Tax credit opportunity available from Hunter Douglas and Bliss Design Center.

DUETTE HONEYCOMB SHADES IN PHENOMENA TRIPLE HONEYCOMB FABRIC:

THE MOST ENERGY-EFFICIENT, YET FASHIONABLE WINDOW COVERINGS AVAILABLE TODAY

Duette honeycomb shades from Hunter Douglas Window Fashions in the Phenomena™ fabric with three layers of honeycomb pleats are the most energy-efficient nationally branded window coverings available today.  Their unique honeycomb-like configuration “traps” air in the three honeycomb layers, insulating against heat gain in summer and heat loss in the winter.  The shades have a duotone design, with a neutral white on the outside for a consistent view from the exterior and superior light reflection, and a choice of colors and textures on the inside.

Duette shades in the Phenemona triple honeycomb fabric protect against solar heat passing through the windows by as much as 76 percent and boast a very high insulating winter R-value of 4.8 (double glazing).  In addition, these semi-opaque Duette fabric shades block 99.9 percent of the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays.

Available in a wide range of colors. Duette shades are anti-static, dust and stain resistant and virtually maintenance free. As with all Hunter Douglas products, Duette shades are backed by a lifetime limited warranty. 

Call Bliss Design Center, to schedule your free in-home estimate   435-674-2934

Serving St. George, Washington and all of Southern Utah.

During the holidays we do a lot of entertaining and sometimes our furniture may suffer.  If you have placed a hot bowl or cup on a piece of wood furniture, you may get what is often referred to as a heat ring or white mark on the wood.  Test in an inconspicuous place to make sure that this will not damage your fine furniture.  Mix equal parts of baking soda and regular white (non-gel) tooth paste and mix to form a paste.  With a lightly dampened soft cloth, apply the mixture to the mark and gently buff for a few minutes.  Real mayonnaise is said to work as well.  Always test first.  Apply with a soft cloth, leave set for several hours and wipe clean with damp cloth and buff dry.

Why use LED Christmas Lights?

Wattage of  an individual incandescent bulbs: C9s the large outdoor lamp used mainly on houses is about 8-9 watts each; C7s the medium lamps about 6-7 watts each; and mini lights are between .50 and 1 watt each.

The average LED holiday style light is between .05 and .07 watts

LED (light emitting diodes) are fast gaining in popularity and availability. This is good news for any one who wants to decorate for the Holidays and save money at the same. time.

LED Lights have many advantages.

       LED lights are energy efficient. Incandescent lights you can only put 2 to 3 strings of lights on one outlet until you start tripping breakers and blowing fuses. You can put as many as 25 strings of LED lights on one outlet.

       LED lights are sturdier, they have a longer life, and when one lamp goes out the string continues to work.

       LED lights are safer in that the lamp is cool to the touch.

As most of us already have our lights up this year if you haven’t considered LED lights re-think it, and watch for the after Christmas sales so you can pick some up for next year.  They will pay for themselves in no time.   Information courtesy of RED MOUNTAIN ELECTRIC

There is no better time of year to start a remodeling project in Southern Utah.  The weather is bearable and with the Holidays coming soon why not give your home a fresh new look?

Our latest remodeling job was to get rid of some  laminate and carpet flooring, and replace it with tile and some carpet in selected areas.  I think you will agree this made quite a difference especially in the hallway areas.

In the kitchen we removed the existing laminate flooring and replaced it with Daltile Salerno 18″ SL83.  This is a beautiful tile with a high shade variation, providing a better contrast to the cabinetry in the home than the laminate that had been installed,  we also replaced the high traffic hallways with tile and got rid of the carpet.

Carpet and hallways just don’t mix, and now with this beautiful hard surface this hallway is going to look great for years to come, no more tread pattens here!

We still wanted to keep some carpet in the main living room area.  A Mohawk Smart Strand product was chosen, with it’s inherint softness and stain resistance this carpet will hold up well to traffic and pets.  Smart Strand carpets offer a lifetime stain warranty, now that’s hard to beat!

Isn’t it time you called Bliss Design? Let’s work together to give your home the makeover you’ve been dreaming of.  Call us today at 674-2934 or visit our website www.blissdesigncenter.com

Mention this blog post and receive $200 off of any $2000 purchase!

Kitchen area before work with laminate flooring in the kitchen and carpet in the adjacent dining area.

Kitchen after with tile in both the kitchen and the adjacent dining area. The new tile really updated this kitchen.

Hallway area before with carpet.

Hallway with new tile installed. No more tread patterns here!

Local snowbirds from the state of Washington were recently very thankful for the services that are provided by Watch My Home when their refrigerator “bit the dust”.  Watch My Home, in a routine visit, discovered that the refrigerator and freezer were not operational and all of the contents had spoiled.  There was blood all over in the freezer from the defrosted and rotting meat and was just about to start dripping onto the newly laid tile floor.   The stench in the home was pretty overwhelming and Watch My Home placed an ionizing machine in the home for a few days to rid the smell. 

The homeowners were very happy that Watch My Home had found this mess instead of the homeowners coming home to an extremely ugly mess in October.  You can only imagine how bad the situation would have been!!

This is only one reason to have a service like Watch My Home provides if you are going to gone from your home for extended periods of time.

By:  SHERRY S MCGHEE, CLU, CHFC, CASL, LUTCF 

State Farm® agent

Water damage can occur almost anywhere in your house.  Water-using appliances and fixtures, such as refrigerators with icemakers, dishwashers, washing machines, toilets and water heaters are common locations of leaks.       

        Unfortunately, slow leaks at these appliances and fixtures are often times impossible to see until it is too late.  If it goes undetected, a slow leak can lead to rotting house framing and subfloors, and can be a precursor to a catastrophic leak that can release several gallons of water per minute, causing extensive water damage.  A water leak detection system may help prevent these problems. 

      There are two types of water leak detection systems: passive and active.

Passive leak detection systems are intended to alert you of a leak.  They generally sound an audible alarm tone and some may also feature a flashing light. 

Passive systems are frequently battery-operated, stand-alone units.  They are inexpensive and easy to install.  Some simply sit on the floor while others may be wall mounted.  A moisture sensor is located on the floor and activates the alarm when it becomes wet. Passive leak detection systems are especially useful in locations where it is easy for someone to hear the alarm such as near refrigerators, dishwashers, or toilets.

      Active leak detection systems usually generate some type of alarm, but also perform a function that will stop the water flow.  They feature a shut-off valve and some means to determine that a leak is occurring.  Most devices use moisture sensors to detect a leak.  Other systems use a flow sensor and a timer to determine that something is leaking and the water needs to be turned off.

An individual appliance system, which costs $50 to $150, detects a leak from a specific appliance, such as a washing machine or water heater and shuts off the water supply to that appliance only.  You can often install these systems without the use of special tools.

      A whole house system, which costs $500 to $1,500, sends an alarm when a leak is detected and automatically shuts off the main water service.  Some models can also be integrated with a local or central station security system.

      Contact a local contractor, building official or hardware store for more information about water leak detection systems.

            If you’d like more information about how you can prevent water losses in your home, please contact an expert, consult our web site, statefarm.com, call or stop by my office.

Shutters are the only window covering that actually adds to the re-sell value of  your home.  Shutters will enhance any room, and are great for specialty shaped windows and archs.

Wood shutter with sunburst arch top

Shutters are usually available in three types of material.  Wood, Faux Wood (made from  wood particles and epoxy resins) and Vinyl. 

With the intense sun we get in Southern Utah you should stay away from Vinyl Shutters, although they are less expensive, the are more likely to warp or discolor from the direct sun versus the wood or faux wood models.

Wood Shutters are available in painted or stained versions.   If you want the beauty of  a stained product then wood is the option for you.  If you want white shutters then the faux wood option would be recommended in this area.  The faux wood shutters hold up extremely well in the heat, and are also great for bathrooms or high humidity areas as they are completely water proof, and are not affected by heat or humidity levels.

Shutters have a higher insulation rating for your windows over the ever popular 2″ slat blinds.  They have almost double the insulation rate, which can help reduce your heating and cooling costs.

Now is the perfect time to make an investment in your home, with prices at their lowest in years.  You can purchase Faux Wood Shutters for $17.50 per square foot, this price includes installation.

Contact Bliss Design today to schedule a free in home estimate.  435-674-2934.

Shutters are like putting furniture on your windows!

Woodlore (faux wood) shutters

Bliss Design sells shutters manufactured by Norman Shutters, workmanship at it’s best!

MENTION THIS POST AND WE WILL EVEN INCLUDE THE SALES TAX!

 

Glenn Thomas

Hi, I’m Glenn Thomas, the owner of Reel Home Theater in Santa Clara, Utah (435-688-7335).  I’m a certified ISF (Imaging Science Foundation) TV and Projector calibrator.  I will drive to your home or business anywhere in southern Utah to make your picture look it’s best with an ISF-certified video calibration.

Let me show you the VALUE of proper ISF picture calibration.  Below, you will see two simulated screen shots… before and after calibration.

 

Before Calibration

After Calibration

 

As you can see, the calibrated picture looks more realistic.  The color is more natural. You can see many more details in the dark parts of the picture, etc. I think you will agree, the calibrated picture is much more enjoyable to look at. Your expensive HDTV or projector is now performing as it should and you are achieving the maximum return on your financial investment.

To achieve the perfect picture for you I will use my Sencore scientific calibration equipment  to measure and adjust your TV or projector contrast, color, brightness, sharpness, gamma, tint, grey scale tracking, etc.

How Much Does Calibration Cost?

$75 for a basic, 1 hour calibration.

$240 for a deluxe, 4-hour calibration with printed before / after documentation.

Above prices are for LCD, DLP, Lcos, plasma TV and projectors within 20 miles of the city of St. George.

Please add .50 / mile, round trip from St. George for long distance calibrations within southern Utah.

Call me at 435-688-7335 for a FREE estimate.

Thanks and have a great day.

Glenn Thomas

Wow What a difference a new floor can make! Ready to make your life easier, try hard surface living!

Before - With carpet in the entrace of this home, gives a worn and dark look to this home that is only a few years old.

After - Way to change the entrance into this home, no more dingy worn carpet, this entry will always look like new with easy to maintain laminate flooring.

Before - Kitchen with vinyl flooring, BORING!

After - WOW, what a beautiful kitchen!

Before - this plush cut velvet carpet, looks stained and worn.

After - New carpet installed is a looped or "berber" carpet, which really brightened up this bedroom.

  If your ready to experience hard surface living at it’s best, try a laminate floor. It’s easier on the body than tile, and it is much warmer. Laminate is also less likely to scratch or get “dings” than hardwood flooring. With the proper installation and a good underlayment pad, you won’t be able to “hear” the difference between a laminate and a hardwood floor.

Steps to this job including removing all of the existing carpet and the baseboards. Once the new flooring was installed the baseboards were put back on. Bliss Design Center takes pride in our workmanship and want to make sure you will be happy with the outcome. We know you are making an investment in your home.

Come into Bliss Design Center today and see our large selection of laminate flooring with brand names you know and trust; Armstrong, Bruce, Quik-Step and Shaw. Or call for a free in home estimate. 674-2934 Your just a step away from a beautiful new floor.

Mention this post and save 15%

Find the perfect style for your home at Bliss Design Center.  Mention this post and receive 15% off your next carpet purchase, PLUS a free pad upgrade.