Guest Post - 7 Eye-Popping Concrete Floor Treatment Ideas

A lot of people love concrete floors because these require minimal maintenance and are durable. You can find the material in homes, offices, and industrial environments, among others. In its natural state, a concrete floor has a dull matte grey finish.

Most don’t like the drab color and finish of concrete, which is why they would typically opt for other flooring options instead. Over the years, however, technology has made it possible for homeowners and entrepreneurs to create and have unique flooring. Much like commercial wallpaper for walls, you too can have floors that reflect your personal or business identity. 

End your search for a distinct concrete floor by considering these treatment ideas. Keep in mind that results can vary depending on the treatment used and the skill of the professional treating your floors. 

1. Water-based and acid stains

Concrete stains and dyes come in two main categories: acid and water-based. Both types work by reacting with the flooring material after the chemicals are applied.

A variety of patterns and designs can be produced depending on where the dyes are applied. What varies is how the dye appears to the eye.

Water-based stains offer more variety and produce more even solid colors. On the other hand, acid-based dyes produce a more translucent effect. The stain is not recommended if there are stains on the cement as these will show through once the acid-based stain dries.

2. Decorative paints

Paints specifically designed for the floor are available on the market. With these specialized products, preparing the flooring material is critical. For the paint to work, the concrete slab must be porous enough to absorb and hold the color – otherwise, the paint may flake off over time.

The application of the paint on the cement floor requires a lot of time and manpower. Due to these factors, paint is often used in smaller spaces that see minimal foot traffic. 

3. Epoxy coatings

Epoxy is an industrial coating used to repair any cracks on a floor surface. It is possible to find these industrial paints in warehouses, ramps, factories, and similar industrial environments where heavy foot traffic is expected. The chemical fills in any gaps to prepare the surface before applying any treatment.

Although epoxy is typically covered, there are now epoxies that come in a variety of colors. These vibrantly-colored epoxies can turn your monotonous flooring into a modern masterpiece.

A pack of floor epoxy comes with two liquid components: a catalyst and a hardener. The ingredients are mixed together before they are applied to the floor. 

Unlike typical paint that dries, the epoxy hardens like cement. Because it looks, feels, and behaves much like cement, it comes as no surprise that epoxy is a popular treatment for commercial establishments. 

4. Resin coats

Applicable for both existing and new floors, resins do more than simply add color. When added to the curing cement, the resulting flooring material becomes more durable. The tinted floor is more resistant to damage caused by chemical spills, extreme temperature changes, drops and falls.

Similar to epoxy, the resin coating system consists of several liquids. The liquid components are combined thoroughly before the mixture is added to the curing concrete slab. Achieving the desired result typically takes several days as each layer needs to be cured properly.

5. Colored cement

With the other previously-mentioned treatment options, the stain or coloring element is added while the cement is drying or once the flooring has dried. What makes this option different is that the pigments are added while the concrete is being mixed. The result is a more evenly colored floor that spans several inches down.

To create different patterns or designs, a separate batch must be made for each color that you wish to have. This makes the treatment option more labor-intensive and expensive to use than the others.

6. Polished and stained

This treatment idea requires polishing the cement floor before the stain is added. Polishing is accomplished by going over the surface with fine abrasive pads. The dye can be added after the polishing is completed.

Unique effects on polished stained concrete can be achieved by playing with the light that is reflected on the surface. This unique effect can be used in nightclubs or art galleries, among others.

7. Color hardeners

Coming in powder form, the hardener is applied right after the concrete is poured over the space and screeded to create an even surface. The powder can be sprinkled manually or mechanically, regardless of the size of the floor. Similar to resins, the hardener enhances the durability of the cement floor and makes it more resistant to damage caused by spills, scrapes, or drops.

Breathe life into your concrete floorings today with the help of these treatment options. Call a concrete and resin flooring specialist to see what interesting things can be done to your flooring material.

AUTHOR BIO

Ralph El Eid is the Business Development Manager at COLORTEK - Wall & Floor Fashion. EQUIPAINT is the franchise owner of COLORTEK in Dubai (UAE) and Doha (Qatar); an international paints manufacturer specializing in the widest range of decorative paints and seamless concrete & resin flooring, with a unique showroom concept, and thus an ideal destination for homeowners, consultants, architects, interior designers and paint applicators.

Guest Post - How To Organize Your Bedroom To Improve Sleep Quality

Staying organized is a key way to achieve contentment in different aspects of your life as people are much happier and calmer in uncluttered spaces. Just think back on how much more productive you are when you’re in a clean home or office versus a messy one. Clutter can contribute to feelings of anxiety and guilt, which is a recipe for disaster when it comes to getting quality sleep. It’s important to have a clear head when you tuck yourself in at night, otherwise, those anxious thoughts may end up getting the better of you and your quality of sleep. Here are a few ways you can minimize messes to maximize rest. 

Make The Most Out Of Your Space

There’s a popular idiom that goes “a place for everything and everything in its place,” and it couldn’t ring truer in this context. Especially in a confined space like a bedroom, it’s important to organize accordingly to make sure everything is neat, tidy, and comfortable. 

Furnish your room with nightstands that contain extra storage space like a cabinet or a drawer so you can easily stash away different miscellaneous items like mail, hand cream, face mask, Kleenex, pens, etc. You should also use the space under your bed to store suitcases, random boxes, or last seasons’ clothes to allow for extra room in your closet for things like your hamper, or plastic organization drawers. 

Speaking of beds, make sure your mattress is an appropriate size for your room. Your bed is your bedroom’s centerpiece, but it shouldn’t be so big that it’s hard to maneuver around or fit other furniture. Queen mattresses are ideal for smaller spaces because they don’t take up as much room as a king mattress, but they’re still sizable enough to comfortably share with a significant other. 

Bins, Baskets, And Hooks, Oh My!

For everything else your dresser, nightstand, and bookcase can’t hold, you can always turn to bins, baskets, and wall hooks to organize your things. Hooks that attach to the wall or fit over the door are perfect for hanging jackets, towels, hats, scarves, and jewelry. You can even buy decorative hooks that match the style of your bedroom, so they also function as cute decor.

Additionally, instead of tossing your gently worn clothing around different areas of your room, keep them all together in a bin or wicker basket. You’ll know exactly where to find that shirt you barely wore a few days ago, and it’ll prevent your cleanish clothes from ending up on the floor. You can also use bins to store extra shoes you seldomly wear, random trinquets that aren’t on display, or honestly just about any random little objects that need organizing. 

Keep A Pen And Pad Handy

Having an easily accessible piece of paper and writing utensil nearby on your dresser or bedside table has proven to be beneficial for people who suffer from the Zeigarnik effect. You might not be familiar with the term, but most of us have experienced the effect. It’s when you lay down to go to bed, and you’re instantly flooded with thoughts of all the tasks you didn’t accomplish that day.

One of the most effective ways to combat this is by physically jotting down the responsibilities you didn’t finish on paper; it helps rid you of your anxiety and organize your thoughts so you don’t have to stay up all night with your worries. There’s also something about writing down your responsibilities that makes you more likely to do them. 

Utilize Blackout Shades

Light pollution can negatively impact your sleep as it throws off your circadian rhythm. Your circadian rhythm is like your body’s natural alarm clock, and it’s heavily influenced by light and darkness. As such, you want your room to be as dark as possible to ensure you’re getting quality sleep. Blackout shades are really effective at keeping outside light from penetrating in, and they even make it significantly darker during the day in the event you want to sneak in a little daytime snooze. 

Purify The Air With Plants

You can always purchase an air purifier to rid your bedroom’s air of contaminants, but plants are an alternative, and aesthetically pleasing way to get the job done. Certain plants have the power to naturally purify the air, like English Ivy which the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology claimed could remove 94% of airborne feces and 78% of airborne mold spores.

About The Author

McKenzie Dillon is a blogger and sleep enthusiast for The Slumber Yard, a leading mattress reviews website. When she’s not sleeping, McKenzie likes attending comedy shows, hiking and cooking. 

Guest Post - 8 Ways to Transform Your Guest Room into a Calming Retreat

Having company stay overnight at your house is exciting, but also nerve-wracking. There are just so many questions that you want to ask to ensure they have a good time. Will they find your guest bed comfortable? What will they think of your décor? Will they be okay with your cat running around like a lunatic at 3 a.m.?

While we can’t answer that last question, we can help you create an overnight setup for your guests that is as relaxing as it is cozy. Below, here are eight surefire ways of creating a calming retreat for your guests that will make them feel pampered and loved.

Go Coastal

There is not a single person on earth who doesn’t find the ocean relaxing. Well, maybe Tom Hanks’ character in Castaway isn’t a big fan, but he’s fictional so our point still stands. Everyone loves the ocean’s ultra-calming vibes, so why not remind your guests of the salt, sand and the sea with a coastal bedding set? You can complete the look with a few coastal throw pillows, a weathered wood nightstand and a natural fiber rug that will instantly put guests into vacay-mode. Just don’t be surprised if your guests start jonesing for some daiquiris after spending a single night in your coastal haven.

Tone it Down 

Look, we love a bold accent wall just as much as the next interior designer, but there is a time and a place for a fun splash of color. Those places include literally anywhere but your guest bedroom. Different color preferences aside, bright and bold hues generally aren’t relaxing colors. To create a calming atmosphere in your guest bedroom, stick to a neutral color palette. Not only will it give a luxurious vibe, but a neutral hue will also help guests relax and feel more at home in the space. If you’re just itching to show off your color prowess to guests, go bold with the powder room or guest bathroom instead. 

Pile on the Blankets

We all know how some men can be at the thought of anyone touching their precious thermostat. If you don’t want your guests to mess with it (and cause a meltdown from Mr. Temperature Control over there), be sure to choose lightweight sheets for the guest bed and toss on a cozy-looking throw blanket that your guests can use in case it gets chilly. If you’re concerned that the throw blanket won’t be enough, place a cute basket in the corner and fill it with a chunky knit blanket or two for your guests. If they’re still cold after that, then you either need to get a heating blanket to keep them from freezing during the night or move out of the frozen tundra you call home.

Greet Them with a Bed Tray

If you search for “cozy bedroom ideas” on Pinterest right now, there’s a good chance that at least half of the pictures that appear will feature a cozy-looking bed with a tray on them. That’s because there’s just something oh-so-comforting and inviting about a bed tray with all our favorite goodies on them. Bed trays are perfect for guest bedrooms in particular because it gives you the opportunity to impress your guests and make them feel as though they just checked in to a five-star hotel. Load that bad boy up with some Pellegrino and a few decadent chocolates, and you’ll blow your guests away with your thoughtfulness. 

Give It a Reading Nook

If your guests don’t enjoy curling up with a good book and a cup of tea, then why are they even your guests? Just kidding—sort of. Even if your visitors aren’t voracious readers (it’s their loss, really), creating a cozy reading nook in your guest bedroom is a smart way to make use of an empty corner. It doesn’t need to be super swanky with a built-in library and a huge daybed. If you’re working with a small space, all you really need is a cozy chair, a chic lamp and some complimentary reading material (i.e., magazines, beach reads, a copy of Kama Sutra— you know, the usual).

Set the Mood with Lighting

Lighting can make or break the ambiance in a guest bedroom, or any room for that matter. To give your guest bedroom some high-style, swap regular lamps for chic wall sconces and make sure that you get the brightness just right. Warm lighting is more natural and will give the room a cozy feel at nighttime. To give your guest bedroom some Pinterest-worthy appeal, you can also put candles in gorgeous lanterns of various sizes. Pro tip: Get flameless candles. Sure, it won’t look as natural as the real thing, but it will create a similar ambiance without the fire hazard.

Add Some Greenery

If you use your guest bedroom regularly, add some life to your space with a few lush potted plants. Trendy and relaxing, plants can instantly elevate a room and are well-known for their mood-boosting abilities (plant therapy is an actual thing). They’re also a better décor option compared to a pretty vase of flowers, which can be far too aromatic for guests with sensitive sniffers. And if you’re worried about your black thumb, don’t sweat it. Just reach for hardier plants, such as a pothos plant. Seriously, this plant regularly defies death on a level that reminds us of Westley from The Princess Bride. 

Provide Luxurious Bathrobes 

The best part about staying at a five-star hotel (other than the welcome macaroons, of course) is getting to slip into a plush, Italian-made bathrobe after taking a hot bath. There’s just something about hotel bathrobes that can make you feel like royalty. If you want to go all out to pamper your guests, slip a couple of luxurious bathrobes (and slippers, if you know their shoe size) into the guest room closet. They’ll feel like they just checked into the Ritz Carlton, minus the butler service and full-service spa. But we think they’ll get by without those perks, don’t you?

Give It a Test Run

Finally, don’t forget to give your guest bedroom a trial run. Sleep in your guest bed and walk through the steps your guests might take when they stay at your home. Is it comfortable at night? What could make their stay better? Answer those questions, and you should have a calming and comfortable space for your future guests. Oh, and for the love of technology, don’t forget to give them the Wi-Fi info!

Written in Collaboration with Southern Tide.

Guest Post - Best Sunroom Decorating Ideas That'll Brighten Your Space

When you have a sunroom, you know it is already benefiting from the natural sunlight, so now, all you have to worry about is the other aspects around the room, like the accessories and the sunroom furniture that complete the whole picture. Although versatility is key, if you want to increase the comfort of your home in the neighborhood, do not forget to set up a nice comfy seating area.

So let’s see exactly what sunroom decorating ideas we picked for today's readers.

Comfortable Seating

When you say sunroom furniture, you might automatically think about the outdoors. Still, because the sunroom is, in most cases, built into your home, you should bring in some of your upholstered seating with plush pillows and everything that you can think of when going for coziness.

Just to make it more clear and easier for you, when writing down your sunroom plans, think of it as a second living room, equipped with electrical outlets — a cozy place where you could get some work done in those beautiful sunny days.

Window Wisdom

Want to know what is a sunroom part that you absolutely have to focus on? The windows. Yes, the windows are one of the most important aspects. What is usually recommended here, when selecting the windows for your sunroom, is at least a double-glazed type of glass that should allow the light to pass and play here with colors, at the same time, reflecting the heat and the ultraviolet rays.

The common and the most secure choice here would be to go for a tempered type of glass.

Established Sunroom Zones

If you own a rather spacious sunroom, why not go to the next level and divide it into multiple spaces for different activities. For example, you could separate a zone for reading, near the windows, or, why not, you can even sketch a tiny sunroom kitchen for baking muffins in summer mornings.

Extended Living Space

If you think of it abstractly, a sunroom is a barrier between the inside and the outside spaces. Practically, sunroom designs should combine both elements from outside and from the general feeling of your house. This can all be done by mixing the right combination of sunroom decorating ideas. Therefore, you create an extended living space for yourself without even realizing it.

Keep It Private

As much as we love our neighbors, sometimes little privacy is what we need at the moment. The shades or the curtains can be a crucial factor when decorating, so treat this as seriously as the other parts of your sunroom.

And, when you think of it, they will not only protect your privacy but also insulate the room, as a floor-to-ceiling glass window can be a big source of heat in the summer. While you are at it, go for a sunscreen as well, just to be protected from those pesky mosquitos.

Make Your Sunroom Versatile

A room like this can become an important part as you can use it both as a dining area in the summer months, because what is more pleasant than eating dinner with your favorite people around you, under the clear summer sky.

So, make sure you consider this possibility as well; you can even add an indoor fire pit that should be more than enough for marshmallow roasting sessions.

Conclusion

Although there are different and numerous styles of upgrading your sunroom, you must be careful when choosing the theme and colors. What are some of your most favorite details that you added in your sunroom? We would love to hear your stories and experiences regarding your sunroom!

Author’s Bio: Alex Green is a content writer, an avid and passionate gardener at home. He absolutely loves to tend to the garden and tries to find out new tips & tricks as often as possible. If he’s not in the garden, you can find him at a computer writing articles.