Featured Product: Castle and Cottage Oak Auburn by Kahrs February 6, 2010
Posted by Shannonbilby in : Featured Product, Hardwood / Laminate , add a comment
The Castle & Cottage Collection by Kahrs was inspired by the color and interiors of southern Europe. The collection consists of pale to dark floors that have been gently brushed for added emotional effect and produced in unique design colors. Today’s feature is Oak Auburn. This product is so versatile, it could be used in most every design style ranging from eclectic to rustic. Of course, the image doesn’t nearly do justice to the texture and character of the wood so you might just have to stop by to see a sample.
Some features of the product:
- Wire brushed finish
- Distressed finish
- One strip design
- White Oak species
- Silk Matte finish
- Some knots present
This product is available in 6 stunning colors ranging from light shades to dark. Color available include: Carbonne, Cassis, Cognac, Espresso and Tarcot. You can see them all in our product catalog.
What Kahrs says about their company:
We have always worked with wood, and this is something that has developed into a 150-year love story. Today we are the world’s oldest wood floor manufacturer that is still in business.
As the world shrinks, and the wheel turns ever faster, roots become even more important. Our strong belief in craftsmanship that has distinguished us right from the start is deeply rooted.
This means that the high quality we stand for is represented in every single piece of wood that passes through our hands.
We hope you find this product as stunning as we do. It’s amazing to imagine the process of turning a tree into these beautiful floors.
Back From The Big Bob’s Convention……..and we need your help! January 29, 2010
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So…..we just came back from our 17th annual convention in Tennessee. The theme of the convention was “Think Pink”. The focus was learning how to better serve our female customers because they are responsible for almost all of the home interior decisions! The convention brings together other Big Bob’s dealers from around the country so we could share ideas. We talked about everything from how to improve our customer service to how to make the workplace better for everyone to what we can do to make the shopping experience better for you.
Everything we learned was GREAT, but we really want to hear from you! Please take a look at the list below and feel free to call, email or leave a comment with answers or opinions.
- Have you heard of Big Bob’s?
- If so, what is your impression?
- Have you shopped with Big Bob’s before?
- If so, did you have a good experience?
- If you had a less than perfect experience, please tell us about it so we can turn that around!
- If you have been to our store or shopped with us, is there anything we could do to improve your experience?
We honestly want to know how we can serve you better. We know what important decisions flooring and mattresses are! We want you to know that we care about each and every customer before, during and AFTER the sale. We are here for the long term – we want to earn your business and earn the referral of our store to your friends and family.
Please take a minute to let us know how you feel! Please leave a comment here or email Brad Millner at BMillner@fayuma.com.
Thank you!
Hardwood Flooring Maintenance – Reader Question January 19, 2010
Posted by Shannonbilby in : Care and Maintenance, Hardwood / Laminate, Reader Questions , add a comment
Reader Question:
“I just moved into my new home with my family and before I start cleaning my new hardwood floors I wanted to see if you could clear up a debate between my mother and me. My mother tells me to clean my hardwood floors with Windex like she does (and has for 40 years) because that will help keep the shine longer. My floors are the newer type where they came already finished right out of the box. I plan to mop them with soap and water like the rest of my floors. Can you tell us which one of us is right? ”
Ashley from Yuma, AZ
Answer:
Ashley,
We are so happy that you asked us this question before you took matters into your own hands! Your mother maybe giving you advice based on the type of hardwood floors she has in her home. Hardwood floors have changed significantly in recent years and with those changes have come more advanced cleaning methods. First, here’s the answer followed by an explanation! You, especially should only clean your hardwood floors with a manufacturer approved cleaner.
Here are just a few of the reasons why:
- Using the wrong type of cleaner can void your warranty
- Cleaning with multiple products can leave a permanent film on your floors
- Your floors have a special protective coating that was carefully applied in the factory. Some chemicals can damage that finish making your floors more susceptible to damage.
- Mopping hardwood floors with soap and water can cause your wood to expand and contract and cause a variety of other unsightly issues (take a stack of paper and soak it with water – that will give you an idea of what water and wood do when they meet!)
Hardwood floors, especially pre-finished hardwood floors are designed to be very little maintenance for you. You should only have to use a liquid to clean your floors when you have a spill or stain. Using a terry cloth head mop with a small amount of cleaner should do the trick. You will also want to be sure that you keep dirt and sand off of your hardwood floors on a regular basis by having walk off mats at every door.
Hope this helps!
Your friends at Big Bob’s
Design Perspective: Patterned Carpet January 12, 2010
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When it comes to choosing patterned carpet, many questions always seems to come up. Today’s post is dedicated to the pro’s and con’s of patterned carpet.
First, ask yourself: What look am I trying to accomplish in this room? What is the function of this room? How many other fabrics and textures are in this room? Once you have thought about the answers to those questions, you are ready to think about patterned carpet.
One of the biggest misconceptions about patterned carpet is that it will make the room too busy. That can happen if there are too many focal points, fabrics and textures in the room, but if the room needs a focal point, texture or additional design element, patterned carpet can be the perfect solution.
Another reason people tend to shy away from patterned carpet all starts with the sample. It’s extremely difficult to visualize what an entire room of patterned carpet will look like from a typical carpet sample size. Most of the time, the sample isn’t even large enough to see the whole pattern. Thankfully, most have room scenes available either on the sample or the website. Our website offers a virtual room designer tool that can help you visualize what a patterned carpet will look like in a room. You can even upload a photo of your own home!
The image shown here is an example of how patterned carpet can be used successfully. In this case, it helps tie together the personality of the room and compliments the other textures in the room. This room doesn’t have a lot of patterned upholstery so the pattern on the floor is not distracting. (This is also a great example to answer the question – Will dark floors make my room look small?)
Patterned carpets can give a room depth, dimension and personality. Not all patterned carpets have objects such as the trees or leaves shown here. There are many pattern carpets that are simply abstract textures. You can use patterned carpet throughout your home if the pattern is not too distracting or defined. One way to use a patterned carpet that has a distinct pattern like the picture above is in a stand alone room such as a living room, home office or bedroom. Patterned carpets can make a guest room appear special and unique. This method will help keep you from growing tired of a distinct pattern.
Patterned carpets are not right for everyone, but if you want something unique and you want your floors to have a personality – give patterned carpet some consideration. Use the image here to help you visualize when looking at a sample in our store. Our sales staff can help talk you through specific patterns and whether they are right for your application. You may find a pattern that you want bound and made into an area rug to go over hard surfaces floors.
2009 Was A Good Year! January 8, 2010
Posted by Shannonbilby in : About Us , add a commentIn 2009, Big Bob’s Flooring Outlet was fortunate enough to have several things to celebrate and be proud of that we would like to share with you in order to help you get to know our family a little better. Below are some of our accomplishments in 2009. If you would like more information on any of these topics, please don’t hesitate to let us know.
Charitable organizations we support:
Yuma Regional Medical Center Foundation
Tri-Valley Ambulance
Good will service:
We provided new carpet ceramic tile and labor at no charge to help rebuild a house that was condemned by the city. Several articles about the project are available for more information.
Additions to the Big Bob’s family:
Store Manager Ted Noble and his wife had a baby girl
Retail Sales team member Sean McNatt and his wife had a baby boy
Local Press we received:
Customer Jerry Stuart wrote two letters to the editor of The Yuma Sun and commended our sales staff and installation department for their exemplary service.
We would like to thank everyone that was a part of all of these events and hope 2010 will bring as many good things for everyone!
Happy New Year! December 31, 2009
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As 2009 comes to an end, we want to wish all of our readers, customers and supporters a HAPPY, HEALTHY, SAFE and PROSPEROUS New Year. We appreciate your business, your loyalty and your confidence in Big Bob’s in 2009 and look forward to what 2010 has to bring!
What Your Christmas Tree Says About You December 24, 2009
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Merry Christmas from all of us at Big Bob’s. We hope you have a safe and healthy holiday season. Today’s post is simply to provide a little holiday humor. No matter what your tree says about you, we appreciate you taking the time to visit and read our blog. Thank you!
What your Christmas Tree says about you………
White lights: You ask your houseguests to remove their shoes and you professionally clean your carpet once a year like you are supposed to.
Multicolored lights: You’re an extrovert and probably have colored tiles in your home.
Blinking lights: You have attention deficit disorder and have no idea the last time you had your carpets professionally cleaned or where you put the phone number to call to have it done.
Homemade ornaments: You have lots of children and need to visit the maintenance sections on our website often.
Strung popcorn: You have too much time on your hands and will need to make sure you have a good vacuum cleaner to remove all of the popcorn that falls from your floors. (Don’t forget to empty the bag if you have one)
Red balls only: You wish you lived in a department store and like shiny floors.
Yellow star on top: You’re traditional and your floors are all neutral.
Glowing Santa on top: You shop at Kitsch ‘R’ Us. We have shiny things, too so feel free to come shop with us.
Cutoff top: You didn’t measure the tree and probably shouldn’t attempt to install your floors by yourself.
Vague evergreen smell: You bought a healthy tree and since you clearly make good decisions, you are already a Big Bob’s customer.
Strong evergreen smell: You sprayed your tree with Pine Sol and also your floors while you had the Pine Sol out.
Just plain smelly: There’s a dead bird in your tree. Sorry, maybe a new area rug would make you feel better.
Again, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from all of us at Big Bob’s!
Floor Care for the Holidays December 16, 2009
Posted by Shannonbilby in : Care and Maintenance, Uncategorized , add a comment
Holiday time can mean more traffic and wear on your floors. At Big Bob’s, we would like to help you protect your investment this holiday season. Below are a few simple things you can do to help keep your floors in tip top shape.
- Start at every entrance. If you don’t have walk off mats, be sure to place them at every entrance. If you do have walk off mats, be sure that they are clean and free of dirt and debris. This gives people a place to deposit the dirt from their shoes and keep it on the mat rather than on your floors!
- When doing your regular household maintenance and vacuuming, remember to check and empty your bag or canisters often and vacuum as often as possible. The more times you vacuum, the better your carpet will perform and the longer it will last.
- Invest a few minutes and check the bottoms of your chairs to see if they have floor protectors. If they do, check to make sure they are in good shape. If not, make it a priority to get these on there!
- When entertaining, be aware that guests in high heels can do severe damage to your floors. The average sized woman’s weight exerts 2000 pounds per square inch of force when wearing high heals!
- If you get a stain, don’t panic. Treat it as soon as possible and treat it properly! When in doubt, don’t try multiple cleaners. Visit our website and read the maintenance sections under the appropriate type of flooring.
- Check out the blog post from The Carpet and Rug Institute on 10 Tips for the Holidays. They have some great advice as well!
Design Perspective: Family Room December 8, 2009
Posted by Shannonbilby in : Area Rugs, Design Perspectives , add a commentFamily rooms are all about comfort and how you live. When you can combine style and comfort, then you have a great family room. This image from our area rug gallery is a good example of a comfortable and stylish family room. Let’s examine what makes this room so inviting.
- The earth tones are the first thing that comes to mind when looking at what makes the room so inviting. They all compliment each other so well.
- The warm, rich color of the hardwood sets the stage for a warm and comfortable room.
- Rather than an area rug that fits just in front of the sofa and under the coffee table trunk, the rug is larger to create and extended seating area.
- The fabric and greenery help make the room look more complete.
- The large opening into the dining room and kitchen make this room feel like a part of the rest of the house rather than separated off from everyone else.
- The addition of a small upholstered chair and possibly an ottoman would give more room for additional family or guests to enjoy this room as well as add to the comfort.
Imagine a fire in the fireplace and a warm blanket on that nice big sofa…….all you need is a cup of hot cocoa and you’re all set!
What do you like or dislike about this family room? What would you add or change?
Area Rug Sizes – What’s right for a room? December 2, 2009
Posted by Shannonbilby in : Area Rugs , add a commentAr
ea rugs are a great way to give a room personality or to tie together a design scheme. Area rugs can provide that burst of color that is needed to bring a room to life or start as the focal point of a room. Area rugs can provide warmth under your feet as well as provide warmth to a room. When selecting area rugs, there are some considerations to keep in mind.
Area rug considerations:
Living Rooms
Area rugs can be a nice compliment to a seating area in a living room or they can be used to cover the majority of the floor almost like a wall to wall carpet. When using an area rug in front of a sofa or chairs and under a coffee table, there is a debate about how large that area rug should be. The area rug should at least be large enough for all 4 legs of the coffee table to sit on and should be relatively proportionate to the size of the furnishings in the room. If you are using the area rug to cover the majority of the room, leave equal amount of space around each of the edges. (at least 4-6 inches) Whether the legs of the furniture are all on or off the area rug is personal preference. Just be sure that if the front legs are off the rug and the back legs are on the rug that the piece of furniture is stable and level.
Dining Rooms
When planning for an area rug in an eating area, the most important thing to consider is safety. You want to make sure that the guests sitting in chairs can move freely in their chairs while still remaining on the area rug itself. A good rule of thumb is to measure your eating table and add 4′ to each measurement. That will give you 2 feet of consideration for the chairs and 2 extra feet for movement in the chairs.
Bedrooms
Bedrooms are a great place to use area rugs for additional color and added warmth. It always feels better for bare feet to hit an area rug first thing in the morning rather than a cold hard surface floor! The great thing about using area rugs in bedrooms is that you can use multiple complimentary rugs (i.e. at the foot of the bed and on each side) or one large area rug that only the edges are seen around the bed.
Come see us for more information on area rug sizes for your home. Our knowledgeable staff is ready to assist you with choosing the perfect area rug for you!
