10 Things To Think About Before Installing Hardwood Flooring

Hardwood floors can add beauty and warmth to any room in your home and can be a wise choice if you are remodeling or building an addition. Hardwood floors can last for decades so selecting the best hardwood floor for your particular needs is important. Here's some things to think about if you are considering installing hardwood floors in your home.

1. Type of hardwood flooring. Believe it or not, there are countless types of hardwood floors. The first thing to do is to choose amongst the various types.

2. Price. Not everything that is expensive is of the best quality. Most often than not, the price of flooring depends on the cost of materials from which it is made and how it was transported from the manufacturing plant to the present store. If the flooring is imported from another country, chances are it might cost a lot, but is not necessarily sturdier.

3. Maintenance. Various types of hardwood floors require different forms of cleaning to maintain the original look. Though the usual sweeping and waxing will do, specially formulated cleaning formulas are available depending on the type of flooring and different kinds of woods may have different cleaning restrictions and needs.

4. Repair. Not all wood floors lasts forever. Proper repair and maintenance of damaged floors can preserve the original grandeur, but you must be sure that the appropriate materials will be on hand years down the road.

5. Method of payment. If one is short in cash, look for stores that accept credit card payments. Since there are still some home depots that do not accept specific types of credit cards, it would be best to check first if ones credit card is acceptable from where one has decided to purchase. If the only place where ones preferred hardwood floors is available does not accept credit cards, it would be best to first save the needed cash since it would be unlikely that they would run out of stocks until such time that funds are accumulated.

6. Not all hardwood floorings are of the same colour. Choose the shade that best suits the general motif or shade of the house and its furniture for a more coordinated look

7. Consider the rooms where the hardwood floor will be installed. Naturally, if one prefers their bathroom floor to be made of wood, this would entail a special type one since it is common knowledge that wood and water don't mix.

8. To purchase unfinished or pre-finished wood flooring. Hardwood floors can be bought in its unfinished (not subjected to any treatment) or pre-finished (has several coating of UV-cured polyurethane) state. Installation of pre-finished hardwood floors would result in lesser odours and dust, thus requiring little time for clean up.

9. Installation. Hardwood floors may be nailed down, glued or floating. If the current floors are covered with ceramic tiles or vinyl the floating form is the best. This also cuts the cleaning time since it would only be assembled on top of the old flooring Choose which best suits the type of under floor one has or the capability of the one doing the task.

10. Choosing between engineered and solid woods. Engineered ones are much easier to install since they can be glued or nailed down. Solid woods on the other hand cannot be subjected to sub-standard installations.

Whatever type of hardwood flooring one chooses, you are sure to end up with a handsome element for the room that is both functional and durable.

House Visit: Wrapping Things Up

What a difference a few weeks can make. We're in the home stretch on the house that we were working on a few weeks ago, where we were stuck in vanity mirrors, countertops and cabinets. Well, as you can see, most of these hurdles have been cleared and we're finishing up the last few bits of work, including the countertop and faucet for the vanity, as you will see below.

We're also still waiting on the installation of the back splash but otherwise, the kitchen is all but done. The countertops are granite and I personally love how the swirls of reddish brown in the stone accent the orange of the divider and the dark browns of the cabinets. We finished the wood-paneled pocket for the stainless steel refrigerator and the grout on the porcelain tile flooring. We modified the cabinets above the cook top and installed the undercounted stainless steel sink, as well. 

Like I said, we're still waiting on the granite countertops in the bathroom and the bowl sink but overall, I'm really happy with how this turned out, and the customer has been very flattering about the entire project. More later this week. 

The Role of Lighting in Interior Decorating

The types of lighting used in a room can dramatically change the way that room looks. Lighting can be a complicated issue, so let's start by defining some lighting terms.

Incandescent lights. These lights give a nice, golden glow to a room. They are much nicer to use than the cheaper looking fluorescent lights.

Down lights are round or square canisters, usually metal, that are recessed into or mounted onto the ceiling. These lights could be used as spotlights, floodlights or for general lighting.

Table lamps can be used as task lighting or for general lighting.

Up lights are normally one-bulb lights that are placed on the floor behind furniture, glass shelving or plants to give them a dramatic accent.

Strip lighting can be used behind shelves and on stairs and platforms for a dramatic result. The platforms lit this way can appear to be floating above the floor.

Track Lighting. A track makes it possible to use one electrical outlet to supply electricity to many lights along the track's length. The track can be surface mounted or recessed. Track lighting is one of the most versatile lighting systems available and can be moved around to accent different areas of a room.

Track lighting and recessed lighting can be set to produce an effect called wall washing which, as it sounds, washes an entire wall with light.

Dimmer switches give the ability to provide a different level of light by turning the knob. Dimmers save electricity and provide mood lighting for special occasions.

Different rooms in the home need different lighting. Halls and stairs should be well lit to prevent accidents. Living rooms need a mixture of lighting options: background, task lights and accent lighting. The best lighting for kitchens is bright overhead lights and extra under-counter lights for task lighting.

All types of lighting fixtures can be found for whatever your needs may be. They can run from very inexpensive to extremely high cost fixtures.

There are special considerations when using lighting for art or wall hangings.

If you are lighting a single picture or painting, try to place the light so that it does not show a reflection on the glass of the art piece. There are special picture lights made especially for lighting pictures but some of these are not very effective since they can only highlight the top or bottom of the picture. Down lights are a good alternative.

When lighting a group of pictures, it's better to use individual lights in track lighting that can be positioned towards the pictures.

Lighting sculptures can be particularly challenging. You can use up lights, down lights or even strip lights, depending upon the sculpture and its placement. Experiment with different lights and their placement to get the best effect.

Creative use of lighting can really enhance your decorating project. Make use of all of the different types of lighting to make your home a beautiful showcase.

Job Visit: New Shades

We went out on a paint job today and I thought it'd be good to get some practice in as I have been slacking on the photos from other sites; this will be rectified. This was a pretty generic paint job on a nice apartment in midtown, around Lexington Ave., medium-sized room with just some minor spackle work and repairs. Not a huge show-off project but it was nice to get some photos up on here and get some of our more unsung workers on camera. And check out that awesome chandelier!

6 Best Ways To Better Home Improvement

Have you always wanted to learn how you can improve your home? I have some tips for you so that you know where to start:

1) In home improvement, getting help where you need it is a good idea. If you are not sure how to do electrical work, you can ask the professionals for help. There are many places where you can seek assistance with just about any project at home that you may have in mind. Hiring a professional often help. This is a good idea because you want your home (and yourself) to be safe and everything to work the way that it should. You can also ask your friend who may know how to do it and they can lend you a hand.

2) Paving your driveway is a great place to start. You will be able to see the difference when compared to your neighbour. In the end your home will look more inviting and also it should raise the value of your property. Remember that first impression counts. If you are tired of replacing gravel each year and muddy shoes when you get out of the car, this should be a great idea for anyone.

3) There are many things that you can do to improve the way your home will look. A simple piece of lighting from a store or a nice touch up to your door with ornaments can help a lot to improve your home. You can do on your own or do it with the help of someone else.

4) Other than paving your driveway, replacing your windows is another good way to add value to your home. You can replace your windows on your own or hire a professional to do the job for you. There are many places that you can find cheaper windows and it will also add the same beauty to your home. Here's a tip: You will also save money on your heating costs because of the new insulated windows.

5) Adding a new carpet or improve the flooring to your home is a great way. You can make a huge difference in the way that your room looks by changing the flooring or a new carpet. There are many different types of carpet and flooring that you can use and you can choose the ones that you like the best.

6) Finally, remember that home improvements can be done all year long. During the the summer months, do the work that has to be done outside the home. During winter, you can concentrate on the internal home improvements. It will even out and you will not waste time because of the opposing weather.

The ideas presented to you are now all in your hands, only you can take these tips and ideas, and put them to use to improve your home. Good luck!

A Customer Testimonial

Hey everybody! We were able to cut a clip from a set of upcoming customer testimonials we recorded earlier this month. They all came out really great and they'll all be on the site (www.clickandimprove.com), YouTube and this blog eventually but we wanted to show what we've been working on a bit. This is one of our first customers, Gladys. Enjoy!

Trendy Furniture Can Make Or Break A Room

Some say that you are what you eat. The same can apply to furniture. You are as cool as your furniture is trendy. The type of furniture you choose, the colour, style and look can make or break a room's appeal. But more than that: the furniture you choose to place in your bedroom, the furniture you sleep on or dress in front of, can truly impact on your mood, self esteem, relationships and general lifestyle.

The trendier a piece of furniture may be, the trendier you will feel. Of course, one piece of trendy or cool furniture doesn't always solve the problem of a nondescript looking room, but one piece of furniture will automatically change the feel of a room, be it the bedroom or the kitchen. You'll immediately feel that there's something special in your room and that will automatically improve your mood and help you better enjoy the time you spend in that room.

If you are seeking to impress someone, your trendy furniture will attract their attention and curiosity and create the mood for a friendly conversation. Good conversation makes visitors much more comfortable and relaxed and opens up the way for new and exciting opportunities.

What to look for in trendy furniture?

Most trendy furniture pieces these days tend to combine older styles in a new look. An old chair may be revamped with modern materials and fabrics. It's that blend of old and new that makes trendy furniture what it is. Such pieces often come in bold and confident colours and lines. The odder a piece of furniture looks, the trendier it is and the more interest it will attract. Folks visiting your home will enjoy your interesting furniture and you'll enjoy living with your trendy furniture.