Will Your House Stand The Test of Time?

Kids, pets, high heels and spills – there’s a lot that your home needs to stand up to. Locally owned flooring retailer, Cinderella Carpet One in Salinas, offers four tips for creating a durable home that will stand the test of time.

Choose Textiles Wisely:
  When choosing fabrics and upholstery for your home, there are many materials that are durable and look great too. Today’s vinyl and ultra-suede materials are designed to give you a stylish look while performing well on a daily basis. Look for fabrics that are machine-washable and upholstery that resists stains so that you can easily wipe up any mess.

Invest in Durable Floors:
  Whether you love a hardwood look or you’re looking for soft carpet, investing in a quality, durable floor, will save you time, energy and disappointment in the years to come. For hardwood, pay attention to the finish. You’ll want something durable like the Intensity Surface Shield™ on Invincible Hardwood  which utilizes multiple layers of aluminum oxide infused with nano-particles to create a floor that retains its beauty longer than other wood floors.

For a soft surface, look for stain resistant fibers and pay attention to the warranty. Many carpet warranties may exclude common household stains like coffee and pet stains. Carpet One Floor & Home’s Relax, it’s…Lees carpet offers a 25 year “No Exclusions” warranty that covers stains like grease, coffee, cola, mustard, and pet stains.

Another great option for a durable home is vinyl. Today’s vinyl is durable and easy-to-clean plus it mimics the look of ceramic tile, natural stone, and even hardwood.

Keep Breakables Out of Reach:
  Whether it’s Spot’s wagging tail or the weekly play date, lots of activity in your house can make knocking over a vase or lamp a regular occurrence. Keep your breakables safe by placing them on high shelves or behind the protective doors of a hutch or curio cabinet.
 For vases, accents and lamps that are well within reach, opt for more durable materials like wood, metal or even woven baskets.

Create Easy-to-Clean Surfaces:
 From finger prints on the walls to footprints on the floors and spills on practically every surface, messes come in many shapes and forms. Make your life easier and keep your house looking great by choosing easy-to-clean products.  Satin and semi-gloss paint will be easier to clean but if you’re looking for a matte finish most major paint brands carry a washable version. The extra expense of an easy-to-clean paint will more than pay for itself in time and money saved from not having to repaint.

A little extra consideration when choosing products for your home will help you create a beautiful space that will stand up to whatever life throws at it. For more tips and information on creating beautiful home, visit Carpet One Floor & Home’s Beautiful Design Made Simple Blog. Or visit Cinderella Carpet One at 6 Rossi Circle in Salinas to discover a beautiful new floor you will love.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF LUXURY VINYL FLOORS?

 Why do some people have an adverse reaction to vinyl floors?  What most people don’t know is that vinyl has come a long way and there is even a new category of vinyl floors – Luxury Vinyl Tile or LVT.

LVT is perfect for rooms that may have moisture problems or need a durable flooring option. 

LVT can save you money.  As much as  $4/sq. ft. compared to a similar hardwood style.  That really adds up considering the average kitchen size is 300 sq. ft.

LVT floors are softer and warmer.  They are great if you spend a lot of time on your feet.

And what we think is the best feature is being able to get the look you really want.  Manufacturers of LVT have created tiles that are the shape and size of wood planks so when they are installed, you get the look of a wood floor.  This type of LVT can have beveled edges and even the texture you would expect in a hardwood or tile floor. 

Below are some of the key features and benefits for LVT and plank flooring:

• The look and feel of nature’s best materials at a lower cost.
• Satisfied Green building standards and earns LEED points in commercial applications.
• Meets requirements of commercial safety codes
• Simple damp mopping is the recommended cleaning procedure.
• LVT floors are water resistant.
• LVT is cost effective for both commercial and residential applications.
• LVT is ideal for residential high-traffic areas as well as other areas of the home.
• LVT has amazing aesthetics.  The realism of the look, including distressed wood finishes, stone and slate textures and even woven textiles are grabbing consumer attention.

If you want to see examples of modern luxury vinyl, visit the websites of top manufacturers below or contact Cinderella Carpet One or request a free estimate.

• Armstrong calls its popular luxury vinyl line Alterna; tiles and planks are available in a variety of sizes:www.armstrong.com
• Mannington's Adura line includes variable-width planks, a popular improvement according to area flooring pros:www.mannington.com
• Congoleum's DuraCeramic tiles, like other luxury vinyl products, can be installed with or without the special grout:www.congoleum.com

Cinderella Carpet One Recommends 7 Smart Home Investments

Are you planning to do some home upgrades this summer?  By investing your hard earned dollars into home improvements – whether it’s new lighting, new hardware, new flooring or new landscaping – the extra income can provide a little excitement, while also increasing a home’s value for resale.

Cinderella Carpet One in Salinas, CA encourages customers to invest in creating a beautiful home. They also stress the importance of making smart decisions when you’re working on any home project. 

We know the importance of being proud of your home. A home should reflect your personality and lifestyle but you also want to ensure that your investment will offer you a high return on the value of your home.  Cinderella’s suggestions for the best ways to invest in your home are:

Find the right light. Give a room a bright, fresh new look with updated lighting fixtures.  In the bathroom, choose a light that fits both sides of the mirror evenly for a balanced spread of light, rather than a fixture that lights vanity mirrors from above and creates unflattering shadows. Different levels of light can be created by choosing from ceiling lights, lamps and task lighting. 

Choose quality flooring for a solid foundation.  Installing new flooring can give a dramatic change to a room.  It’s also a great investment in your home.  With new products like luxury vinyl tile, engineered stone, and super-soft carpet, there are many options that provide quality, performance and style. Checking the warranty available for a floor provides a good idea of the durability of a product. Cinderella provides an easy to understand warranty system to help customers make smart decisions.

 Plant an investment and watch it grow. Landscaping isn't just about good looks—it can increase a home’s value, make it sell more quickly, and even reduce energy bills.  Invest in flowering trees and perennials that will give you the gift of color year after year. Fountains, yard art, or attractive benches are also great new additions for outdoor spaces.

Build in organization. Maximize both the horizontal and vertical space in a room by adding a built-in shelving unit.  Consider a built-in bookshelf on either side of a doorway or along a blank wall to create a wrap-around cozy reading nook. 

Focus on the Outdoors.  A beautiful deck can be a natural extension of interior flooring and extend the living space of your home.  The design possibilities are endless when it comes to creating this functional yet visually appealing space.  Deck designs can range from a simple horizontal surface bordered by railings, to a more detailed design with built-in planters, barbecue station, trellises and even a recessed spa. 

Give your stairs a step up. Constant foot traffic on stairs can wreck havoc on carpets, leaving them dull and dingy.  For entrance stairways that see a constant flow of feet, a new carpet runner can do wonders for the overall look and make for a more inviting welcome area.  When choosing a new carpet runner for stairs, darker colors as well as patterns will help mask dust and dirt.  Generally, shorter pile carpets show less wear and tear over time.  Look for carpets with superior warranties, like Relax, it’s…Lees carpets.  Consider adding stair rods on the landings of each step, which add a classic accent while keeping the runner secure.  

Cook up a new look.  Update your kitchen with a new look.  Kitchen trends are looking a little softer in 2014. Warmer metals like brass and copper are being used in the place of stainless steel. And with that, warmer, natural flooring is the perfect compliment. A beautiful hardwood floor can make your kitchen feel cozier. For a natural stone look there is a new product available called engineered stone. Vero Stone, available at Cinderella, provides unbelievably realistic stone looks while providing added durability and a softer, warmer feel underfoot.

For more ideas on creating a beautiful home, download our free digital home décor magazine or visit our showroom at 6 Rossi Circle in Salinas.

VINYL FLOORING CAN BE BEAUTIFUL AND PRACTICAL

When you think of vinyl flooring do you immediately think of images of off-white, dingy, pealing floors? Many people do, but vinyl has made significant strides over the years. Advancements in technology make it possible to create looks and textures that mimic some of the most popular flooring options at more affordable prices. Since vinyl can replicate hardwood, you can use it in high-moisture spaces like bathrooms to get the hardwood look you crave. You can also get tile looks that aren't as cold as real stone.

Vinyl floors also offer the benefit of easy installation, simple cleaning and maintenance, and they also provide a cushioned comfort underfoot. These versatile floors can be used in virtually any space in the home.  These beautiful images below all feature vinyl floors.

You’ll definitely need to see it to believe it.  So hurry in to Cinderella Carpet One at 6 Rossi Circle in Salinas and ask to see our inventory of vinyl flooring.

DOES HARDWOOD FLOORING MAKE SENSE IN KITCHENS?

There are many reasons why hardwood flooring makes sense in your kitchen. One main consideration, of course, is cost. In general, hardwood flooring is less expensive than tile floors. It is more cost effective to install, and can be installed directly on top of a plywood base rather than having to do extensive sub floor preparation.   This is a surprise to many of my customers, but it’s a pleasant surprise since most would prefer hardwood anyway.

Hardwood floors can give your kitchen area a larger appearance, particularly if the rest of the homes floors are done in the same material. Having hardwood floors throughout the home brings the rooms together, and is in high demand in new homes. This will help in a sale if you ever decide to sell.

Hardwood floors do not have grout to deal with, which can easily collect dirt in a kitchen. This makes a hardwood floor much easier to clean, and to keep clean. They last longer than tile floors, and are always in style. Tile can crack and break over time, and become discolored – if a hardwood floor needs refinishing, it can simply be sanded down and refinished rather than having to be torn up and replaced. Your kitchen floor takes a great deal of abuse – spills, spots and dirt – and you need a floor that can be easily wiped up. With proper maintenance, it will last for many years.

A hardwood floor with a satin finish is the best choice for a kitchen floor, as it does a better job of hiding food and dirt spills. When selecting the type of flooring to use in the kitchen – and elsewhere in the house – remember that certain woods, such as oak, maple and cherry, are the most durable choices. Distressed pine flooring is frequently chosen because of the rustic appearance; however, pine will show dents and scratches more easily than a hard wood.

As long as you are willing to take good care of your wood floor, it will serve you well in the kitchen for a many years! This makes it a great choice for a kitchen floor.

Cinderella Carpet One in Salinas has the finest selection of hardwood floors!  With every purchase we offer expert installation and full manufacturers’ warranties.  Our professionally trained sales staff can help you find the right wood floor for your specific needs.  We offer free estimates and financing options are available to qualified buyers. 

Right now we are having a sale on all hard surface floors storewide.  Save up to 30% on Armstrong hardwood, laminate, tile, vinyl and other hard surface brands.  Visit our showroom at 6 Rossi Circle in Salinas before 9/23.

CINDERELLA CARPET ONE HELPS HOMEOWNERS CREATE BEAUTIFUL HOMES WITH ONLINE VIDEO SERIES

Cinderella Carpet One Floor & Home in Salinas and San Luis Obispo helps customers find beautiful floors for their home every day, but through an online effort, they aim to help them create beautiful homes as well. Their Beautiful Design Made Simple podcast series available through Carpet One Floor & Home’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/carpetonefh provides customers tips and design advice. 

Design specialists have partnered with Carpet One to produce a series of Beautiful Design Made Simple episodes that help homeowners make design decisions without hiring a decorator or interior designer.  Their design specialists have worked with clients on the east coast, west coast and everywhere in between, and now they are excited to bring that knowledge to a much larger audience. The partnership with design specialists is part of a long-standing program from Carpet One Floor & Home designed to help customers simplify the process of redecorating their homes.                     

Cinderella Carpet One is excited to be able to provide a resource to our customers that give them credible design advice from veterans of the style industry.  With their knowledge of style and our expertise in flooring, we feel like we have all the bases covered for our customers.

Not everyone can afford to have a decorator or designer to make his or her home beautiful, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a home that you love that speaks to your personality. 

Carpet One Floor & Home plans to release several more episodes with more advice from design specialists throughout the year.

These inspirational videos can be viewed in the Beautiful Design Made Simple playlist on Carpet One Floor & Home’s YouTube Channel.  When you are ready to update your floors, visit our showroom in Salinas and see the wide selection of exclusive brands and beautiful floors made just for you. 

Whether it’s carpet, luxury vinyl, hardwood, laminate or ceramic tile we are sure you will find just the right choice to make your home cozy and inviting.  Contact us today for your FREE in-home consultation.

MADE IN THE USA!

There are many advantages to buying products made in the USA. Purchases of products manufactured in the USA help to keep unemployment rates down. In fact, according to MadeinUSA.com, “each manufacturing job creates 5-8 additional jobs, such as suppliers, accountants, technical support, distributors and retail personnel who sell the products.” Purchasing products made in the USA also assures consumers that those products were made by workers who are treated fairly.  Cinderella Carpet One Floor & Home in Salinas and San Luis Obispo offers many options for consumers looking to purchase products made in the USA.

Many of our customers don’t realize how many options they have for purchasing flooring that is made in the USA.  Carpet 
One has a long history in the USA. According to the Carpet and Rug Institute 98% of all carpet in use in the United States today was manufactured in the United States. The first carpet mill opened in 1797 in Philadelphia, PA. Today, the carpet industry in the United States is heavily concentrated in Georgia where approximately 80% of carpet made in the USA originates. Carpet One Floor & Home works closely with carpet mills in the United States to develop products that meet their customers’ needs.

The newest innovation in carpet is super-soft fibers like those found in Carpet One’s Tigressá Cherish and Innovia Touch products.   New technologies allow for the production of ultra-fine carpet fibers that are still strong enough to stand up to household use. This gives them carpets that are softer than ever before without compromising performance.

Although not quite as common as carpet manufactured in the USA, Cinderella Carpet One also offers many hardwood flooring options that are manufactured in the USA. One of these options is their Invincible hardwood. Invincible products stand up to heavy traffic and families with active lifestyles and feature a 50-year limited warranty.

Cinderella Carpet One’s exclusive line of pink ribbon welcome mats is made in the USA as well. Welcome mats help to protect floors inside the home by trapping dirt that can stain and damage floors. Carpet One Floor & Home’s welcome mats also support the Breast Cancer Research Foundation – 25% of the sale price of each mat sold is donated.

Cinderella Carpet One is a locally owned flooring retailer serving Monterey County and San Luis Obispo area. They are part of North America’s leading floor covering co-op. Their showrooms carry a broad selection of beautiful carpet, wood, laminate, ceramic, vinyl, and area rugs including exclusive brands like Bigelow and Lees. They offer a unique customer experience with the exclusive SelectAFloor merchandising system that simplifies the shopping experience and The Beautiful GuaranteeTM, which guarantees that the customer will be 100% happy with their floor.

Our professional sales staff has the knowledge to help you choose the right floor to match any lifestyle and decor.  Contact us today for your free in-home measurement and consultation.

MAXIMIZE YOUR SPACE BY TAKING ADVANTAGE OF YOUR “FIFTH WALL"

If you are like most people, you wish you had more room in your home. You wish you had more space for storage, an extra chair, or cute knick-knacks sitting around the house.  But have you ever thought “out of the box”—the box of seeing only 4 walls?  It’s often called the "fifth wall" and how you decorate it will have a remarkable effect on what you do with the rest of the room.  I’m talking about the Floor!

All floor space takes on specific shapes, patterns and sizes and can be utilized in many other ways than just for walking.  Check out the following advice from Cinderella Carpet One in Salinas for making the most of your floor space.

Choose the right furniture:  Tables, specifically dining room tables, do not have to be huge, stealing valuable space from your floor space, especially if you don’t use it on a regular basis. Purchase compact dining sets that tuck into themselves, saving you flooring space. The same goes for furniture. Select pieces that fit the contours of the room and seat a reasonable number of people. Multi-use furniture, such as a sleep couch, is also a good idea.

Make use of corner space:  People have a tendency to not use the corners of their home. They figure nothing can fit there, right? Think again. When wall space is at a premium, making use of the space where a wall and carpet meet is important. Corner cabinets that match your flooring are ideal for storage as are desks to use for a workspace.

Underneath Storage:  The space between the floor and the bottom of your bed is typically large and only gathering dust. Use this flooring space for storage. You can place things in boxes or purchase small storage units.

Fashionable Storage: Remember that although it’s nice to have floor space, certain rooms don’t need as much. Purchasing baskets or moving storage carts can be placed in various areas around the home for additional storage.

As you are considering your floor space, you should also think about the quality of your floorcovering.  I’m talking about your floor and what you choose to use as your flooring is important, in looks, affordability and wear.  This will give your room more depth and will enhance the total design appeal of your space.

An amazing area rug can entirely change the design of a room.  It can serve as a great foundation for the colors and textures of the furniture.

Changing up the colors and patterns of your tile floor can make the floor an interesting part of the room.  And, like tile, hardwood can be laid out in a way that creates a more appealing design than merely laying down wood in a straight line.  A great wooden pattern can bring depth and character to the floor.

A stone floor is really a cool choice for your floor. It can bring elements of nature into your home, which you can build around, for a great look.

A marble floor is another great option to surprise the eye.  You can really make the entryway of a home truly stand out and use the floor as art space!

Cinderella Carpet One has been serving the Tri-County area since 1947.  We specialize in tile, carpet, hardwood, vinyl and laminate flooring, with the best array of products to choose from and a history you can count on.  Contact Cinderella Carpet One to help you maximize your “Fifth Wall”.