Wanted: Talented Artist / Graphic Designer

February 16th, 2012 by Malika

Are you or someone you know a talented Artist or Graphic Designer? Have you always dreamed of your work being on display for thousands to see and admire? Then Floor and Decor wants you. Floor and Decor is opening up a brand new store in Miami and has a unique opportunity for you to gain exposure for your artistic ability.

We are looking for two talented artists / graphic designers to use their skills to capture and visually display the true essence of Miami at our new store. We are seeking talented artists and designers to submit their interpretive design concept that will be used in one of two large shadow boxes that will be facing I-95 in Miami.

We only ask that the designs submitted have a modern theme. The rest we leave up to your creative skills to convey what Miami means to you. As they are featured prominently, they will certainly become true landmarks in Boynton Beach, Florida. The selected designs will be seen by thousands of drivers everyday as they pass through Gateway Boulevard on I-95.

The two selected designers will also be invited to the Grand Opening of our newest Floor and Decor store in Miami in April where the winning designs will be unveiled as part of the grand opening weekend events. Of course, the chosen designers also have bragging rights too!

The following are the dimensions of the shadow boxes on the corners of the building that face I-95.
• The shadow boxes are 12’ W and 10’ tall at the edge.
• The ceiling then turns in 10” and up 10” to the beginning of the radius.
• The peak of the arch is 11’4” H.
• The boxes themselves are 5’ deep
• The three surrounding walls are all concrete.

Floor and Decor will recreate the selected designs as a mosaic display using Floor and Decor products. All material to create these pieces of public art will be paid for by Floor and Decor. Please send designs in the form of PDF or JPGs. Hurry – the deadline if fast approaching! All submissions must be made no later than 2/29/2012 to socialmedia@flooranddecoroutlets.com. Ready. Set. Design!

Share and Enjoy:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Malika | No Comments »

Using Google Sketchup: Design and Plan

February 10th, 2012 by Malika

Did you know that you can be an architect without getting a fancy degree? Well, not really, but Google’s Sketchup is a cool alternative if you’d like to draw some sketches for remodeling plans you have for your home or a room in your house. Google Sketchup is a free CAD (Computer Aided Drafting) program that is rather easy to use which I love about it.

I’m certainly not going to win any prizes for my drawing skills, that’s for sure. So, even for someone like me who isn’t as gifted with drawing, Sketchup is rather foolproof. As with any new tool, you’ll have to experiment with it a bit to get the hang of it. But once you do, you’ll be mocking up new designs for your house in no time.

To start using Sketchup, first download and install it, then choose a template and start Sketchup. Choose your view from the top or side. Here are some quick tips for getting started:

To start and finish any action either use the click and release motion or click-move-click motion with your mouse for most actions to start and finish. While both are fine, you may find you have more control over the tool you are using with the click-move-click use. While it is natural to use click and release, you will find more steps involved vs. click-move-click as well.

Love that they have an undo button and an erase button where you can erase any extra lines.

Everything you draw is precise and has a real world scale. You can enter your dimensions before drawing so you know it is accurate.

Speaking of the dimensions, let’s talk about the measurement box. It’s a terrific tool that you should take advantage of. No need to select the tool – wherever your cursor is, the measurement box is ready to accept measurements, just start typing. It knows what format you are editing. For example, if you are drawing a line just enter your length. If you’re rotating an object enter the angle and so on.

Push pull tool literally pushes and pulls a flat surface, making it 3 dimensional. See images below. When you “push or pull” on these connected lines you can create 3 dimensional images. Use it for making doors, windows, steps and more.

You will see different lines as you draw with your pencil. The blue lines are vertical and the red and green are horizontal.

Offset Tool – This is a tool you will want to familiarize yourself with. Go to >View>Tool Palettes to select it. It creates copies of lines and faces at a uniform distance.

Adding color – Select the paint bucket tool to bring up the selection of colors. Say for example, you are coloring the window trim. If you select the color you want and hold down the ctrl or option button (mac) you can color all parts of the trim at the same time. You can even add additional textures.

Adding furniture – Go to the components menu to choose chairs, tables and more. Be specific with your search as there are many items listed. For chairs there are many different kinds. Drag the chair or item from the box to place it in your drawing.

Starting out, it may seem intimidating at first. But, like with new programs you just need to experiment with Sketchup a bit and you’ll get the hang of it in no time. Then once you have that done, think about how great your room or home will look with all the bargains you’ll find at Floor and Decor?

Share and Enjoy:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Malika | No Comments »

Meet Natalie Ustariz: In-House Designer

February 3rd, 2012 by Malika

One of the things that sets Floor and Decor apart from other DIY stores is that they offer FREE design services. So, if you have an idea of what you want to do but aren’t quite there, you can consult one of their in-house designers to help you get on the right track with your DIY project. So, from time to time, I’ll be highlighting some of the designers and giving you a brief introduction to them and their background.

Today, I’m pleased to introduce you to Natalie Ustariz. Natalie is the in-house designer at our Floor and Decor Norco/Corona California location. Her expertise is tile, stone, and wood. With her experience in selling to customers and problem solving skills on the spot along with a creative mindset helps each customer choose the perfect custom design for their space.

Natalie has previously worked for Arizona Tile and interned for Piedra Inc. Development. Natalie went to The Art Institute of California- Inland Empire where she received her Bachelor’s degree for Interior Design. She’s participated in Extreme Makeover Home Edition.

How did you get into design work?
Ever since I was 9 years old after watching cartoons I would watch DIY television programs that came after. One program was about fixing a toilet, which made me curious on the inner workings of a toilet. It sounds weird, but ever since that show I knew I wanted to do something related which grew more towards Interior Design since I also like to draw.

What do you do to keep current on the design trends?
I browse Interior Design magazines and look at the new products that they come up with along with the projects that the material is used for. ASID and other organizations have meetings where companies have presentations showing what the new trends and new products are. So, I try to keep up with those as well.

What is your favorite trend right now?
Its hard for me to choose just one trend that inspires me, however if I had to choose, Contemporary and Moroccan style would be my top two favorites. I am also known for mixing trends giving it an eclectic feel to enhance shape, color and texture.

Can you tell me your top 3 favorite items that are available at F&D right now?
My top 3 favorite items would be the Antique White tile because of how close and realistic that piece looks when you compare it to real Travertine. My next favorite item would be the Mediterranean mosaic glass and stone tile because it’s versatile and matches almost any stone or style you put against this piece. Finally, my last favorite piece is the Autumn Slate, piece with its light variation of color it looks welcoming and calm for any space such as a patio or a facade.

Do you watch watch any DIY programs? What are they?
Lately I haven’t watched any DIY programs but I do love watching HGTV, my favorite designer being Candice Olson. I love her thorough detail utilizing every inch of space. She gives a normal space its glamorous appeal in results.

Can you give some examples of projects you’ve done for F&D right now?
An example project I’ve done was a full kitchen where I helped this customer design a back splash with Travertine tiles and 2×2 inserts. I added pencil liners and gave her kitchen a Tuscan look I also suggest a flooring piece that would coordinate well with her existing counter top and cabinetry.

What is the most complex project at F&D and why?
I haven’t encountered any complex project yet. Everything so far has been simple and easy to solve as long as you ask the customer a lot of open ended questions.

Share and Enjoy:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Tags: , ,
Posted in Malika | No Comments »

Quarry Tile: Durable and Affordable

January 27th, 2012 by Malika

Want a unique look for your kitchen or outdoor space? Have you ever thought about Quarry tile? Did you know that Floor and Decor is one of the very few places to carry quarry tiles in-stock AND on a daily basis? Quarry tile is a building construction material, usually 1/2 to 3/4 in thick, made by the extrusion process from natural clay.

Traditionally, quarry tiles used to be unglazed and red or tan in color. However, they can now be finished in just about any color and even have designs on them. Quarry tiles come with abrasive frits, embedded in the surface of the tiles. These frits, as they are called, provide a slip resistant finish. Thus, these tiles are appropriate for wet areas, such as kitchens and bathrooms. They can also be used outdoors provided that the temperatures are not below freezing.

There is no special ordering and no waiting to receive these tiles from Floor and Decor. You can pick them up today and get your job done! Since quarry tiles are popular for commercial uses – kitchens, bathrooms, etc., we want you to be able to get these jobs today!

There are many pros to using Quarry tiles:

  • They are durable and good for high traffic areas
  • Can be installed outdoors in nonfreezing climates
  • They are slip resistant – absorb water
  • Easy to clean

This convenience will also cost you significantly LESS than the other places. Floor and Decor sells our 6″x6″ quarry for $0.49 each! We also have all the finishing pieces for any quarry tile project – inside and outside corner coves, bullnoses, and copings.

Quarry tile is an extremely durable clay tile that is resistant to stains, acids, chipping and scratching. It’s easy to maintain and can be used for residential, commercial, and industrial applications. Check out the selection of Quarry tile available from Floor and Decor and get started on your project today.

Share and Enjoy:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Tags: ,
Posted in Malika | No Comments »

Laminate Flooring: Take Another Look

January 20th, 2012 by Malika

I remember being a young twenty-something when home ownership was just a dream, not responsibility I was yet ready to take on. Some of the homeowners that I associated with were already doing home improvement projects. At the time this new type of flooring had just come out. It was called PERGO and it was, at the time, the best alternative to pricey hardwood floors. This laminate flooring was all the rage.

This type of flooring seemed to have no color variation and was pretty cheap and inferior looking. I had written off laminate flooring as a fad. After stepping into my neighborhood Floor and Decor and seeing the varieties of laminate flooring available I was astounded at just how far laminate flooring has come in the past fifteen years.


What exactly is laminate? Basically, Laminate wood flooring isn’t really wood flooring at all. It is made from press together composite wood. The composite wood is then “baked” at a high temperature.  An image of hardwood is covered over the product. Because laminate is not real wood, it is much cheaper than hardwoods. On average, laminate flooring costs about half as much as hardwood flooring.

So why is Laminate Flooring a good choice:

  • Laminate flooring is scratch and dent resistant unlike hardwood flooring
  • Laminate Flooring is inexpensive
  • Laminate is easy to install
  • Laminate flooring is environmentally friendly – many recycled products are used in the process of making them.

A couple of the cons of laminate flooring are that they can be susceptible to moisture problems. And, because laminate flooring is not hardwood flooring and it isn’t reasonable to expect to have the same increase in value that installing a true hardwood would. However, it is good to know that it is a viable alternative to hardwood flooring which is not a good choice for those with dogs or young kids as they will most certainly get scratched.

Laminate floors give you the look of rare and exotic wood species at a fraction of the price, without impacting the forest. American Cherry offers the look of fine-grained blonde to red hardwood with subtle striping. Some of the benefits of the laminate flooring found at Floor and Decor is that it is Moisture Resistant and offers superior sound control. If offers Ease Angle Drop Installation System as well as a Wood Grain surface.

Laminate flooring at Floor and Decor starts at only $0.49 a square foot. Some of my favorites are the Patagonian Walnut and the Natural Eucalyptus. Check out the full line of laminate flooring available here: http://www.flooranddecoroutlets.com/laminate.html

Share and Enjoy:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Tags: ,
Posted in Malika | No Comments »

Winter Wonderland and MLK Appreciation in Atlanta

January 11th, 2012 by Malika

Hope 2012 is off to a fantastic start for you! It’s under wraps right now, but we have some freaking awesome events planned around the country in the coming months. Check back here and I’ll let you know all the deets as soon as possible. In the meantime, I want to invite you to help us celebrate Martin Luther King JR at our first Floor and Decor event of 2012. We’ve got a Winter Wonderland celebration planned for you! Two words: Campfire S’mores!

The event is being held in our Atlanta store. Bring the kids for a fun Winter Wonderland celebration including:

For the kids: Snowman Workshop. Bring your kids as we’ll be making Snowmen Pops. Marshmallow bodies, Pretzel arms, Twizzler scarves, Chocolate hat…you get the picture.

Food and Drink: S’mores and Hot Chocolate. What’s winter without some delicious hot chocolate, right? We’ll be serving up some yummy hot chocolate complete with chocolate chips, whipped cream, and marshmallows, of course! That’s not all. We’ll also be making campfire S’mores. We’ll be roasting them by our lovely patio fire pit.

Dream Snowflakes: Make a Wish. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr had an amazing dream. And Floor and Decor want your dreams to come true.  So, we’re also celebrating with dream making snowflakes. Come write your wish on these magical snowflakes.

Donations: The King Center wants to continue to spread Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s teachings to current and future generations.  If you would like to support the King Center, you can make donations here: http://thekingcenter.org/donate.

Trivia: 900 U.S. cities have streets named after Martin Luther King Jr, but where he died is not one of them. Share this factoid with a Floor and Decor employee when you show up at the event and get a small prize.

Join us on Saturday, January 14 from 11am – 3pm at the Floor and Decor Outlets in Atlanta for a Winter Wonderland Celebration!
Floor & Decor Outlets – Atlanta – 404.315.6287
1690 NE Expressway
Atlanta, Ga 30329

Admit it, I had you at Campfire S’mores, didn’t I? Grab the kids and head out to Floor and Decor on Saturday for a fun afternoon for all.

Share and Enjoy:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Malika | No Comments »

New Year, New Goals

January 6th, 2012 by Malika

Image Source: drellisonline.blogspot.com

Happy New Year! Did you set any resolutions? I did. However, I don’t refer to them as resolutions but rather goals. They are pretty much the same thing, right? The difference is only minor? But I find that the difference makes a huge impact on whether or not I follow through.

Think about it – many of us are used to a vacation of 1 or 2 weeks during the weeks leading up to the New Year. Isn’t it difficult to get back into the swing of things in the beginning of January without piling on the new resolutions you’ve set for yourself?

Making a New Year’s resolution gives you an out should you decide you don’t want to put forth the effort to complete the task or if you simply lose interest. How many friends do you have that make a New Year’s resolution to lose x amount of pounds and have quit within the first week? There is something about a New Year’s resolution that allows people to let themselves off the hook. Maybe it has to do with the notion that they can always start again next January.

That’s why I use the term “goal” instead of resolution. I found it works well for several reasons:

  • You realize that goals sometimes get interrupted but you can come back to them when you wish to do so. So, most will see a goal through completion, even if you lose focus for a short period of time.
  • Consistency is critical in fulfilling your goals. Consistency is based on your ability to remain engaged in your activity.

Writing out your goals is a sure fire way to make sure you remain on track. Keep a journal or write out on index cards everyday or at the very least once a week what your goals are and what you did to accomplish them. You’ll be surprised how well this helps to keep you involved in what’s required of you to achieve what you have set for yourself. Make that commitment and you will find that it makes all the difference.

As much as a lack of funds can be blamed for not working on one of your DIY projects, sometimes it is simply poor planning. Writing down all the materials needed for your project will help to make it less daunting. At the very least, you now know how much I need to budget. Save for the project, buying items a little at a time rather than spending a huge chunk of change all at once.

Make a list of improvements that you’ve been putting off and write down your goals each week you’ve done to bring yourself closer to reaching your goal. With the low prices at Floor and Decor, you’ll be well on your way to getting that project checked off your list. And when you’ve reached your goal – reward yourself with a special treat. Good luck – I know you can do it!

Share and Enjoy:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Malika | No Comments »

7 Must Have DIY Apps

December 29th, 2011 by Malika

For those of you that were good this year, I realize that Santa may have brought you new mobile phones. Mobile phones are one of the top gifts of choice and the iPhone remains the most popular Smart Phone on the market.

If you have a Smart Phone, you know one of the best features about them is the myriad of apps there are to choose from. There are apps which feature everything from helping you count calories to keep up with social networks, to identifying that song you just heard and so much more. If you are a DIY fan, you’ll appreciate the DIY apps that are available on the iPhone.

Here are a rundown of some of the top DIY apps available.

Free Apps:

1. Houzze Interior Design Ideas
If you like looking at pictures of beautiful rooms and exteriors, you’re going to love this app. It’s a free photo bank app that contains about 150,000 images of kitchens, bathrooms, kids’ rooms, porches, patios and pools. There are also tabs with product suggestions, inspiration from professionals and design ideas galore. Such a great resource it is hard to believe it is free!

2. ColorSmart by Behr
ColorSmart by BEHR lets you browse the full array of paint colors. One of the coolest features is “color match.” It allows you to take a photo and tap on a color to match that color to Behr’s offerings. Pretty cool huh? I don’t know about you, but I have a hard time figuring out how those tiny square samples in the DIY store are going to look covering an entire room. There are also pre-designed rooms in the app that you can redesign with different colors, simply by tapping and choosing new palettes. It’s also available for Android devices.

3. iHandy Level
The iHandy Level Free app is a simple, but highly effective tool that provides a precise measure for alignment. You can use the level in landscape, portrait or face-up mode to help with any kind of home improvement project. Also available for Android devices.

4. Carpet and Flooring Calculator
This simple flooring calculator app will price carpet or tile floors based on square footage and price per square foot. The difference is that other carpet and floor calculators require you to input specific figures, but this is clear and simple. It will even breakdown the cost of tile and labor.

Pay Apps

5. Home Design 3D
Design the home of your dreams with this app. This Home Design 3D app is a perfect complement to the planning process. It maps out a 2D or 3D rendering of your vision, allowing you to generate each room and its windows, doors, furniture, flooring and more.
Price: $5.99 (iPad); $4.99 (iPhone)

6. Photo Measures
One of the first tasks of a DIY project involves taking measurements. Instead of write down individual measurements with pencil and paper, Photo Measures lets you take a photo of a room or an object and directly draw in its measures. There is a similar app for Android devices called My Measures.
Price: $4.99

7. Moodboard
The Moodboard iPad app lets you save photos of anything and everything that inspires you, all in one place. You can import photos from your library or use the built-in web browser to grab photos online, then compile those images to create simple or elaborate inspiration boards.
Price: Cost: $9.99

Share and Enjoy:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Tags: , ,
Posted in Malika | No Comments »

Happy Holidays from Floor and Decor!

December 23rd, 2011 by Malika

All of us at Floor and Decor wish you and your family a very happy and prosperous holiday. Relax, sleep in and enjoy something you haven’t had time to do in a while.

The Mr is finally putting the finishing touches on our new and improved bathroom. I can’t wait to share pictures with you and talk about the process and picking out materials, color coordinating floor tile, shower tile, counters and back splash next year!

I am also giving out the same advice I did last year: take this last week of the year to not only relax, but to de-clutter. I’m always amazed by how much better I feel and how much more “in-control” of my life I feel after I’ve cleared up some of the clutter from my kitchen, office, etc.

So, dear readers, I encourage you to do a reorganization of your home. Not only is it a great way to start out the New Year, but it gives us the chance to help others in need. Giving away unused items to those less fortunate is a always a good thing and it helps to remind us of how lucky we are to focus on the most important things in our lives.

In the meantime, if you have questions about DIY projects or anything Floor and Decor related, please feel to comment here and I’ll be happy to answer questions. Also, don’t forget to tweet me at @the_diydiva.

Cheers,

Malika
xo

Share and Enjoy:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Tags: , ,
Posted in Malika | No Comments »

New Mesh Mount Tile

December 15th, 2011 by Malika

There’s so much you can do with mesh mount tiles. I just love the variety that Floor and Decor offers. You may remember I wrote about them when I talked about the mix mosaic glass and stone tiles. In fact, the Mr. and I are putting that very tile in the Master bathroom.

On a recent visit to Floor and Decor, I noticed they have all kinds of new designs of mesh mount tile with lots of new colors and in different materials. Whoa – I was like a kid in a candy store! They offer so much variety and the mesh mount tiles can be used with other similar materials of different sizes to create a unique look that’s all your own.

Use these mesh mount tiles on floors or walls in living rooms and baths, or as a backsplash or on a fireplace surround. Look for other tiles from the collection to complete your installation project. Here are just a few that I spotted that I feel are very interesting.

Pandora Dark Mosaic Mesh Mount Tile

Pandora mosaic marble collection is an eye catching designer marble cut. Step up in your next installation project by adding unique pieces from the collection. This marble mesh mount mosaic comes in a dark emperador and cafe marble. A visually appealing stone use it as a kitchen backsplash or update your master bath.

Crema Marfil Basket Weave Mesh Mount Tile

Mosaic tile art can cover a range of design from classical to modern. Made up of smaller pieces of marble, glass, stone or other pottery materials, they can form a picture or a grid. This polished dark emperador and crema marfil mosaic tumbled marble in a basket weave design makes a striking backsplash for your kitchen or brings a modern touch to your fireplace.

Milano Fashion Antena Mix Mosaic Mesh Mount Tile

Our Milano Fashion mosaic marble collection is an eye catching designer marble cut. Step up your next installation project by adding unique pieces from the collection. This marble mosaic is the perfect solution for drab foyers. A visually striking stone use it as a kitchen backsplash or update your master bath.

Soho Crema Marfil Mix Mosaic Mesh Mount Tile

Mosaic tile art can cover a range of design from classical to modern. Made up of smaller pieces of marble, glass, stone or other pottery materials, they can form a picture or a grid. This Soho Round mix makes a striking backsplash for your kitchen or brings a modern touch to your fireplace.

Orsini Stacked Stone Mesh Mount Tile

The Orsini stacked stone collection of decorative mosaics have a brick design with a split face texture. Split faced mosaics give wonderful texture and depth to any room. Consider using it for your kitchen backsplash or your fireplace surround.

These are just a few samples of the new Mesh Mount Tiles available at Floor and Decor. See the full line of Mesh Mount tiles here. What are your favorite styles?

Share and Enjoy:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Malika | No Comments »

« Older Entries