Trends For Floors

Flooring experts look ahead to what's next

A hot topic for hundreds of experts gathered at the recent 2011 Remodeling Show in Chicago was trends in wood flooring. Now in its 20th year, the show is the premier event in the nation for remodelers to look to what lies ahead in their industry. Wood floors remain a popular choice for interior designers, contractors, remodelers and do-it-yourselfers interested in increasing a home's appeal. One reason is the flexibility of wood floors - they work well in either modern or traditional decorating styles. Installing wood floors can also provide a strong return on investment. Houses with wood floors sell faster and for a higher price than others, according to a 2010 national survey of real estate agents by the National Wood Flooring Association. In today's hyper-competitive housing market, sellers need every possible advantage. Some people shy away from wood floors due to misconceptions about maintenance, but new technologies have made it very simple to care for wood floors. Most require little more than sweeping and/or vacuuming and occasional application of an appropriate professional cleaning product. Lumber Liquidators - North America's largest specialty retailer of hardwood flooring - drew steady traffic to its exhibit at the Remodeling Show by discussing a number of flooring trends: Splashes of color For more eclectic tastes, the trend for hardwood floors is diverging from traditional earth tones to grays, radiant reds and bright blues. Some new finishes even include a base that glimmers in the light. Distressed is best Consumers are interested in distressed looks found in reclaimed wood or hand-scraped finishes. This trend stems from the ongoing popularity of vintage looks in many categories. Not just for pandas Bamboo is popular for its sustainability and contemporary look. New twists on bamboo floors - wire-brush finishes and grained stamping, for example - are extending its reach into homes with more traditional decors. Wide planks Popular plank sizes are being doubled and even tripled in width to between 5 and 7 inches. Preferences are often determined by the size of a home. Smaller homes can appear even smaller if planks are too wide. Border patrol Mixing in a different color or finish of hardwood floors as a border achieves creative compartmentalization of open spaces. This can be used effectively, for example, to separate a dining area from a living area in a loft-style condominium.

Easy outdoor staging tips to make the right first impression | Live Green | Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate

Easy outdoor staging tips to make the right first impression Live Green Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate

Come See Us At The SCWBEC Expo

Come see some of the staff of S.A.C. Interiors at there table at the SCWBEC Expo being held at

Hyatt Regency Long Island
April 12, 2010 9-1pm

1717 Motor Parkway
Hauppague, NY

Come out and join the fun and get some free goodie's See you there!

Powder Room

Put a new spin on freshening up a guest bathroom redo. Here are a few petite retreats with punch display dramatic color, texture, that give you big impact in a small space.

If you need help with your half baths or any design needs contact S.A.C. Interiors.

Looking For A Sweet Treat?

If you are looking for a sweet treat or other party favors call Charisse. Charisse is the event planner for S.A.C. Interiors and design diva with the master plan. To pay for ordersclick below.

Pantry

A well- stocked pantry is a cook's dream, but trying to prepare aa meal from one that's overstuffed with canned goods, extra dishes, seldom used appliances can make dinner impossible. A pantry that's organized will end up saving you time, frustration, and money. Start by completely clearing the shelves and tossing anything that's expired. Have fun and getting organized. If you need help feel free to contact S.A.C. Interiors

Conversation Piece

We live a more casual lifestyle than we did 20 years ago. Formal living and dining rooms are being replaces with spaces that allow conversation to take place with those in the kitchen, without everyone feeling there so boxed in and they have to be there.

Holiday Decorating

December has wonderful holiday's for building decorating schemes from many interest, hobbies, items and themes. You may find a ribbon in an amazing color that sparks a whole decorating scheme. If your decorating for Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa etc start your planning in advance.

Most often than not, decorating quickly for the holiday's will never be a challenge. Adding small touches here and there are enough to pull even the largest room together quickly and easily. As long as you have all the supplies you need decorating will take almost no time at all. You just need to know how to lay out the items properly on your table.

Decorating for the holidays is a form of celebrating heritage and tradition. So have fun decorating and enjoying time with friends and family.

The Kitchen

It's very important to me to build a relationship with my Real Estate S.A.C. Properties clients. This kitchen was like an old school lunch room that totally went the wrong way. I remember when my client first saw this home. It was between this and another home. He asked my opinion and I told him I love this home it has so much potential. I think he trust me more because I was a design professional and owned and operated S.A.C. Interiors. I told him I would hold his hand.

The contractors started gutting the kitchen.




The Kitchen is starting to come together we now have cabinets.......

Of course if your doing a new kitchen you can do a regular old floor. But we need this kitchen to "hot" or like one of my design sisters like to say give it that "WOW" effect.............

The Finish

Painting & Floor Refinishing

The satisfaction we at S.A.C. Properties have with working with Real Estate clients is once they close on there new properties. We at S.A.C. Interiors have the honor and joy to help them with there design ideas of there new house. It is a wonderful feeling to transform a house into a home. Here are a few before and after photo's.

A Message From Susan Chen

Hello Everyone,

It is my pleasure to inform you of the transformation that S.A.C. Interiors is undertaking. As a sign of the times we have expanded our business and now we offer truly one stop shopping. S.A.C. Interiors started out as a Full Service Design Company that Specialize in Home Staging. To learn more about everything we do feel free to visit us at http://www.sacinteriors.com/

We Branched out and now we have a Full Service Real Estate Company S.A.C. Properties. Please visit us at http://www.s-a-c-properties.com/.

We are also please to inform you about our Residential and Commercial Construction Company. Our Construction company for the time being will be under the umbrella of S.A.C. Interiors.

As always we look forward to serving all your Interior Design, Real Estate and Construction needs. If you have any questions or need some Do It Your Self advice feel free to contact us.

Have a wonderful Day!

Best Regards,

Su

All About Beds

The conventional feng shui advice for bedrooms is that, since it is a place of rest, colors should be more suggestive of yin, rather than yang energies, although never to such an extent that there is imbalance. For happiness luck in one's love relationship, however, feng shui does prescribe the warmer yang tones.

We can borrow a list of recommendations given to a young couples to ensure they have a happy love life. Here are a few do's and don'ts that have been passed down to me......

* Decorate the bedrooms in red during the early years of marriage. If red is found to be too strong use pinks or peach. Red creates passion and a great deal of yang energy whch brings good furtune to the relationship. White is a god color for bedsheets, but not the use of blue sheets.





*Don't Sleep Facing The Door

According to Chinese custom the death position is when one has one's feet directly facing the door. This arrangement is deemed to be a very excellent yin position for the dead, but it is deadly for the living! Actually, feng shui advises that neither the head not the feet should be pointed directly at the door of the room. When positioning a bed, it always advisable to have it placed either to the left or right of the door.........

*Separate Mattresses Lead to Separation

If your going to use Feng Shui to design your master bedroom. Then when you consider your double bed is really a double bed make sure that you have a single mattress. You should never have two mattresses since this symbolically creates a schism between the sleeping couples. Its far more better to have to separate beds, or even separate bedrooms to take account of two people having different auspicious of two peple having auspicious directions than to sleep on a bed which has two separate mattresses.

* Mirrors in the Bedroom Cause Problems

Ok Guys I know your going to hate me for this one. No No to mirrors i the bedroom. Mirrors possess a special form of energy which can either be very good ot very bad. The one place where mirrors can be a great deal of harm is in the bedroom. Mirrors are a major taboo in the bedroom. Here mirrors cause havoc in a couple's marraige and love life. Mirrors are often responsible for the entrance of third parties into an otherwise god relationship. If you must have a mirror keep it closed or covered during sleep. No mirrors on the ceilings please!!!!!

You should be very careful about mirrors that directly face the bed. Feng Shui masters attribute the breakdown of marriages, and espically infidelity, to the negative effect of mirrors reflecting the bed. In feng shui lore the reason is that the mirror creates energies which then disturb the relationship of the sleeping couple.

Rich Reds

Warm and moody, deep tones create a womb-like ambience. Traditionally favoured b royalty, the are still associated with richness and luxury. Redlent of Arabian Knights, Katmandu and the Indian subcontinent, always lend an exotic air to a room. The richest reds found on rubies and garnets lend a sumptuous, warm and intimate feel to any room...........

A Warm and Welcoming Home

Do you know how to use feng shui to create a home that is warm, cozy and welcoming?

Time to warm up your home for the cold season! We are spending more time indoors, and we need warmth on all levels, as well as the feelings of coziness and comfort. In thr colder season is to balance your enivronment with the feng shui fire element colors.

You can bring this vital feng shui energy in your environment in many ways- with decor objects, new throws, pillows, good feng shui, art maybe a wall color - be creative and have fun with it.

Abstract Artwork

I came across this wonderful selection of abstract artwork. I hope you enjoy these as much as I did.

All About Entries

It's All About Great First Impressions

When guest cross your threshold what is there first impression of your home? What opinion do they have? What thoughts are going through there heads?

Is the entry inviting? Does it reflect your personal style? Is it a great reflection of who you are that I take pride in my home? If you think it's just a pass- through think again. You have to bring it up to it's design potential if it's not already there.

Here are some quick tips:

The first thing you should look at is the lighting. The foyer is your first chance to make a statement. This is the perfect opportunity to decide how formal your foyer will be.

The easiest and cheapest way to bring any room to the light and add your personal funk to any space is.........

PAINT: You can change any scene with paint and wall covering. Some entries are small spaces so the key to making this space pop is not to clutter it up or using dark colors. If you want to bring in heavy colors try using a wallpaper border.

Focal Paint: Consider the front door as a potential design element. If you have a staircase then of course a great staircase could be a awesome focal point. You can always make your own focal point if you don't have one.

Accessories: Another great way to add drama this space. Is by using accessories if you have walls try some artwork. If you want to make the area comfort add a small bench, table or chair to hold keys. But, remember no clutter.

Reflection of bad energy: Mirrors are a great way to make a small space larger. It also will help to reflect bad energy from coming into your home. A mirror never hurts to see yourself one last time before you step outside.

All About Apartments

Make Their Space Your Home

If your currently and apartment dweller don't worry you can make this rental feel like home. You don't have to own a home to make a home your own.... Your space whether it's rented or not affects your mood and how you live in it.

The key here is to surround your self with things you LOVE. It maybe a rented space, but it should still say "It's All About Me" Living in NY there are more then 100,000 renter- occupied apartments. More and more owners are realizing the benefits of allowing renters to engage in the previously frowned-upon practice of painting and driving nails into the walls.

Owners now realize that when apartments feel like a home the tenant wants to stay longer and it's a selling point when new tenants come to look at the property.

Here are a few bullet points to help you make your apartment a home....

* Replacing standard-issue light fixtures with nice ones you can take with you when you move.

*Use large plants to hide unsightly pipes or stained walls.

*Display artwork that reflects your personality or adds a pop of color.

*Paint the walls in colors you love

*Use freestanding bookcase and hutches that provide a large scale to display space.

Remember even apartments in the same building maybe decorated differently. In small spaces the use of mirrors makes any space look larger. Plants often soften a room and gives any space a cozy feel.

Just the right chair

Looking for the perfect fit? Arm yourself with the knowledge before you shop.

Baby Bear had the right idea: This chair is too hard, this one is too soft, this one is just right....

The fabric can be as funky as zebra print or a wild floral or tailored stripe. The style can be so overstuffed that you sink into it or straight and sleek with just a padded seat. The wood can be intricately carved, tapered and hand-finished.

A perfect chair can mean different things to different people. If your redesigning your space. Research might have already have begun as you tour model homes or looking through magazines.

Tear out pages from magazines or print out pages from decorating Web Sites to provide an idea of your taste and what's available. After you have collected some ideas, take them to a furniture store along with the swatches of wall color, fabric and carpet. Plan on spending some time to find the perfect chair that looks and feels great.

Here are a few different things to think about:

Style: A chair can bring all the colors of the room together. There are chairs that make a statement. Remember if your buying a new chair to fit into a space were there is already furniture the new chair should work with whats already in the space.

Function: What are the plans for this new chair? Will it be used everyday? A perfect reading chair? A chair that will be used everyday must be able to stand up to the test of time it not only has to be comfortable, it has to have great wear and tear.

Scale: The room size is an important factor on this new chair. Small scale furniture gets lost in large room with soaring ceilings. If you have an 80- inch sofa you may not want to go with a chair that is around 30 inches. It just doesn't look good its all about proportions.

Fit: After you pick out the perfect chair don't forget to sit in it! That's the only way you will know it's really the perfect chair.

Construction: The best chairs are eight-way hand tied with proper spring construction. The frame will use hardwood, often maple , and will have double dowels and be corner- glued and screwed. The better the quality the longer the chair will last.

Have fun sitting and shopping!

At Home Spa? I Love My Bathroom

It's all about Bath's! This is one room that should be full of things you LOVE. Decorate with the idea of the pampering yourself attitude. Getting away from the daily stress of life can be as easy as walking down the hall into your bathroom.

Where else can you soothe away the stress of the day and rejuvenate your spirits? What takes a bath beyond practical and makes it luxurious? A GREAT TUB of course, but here are a few other things that can make it luxurious a sparkling crystal chandelier, stone tiles, sconces, body sprays and artist mural. But if you have an excellent view out your bathroom window that does not hurt at all.

Even if your bathroom lacks square footage or if it's an aging bath. You still don't have to give up style. Quick touches are quality lighting fixtures, paint, fabric, shower heads add touches of luxury. If you have a small bathroom it's really an advantage. It takes fewer pieces of marble or travertine tiles to add luxury to this size bath.

A new counter top adds a new twist to old baths. Add more space by replacing sink vanity's with pedestal sinks. Paint Paint Paint. I always say paint is the cheapest way to update any room. Visually expand space by keeping everything in one light color. Paint can add depth to walls with different paint techniques or by using mirrors. Mirrors work magic in small bathrooms by reflecting the light in the space. Run mirrors wall to wall and counter top to ceiling to give any small space the impression of more space. To add more charm to your mirror try framing it out.