Top Ten Questions Asked of Us

Happy Friday!  I ran across this video and thought it was FABULOUS!  One of the top 5 questions we get on a regular basis is, "How do I measure my couch to figure out how much fabric I need?"   Well, ladies and gents - here's a GREAT video to help!

Second-Look Wallcovering

This is a new line of re-claimed vinyl wallcovering.  They will even pay the freight to send your old wallcovering back to their plant.  What a neat idea!!

 (pictured is Marquetry - Peridot from Cirqa Wallcoverings' Second-Look Collection)

Second-Look^® is the first recycled vinyl wallcovering.

And they said it couldn’t be done.

LSI Wallcovering introduced Second-Look in 2006. Since then, we’ve added hundreds of new products to the collection in each of our three major brands—Cirqa, Plexus and Versa. Many of our standard designs also can be specified as a Second-Look recycled wallcovering.
Commercial vinyl wallcovering has always been an excellent choice for sustainability because of its durability and inherently long life cycle. Second-Look, a comprehensive post-consumer recycling program, extends this lifecycle almost indefinitely. The Second-Look wallcoverings you specify today can be repeatedly recycled to keep them from the landfill for decades.

Read more at their website:  Second-Look

Meet the Staff: Candace

I know we haven't had a Meet the Staff in quite some time and we actually have a few new staff members to get to know so over the next 2 or 3 weeks we will be doing just that. Today we meet Candace! She began working with Tracy at the showroom a few months ago and has done a fantastic. We are thrilled to have her and I know Tracy is super excited to have her.

Carrie: What do you enjoy most about your job?
Candace: I love to be creative! Love getting to help people design their homes....it's fun to come to work!

Carrie: How would you describe your personal interior design taste?
Candace: Funky traditional
Carrie: What's been your most fulfilling job experience since working for Interior Mall?
Candace: Helping moms-to-be together fabulous baby bedding!!

Carrie: How do you spend your time outside of work?
Candace: Taking care of my 1 year old daughter, Ava! Also, since I'm from Missouri I spend a lot of time traveling back and forth between Fort Smith and Missouri.

Carrie: What item from the InteriorMall.com website would you like to add to your wish list?
Candace: Kirby Child's Chair and Tuffet #157523 for my little tot!!

How "Green" is your home?

Two or three times a year Hanley/Wood comes out with their Building Products magazine. In the latest issue they featured the Top 100 Reader-Requested Products and one of the coolest ones they feature is an Energy Dashboard.


This cool little gadget from Vantage Controls gives you real-time information on home energy usage; it can also provide recommendations on ways to reduce energy use and can predict how much money a homeowner might save if they implement the strategies. For those interested in going "green" and saving a little money this is a cool thing to own!

Cleaning your couch?

So, we all have that FABULOUS piece of furniture in our living room - the ONE thing that we just could NOT call a home without! So... what happens when someone spills their red wine on that piece while watching the latest episode of Design Star?? TRAGEDY, right??

Here are some suggestions from fabric manufacturer Maxwell Fabrics.

**Avoid overwetting.
**Do not dry in direct sunlight
**Do not dry with a hair dryer
**Do not use chemical cleaning agents.
**Alcohol based products will deteriorate PVC PVC may be cleaned with a water based product such as foam from a mild detergent, such as ivory flakes, flamorene brissel foam, upholstery cleaner and tide have been found suitable or a non-solvent upholstery shampoo - NOTE - ALWAYS test any cleaning agent in a hidden part of the furniture before using!!! **Ink and shoe polish will permanently stain PVC
**Avoid direct sunlight
**Polyurethane is NOT breathable

Any questions?  

Backyard Makeovers: 5 Easy Deck Revamps from Better Homes and Gardens

Create a colorful backyard escape by choosing outdoor furniture in a rainbow of colors. Mix and match warm pinks and oranges with cool blues and greens for a fresh contrast.

Transform outdoor seating with paint. An Adirondack chair in a cool blue hue stands out against the natural greens of the backyard.

Group chairs around small side tables for a relaxed setting. Have fun with your outdoor furniture. A fish-shape side table is a playful addition to this summertime hangout.

For an inexpensive splash of color, use sarongs or scarves around the deck. Hang them from a plant stand for a colorful accent.

Use unexpected accents to give your deck a punch of color. Roll out beach mats as an impromptu outdoor rug. Give accent pillows a summer makeover with a sarong, T-shirt, or linen skirt that doubles as a pillow slipcover.

Give your deck the feel of being waterside even if it's surrounded by dry land. Bright white furniture and nautical accents create a seaworthy setting. Lay rugs over wood floors to define the area, or roll a runner down a narrow space to make a welcoming walkway.

Alfresco dining is an important function of any deck. Use indoor/outdoor fabrics in a nautical print to cover tables. Add red dishes for a pop of color. Accent the area with candles and lanterns to keep the party going all night.

Eco-friendly, maintenance-free, recycled-plastic chairs create no-fuss seating. A tall shutter serves double duty as an accent piece and a way to block out what's happening in the yard next door. Choose white pieces (or paint them white) for a fresh look.

Set a nautical tone with a striped indoor/outdoor rug and vintage buoys. Use rope knots to weigh down the tablecloth and add seaworthiness to the deck.

Create a contemporary setting with bold colors, sleek lines, and geometric prints. Lime green brightens this deck and contrasts with the wood furniture. Lightweight, portable outdoor furniture emphasizes flexibility.

Geometric shapes give the deck a modern feel. The lime green squares on the outdoor rug show off the outdoor room's color palette. Fabrics used throughout the area, such as the mix of plain and patterned napkins, are a quick and inexpensive way to incorporate the color scheme.

A solar lantern is an eco-friendly way to light the deck at night. Choose one with an attractive pattern to serve as a beautiful accent during the day as it recharges.

Outdoor dining is this deck's main function. A large farmhouse-style table and mix-and-match seating creates a casual setting for outdoor meals. Reds, oranges, tans, and browns blend nicely with the natural backdrop.

Hang an old-fashioned lantern for an attractive and useful accent. Lanterns add character to the deck during the day and serve an important function at night.

Use outdoor fabrics to soften the wooden atmosphere. Outdoor rugs, seat cushions, pillows, and napkins add a cozy touch to the deck floors, chairs, and tabletop. Choose patterns that share a common hue to create an easy mix of patterns.

This traditionally styled deck draws guests around the table and encourages conversation. Purple wicker seating is a fun twist on classic outdoor furniture. Outdoor fabrics, such as the rug and tablecloth, create a natural extension from indoor living spaces.
When the sun goes down, this solar lamp lights the tabletop. The attractive lantern serves as an accent during the day.

Damask and graphic floral outdoor fabrics create an elegant atmosphere. Mix these patterns with solids and stripes to create a more casual atmosphere.


Thanks to Better Homes and Gardens for these awesome tips. You can check out more great stuff from BH&G at http://www.bhg.com/.

Which rub is the right rub?

We all know we want our fabric to be durable, but do you know how to gauge a fabric's durability just by reading a few numbers?

In the textile world, there are two main indicators for fabric durability. One is the Wyzenbeek Method and the other is a Martindale Cycle. While both tests are abrasion tests, they are not alike. A Wyzenbeek rating of 30,000 double rubs doesn't necessarily equate to a Martindale rating of 30,000 double rubs and vice versa.

The Wyzenbeek Method entails pulling a piece of fabric taut in a frame and subsequently rubbing it back and forth with an abradant (different fabrics may require different levels of abradant, from cotton duck to steel wire) until two yarn breaks occur or noticeable wear is observed. The number of double rubs is recorded as the fabric’s abrasion rating.



A Martindale Cycle is what is referred to as an oscillating test. In the Martindale test protocol, a fabric is mounted flat and rubbed in a figure eight like motion using a piece of worsted wool cloth as the agitator. The number of cycles achieved prior to a marked change in appearance (yarn breaks, pilling, holes) is the durability rating.



While both tests are a good indicator of how a fabric will perform, there are many other factors that will predict the durability of your fabric, such as fiber content, weaves, finishes, furniture design, maintenance, cleaning, and usage.

Both methods are recognized by the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM). The way to compare Wyzenbeek vs Martindale ratings is with a 4:3 ratio.
For example:
40,000 Martindale = 30,000 Wyzenbeek
20,000 Martindale = 15,000 Wyzenbeek

Stroheim & Romann is now... Fabricut!

Stroheim - now under new management!

Fabricut Inc., the parent company of fabric brands Fabricut, S. Harris, Vervain, Trend and Fabricut Contract, has acquired Stroheim from JAB Anstoetz of Germany. The move adds a sixth brand under the Fabricut umbrella, expands Fabricut’s reach into the high-end textile, trimmings and wallpaper market, and continues Stroheim’s impressive 145-year legacy in the home furnishings industry.

For more, check out this story!

Cool Sticky Things!

Looking for some great ideas for your child or teenager's room? We have just gotten in some great new self-stick, 100% removable and re-positionable wall murals and wall art in all your child's favorite Disney and Nickelodeon characters. Choose from Buzz Lightyear, Dora and Diego, CARS, Disney Princesses, Hannah Montana and the Jonas Brothers, Finding Nemo, Pirates of the Caribbean, Tinkerbell, Pooh and oh so much more! And the great thing about it, is when you're child outgrows the Pooh Bear stage you can move them up to Spongebob and once they're too cool for kid stuff you can jazz it up with Jonas Brothers, Wizards of Waverly Place or Camp Rock. A new room is as easy as peeling on and peeling off.


Borders start at only $13.00 and we carry wall art, frame kits, decorating kits, mini murals, posters and wall murals. All the newest and coolest products for your home and space available, as always, on http://www.interiormall.com/. What can you come up with?

Happy Cinco de Mayo!!!

Happy Cinco de Mayo from Interior Mall!! We made sure to celebrate!

P.S. - The margaritas were NON-alcoholic. No drinking on the job! =)

This was after we devoured most of the delicious food!