Transform your home in an afternoon
With the holidays looming, many of us feel our homes are in need of an instant makeover. Television design shows prove that a new carpet or change in flooring can transform a room completely. Sometimes you only need to add coordinating throw pillows and you have an entirely new look.
Choosing carpet or flooring can be overwhelming, especially in the big stores where many associates have limited product knowledge, no design background, and little time to help you. At Architectural Design Carpets they have all of the above, plus great coffee and cookies.
Personalized service
Architectural Design Carpets was started out of a garage 20 years ago because owner Debra Duering chose not to put her daughter in day care and wanted to be at home. At first, she worked only with friends, then realized she could turn it into a business.
Duering's showroom has been in the current location on East Francisco Boulevard for 15 years. She now has a showroom manager, several sales associates, and her own installers. Shopping here feels like family.
The price is right
Pricing at Architectural Design Carpets is often better than the large home improvement stores. Because they buy a lot of wool carpet from their vendors, manufacturers come in when they have special rolls which they purchase at half price and pass that savings on to customers.
The showroom carries all the same brands as the large stores, such as Stainmaster, Karastan, Stanton plus designer names like Schumacher and Missoni. They have carpet and rug collections designed expressly for kids. You are encouraged to take samples home to see how the color looks in the light of your room at home.
When asked why some carpets are more expensive than others, Duering says, "It depends on the weave, the type of wool or material, the actual design, the designer."
Q & A at ADC
At Architectural Design Carpets, they ask questions and simplify the process. They want to know about things like the amount of heavy traffic you have in various areas of your home and how many pets you own, so they can steer you toward certain products and designs, and away from others. If you like the look of an expanse of plush white carpet but have a household full of children and pets, they will tell you the potential pitfalls and offer alternatives. Some of the larger stores would just sell you a boatload of white carpet and let you deal with the consequences.
Everyone has excellent design sense and extensive knowledge about the many carpet brands, pads, binding done on premises, custom area rugs, as well as the various types of flooring on the market today.
Besides solid color carpets, which they carry in a variety of weaves, there are hundreds of different textures and patterns available in carpet today. Manufacturers have created soil, stain, odor, and static resistant features.
Their carpet installers have worked with them for years, and are trusted in clients' homes. Duering backs up everything they do. They have an excellent reputation with price conscious home owners, designers, and apartment owners. I first met them when I was designing, and have never shopped for flooring or carpet elsewhere.
They know their carpets personally
Architectural Design Carpets handles jobs of all sizes. They know which brands and types work best if sound is an issue in your home or apartment building. They have great suggestions for basements or spa areas where people may walk with wet feet. There are carpets they don't recommend for pet owners. Cats especially can get their claws into some of the longer yarns and weaves. If you are a pet owner, they suggest a new pad which helps keep pet odors away.
In terms of trends, showroom manager Sonya Nelson says that animal prints are very popular, as are custom rugs. Grays are in. Silk and wool carpets are favored by many interior designers. Patterns and textures are big. Many people love rugged berber tweeds and Sisal which they tell Nelson they see on their travels.
If you have a small room, check their selection of remnants. If you are in a hurry, Architectural Design Carpets can often order an installation within 48 hours. Though they work fast, don't expect a miracle the day before Christmas, the carpet elves may be booked.
Wood is a natural resource
In a national survey, ninety percent of real estate agents said that houses with wood flooring sell faster and for more money. Architectural Design Carpets carries many types of wood for flooring including oak, teak, maple, Brazilian cherry, bamboo and cork.
There are new choices in terms of finishes, stains and designs that make wood practical even for kitchens. Bamboo is environmentally friendly because it grows fast. It comes in many bright colors like red, yellow, orange and is reasonably priced.
Duering says designers love Marmoleum, which is a natural linoleum, also totally green.
Shop local
At Architectural Design Carpets, the warehouse is in the same location as the showroom, an important point that sets them apart from the large stores. They are able to receive goods and check to be sure the product is right before sending it out to a client. Warehouses for large retailers are often far away from the stores, so the sales person rarely sees the carpet roll or flooring a customer has ordered before it is to be installed.
Architectural Design Carpets has everything you need in carpet or flooring from apartment grade to custom goods. Here, you can see the same selection that you would find at the design center in San Francisco without having to cross the bridge. And you get a cookie too.
Architectural Design Carpets
1111 Francisco Boulevard East, No. 3
San Rafael, Ca 94901