Are you looking for ways to refresh your home?  Making simple updates can breathe new life into your bedroom and bathroom, and help your whole living environment feel new.  Here are some tips that pack a big wallop with minimal effort.


Less Is More
Do you sift through stacks in your closets attempting to locate basic necessities, or constantly misplace fundamentals, like your keys and your phone?  If you can’t seem to get organized, paring down on clutter can mean a smoother daily routine, reducing frustration and opening up time you would otherwise waste searching for things.  Not only that, Psychology Today explains decluttering appears to offer important mental health benefits, helping you feel more at peace with your homelife, reducing stress levels, and even encouraging healthier eating habits.  


Start With Your Sanctuary
Cutting clutter in your bedroom seems to be especially beneficial, helping to create a sanctuary for your sleep.  For instance, if books are piling up or you have clothing you don’t wear, you can free up space to be better organized and have fewer distractions.  You also should consider eliminating items such as electronics, which can inhibit your ability to sleep well. Do some editing, and if you have furniture or other belongings you’re on the fence about keeping, try storing them off site for a while.  If you miss them, you can retrieve them later, or you might decide it’s time to part ways. It’s an inexpensive answer to your dilemma, with the overall average price of a self-storage unit booked in Atlanta over the past 180 days coming in at $108.45.


Rethink Colors
A fresh coat of paint is one of the most effective and easy ways to give rooms a new look.  When it comes to a bedroom that inspires a cheerful outlook, House Beautiful suggests colors that are fun, bold and bright.  Walls in turquoise, pinks or reds promote energy, whites and greys soothe, or you can boost romance with elegant black.  Accessories can be pops of color or simply white to add contrast. For a bathroom that feels soothing and spa-like, select grey tones or soft blues.  Coordinated accents in deeper shades of the same hues add subtle elegance, or add some fun and flavor with citrusy shades of yellow, lime, or orange.  
​

Linens For The Look
Selecting bed linens can have as much to do with color and pattern as it does thread count.  One idea is to mix and match patterns to create a look that evokes comfort, luxury and texture.  Choose a palette and patterns with common ground, whether it’s in the form of base or accent colors.  Then, select window treatments in fabrics and colors that mesh, such as neutrals for a modern look, or heavy patterns for a classic feel.  Don’t be afraid to pull together the room with stripes and medallions or paisleys and chevrons. With a repeat of the same hue throughout, you can ensure a cohesive feel.  

​
Improve Organization
For your space to continue to work well for you, you’ll need to stay organized and avoid letting it become cluttered all over again.  Working with a professional organizer will set you back between $50 and $100 per hour, so to avoid shelling out extra cash for your home makeover, use some cost-effective DIY strategies instead.
In your bedroom, look for smart storage solutions, such as crates on castors that roll into the wasted area under your bed.  You can also turn unused wall space in closets into vertical shoe storage. If your closet is small, a garment rack can both display and store clothing effectively.  For better bathroom storage, add attractive wall cabinets and shelving, or hang a skirt under a pedestal sink for hiding cleaning products and hygiene items where they are handy but unseen.  You can even install a shelf to wrap around the wall over your sink for keeping toiletries at your fingertips; just choose attractive containers to complete the look.  

Give your abode a refresher by revamping your bedroom and bathroom.  Cutting down clutter, using inspiring color schemes, and organizing thoughtfully can keep you on track and improve your outlook.  Try these simple and smart solutions for making a big impact in both how you live and how you feel.


Author Credit:
​
​Suzie Wilson
Happier Home

Floor covering can make or break a project.  I learned this in fourteen years as CEO of J.J. Haines, the nation’s largest floor covering distributor.  The age of the internet makes it very difficult to stay ahead of your clients.  You must deal with homeowners who sometimes are more expert than you. Or, think they are.  The proliferation of new flooring products, like LVT, make it difficult for you to stay up to date.  In the end, you need some degree of expertise and command of the lingo.
​
What is LVT and what are the different types?
​
LVT stands for Luxury Vinyl Tile.  However, LVT is just an umbrella term. It encompasses three primary types of products.  Flexible LVT and two multi-layer products, WPC and SPC.
​
Flexible LVT is the original form of LVT and it is a vinyl flooring in a tile format or plank. LVP, or Luxury Vinyl Plank, is in a plank or strip format like wood flooring.  Flexible LVT and LVP are made of vinyl with an image layer and a protective layer. The image layer allows the product to look like anything such as ceramic tile, stone, wood, etc. The vinyl comes in various thicknesses. It is basically flexible. The protective layer provides scratch resistance, etc.

​WPC is a second generation LVT and is technically referred to as “wood/polymer” core. It is one of the two multi-layer LVT types and comes in tile and plank formats.  WPC’s layers include vinyl, thermoplastic, air, calcium carbonate and wood flour. It can look like wood, ceramic tile or stone. It is thicker than Flexible LVT and is “waterproof.” Being thicker, it can be used on a wider variety of sub floors.  

SPC is the third generation LVT and is a multi-layer LVT with a “solid” polymer core.  That means it is more rigid and is often referred to as “rigid core.”  In a plank format it has the heft of wood. Like WPC, it usually looks like wood, ceramic tile or stone.  SPC, being more rigid, it is more durable.  Like WPC, SPC can be used on a variety of substrates with less preparation than what is needed for Flexible LVT or LVP.

The problem is that marketing language will typically not identify the LVT type. So, it is important for you to understand the performance benefits of any LVT.  Is it truly waterproof or water-resistant?  What exactly is the spec? What is the dent, scratch and stain resistance?  What does it sound like when walked on? Some LVT types are sold with pad attached underneath.
​
There are many good flooring product choices

Flooring is a fashion and function product with many options to fit any need and wallet.  Common considerations when deciding on a flooring type are: dogs, cats, kids, beach sand, mud tracked in, heavy foot traffic, warmth, coziness, unique look, stylish, open floor plan, uni-look floor level, non-slip, etc. 

The two most popular floor coverings for homeowners are wood and tile (ceramic/porcelain).  Wood is now used throughout the entire house. Anywhere. Even in kitchens and bathrooms when the homeowner isn’t worried too much about it being “wet.”  Tile is a close favorite but with more limited room applications.
​
Solid wood is at the highest end and is the flooring that lasts the longest. It can be customized in terms of species and stain to match any palette desired, and it can be sanded and refinished.  It tends to be more popular with wealthier people and in climates conducive to it, such as northern climes.

Engineered wood is used more than solid wood primarily because of its lower cost and easier installation. It comes in various installation modes, thicknesses, number and types of layers, lengths, widths, species of wood, colors, and “textures” such as distressed, hand scrapped, oil finished, etc. The variety of products and prices is extremely broad. It is often used in southern climes where solid wood might have problems with the humidity.

Tile (ceramic and porcelain) is extremely popular in kitchens, bathrooms and laundry areas but is used throughout the first floor and on the second floor in very hot and humid climes. The looks and sizes have changed a lot in the past few years to include larger formats, wood looks and plank format.  European looks at U.S. prices are available.

Carpet is not as popular as it once was but is still a top product in bedrooms. Carpet has changed. There are many types of carpet fibers, feels, looks and features such as low odor and easy-clean for pets, microbe-resistant, easy to clean, etc. There are plenty of wonderful carpets to choose from.

Traditional vinyl and Laminate have places in residential remodeling, especially if the budget is a big problem.  Both are choices for basements, playrooms, mud rooms, laundry areas, etc. Laminate is easy to install albeit it can sound “hollow” and loud without proper underlayment. There are some very good high-end laminates, and some are now “waterproof.”  Traditional vinyl is a very affordable choice and it comes in new looks with new features such as more stain and scratch resistance.
​
Helping Your Clients

You want to have a collaborative experience with your homeowner client but don’t want to lose control of the floor covering decision.  You don’t want the risk of the client dictating products which either won’t work, aren’t in your wheelhouse or deny you a reasonable profit.
​
Get ahead of the decision by listening to the client but showing your flooring expertise. You will probably bring in your flooring expert. There are plenty of sites you can find on the internet to do research, and your network and associations help. I recommend these resources: Floor Covering News, Floor Covering Weekly, Floor Focus, The National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA), and Why Tile, the Tile Industry’s site.

Click the button below to learn more about the DOMOTEX USA flooring show coming to Atlanta in February 2019. NARI Atlanta members can attend for free using promo code: NARIATL19.