An interesting thing is going on in the world of hardwood which reflects an interest in less formality, as well as wood which requires less maintenance for busy people. Especially if they have kids and pets. Basically, these are more rustic looking woods, which come from the factory with varying degrees of "distressing." These character woods, some of which are actually made from reclaimed materials, all have the advantage of a great factory finish, but also hide any imperfections, dents or scratches that may come with normal daily traffic in the home. What people like is the relaxed and authentic look and the forgiving nature of these floors.    

Shaw Floors set the GUINESS WORLD RECORD for the World's Largest Pie Fight with over 400 throwers on January 7, 2010 in Dallas. The pie fight took place on Shaw's Anso nylon carpet to demonstrate Anso nylon's superior ability to repel stains and to be easily cleaned. The world record involved 1,200 pies of various flavors including cherry, chocolate and apple, which equates to 3,000 pounds of pie. Following the event, Shaw cleaned the pie-covered carpet and display the like-new results. The pie fight shows how Anso nylon holds up to everyday life. The carpet's anti-soil properties combined with the R2x® stain-resistance treatment make most common household stains simple to remove.    

The green movement is really taking hold in our country as environmental concerns hit us on the news daily. One interesting product is cork, which has actually been used as flooring since the 1800's. Cork is considered "green" because it is harvested from the bark of Mediterranean cork oak trees which live to be 100-120 years old. In fact, there are some trees that are known to be as much as 500 years old. The bark is harvested every 9-11 years while the trees remain alive and healthy.  And with improved finishes, today's cork flooring is quiet, comfortable, durable, naturally fire resistant and easy to maintain.    

I'm very fortunate to work in an industry that primarily deals in American made goods. Today I'm writing about the largest flooring manufacturer in the world, Shaw Industries. Each and every year shaw makes enough carpet to strech from the earth to the moon and back again, and all of it is made right here in the United States of America. Shaw is owned by Berkshire Hathaway and as of 2006 has 70 manufacturing plants in 7 states employing over 30,000 Americans. All of that American made flooring needs moved from the manufacturing plants and Shaw owns one of the largest private trucking fleets in America. With annual sales in excess of $5 billion, you can be sure that your purchase of Shaw goods is a good purchase for America. Shaw products can be purchased at any of the 8 Molyneaux Tile Carpet Wood locations in and around Pittsburgh. www.shawfloors.com  

Patterned floors are a big trend these days. Lots of us have ceramic tile, but if you want to make yours stand out, check out the “hopscotch look.” No, it’s not exactly like what your kids drew on the sidewalk this morning, but it’s close. This look combines large tiles with smaller tiles to give your floor a very unique style. You can also use different color shades to add even more character to your floor. You can do whatever you like, be creative. Another great thing about the “hopscotch look” is that much like installing tile on the diagonal, it fools the eye and can make a smaller room look larger. So there you are, hopscotch, not just a kid’s game anymore!