk through the program.

The first step — get online and head to our site where you will find our Virtual Room Designer tool.

Once you have clicked on the link above, identify the room you would like to design. For example, if you are thinking about changing the flooring in your kitchen, select “Kitchens”. You will be presented with several model kitchens to choose from. Choose the options which kitchen best matches your home.

Next the picture you choose will bring up a window where you can try different materials in the room. Follow the list at the top of the screen:

Select an Area: In the kitchen, you can select Floor, Countertop, Backsplash, Cabinets, Walls, Trim, or Ceiling.
Select & Apply Product Type: Under the Floor area, your choices consist of Ceramic Tile, Hardwood, Laminate, Linoleum, Luxury Vinyl (LVT), Natural Stone, Specialty Flooring, or Vinyl. Don’t forget to click on the Apply button!
Select a Product: Scroll through the examples of the offerings for your chosen Product Type. The examples presented at first are only the first page! Select Next at the bottom to see more selections. As you select a product, the name, details, and options will display on the right side of the screen. The combinations are endless!
Save Your Room: Don’t forget to save your design so you can remember your selections!

This is the best part of the tool because it allows you to visually picture what kinds of flooring would look best with what you already have in your room.

Have fun and try all different types of flooring! You never know what combination might look best and you might even try something you hadn’t thought of before. You may be surprised! Once you have a selection of your favorite flooring come in to one of our locations and we will help you decide what flooring works best for your needs and your home.

Do You Know Your Floors?

March 8, 2017 by iccfloors Leave a Comment

If you’re in the early stages of remodeling your home, you have many design options to choose from. While working with a blank canvas allows you to have endless options it can be extremely overwhelming. That’s why we put together a basic guide on selecting home flooring to make the process much easier. We suggest you use this guideline to narrow down your most favorite flooring options and visit us to further explore those options. Here are the first few to start!

Carpet

Carpet is perhaps one of the most popular flooring options. It allows you to easily add style and comfort in your home. Carpet can be purchased in both natural and synthetic fibers. In addition, it is also available in nylon, wool, polyester and a variety of other materials. There are several different colors and thousands of patterns on the market today. If you appreciate versatility, carpet may be the option for you.

Ceramic Tile

Ceramic tile is made from clay and other inorganic products. It’s best known for its durability. In fact, ceramic tilework has lasted for centuries. This type of flooring is best for kitchens and bathrooms due to the ease of maintenance. When purchasing ceramic tile for your floors be sure to consider the rating. Usually, ceramic tile is rated on a scale of zero to five based on its hardness. A rating of three is suitable for residential properties.

Hardwood

Hardwood is a material that is often used for flooring. Hardwood floors are manufactured from a wide range of wood types. This type of flooring is available in an array of hardwood species, stain colors, and finish types. Hardwood adds warmth and character to any room and is quite easy to maintain.

LVT

LVT, or Luxury Vinyl Tile flooring is a great option for areas of the home that receive a lot of traffic due to its durability. LVT is made from synthetic materials, is very simple to maintain, and is easier on the joints than harder flooring materials. There are vinyl variations on the market that can simulate the look of natural hardwood, stone, and tile.

Stone

Stone flooring never goes out of style. In fact, it gives off a feeling of timeless elegance. One of the best features of stone floors is that it is long lasting. Natural stone comes to you straight from the earth, therefore, there are all kinds of wild color variations. If you select natural stone flooring you should order enough materials in one shipment so as to avoid mismatched lots.

Take Our Lifestyle Quiz!

March 1, 2017 by iccfloors Leave a Comment

What’s your decorating style? Visit our website to find out what your personal decorating style is. As creative individuals, we are drawn to different interior design styles. Therefore, determining what type of design to can be difficult. The style quiz can help you to pinpoint particular styles and make selections based on your set preferences.

From wood to laminate flooring there are a plethora of options. Choosing what type of flooring to select for your home can be a challenge. Our tool can provide in-depth insight on what flooring option would be best. Also, it can assist you in helping you understand what type of furniture would complement your home’s features.

So how exactly does it work? A user can complete the quiz in under five minutes. The tool asks a series of questions, and it’s able to make suggestions based upon the answers that you provide. Also available is educational information provided for each suggested style design. Where a particular design originated, characteristics of the style, as well as tips on how you can achieve that style, are included in the tool.

The Lifestyle Quiz encompasses a wide variety of styles. In fact, the results are broken down into percentages. For instance, your results will include the following combination: 50% Rustic Romance and 50% Urban chic. The results can help you gain a better understanding of your style and open your eyes to other types of interior design styles.

Once the user completes the Lifestyle Quiz, it’s followed with detailed tips on how you make your design style a reality. Yes, it provides architectural, paint colors and furniture accessory suggestions. By just following the instructions you can achieve all your fashion dreams. Take the free Lifestyle Quiz today.