Do you find arranging furniture difficult? You’re not alone. Many find that the most frustrating part of moving. The following suggestions may help you determine the best arrangement for your living or family room.

Start by determining the room’s focal point. A fireplace or dramatic view makes the decision easy. If you’re planning to have an entertainment center, that becomes a natural focal point. Arrange the seating so that it opens up the room for people to automatically see and pay attention to your focal point. For example, put the sofa across from a fireplace, or arrange your sofa on one side of the fireplace and two chairs on the other side so the fireplace stands out in the middle. Try to keep seating within an eight-foot area to encourage conversation.

Use tape or string to lay out the natural traffic patterns in the room. People will want to walk in a straight line from one end to the other without having to pause to walk around furniture. If possible, set those paths two to three feet wide.

Place coffee and side tables within reach of your seating. For a coffee table, think between a foot and a foot and a half in front of a sofa or chairs and at the same height as the seat or a few inches lower. Side tables should be no more than a foot away from seating and within two inches of height in either direction from the closest chair or sofa arm.

These suggestions are not written in stone. They provide a good starting point, but the final arrangement will depend upon your living room space and your furniture. Don’t hesitate to move things around until you find the arrangement you like – both from a design and a functional standpoint.

Fulton Homes Renews Commitment to Honoring Educators with ‘Teacher of the Week’ Initiative

Arizona’s Largest Privately Owned Homebuilder Set to Kick-Off 11^th Year of Popular Program

With another new school year back in full swing, students across the valley are being asked to recognize the teacher that’s made a difference in their lives with the 11^th Annual Fulton Homes Teacher of the Week program, run in partnership with http://www.knixcountry.com/main.html. The popular program, which serves to honor outstanding educators, will kick off by honoring its first weekly winner on Friday, Sept. 17, during the Ben and Matt Show on KNIX.

Every week, students are asked to nominate their favorite teacher for the chance to win a prize package that includes $300 in cash plus prizes from Fulton Homes and the Dairy Council of Arizona. The winning teacher is surprised by KNIX radio personality, Carolyn Coffey, who presents the award. The winning teacher will also be spotlighted on the KNIX Morning Show with Ben and Matt, where they will receive special recognition on their Friday show between 6:20 – 7:20 a.m.

At the end of the school year, in June of 2011, the 34 winning teachers will be honored at a special luncheon, where one outstanding teacher will be chosen as the Fulton Homes “Teacher of the Year.”

“Teacher of the Week is an outstanding way to honor educators, who mostly go unrecognized for all of the hard work and time they put into their job,” said Douglas Fulton, CEO of Fulton Homes. “With teacher layoffs at a high, and our economy still suffering through record lows, our teachers and schools need our continuing support, now more than ever.”

Students can nominate their favorite teacher for Fulton Homes’ Teacher of the Week by submitting a brief form at any Fulton Homes location or online at fultonhomes.com or knixcountry.com. Winners are chosen based on their commitment to education, career achievements and impact on students’ lives.

For more information about Fulton Homes Teacher of the Week, visit www.fultonhomes.com and click on the Fulton Foundation link, or visit knixcountry.com, keyword “Teacher.”

Join us in celebrating our newest achievement in energy efficiecy. Fulton Homes is the first and only builder in Arizona to earn a ENERGY STAR version 3 rating on all new-built floorplans at all of our Valley communities.


Q: What is Energy Star?

A: Energy Star is a joint program of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy helping us all save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices. Fulton Homes is proud that 100% of our new-built homes are certified compliant with Energy Star version 3.

Q: What does a Fulton Homes Energy Star v3 Certified Home mean to me?

A: A Fulton Homes Energy Star Certified Home means you can rest assured that you are doing the most to protect the environment and your pocketbook.  An Energy Star Certified Home uses the latest building practices and technologies to ensure that your new home is energy efficient and comfortable. Fulton Homes Energy Star v3 Certified Homes include:

Lousiana Pacific Tech Shield Radiant Barrier – deflects heat away from attic High-performance Vinyl Windows (minimum of .35 & .25) – reduces UV rays from entering home 14 SEER Carrier Air Conditioner – excellent cooling and energy efficiency Merv 6 Return Air Filters – helps A/C unit run more smoothly Outside Air Exchange Fan – tight construction requires precise fresh air exchange Drywall Caulking at Top Plate – further seals and insulates home Minimum 10% Bulbs to be CFL – longer lasting and saves electricity Foam Seal on All Exterior Doors – reduces air leakage Gas Water Heater with .58 to .62 Efficiency Rating – saves on water heating costs For more information about the energy saving features in our homes, please contact a Fulton Homes sales associate or visit one of our exciting Valley Communities.

In traditional Japanese homes, floors are kept cleaner and more protected because family and guests never wear their shoes in the house. Instead, the entryway has a selection of traditional slippers, which guests change into upon arriving. Some people in the United States would like to follow this practice, but aren’t sure how to go about it. By following these suggestions, anyone can create a no shoes approach for family and friends.

Start with planning for the transition. Pick up a selection of machine-washable slippers in various sizes for both men and women for those people who don’t want to walk around in just socks. Set up a shelf to store the slippers by size, along with a basket or bin for holding the worn slippers for laundering. You may also want to pick up a shoe cubby to store your guest’s shoes without scuffing. Finally, look for a comfortable bench or chair to provide a place to make the change.

If possible, let your guests know about the change in visitor requirements when you invite them. This allows them to plan their footwear accordingly. Be sure to mention that while they are welcome to wear their socks or bring their own slippers, you have a good selection of in-house options for them.

Make sure that your family follows the same requirements. It may be difficult at the start, but soon everyone will be used to taking their shoes off at the door. Be sure no one in your family wears shoes at your parties – if your guests follow a requirement, you and your family should also.

Make sure to thank your guests when they leave for their tolerance of your request. Although the choice is reasonable, it is also uncommon and you want to acknowledge that.

Consider giving this approach a try. Once you instigate this change, you will find that your flooring needs to be cleaned much less often, and your home will stay cleaner in general.

Wood floors and carpets can have a hard time when the weather turns wet and/or wintery. The following multi-step approach will help you protect your floors throughout the seasons.

One doormat alone is not enough to protect your floors. Plan on two or even three steps to addressing the dirt and wet shoes headed your way. Step one is a good outdoor mat. Look for a large one with dual functionality. It should be rough enough to allow guests to scrape off any water, sand, sleet or mud, and absorbent for the wet that comes with the weather. You may love that cute printed doormat, but leave it in the store – a pretty inside floor is more important.

Once inside, add another mat just under the door. There are a number of low-nap, high-absorbency rugs made for this job. This will take the next layer of dirt and wet off your guest’s footwear.

Finally, you may want to add a third machine-washable rug at the entryway to your nice floors. Looking at the amount of dirt that rug collects will help you realize that the third step makes a big difference for your wood or carpeting.

Be sure to take the same approach to every entryway in your home, and your floors will look great all year long!

Do you prefer a casual style in your home décor but long for wood floors? Well, wood works very well in a casual space. To make the design consistent, here are a few style suggestions as you choose your type of wood floor.

If you want relaxed, light woods provide a simpler and more low-key look. A floor such as the one in the photo provides a lovely foundation for this room with a country slant. The light tones work very well with the wicker dining chairs and the basket accessories.

Another element that creates a casual feel involves the variety of wood tones in the floor. A single-tone floor seems more formal and planned. Using a mix of tones makes the floor feel casual, while allowing a variety of furniture materials characteristic of a relaxed decorating style.

The new hand scraped wood floors fit that handmade profile, with each plank having its own personality. A floor with more visible grain and wider planks also sends a casual message. So don’t hesitate to pick wood if your taste is laid-back; just choose the right floor for your design goals.

Thinking in design terms can make a simple dinner buffet into something special. In this photo, the most inviting part of this set-up is how well the look of the buffet table fits with the rest of the room. From the simple candle holder to the denim napkin laid out to hold the serving pieces, everything about the buffet mirrors the taste and style of the homeowner.

Let’s start with color. The reds, greens and golds connect the buffet to other elements in the room, making the buffet feel like part of the space rather than an uneven style element. The rustic console table behind the sofa provides a perfect setting for the food, allowing people to walk along and help themselves. Room on this table is limited, so the host chose to put a fall foliage floral arrangement on a side table where it can contribute to the mood without interfering with the food service.

One change would add to the overall functional success of this buffet. Instead of placing the forks and napkins on top of the stacks of plates, the host could have wrapped them together in individual serving sets and placed them vertically in a glass or pitcher. The table could have handled the space needed, and it would add another height element beyond the candles. This would also smooth out the serving process, which is important to consider with even a small buffet.

What can you do to make your next buffet create a feeling of welcome no matter the menu? Why not take a few extra minutes to consider the design side of your next dinner party?

Adding design to your entertaining plans makes your parties more inviting and adds a fun element to your planning. Spending a bit of extra time thinking about how things look helps you create an environment that makes your guests feel welcome.

Let fresh flowers provide a focus for your design plans. Flowers are inexpensive and simple to arrange, and the extra effort will be appreciated by your guests. Just head to your nearest grocery or warehouse store for a good selection of fresh, seasonal flowers. Select one or two bouquets that fit with your party theme or color choices. With planning, this will provide plenty of flowers for your entire home.

You don’t need to have training or even that much talent to make nice flower arrangements. The photo shown has only two simple stems held in place by a few oranges, but the flowers and fruit create a sense of style and design that’s more effective than many elaborate concoctions. Just be imaginative and let the flowers give you ideas. Not enough vases? Any glassware or ceramic piece that holds water can be incorporated into your plans.

Scatter your arrangements anywhere guests may wander – on your main table, the foyer, and the guest bathroom. This simple gesture says welcome to everyone you invite.

If you enjoy both Home and Garden TV and the Food Network, would you enjoy an opportunity to see the channels do some programs together? How do you think the Food Network chefs would react to an opportunity to develop a space that suits them?

One Food Network superstar, Bobby Flay, has such a characteristic metropolitan style that it’s really fun to imagine his choices. An obvious start for his modern approach is ebony wood flooring. The dark reflective tone provides a natural background for the combo of mid-century and contemporary furniture that suits Bobby.

Bright colors pop in the living space in strong contrast to the dark flooring. A vivid red leather couch – low-slung and tailored – joins two orange chairs for a hot focus against floor-to-ceiling windows that showcase the Manhattan skyline. Accessories run to bright red, oranges, yellows and greens, sharing the colors of a big bowl of peppers sitting on the coffee table.

The kitchen opens up into this room so Bobby can chat with his guests while he cooks, and the dark tones, stainless steel, and bright serving platters keep the spaces connected. What does Chef Flay have planned for tonight? Let’s hope it’s something from the grill!