Fundraiser for St. Jude Hospital Starts Today

Each year, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Atlanta treats an average of 5,700 patients across the country, all with one thing in common- they all have a catastrophic childhood illness, usually cancer.   Through research and treatment, St. Jude's mission is to find a cure for children with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.  St. Jude is the only pediatric cancer research center where families never pay for treatment not covered by insurance.  No child is ever denied treatment because of the family’s inability to pay.

This Friday, please Like our Facebook page and help us reach our goal of $250 to support the amazing work of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Choosing the Right Color Carpet for Your Home

As a kid, if you know Roy G. Biv, you know color.  But as you get older, color isn’t quite so simple anymore, especially when it comes to decorating your home.  In fact, the human eye can distinguish over 6 million different hues!  Oatmeal, Bagel, French Vanilla…no we’re not talking about breakfast items, but color swatches, all of which may appear remarkably similar.   Color can affect the mood, tone, and function of a room, and is usually the most important element in a decorating scheme.  And because color is so important, we want to give you a few pointers that may help in your color selection process, especially when choosing carpet.

First, it’s important to touch on the three general color areas- warm, cool, and neutral.  Warm colors, like orange and red, create a more lively, exciting feeling and emotional response.  Family rooms, kitchens, and casual entertaining areas are the more popular areas to display these colors.  Cool colors, like pale greens and blues, elicit a more restful, serene aura, and are often used in more formal rooms and bedrooms.  Neutral colors, like beige and taupe, actually work both ways because they compliment the other colors in a room, making them an appropriate carpet choice for any room in the house.

When considering the color of carpeting, it is important to look at the room structure itself.  Small, narrow rooms will appear more spacious with a neutral carpet that subtly blends with the wall.  Lighter carpets will also capture more light, adding airiness to the room.  Likewise, a large or disproportioned room can become cozier with a strong color that contrasts the wall.  A well-planned carpet color can enhance the positive features of your room and even make up for some architectural limitations

Now that you have considered your room structure and determined the mood you want your room to set, here are a few tips when selecting your carpet:

• Always examine carpet samples in different lighting.  What may look like a soft cream in fluorescent lighting may look more like a sandy beige in a hallway with a small amount of natural light.  Bring your carpet sample into the room(s) you are having carpeted and examine it in the center of the room, in a dark corner, and against a window.  Also, be sure to view the color in the daytime and at night to get an accurate sense of how the carpet will look under all lighting conditions.
• Avoid matching colors.  A successful decorating plan more often blends colors and tones rather than directly matching them.  Wheat colored carpet, putty colored walls, and antique white ceilings will produce a more visually pleasing flow than having all surfaces the same color beige.
• Be careful with manufacturers’ names for carpet colors.  One manufacturer’s name for a carpet may be substantially different from another manufacturer’s same color name.  Your best bet is to choose a color based on your eye, not the manufacturer’s name for the carpet. 
• Try to think “long-term” when selecting your carpet.  Consider how your preferences may change over time, and ask whether your carpet selection will work with your developing taste in the future.  An impulsive carpet choice can haunt you down the road, while a carefully selected carpet can delight you for years to come.

The selection of carpet color is an integral part of your home’s design strategy.  If color is still a little overwhelming, fear not!   Your Pizazz design consultant can help navigate you through the color selection process and collaborate with you to create a design plan you’ll love.  Visit Pizazz Floors Website for more design advice and ideas.

Spice Things Up with a Custom Hardwood Design

Do you tend to go against the grain?  Swim upstream?  Walk to the beat of a different drum?...OK, enough analogies.  Whether you’re looking for a floor that is as unique as you, or you just want the baddest floor on the block, a custom hardwood design from Pizazz Floors may be right up your alley (hey, how about your own bowling alley!?)  

When it comes to the possibilities with your hardwood design, the sky is the limit!

Pizazz Floors has created countless hardwood masterpieces for homes all across Atlanta.  Design possibilities include borders, medallions, maps, monograms, vines, compass, or even your favorite sports team’s logo or mascot. Designs are cut by hand or laser cut (depending on the intricacy) out of different wood species and inlayed into your hardwood floors. Inlays can be installed in pre-existing hardwood floors, and can even be removed and replaced with the pre-existing hardwood planks, so you can take your design with you if you move.  We also specialize in mixed media designs, which take another form of flooring, such as travertine tile, and inlay it with hardwood in a pattern of your choice for a one-of-a-kind design.

A Pizazz design consultant can collaborate with you to develop a concept and work with you through the entire process.   Once you have Pizazz create your custom hardwood design, your floor will become a conversation piece at dinner parties and the focal point of your home.  For design ideas, view our Hardwood Gallery, and call us at 678-687-8693 if you want to put that extra pizazz in your home.

Pizazz Does Usher’s Hardwood Floors

Who doesn’t love Usher? With seven Grammy Awards and nine number-one hits, Usher is nothing short of amazing. So needless to say we were like “OMG” when asked to do his floors. Pizazz was hired to refinish the hardwood floors in his Atlanta home. We refinished his keeping room, which was about 30’x30’ (not your average size keeping room) with an ebony stain and high gloss finish. We also did a custom hardwood design in his master bedroom. The design was a 4”x4’ hand-scrapped, herringbone pattern. Both rooms turned out phenomenal, and that will be one job we will never forget!

By the way, Usher was just as great in person as he is on TV!

Eric Standing on Hardwood Floors that Pizazz Refinished in Usher's Atlanta Home

Top 6 Home Improvements that Pay Off

Are you ready to upgrade your home but are worried about sinking money into investments that may never see a return?  Well here are a few home improvements that experts say will pay off now and in the future:

                

1.  Kitchen & Bath Remodeling

Kitchen and bathroom remodeling is a sure-fire investment that often returns more than 100 percent of the cost.  People spend a significant amount of time in kitchens and baths, so you want to make them inviting and tranquil for yourself and future buyers.  Buyers are beginning to expect upgraded kitchens and baths now more than ever before.  Upgrades to consider include: tile or hardwood flooring, granite countertops, new or resurfaced cabinets, and stainless steel appliances.  For the master bath, floor-to-ceiling, walk-in showers are a hot commodity (literally).  Sleek, walk-in showers have actually replaced whirlpool tubs on buyers’ wish lists, so if you have to pick one or the other, go with the shower.  Keep in mind, if your home only has one bath, the upgrade you’ll want to make is adding an extra bathroom.  While buyers are still charmed by older homes that may only have one bath, functionality and practically may be a concern.  If you have a three or four bedroom home with one bath, it will certainly pay to add a second bathroom.  For more budget-friendly upgrades, try adding a tile backsplash, updating light fixtures, or replacing cabinet hardware and faucets.

2. Home Maintenance

While not the most glamorous of home improvements, this is one of the most important.  Buyers won’t be enamored by your beautiful new kitchen if there is a musty smell coming from the basement or the siding is rotting.  A top priority should be making sure your home is structurally sound on the inside and out.  Essential home maintenance projects include repairing the roof, replacing the siding, and correcting water leaking from the foundation, just to name a few. 

3. Curb Appeal

Before you can get buyers inside to see your interior improvements, your home has to be appealing on the outside.  Upgrades can range from simple, such as pulling weeds, to more complex, like building a front porch to add interest and charm.  You may also consider planting shrubs and flowers, pressure washing your driveway, painting the exterior, or adding walkways and extra parking space.  If you have outdoor living space (deck, patio, or porch), stage the area with comfortable seating and dining furniture.  In a nutshell, your exterior should convey a sense of welcome.

4. Paint

Painting is an affordable home improvement that can give any home a facelift.  Paint makes a home look and feel younger and better taken care of.  When selecting paint colors, go towards the warmer, more neutral tones in order to appeal to a wider range of buyers.   Try textured or faux paint in a focal space like the dining room for a distinctive, unique touch.

5.  Adding Extra Living Space

According to a study by the National Association of Realtors, every 1,000 square feet added to a home can increase the sale price by 30 percent.  This can include adding a sunroom, bathroom, attic bedroom, or even a deck for outdoor living and entertaining space.  Or if your home has a basement, you may be able to take advantage of a whole extra level of living.  Basements are great for game rooms, guest suites, bars, or play areas.  For some of the more trendy, high-end housing markets, there is a demand for the luxury of home theaters, wine cellars, and yoga rooms, but be sure to consider your housing market and neighborhood before embarking on one of these upgrades.

6. Flooring

Flooring is one of the first things that will be seen (and felt underfoot) by a potential homebuyer.  The most in-demand flooring choice is hardwood floors, which is a proven resale value booster.  A classic like red oak is always a good choice, while trends are also moving towards exotic woods like bamboo and wider-planked boards.  If you already have hardwood, refinishing your floors is a great way to bring back their luster and brilliance.  Tile is also a popular flooring solution for bathrooms, kitchens, foyers, and laundry rooms, and should replace any existing vinyl flooring.  Lastly, the softness and comfort of carpet or areas rugs is perfect for bedrooms and play areas.  If new flooring is not in the budget, be sure to have your carpets cleaned before putting your house on the market.

When considering all home improvements, be sure to keep in mind a few key factors.  What you'll get back on your investment is dependent on how soon you sell after making improvements, the value of your house, the value of houses in your neighborhood, the housing market in which you live, and the quality of the project itself. 

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Mission Accomplished: Custom Georgia Office Is Complete

One of our most fun design projects has come to an end.  The custom Georgia Bulldog office was completed earlier this week.  The floors have been refinished, the ceiling painted, and now it’s just time to enjoy the room.  The centerpiece of this office  is a 5′x3′ University of Georgia logo installed into pre-existing hardwood floors, composed of African wenge, hard maple, and blood wood.  The logo was surrounded by an intricate French knot border also using the same select, exotic woods.  The room also boasts a red and black, octagon-shaped coffered ceiling with rope recessed lighting.

The room is definitely something to be seen and is sure to excite any Bulldog fan.  Pizazz Floors can create a custom collegiate or pro themed room in your home, no matter what team you support.  Call us at 678-687-8693 or visit www.PizazzFloors.com for more information or to schedule a free consultation.

Baby Bulldog: The Newest Pizazz Member

It’s never too early to start a little Bulldog in training!  Moriah is the newest addition to the Pizazz team.  She is granddaughter of owner, Claire Barany, niece to owner, Eric Barany, and daughter of marketing director, Gloria Williams.  Moriah is 4 months old and is already a big fan of the Bulldogs and the design work of her Uncle Eric.  She is pictured on a custom University of Georgia  hardwood floor, created and installed by Pizazz Floors using select, exotic woods.  

Goooooo dawgs!  Sic em!

Coffered Ceilings Add Pizazz to Custom Georgia Office

The next step in our custom Georgia Bulldog office was installed today.   This unique coffered ceiling is made of multiple trim pieces configured in an octagon shape and enhanced with recessed rope lighting.  In case you were wondering…we used 2″x8″ boards for the frame, and the design is composed of 8″ speed base turned upside down, base cap, 5″ crown with a 1 3/4″  reveal for rope lighting,  and clove mold on the bottom and on the ceiling inside the octagon.  The design is finished off with base cap octagon medallions.  The trim pieces will be painted black and the ceiling will be a bold red to continue the Georgia Bulldog theme.

With trim work, the sky is really the limit with the design we can create for your space.  Pizazz Floors specializes in custom design work, so if you can dream it, we can make it a reality.  Check back for more updates as we complete this project, or call us at 678-687-8693 for more information on coffered ceilings and other trim work.