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New Year, New Design Goals

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With the New Year, it is time to set some goals for your design. And while the New Year does not mean you need to revamp your design completely, it is time to start taking proactive steps in your home’s design. Educating yourself on design tips and tricks to use in your home can only go as far as you allow it. So, you will need to start by setting goals. For instance, do you have a room that does not have the most functional layout? Or, do you have a space that feels like you have not designed it? Perhaps, you have been talking about remodeling your kitchen, yet never got to the task. Well, this year is going to be different. We are going to set achievable and obtainable goals to help our design theme reach the next level, and here is how:

Types of Goals

Before you can make a goal, you need to understand the three types of goals. You can have long-term, medium-term, and short-term goals. 

  • A long-term goal may be something like a kitchen remodel or an addition to your home. It can take a significant investment, incorporate many mini-projects, or consist of a long period of time to complete. 
  • A medium-term goal may be redesigning your master bedroom’s theme. Perhaps, you need to invest in a new bed frame, mattress, furniture, and bedding. You may be able to complete this within a week. 
  • A short-term goal is almost just daily maintenance. Doing your dishes or cleaning up after yourself.

SMART Goals

Now, it is time to create your goal with a plan. The SMART acronym is designed to help you easily obtain your goal with structure. Some refer to this method as the oars and rudder. Your goal is your oars to your boat. The plan of how you are going to carry out this goal is your rudder. Without the rudder directing your boat, you are meaninglessly paddling and will not reach your destination.

Specific

Make your goal specific. Having a goal like “remodel my kitchen” is not very specific. A goal that says, “I want to have new cabinets, countertops, and flooring in my kitchen by May 1, 2020.” This goal has specific actions and deadlines.

Measurable

A good goal is trackable. Make sure you can measure the progress of your goal. If your goal is to have your home’s flooring all redone, you can measure this goal by how many rooms you complete. If you have three out of four bedrooms’ flooring redone, you are 75% of the way complete.

Attainable

Make sure your goal is obtainable for you. If remodeling a bathroom is not in the near future budget, do not set this as a goal. Setting an unattainable goal can set you up for failure.

Realistic

Likewise, you do not want to make an unrealistic goal. If your home has zoning laws or limited property, do not set a goal to add to your home. This goal . is not realistic because your home cannot have this addition feasibly.

Time-Bound

Lastly, set time boundaries. You can use short-term and medium-term goals to help you obtain your long-term goals. If you are looking to finish your basement, setting aside a budget from each paycheck can be your short-term goal, while each project in and of itself could be a medium-term goal. Perhaps one month, you put up drywall and paint it. The following month you add flooring. These medium-goals can help move you along to the grand scheme plan, so make sure to set dates.

Setting these goals can help you obtain and achieve them. What are some of your design goals? Let us know below in the comment section. Remember, they can be all different sizes. Sometimes, stacking goals can actually make you stay more focused, so try not to overwhelm yourself.

How to Host the Holidays

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At first, the idea of hosting the holidays can be overwhelming, especially if it is your first year hosting guests. With family and friends traveling from all over for this one occasion, we are sure that you, like anyone, want it to be perfect. To help you become the perfect host/hostess this holiday season, we wanted to focus on five helpful tips. These are tips and tricks that we have learned ourselves over the past couple of years and wanted to share with you. Let’s take a look!

Game-Set-Match

We know it seems tedious, but you should start preparation by writing down your game plan for the holidays. This list can contain who is coming, when they are coming and from where (i.e., airport pickups), how many days each person is staying, meals ideas including dietary restrictions, holiday activities you would like to do as a group, bedroom assignments, a cleaning list, etc. Trust us; although it may seem like the last thing you want to do when you feel overwhelmed, taking a moment to write it all down can help clarify the upcoming days.

Supermarket Sweep

Another great tip that we have picked up over the past couple of years is to never grocery shop the day before the holiday (i.e., Christmas Eve). We say this because that is when everyone decides to go shopping. However, if you have the ability to go grocery shopping two or three days before the holiday, you will find it a little less chaotic than the day before the holiday.

Cleaning Machine

Some might argue that the most dreaded part about hosting the holidays is cleaning your home. While it is not everyone’s preferred pastime, you can make it less stressful the day before everyone arrives by tackling cleaning projects leading up to their arrival. Since every household is different, you will want to write down a list of areas that you can clean and will stay clean before your guests come. Whether it is cleaning the guest bathroom and marking it off-limits until their arrival or deep-cleaning the finished basement, you will want to tackle feasible areas for your lifestyle.

A Little Prep Never Hurt Anyone

Since you had the ability to clean a little beforehand and perhaps already grocery shopped, next, you will want to meal prep what you can for the big day. In fact, the day before your holiday festivities can be an excellent time to prepare anything that is able to be refrigerated and kept overnight. First, take a look at the list that you previously wrote and look at the meals that can be prepped the night before your festivities. Try to prep whatever meals you can in advance to give you more time with your family on the actual holiday.

Help, Please

Lastly, being the host/hostess does not mean that you are inclined to never ask for help. In fact, since you are hosting your entire family, they may be more willing to help than you realize. If you are feeling overwhelmed, try to ask for help whenever possible. We understand that it can be awkward, especially if you are a do-it-yourself kind of person. But in the end, this holiday is about coming together and celebrating; therefore, you may be surprised by their reaction when you just ask. Even one person helping you can make a world of difference during the holidays.

If you have hosted before, what are some tips and tricks that you have learned over the years? We would love for you to share your advice with other reads below in the comment section.

Color Predictions for 2020

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Paint can quickly make or break a room’s aesthetic appeal. What colors we choose can be one of the most critical influences on our room’s overall design. Therefore, picking the perfect paint can be a big decision. With millions of color options available, it can be overwhelming to choose the perfect color. To help, we took a look at some of the top selected colors this year and made predictions of great colors to choose for the upcoming year. Here are our top picks for 2020’s color predictions:

Whites & Creams

Let’s be honest; white will always be a great neutral. We can all remember the beige craze several years ago. However, lately, we have seen a lot with greys throughout the design and fashion industry. Now, we see the return of bright whites and creams as a reliable, neutral color option. In fact, many businesses and homes are starting to add white for its sophisticated and clean-cut look that it contributes to the design.

Muted Pastels

Adding a slight hint of color can significantly change your room’s whole design. For instance, recently, we are starting to see more pastels being used as a neutral color. The washed look of the pastel color can slightly influence the design without coming across overwhelming. We believe choosing a pastel color for your home will be a safe choice in 2020. You can choose from any shade of red, blue, yellow, and green to capture this feeling. In fact, making the color more muted can allow a subtle but noticeable difference in each environment.

Sage & Forest Green

The interior design industry tends to follow the fashion industry. For instance, we have been watching a lot of sage and forest green enter the fashion industry lately, and we believe this is not going to stop any time soon. Perhaps it will make its way into the interior design industry as we roll into the new year. This earthy tone is excellent for enriching the environment and give more vitality to the space. You can use these two different shades of green in one space while allowing them to complement any plant life you bring into your home.

While all of these are just predictions, they are some great color choices that could be more than mere fads. Do you have any predictions on what colors may be highly influential next year? Let us know below in the comment section and remember to subscribe.

Best Countertops for Homeowners Who Love to Cook

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While most homeowners realize that buying countertops is an investment, they can often base their decision on looks rather than their lifestyle. However, it is important to understand the characteristics of each countertop and choose a product that aligns with your needs. Where quartz may be superior in one aspect, granite may fall short in another area. Grasping the countertops as a whole and basing your decision off of your lifestyle is crucial.

That being said, we are talking about countertops. Countertops, typically, go in two areas of the home: the kitchen and bathroom. When determining the right countertop option for your kitchen, you will want to take into consideration how often you cook, what you cook, and if you are entertaining. These factors can help you make the right choice. But at ICC Home, we are all about making your decisions easy. That is why we have chosen two countertop choices for homeowners who love to cook. Enjoy!

Granite

Granite countertops are loved for their distinct, unmatched beauty and superior durability. Although they come with some needed maintenance, overall, you will find that granite countertops can help you channel your inner chef and prepare a delectable meal. For instance, they are not easily scratched, which can be helpful when cooking large meals with heavy pots and pans. Additionally, granite is heat-resistant, letting you set hot items out on your countertops. Lastly, when granite is sealed, it will create a less porous landscape for food particles and liquids to penetrate, helping you to remove messes easily.

When it comes to maintenance, granite countertops are quite easy to clean. You will want to take a damp, soft cloth and clean your countertops regularly. Additionally, you will want to avoid letting wet items sit on your countertops for extended periods of time. And although granite countertops can be scratch-resistant, it is always best to use a cutting board.

Quartz

Quartz is another well-loved countertop choice. Quartz is composed of natural quartz crystals, making one of the most beautiful and durable countertop selections for your home. Plus, its beauty is matched by its durability, making it a great choice for homeowners who love to cook. In fact, quartz countertops are scratch-, stain-, and heat-resistant, which provides the chef with ease will cooking. While it is heat-resistant, extremely high temperatures can burn the material, so be sure to use caution.

When it comes to maintenance, quartz countertops are one of the easiest countertop products to maintain. Unlike its counterparts, quartz does not need any sealers. In fact, you do not need to seal your countertops each year since they are non-porous. Instead, you will merely need clear dish soap and a damp, soft rag to clean it.

Are you between quartz and granite countertops? If so, one of our expert sales associates would love to help you make the final decision. Please do not hesitate to call or visit us with any questions.

ICC Home’s Westfield Store

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We would like to warmly welcome you to our Westfield Store (3245 E. SR 32 Westfield, IN 46074). Recently, we completely revamped the Westfield Store with new signage, displays, and vinyl floors. We are incredibly proud of the finished product and cannot wait to share our store with you. Be sure to visit us at the Westfield location to help make all of your design dreams become a reality. Just remember that we sit back a little bit from the street to offer a more exclusive experience. We hope to see you soon!

Multi-Layer Flooring: WPC, SPC, & LVF

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Multi-layer flooring is not as complex as the name makes it sound. In fact, you can picture the flooring in layers, much like a sandwich, to help you visualize the product. As the name suggests, it is composed of multiple layers to form one flooring material. There are three categories within the multi-layer flooring family: WPC, SPC, and LVP.

Wood Polymer Composite

WPC (Wood Polymer Composite) is an extraordinary type of vinyl flooring. While traditional vinyl floors use a PVC backing, WPC flooring uses a WPC backing. This bottommost layer is composed of a variety of materials like wood pulp and foaming agents to create a soft underfoot.

Stone Polymer Composite

SPC (Stone Polymer Composite) is created with a limestone core, PVC dust, and a stabilizer. With a more heavy focus on the limestone, homeowners will discover that SPC has a dense core, making it the most impact-resistant of the three multi-layer flooring options.

Luxury Vinyl Planking

LVP (Luxury Vinyl Planking) may be the multi-layer flooring product in which you are most familiar. It is an incredibly diverse and well-loved flooring product. From Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) to Luxury Vinyl hardwood, luxury vinyl planking offers a wide variety of styles and designs. Plus, it does not fall short in durability. It is waterproof and scratch-resistant, making it the perfect choice for active households.

Why Homeowners Love Multi-Layer Flooring

Easy Installation – The installation process of MLF is incredibly simple and straightforward, giving even novice DIY homeowners the chance to install their own floors.

Waterproof/Water-Resistant – You can now have the beautiful look of hardwood without the worry of warping since MLF can be installed in areas that are exposed to moisture.

Design Versatility – MLF offers a wide variety of styles to match a homeowner’s design preferences. From wood-like to stone-like floors, you can have the look of hardwood or stone with the durability of a rigid core.

Affordability – MLF comes in a variety of different prices, each to match a different budget. The simplicity of the install helps to keep the overall price down, giving homeowners more flexibility.

Easy Care & Maintenance – While the installation leaves behind a little mess, homeowners can also rest easy that their new floors are easy to maintain and clean.

All in all, multi-layer flooring is an exquisite choice. If you would like to learn more about our MLF selection at ICC Home, please call or visit us for more information.