All posts by katie

Kitchen Styles/Designs – LaGrange, Hinsdale, Western Springs, Carol Stream, Glen Ellyn, Wheaton & MORE

We all have kitchens…but, we don’t all have the same tastes. This is why homes have such different kitchen styles and designs. Your kitchen is an essential part of your home, if not the most important room of the house, actually. You cook and bake great meals and yummy treats for your family in the kitchen. You probably host little get togethers in there as well and I’m sure you have enjoyed a cup of tea, coffee or hot cocoa while conversing with a loved one. Regardless of what you do in your kitchen, it’s important that it’s not only useful but that you enjoy being in the room and with the design of it.

Traditional vs. Modern – typically the main difference in kitchens today. What is your choice?

Traditional kitchens usually have a lot of wood finishes, lots of classic patterns, pale/muted colors, floral (most of the time), and always has a “homey” feeling to it. Traditional kitchens are often referred to as “cute” in design and comfortable, of course!

Modern kitchens are a bit different. They have smart appliances, are usually very geometric in design, lack so many wood finishes, a lot of cabinet space to hide appliances, utensils, glasses, etc., and has a very tidy and sleek look to it. Modern kitchens are often referred to as “stylish” and “sophisticated.”

Now, just because you like one style more than the other does not necessarily mean that you have to only have aspects from one. It’s YOUR kitchen, do what you want with it! The important thing to always remember is regardless of what your tastes are compared to what is “popular” or “trendy,” it’s your kitchen and should be a reflection of what your personality is!

Spring is around the corner, which means it’s the perfect time to start planning your remodel/redesign projects! Let DeSitter help you! Call or Visit one of our showrooms today to start making your dream room a reality!

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Tile & Natural Stone – Finishes/Types – LaGrange, Hinsdale, Western Springs, Lisle & MORE

During our New Year Sale & Inventory Clearance Event, we have a ton of tile we are offering at amazing deals, so we thought we would take the time to explain what types of tile finishes there are.

The most common types of finishes for tile and stone are:
• Acid-washed – shiny with small etched marks. marble and limestone are common acid-washed products
• Flamed – rough, unrefined texture. granite is a common type
• Honed – also called flat, matte or satin finished. very soft look
• Polished – has a glossy shine finish

• Saw-cut refined – similar to matte but not completely honed
• Split-face – rough texture but not as rough as flamed. Slate is commonly done this way
• Tumbled – smooth surface with broken or rounded edges
• Brushed – by brushing the tile, you develop a worn-down look to it

Most common types of tile and natural stone are:
• Granite – igneous stone, very hard and dense, scratch resistant, hundreds of varieties
• Limestone – sedimentary stone, formed by calcite and sediment
• Marble – a type of limestone, metamorphic stone that is usually polished, very easily scratched
• Sandstone – sedimentary stone, rough in texture because of the loose grains of sand
• Slate – metamorphic stone that comes in sheets, composed of quartz and clay
• Manufactured Stone – synthetic stone made from natural stone, very strong, not likely to crack or chip
• Travertine – partially metamorphosed and crystallized limestone that can be honed and filled, similar to marble

• Ceramic Tile – made from clay and has been hardened by heating it, often shiny
• Porcelain Tile – type of ceramic tile that has had more heat applied to it making it more dense with less water absorption

**In case you don’t remember, igneous means it has been formed by the cooling and hardening of molten rock. Sedimentary means it’s been formed by the deposition of material over time. Metamorphic means it’s been formed when other rocks break down from heat and pressure.

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Carpeting Basics – LaGrange, Hinsdale, Western Springs, Carol Stream, Glen Ellyn, Wheaton & MORE!

Not everyone is a carpet expert and you don’t have to be! But, if you’re going to start shopping for carpeting, you should at least know the basics so you can easily follow what a sales associate is explaining to you and also so that you have a better understanding of what type of carpet is best for you and your home.

First, there are different types of construction. Below is an image of the types and a brief explanation of each.

construction types

Cut Pile: one of the most popular constructions – very durable – has dense tufts – highly twisted yarn – great for high traffic areas 

Loop Pile: loops of all the same height – great for high traffic areas – often seen in Berber carpeting – great choice for contemporary areas 

Patterned Loop: loops have two to three different heights – has patterned effects – casual look – great durability

Cut and Loop: combines cut and looped yarns – provides surface texture – often seen in rugs/carpeting with swirls, squares and other geometric shapes – great for hiding dirt

 

Fiber is also important in deciding what carpeting is best for you. Most carpeting today is made of nylon, polyester, polypropylene and wool.

Travertine – Inventory Clearance – LaGrange, Hinsdale, Western Springs, Carol Stream, Glen Ellyn & More!

DeSitter Flooring is currently having its New Year Sale & Inventory Clearance Event – Check out some of the products available.

While Supplies Last – Call For Availability !!

Travertine ! Travertine ! Travertine!

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Time for remodeling projects! LaGrange, Hinsdale, Carol Stream, Glen Ellyn & MORE

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It’s that time of year that people are starting to think about and plan for their remodeling projects!

Spring cleaning is right around the corner too so there really is no better time to start your design projects; out with the old and in with the new!

Remodeling and redesigning is sometimes a difficult process, but we can help with that. Our sales associates are all very knowledgeable in our products and can set up a consultation with you to learn exactly what it is you’re looking to change!

DeSitter is currently doing our New Year Sale and Inventory Clearance Event, we are sure that we have what you are looking for!

Want carpet? We got it! Want Tile and Stone? Say no more, we have that too! Hardwood more to your liking? Fancy that, we have plenty of that to choose from too!

Designing and remodeling doesn’t have to be too expensive and it doesn’t have to be all done at once. Call Us Today or Stop by our showrooms to see what we have available to help you start your projects!

New Year Sale & Clearance Event !! LaGrange, Hinsdale, Western Springs, Carol Stream, Glen Ellyn, Wheaton & MORE!

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GREAT NEWS….DeSITTER IS HAVING IT’S NEW YEAR SALE & OVERSTOCK CLEARANCE EVENT!

Sale ends 2/15/16 so you still have plenty of time to take advantage of all that it offers!

 

What does this mean exactly?:

  • Year-End Lowest Prices

  • Inventory Clearance – SAVE up to 60%

  • Top In-Stock Carpets, Tile & Stone

  • Items are ready for IMMEDIATE Delivery

  • Also BIG Savings on Area Rugs, LVT & even MORE

  • Option to use our Professional Design Services

  • Excellent Customer Service

 

Hurry on in or call us today to help rediscover your floors and start 2016 off with beautiful new flooring!

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Learn about acclimation – LaGrange, Hinsdale, Western Springs, Carol Stream, Glen Ellyn, Wheaton & MORE

Having hardwood or LVT installed in your home or office? If so, we’re pretty sure you have heard the term acclimation or that your flooring material needs to acclimate before it is installed. Right? Well, as many times as someone has heard this term, there are some people who either have no clue what it means or are still a little unsure. We can help!

Acclimation is the process of conditioning the moisture contect of wood (or lvt) flooring to the environment in which it will  be installed in. This is VERY important. If the material does not acclimate to the environment, it is likely that it may shrink or swell, depending on the moisture in the air.

When you’ve purchased these types of flooring, your sales person will explain to you that the material will have to be delivered at least 2 days prior to the installation date. The exact amount of time really depends on the quantity of the material, but it should never be any less than 2 full days. When the material is delivered, it should be stored  inside the home (or area) that it will be installed in. DO NOT leave the material outside on a patio or in a garage. Once the material is delivered, be sure to maintain the temperature (the temperature should be the normal living condition temperature) from the day it’s delivered until a couple days after installation to be sure the acclimation process is complete and the moisture levels do not change until after the install.

Upon delivery, open the cartons or packages of the flooring material and raise them slightly off the ground. This helps the moisture content of the wood adjust to that of the environment and allow for proper acclimation. The material can also be removed from the cartons completely and cross stack the materials, with a small space between each layer.

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What Should You Know About Stair Runners? – LaGrange, Hinsdale, Western Springs, Carol Stream, Glen Ellyn, Wheaton & MORE

Odds are that if you have a staircase in your home, it’s used quite often and seen by almost everyone who comes in to your home. With that being the case, don’t you want it to look nice and maybe even a bit classy and elegant?

There are a few different things that you can do to a staircase and it all really depends on your design style, comfort choice and how it works for you and those in your household. Of course, each has its own pros and cons.

For example, some people choose to leave the look of the hardwood stairs and keep them bare (meaning no carpeting). There are many beautiful species and stains of hardwood and this could be a beautiful look all on it’s own. However, some people have experienced a lot of slipperiness on bare stairs. This probably wouldn’t be that good of an idea where there are elderly people living, small children who are just learning to crawl/walk or are constantly climbing the stairs alone, or even those with pets that use the staircase, as well. Another issue that people find to be tiresome regarding bare stairs is how much dirt and dust piles up and how noticeable it is, if not routinely cleaned up.

The other main option with a staircase is to install a stair runner. Stair runners can be installed using broadloom carpeting or already finished stair runners and this material can be found at all sorts of stores and flooring showrooms. When considering a stair runner, there are many different options. Stair runners come in different fibers, all kinds of different styles and many different colors. These will all depend on your style choice. The other main thing that you have to decide is what type of installation you prefer; the two basic types are hollywood (the runner is wrapped around the edge of the tread and stapled under the nose of the stair) or waterfall (the stair runner flows continuously all the way down, without being fastened to the risers). See the pictures below to differentiate between the two. Some people choose to have a floating install, which means only the top surface of each stair is carpeted and the carpet on each step is not connected to the next.

Hollywood: Screen-Shot-2014-02-06-at-2.04.58-PM   Waterfall: renzulli 006

 

Other design choices that have to be made is how much stair you want visible on each side of the runner. Some people choose to have no stair shown, while others stick to the rule of thumb of 4″ of stair showing on each side. It really all depends on your design choice. With wider staircases, the area of stairs still visible is generally larger than 4″ on each side. Another option is to have stair rods installed on your stairs or not to. Some people think it gives the staircase a more elegant look, while others either don’t like the look it has or sometimes complain that the stair rods cause issues with stubbing toes on them. Again, it’s based on your personal preference and no one way is the right way. The following images show staircases with stair rods installed. Stair rods also come in different finished and designs.

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When having stair runners installed, there is a chance that there may be some extra carpeting left over. In situations where this is the case, you can sometimes ask the installers to make bound area rugs from the excess material so that is not wasted. This is something that you should speak to your sales associate about when discussing your install.

If you have any questions or would like to look at some carpeting samples for a stair runner in your home, contact us at (630) 633-5407 to set up a consultation!

 

DeSitter Christmas Video – $1000 Flooring Giveaway!!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from our family at DeSitter to yours!!

Check out our Christmas video and share with your friends and family this Holiday season!

Enter for a chance to WIN a $1000 Flooring GIVEAWAY!!

Visit DeSitter’s Christmas Contest/Giveaway and follow ALL of the steps to be eligible to WIN!

Our staff had a great time putting this video together and hope you enjoy it as much as we do! 

Please be advised that our stores will be closed from 1:00PM on Christmas Eve until January 4th at 9:30AM, we wish you all a very safe and happy Holiday Season!

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Holiday Tips & Ideas for You! – Carol Stream, Glen Ellyn, Wheaton, LaGrange, Hinsdale, Western Springs & MORE

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DeSitter is a family owned company so we know all about tradition and spending quality time with another! That’s what the holidays are for; being around your friends and family and making new memories to last forever!

We have a large staff that come from all different backgrounds that participate in their own special traditions and we love to hear about them all.

Another thing that’s for sure is the Holidays are often celebrated by lots of yummy food and treats to make and share. It’s also the time to decorate your home, both inside and out. The Holiday sights are truly beautiful, no matter the style!

Check out some of the links below for different recipes, tips on decorating and more!

 

http://allrecipes.com/recipes/841/holidays-and-events/christmas/desserts/christmas-cookies/

http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/dishes/cookie-recipes/christmas-cookies

http://www.midwestliving.com/food/holiday/30-best-holiday-dessert-recipes/

http://www.bhg.com/christmas/recipes/traditional-holiday-desserts-from-around-the-world/

 

http://www.realsimple.com/holidays-entertaining/holidays/holiday-decorating-ideas

http://www.realsimple.com/holidays-entertaining/holidays/christmas/five-minute-holiday-decorating-ideas

http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-sh-christmas-decorations-around-the-world-20131213-photogallery.html

 

http://www.mrqe.com/lists/holiday-movies/25-best-holiday-movies

http://www.signupgenius.com/home/christmas-party-games.cfm

 

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