Allie Racette

Hardwood vs LVP: Which is Right for You?

by Allie Racette | Jun 29, 2023 | Flooring

Millennials everywhere are tearing up the outdated wall-to-wall carpeting in their homes and – if they’re lucky – finding beautiful original hardwood underneath. Hardwood has become the standard for elegant, timeless flooring. But while hardwood is beautiful, there might be an option out there that’s better for your wallet and your lifestyle.

LVP – or luxury vinyl plank – has become a common alternative to hardwood. While hardwood floors have many benefits, such as longevity, uniqueness, and durability, LVP is an excellent option for homeowners looking for a more affordable option.

Here are three benefits to consider when deciding between LVP and hardwood flooring:

Durability and Maintenance

While hardwood is extremely durable, it does require regular maintenance, such as frequent cleaning and occasional refinishing. When first laid, hardwoods need to acclimate to the home for up to two weeks before they can be walked on. Each time you refinish them, you’ll need to remove all your furniture and avoid walking on them for three to four days – not to mention the strong fumes.

If you have a busy home with active children or lots of visitors, you might have to reseal your hardwoods more often due to the wear and tear of heavy foot traffic. Children and visitors can also mean more spills and more messes. LVP is waterproof, unlike hardwood, and extremely easy to clean. LVP is also resistant to scratching and other surface damage without the need for sealing, making it an excellent choice for busy homes.

Cost and Installation

Sometimes it’s tempting to spend big when renovating a home, especially if you crave that luxury look. Thankfully, LVP looks beautiful, but doesn’t break the bank. Not only is the initial cost of LVP lower than that of traditional hardwood flooring, but you’ll save money on the installation, too.

Here’s a good example: Herringbone is a popular look for flooring right now, but installing herringbone hardwoods is a tedious, time consuming process. It takes twice as long to install as standard hardwood and needs to be hand-sanded to preserve the pattern after installation. Those labor and installation costs add up quickly. With LVP, however, this herringbone effect is much easier to achieve, giving you the same gorgeous look while saving on labor costs.

Variety and Design Options

Many people love the unique look of hardwood flooring. Because hardwood is natural – with wood grain differences, naturally occurring knots, and color variations – no two planks are the same.

For some, this is one of the selling points of hardwood floors. But if you’re looking for more consistency in the look of your flooring, LVP is a good option.

Because LVP is manufactured, the planks are consistent and create a completely cohesive look throughout your home. LVP can also be manufactured in a wide variety of colors and designs to mimic any wood – or non-wood materials, too!

Hardwood or LVP? There are benefits to both, but LVP is a solid choice for busy homeowners with bustling homes searching for flooring that is beautiful, affordable, durable, and easy to maintain. So: the traditional luxury of hardwoods or the simple, family-friendly elegance of LVP – which would you choose?

LVP flooring (above) can be just as elegant and timeless as hardwood (below) with the benefit of lower installation costs and less maintenance.

5 Tips for Spring Cleaning with Interior Design in Mind

by Allie Racette | Apr 29, 2023 | Cleaning, Decorating

We’re all familiar with spring cleaning. Spring is the perfect time of year to open your windows, air out your home, and spend time on some much-needed deep cleaning and decluttering. While you’re refreshing your home, why not refresh your interior design, too?

Here are five simple tips to help you keep interior design in mind while spring cleaning this year:

1. Finish unfinished projects.

Spring cleaning is a great time to put the finishing touches on all those home improvement projects you started – and possibly abandoned – during the winter months. Maybe you were painting your bedroom, refinishing your floors, or changing out the hardware on your kitchen cabinets. Spring cleaning is the perfect opportunity to tie up these loose ends and finish the little projects that can make a BIG difference to your home’s appearance.

2. Swap out linens, pillows, and curtains.

When you’re tackling spring cleaning, you’ll probably take the opportunity to wash the soft finishes in your home that might just get spot cleaned the rest of the year. If you’re already taking down your living room curtains to clean them, why not swap them out for something different? Rotating your curtains, bed linens, and throw pillows is an easy way to keep your home looking fresh and new. It’s also a good strategy to help you remember to deep clean things like curtains, that might otherwise get overlooked!

3. Consider closed storage while organizing.

We all have clutter; that’s just a fact of life. A certain amount of well-staged open shelving can look chic, but leaving everything you own out on display can make a home feel too busy. While you’re decluttering and organizing this spring, consider adding some closed storage solutions to your home. TV stands with drawers and cabinets and built-ins with doors are perfect for hiding away some of the every day clutter, helping your home feel cleaner and more streamlined.

4. Give investment pieces special attention.

Do you have a beautiful, expensive rug in your living room, or an antique kitchen table that’s been in your family for generations? Spring cleaning is the perfect time to invest in maintaining these pieces. Rent a carpet cleaner (or hire a professional) to deep clean your rug and take the time to refinish that gorgeous table. You can also hire professionals to deep clean your couch! Maintaining these key items will keep them looking beautiful so they can elevate your home’s design for years to come.

5. Update your lighting.

Spring cleaning means dusting all the light fixtures – and maybe noticing that some of them have seen better days. Lighting is vital to a well-designed home. If your light fixtures are outdated, consider upgrading them this spring. If you don’t want to replace the fixtures themselves, something as simple as swapping out light bulbs can make a big difference!

Spring cleaning is all about making your home look its best – from dusting the baseboards to scrubbing the floors. Interior design is also about making your home look its best, so why shouldn’t the two go hand-in-hand? Use these tips to help your home sparkle this spring, and tell us in the comments what your favorite spring cleaning projects are!

And if you’re looking for some foolproof spring cleaning products, download our Renovation Prep Guide for our recommendations!

Updating your lighting, embracing closed storage, and regularly maintaining the investment pieces in your home can go a long way toward elevating your interior design.

Choosing the Best Stone for Your Kitchen Counters

by Allie Racette | Mar 16, 2023 | Kitchen Renovations

You’re finally remodeling your kitchen, meticulously selecting every last detail. You’ve chosen your cabinets, your flooring, your plumbing and hardware finishes, your light fixtures – but one decision is harder than the rest. What type of stone should you choose for your countertops?

From marble to granite to quartz, there are many types of stone to choose from, and they each have their pros and cons. While we could compare and contrast every type of stone there is, it’s better to stick to the popular choices. (They’re popular for a reason, after all.)

So, when you’re choosing your countertops, how do you decide – marble or quartz?

MARBLE

When picking a kitchen countertop, it’s important to keep in mind how you’ll be using your kitchen. Are you building a chef’s kitchen because you love to cook and entertain, or are you more interested in aesthetic over function? Marble countertops are a popular choice for their luxurious, elegant look, and honed marble can be a good choice for homeowners looking for a more natural, matte stone finish. There’s no question that marble is a durable stone, but maintaining that durability requires time, attention, and money. If your marble countertops aren’t resealed every three to six months, they can be prone to staining and scratching, and have even been known to crack under high heat. If you’re the type of chef that takes a hot pan out of the oven and sets it directly on the counter, marble might not be the right choice for you.

QUARTZ & QUARTZITE

Quartz and quartzite countertops are popular alternatives to marble – but what’s the difference? While quartzite is natural stone, quartz countertops are man-made, consisting of natural quartz crystals, resin, and pigments. Quartz and quartzite are similar in durability and are scratch and stain resistant, but the resin in quartz countertops can burn under high heat. Quartzite, however, is natural stone, meaning it’s more porous – which also means your quartzite countertops will require resealing at least once a year to prevent staining.

Because quartz countertops are manufactured, they have an advantage when it comes to customization. Quartz countertops can be pigmented and molded to fit almost any kitchen design you can dream up, whereas quartzite countertops leave you reliant on their naturally occurring hue and beauty.

Marble, quartzite, quartz? There are benefits to whatever countertop you choose, from the natural beauty of marble to the low-maintenance durability of quartz. Whatever you decide, you’ll want a countertop that fits both your aesthetic and your lifestyle. Talk to your interior design team – we can help you make the choice that’s right for you and your home!

Want even more information on stone options for your countertops? Download our cheat sheet comparing the most common stone choices!

Quartz (top), honed marble (middle), and quartzite (bottom) are all popular choices for kitchen countertops.

5 Ways to Style a Large Wall Space

by Allie Racette | Jan 17, 2023 | Decorating

We’ve all been there – staring at a large, blank expanse of wall in our home, needing to fill the empty space but not knowing how. Gallery walls are always a good choice, when executed well, but they’re not your only choice! Here are just a few ideas to help you fill that empty wall, elevate your decor, and make your space feel complete.

Add a large gallery wall

This one is tried and true. There are many ways to do gallery walls, and you don’t have to use just photographs or pieces of artwork. When creating a gallery wall, try mixing various sizes and shapes of framed artwork and photographs, as well as incorporating different objects such as mirrors, sconces, ceramic wall art, or embroidery hoops to add a unique touch.

Add wainscoting

A great way to fill space on a wall is by adding wainscoting. Traditionally, wainscoting is used to protect walls from being scuffed or damaged by furniture, but wainscoting also has aesthetic benefits. Aesthetic wainscoting can be accented with artwork and wall sconces for an elegant solution to large blank walls.

Create framed wallpaper panels

If you don’t want to commit to wallpapering an entire wall but you’ve found a pattern you love, turn that wallpaper into custom art! Frame sections of wallpaper to resemble large art prints and use them to fill that empty space. Not only will they look beautiful, but they’ll be more cost-effective than purchasing large pieces of artwork.

Hang a large mirror

We often think of mirrors as just a functional piece, but they also have a lot of aesthetic value. An oversized mirror is a great way to fill a large expanse of empty wall space, with the added bonus of reflecting light and making your room look bigger. You can also use a large mirror as the focal point of a more extensive gallery wall.

Make a DIY letterboard

A DIY letterboard is just one example of a way to fill a large wall space that lets you flex your creative muscles. You can purchase kits to help you install these letterboards, or create your own with some creativity, time, and materials from the hardware store. Chalkboard walls, hand-painted murals, and other DIY projects can also be creative ways of filling the space.

No matter how you choose to style the large wall spaces in your home, the most important thing is to make them your own. With a bit of creativity and time, you can turn a large blank wall into a gorgeous focal point in your home.

How to Create a Perfect Holiday Tablescape

by Allie Racette | Dec 8, 2022 | Decorating

If you’re hosting a meal for the holidays, don’t neglect your tablescape when planning your seasonal decor. The food will be the true star of the show, but an elegant table will elevate the atmosphere and add that extra touch of design and sophistication to any holiday gathering. But where should you start when you’re planning a holiday tablescape? Here are a few of the key components to keep in mind to help you build your tablescape step by step:

Rockin’ Around the Centerpiece

While your centerpiece is the literal center of your table, it’s also central to the design of your tablescape. Starting with your centerpiece and building your table around it is an excellent strategy for creating a cohesive look. Seasonal greenery, candles, and small decor pieces are popular for holiday centerpieces. Once your centerpiece is assembled, you can pull colors and textures from it to incorporate throughout your tablescape. For instance, if you have red berries in your centerpiece greenery, try coordinating with red napkins. Crystal votive candles might inspire crystal chargers, or organic textures might carry through to textured place mats.

Change It up With Chargers

If you don’t want to cover your table with a tablecloth, or if place mats just aren’t your style, chargers are an excellent choice for both practical and decorative purposes. Chargers can help protect your table from spills, heat, and condensation – and look good while doing it. If you keep your dishware simple, you can opt for a more decorative charger, or a simple charger can lend itself to more elaborate plates.

A Note on Napkins

Whether you’re using cloth napkins or disposable ones, there’s no need to settle for something plain. There are plenty of ways to embellish your napkins – without learning any complicated napkin folds. (Of course, if you love napkin folds, go for it!) Add a finishing touch to your napkins with a simple detail, like a napkin ring, a decorative pick, or a place card. Remember – it’s the little details that pull everything together.

Everyday essentials

Once your centerpiece and the decorative elements are in place, it’s time to address the basics. Silverware, glasses, plates – everything you need to actually enjoy a meal. It’s best to keep these pieces simple. The days of having special plates and utensils that only get used during the holidays are over. Invest in solid, high-quality dishes that will last you for years to come. Choosing neutral pieces will ensure your essentials will mix and match with every theme you choose, year after year. But neutral doesn’t have to mean boring! Look for plates with designs and patterns for visual interest, but choose neutral colors that can fit into any tablescape, like grays and off-whites.

A well-crafted tablescape is essential to any holiday meal. Not only will a beautiful table make your home-cooked meal look even more appetizing – it will make your guests feel welcome and set the tone for an elegant, enjoyable, and memorable evening.

What’s your number one holiday tablescape essential?