The holidays are looking a little more normal this year. We can’t wait to gather with friends and family. Of course, we want every detail to be perfect for guests--from holiday decor to fresh, clean floors. But hosting also means more dirt, food and wine stains to manage. So there’s often even more cleaning to do after the parties are over. We’ve got some tips for addressing some of the worst offenders on your own (pro tip: baking soda isn’t just for holiday cookies). These DIY tricks are helpful on the fly. But keep in mind that a professional … [Read more...] about What’s The Best Way To Remove Stains From My Carpet?

With today’s hot Northern Virginia real estate market, the demand for older homes is high. Whether you’ve fallen in love with an 18th or 19th Century historic home or a 50s style rancher with great bones and lots of updating to be done, finding the right flooring is an essential part of a loving restoration. One recommendation for homeowners: allow yourself to be guided by the time period-- and work with contractors who get it. It may sound silly, but we often find ourselves asking, “What does the house want?” When you have a period home, … [Read more...] about Updating an Older Home: Tips on Flooring

Hardwood is still the gold standard in flooring: gorgeous, durable, and long-lasting. It’s also pricey and takes plenty of maintenance to keep it looking its best. But here’s the good news: you can get hardwood glam without paying hardwood prices. 21st Century technology has given us gorgeous and affordable alternatives in hard flooring from top manufacturers. Here’s a look at some of our favorites. Laminate Planks as an Alternative to Hardwood Laminate planks look expensive, but they’re surprisingly affordable. They’re also super functional … [Read more...] about What Are The Best Alternatives to Hardwood?

The idea of a DIY home improvement project can be romantic. We envision ourselves taking on a task, learning a few new skills and finishing the project with a terrific new living space. But when it comes to flooring, trying to tackle it yourself is more likely to lead to headaches, heartache and frustration. If you don’t know what you’re doing, flooring can be chaotic, frustrating and easy to mess up. So many DIYers wind up disappointed with the result--or forced to call in the pros to clean up the mess. Here’s a look at some common DIY … [Read more...] about DIY Flooring Pitfalls: Why It Pays To Hire A Pro

Tell the truth: you’ve probably done just a little furniture rearranging during the pandemic. And now that many of us are easing back into entertaining in our homes, the urge to change things up is strong. But when we start moving furniture, we usually find dents in our carpet and rugs. These divots happen when furniture compresses the fibers of your carpet. But don’t panic: they’re easy to remove with a bit of effort or professional support. Are Furniture Marks Permanent? The good news is those annoying furniture divots are usually not … [Read more...] about How Can I Remove Furniture Dents From My Carpets and Rugs?

The construction and home improvement industries have been on a roller coaster ride during the COVID pandemic. Supply chain issues and significant increases in consumer demand have led to lower inventory on almost every product. As a result, consumers are experiencing higher prices and longer wait times for projects large and small. However, it’s still possible to get gorgeous new flooring at a reasonable price from a reliable partner. You might need to be a little more patient and flexible than usual. And if you’re thinking about new flooring, … [Read more...] about Will It Take Me Longer To Get Flooring in 2021?