Choosing the Right Floor for Your Family Room

MODA Guest Blogger: Claire Bowen, Shaw Flooring, http://www.shawfloors.com/

The family room. Chief gathering spot. Relaxation Central.

Since it’s the space where lots of your family’s life happens, it should be comfortable, cozy, and inviting. And all the furnishings should be durable and family-friendly—especially the sofa, the chairs … and the floor.

If it’s time for new family-room flooring, you’ll want to consider not only style preferences but foot-traffic and use. Here are some helpful tips:

Carpet. Like to stretch out on the floor and play board games with the kids? You may want carpet—it’s soft, warm, and sound-absorbing. You can go with lighter colors, thanks to modern stain-resistance technology. But darker colors, luxurious textures, and today’s cool patterns are also forgiving of daily life.

Hardwood and laminate. You may prefer the elegance of a hard surface floor. Wood and wood looks are extremely versatile—they can be rustic and outdoorsy or sleek, rich, and sophisticated. Plus, high-tech finishes make them more durable than ever.

Tile and stone. Tile and stone can withstand loads of wear and tear. Just use a big, lush area rug if children are running around. It’s great flooring for a room with a pool entry, but be sure to get something with texture to reduce slipperiness. Tile can be installed with decorative accents or in unusual patterns to add interest.

Area rugs. Placing a rug over tile, hardwood, laminate—or even carpet—works beautifully from the standpoint of both fashion and function. It adds softness, extra luxury, and an exciting touch of personal style.

A Wine Cellar is a State of Mind

MOSAIC Group Guest Blogger: Maggie Meroney, CSW, FWS

Wine Consultant and Director of Education, pH Wine Merchant

Do you think a wine cellar is only for the 1 percent? And do you picture it downstairs? Rid your mind of both those misconceptions. The place you relax at the end of a long day is your “Cellar” when there is wine storage nearby.

There are good and bad ways to store wine. A rack above your refrigerator is a bad way. An interior closet is a good way. Even better is when your liquid treasures have optimum conditions; low light, good humidity, consistent temperature and stillness.

Exposure to light will change the flavor of a wine. The French call this Goût de Lumière, the taste of light. And it is not meant as a compliment. The double whammy of insufficient humidity and fluctuating temperatures will cause corks to expand and contract, allowing air into your bottles. Too much oxygen in wine causes musty, baked flavors. And finally, vibration injects energy into your wine. Imagine being shaken constantly. You would be exhausted too! Vibration prematurely ages wine.

Why save wine? Here are a few reasons:

·         Variety is the Spice of Life.

·         You got a great deal on case purchases.

·         You bought every bottle you could find from your kid’s birth year.

·         It’s more social than stamp collecting.

·         It’s your built-in gift shop.

·         Liquid Assets (pun intended)

So what are you waiting for? And once you have your space ready, come see us.