When people think of wood in the kitchen, they most likely think of cabinets. Granite countertops paired with luxurious wooden cabinets has been a growing trend with home and apartment renovations. It seems like when people see "granite countertops, cherry cabinets, stainless appliances!" in a listing, they're sold! But let's step back for a moment and have a look at a hardwood surface you probably wouldn't think of at first - hardwood countertops.
Your first reaction is probably the same as mine was - won't that stain? Won't water get in there? Can I use it kind of like a built in cutting board? Then what happens if the slice marks trap bacteria? Ahh! Thankfully, this article has recognized that hardwood countertops are a viable option for the kitchen, and just reminds homeowners that the extra warmth requires just a little extra care to make sure it retains its luster for years to come. Sealing or oiling periodically will keep the counter in top shape, and it never hurts to use a cutting board instead of cutting directly on the counter (even though you can do that!) if you're concerned about scratches and dents. Though depending on your home's decor, you may view those scratches as a symbol of your kitchen being lived in and a place of memories, just as you would with a hardwood floor.
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They definitely don't fit the mold of what typically comes to mind when you think "hardwood flooring contractor", and they like it that way. Come to think of it, they probably have more in common with a rock band than you might think-they work together in a small group, they "tour", traveling around the country to different venues they're working at, and they live to get people pumped about the awesome work that they do. Balash and Greene bring a mix of master craftsmanship with a refreshing approach to floor design that pushes the limits of what was previously thought possible with hardwood flooring, and I got a VIP pass to go behind the scenes and find out what makes their wood floors rock.
]]> Athens, Georgia-based hardwood flooring contracting company Balash and Greene was started about 2 ½ years ago by business partners Kevin Greene and Chris Balash. They knew they had something special to offer people with their artistic talents and passion for hardwood floors, and that has really launched them to success in the short few years that they've been in business. So how did they find Carlisle Wide Plank Floors? Greene's sister-in-law happened to have some leftover Carlisle hickory from a flooring job in her garage. Greene was so impressed by it, he found Carlisle's number on the website and immediately called, not even realizing that there was a design center right in Atlanta!After meeting and talking with Carlisle's representatives, Greene knew that he wanted to work with Carlisle in his future projects. "They had the same outlook on the craftsmanship aspect of the work." he said. "The attention to detail that they put into everything - we do the same thing. It might take more time or more money or more effort to [do things right], but it's so worth it. They understand that in everything they do."
As you can imagine, this attention to detail and quality really pays off, as seen in the Antique Oak detail work featured above. Balash and Greene have not only delighted their "fan base" across the country with their unique wood patterns and fine detail work, they're also breaking into show biz! After finding out about their beautiful floor designs and the sustainable, green aspect of their floors, the Discovery Home Channel gave them a call to be featured on their new green home improvement show, Greenovate, due to air this Summer on the new channel Planet Green (check your local listings). "Green can be beautiful," said Greene. "[With our] craftsmanship and design [combined with] building something out of sustainable materials, it's going to last forever and nobody's going to rip it out in 10 years."
Moving forward, Balash and Greene have taken care to continually look for new ways to expand and improve their hardwood contracting business without sacrificing any of the quality that their customers have come to expect. "We're moving toward what we like to think is the top of the installation world." said Greene. As is the course with many rising stars, Balash and Greene are planning to break away from their home town and have their sights set on Los Angeles for their big break, working with Carlisle's L.A. branch. They look forward to the change, facing a market that allows for more creative freedom with flooring projects like their Monticello pattern in walnut featured above. "Once you're finished with a project, you can really look at it and be proud of it." said Greene, reflecting on the satisfaction they get from creating a happy customer. "We just love what we do."
To learn more about Balash and Greene's flooring design and their flooring contracting company, head over to their website, BalashandGreene.com.
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I began my project in September 2007 when my boyfriend Dan and I first decided to embark on the demolition of our current bathroom. We knew straight off that it was going to be a fairly large undertaking, but we also knew it had to be done. After two days of destroying, hauling pieces of old sheetrock, insulation and tile out by the truckload we were finally down to the rafters. 
As we have delicately built the bathroom back up we decided to make our project as custom as we could afford. Firstly, we’ve done the entire project ourselves: plumbing, electrical, everything! (We did have the extra hands of our dads helping out, which is great.) Dan invented his own radiant heat system—it’s a built-in subfloor unit with PEX tubing (which we purchased on EBay inexpensively). We were able to install our Carlisle floor directly on top of our radiant heat system. We also did a tile inlay underneath our toilet and in front of our bathtub, and it was really easy to make both the tile and the walnut work nicely together during the installation—we had zero hiccups. 
One of the best parts during our renovation was applying the tung oil to our floor. We thought the wood was stunning before we started the finishing process, but as we added the coats of tung oil we were amazed at how it heightens the swirling grains and warm chocolaty tones. 
Their first lifetime was spent as majestic trees providing shelter and shade for forest animals as an integral part in the eco-system. They grew to great proportions and were likely more than 200 to 300 years old before being harvested.
We strive to maintain the line of custody when crafting our floors so that our customers can have a sense that they are treading on a piece of history. We believes the future of his business is predicated on staying true to their “old fashioned,” handcrafted techniques. Our forefathers made building floors a folk art and today at Carlisle we continue this work using the same traditional methods with a modern twist to preserve history. “We love our wide plank antique floors so much and take heart in knowing that the recycling process of these floors have been controlled from original barn to finished floor, After several months of enjoying our new purchase, we still walk through our home and admire the unique characteristics of each plank.”
—Mary Daleo
Some of the suggestions we made are:
Do any of you plan on participating in a similar commitment? Do you have any other suggestions of simple ways to make a difference?
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Outside of her day job, Ronda loves interior design. Over the years, she's assembled an extensive portfolio of things that have caught her eye - carpet samples, paint colors, design ideas, and supply companies. A long-time subscriber of Coastal Living magazine, Ronda had seen an advertisement for Carlisle Wide Plank Floors years ago, and knew that was what she wanted to have in her home someday. She tucked the clipping into her portfolio without too much thought at the time. When it came time for her to design her own home from scratch years later, the light went on and she remembered that little clipping as she discussed her flooring options with her contractor.
Thinking that the wider planks she had in mind were out of her price range, she reluctantly found herself at a tile store in Atlanta, Georgia. She mentioned to someone that she had really wanted a Carlisle Wide Plank Floor but felt she had to sacrifice and look elsewhere, and that's when one of our very own bloggers, Sharon Bondie, happened to be in the very same store and chimed in, "I work at Carlisle! Let's see what we can do for you!" The rest, as you can guess, is history! Sharon not only found a way to help Ronda find a wide plank floor she could afford, she also stepped right in as part of Ronda's building team, coordinating information to the builders and contractors and making sure everybody was informed and excited to be installing a brand new Eastern White Pine Carlisle floor. "I just really liked how they hold your hand", said Ronda, reflecting on her experience with Carlisle. "A lot of the time I would say, 'Sharon, can you call my builder? I don't want to be the go-between.' and she would! It was so much easier on me."
Looking over the pictures that Ronda provided me, it's clear that a lot of care and collaboration went into installing a beautiful floor in her home. She even has the Eastern White Pine in her kitchen. Since her home's floorplan is so open, she wanted it to really flow and feature the wood wherever possible. "It provides more warmth to the home", she said, "Tile can be too sterile. You lose the authenticity of what the home's supposed to do."
The one thing she would change? The softness of the wood. The Eastern White Pine was an affordable solution for her but she has to be careful. "If you can afford it, I'd say go with the harder floor. I've dropped a few knives and made a few dents!" she laughed. "I just have to have better protection on the chair bottoms. I actually worry more about people with high heels!" I guess the policy will just have to be 'leave your shoes at the door' in her home, but with such a beautiful house on the water, I think it'd be hard not to want to take your shoes off and sit by the window. Even with the inevitable dents and scratches that come from a lived in home, Ronda is very happy with her Carlisle floor. "Building a custom home is hard work," she said, "but it's wearing nice."
]]>The LEED Program is a product of the USGBC (United States Green Building Council). I think the LEED is strong for two reasons: 1) it takes into consideration different building types - there are different LEED programs for Homes, Schools, Retail, Healthcare, and more; and 2) it considers a broad scope of Green Building objectives - including Materials & Resources, Water Efficiency, Site Sustainability, and Indoor Environmental Quality. In contrast, the LEED program has been criticized for 1) having limited emphasis on lifecycle analysis; and 2) demanding a higher implementation cost.
Energy Star, on the other hand, is a residential program that focuses primarily on energy efficiency and indoor air quality. This program appeals to homeowners because it evaluates and makes recommendations on improving the heating, cooling, and water systems within a home - all of these improvements will translate into savings on the energy bill. This government program also offers tax benefits to subscribers - another popular and tangible enhancement. Unfortunately, this program does not consider other Green Building objectives, like Material or Site Selection.
Have any of you been a part of one of these or another Green Building program? What was your experience like?
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We're excited to introduce a new type of blog post that we'll be offering to you regularly here on Surface - "True Hardwood Stories" - real stories and feedback from actual Carlisle customers!
Flipping through our books full of heartfelt, handmade customer letters and photographs, we thought it would be a shame to keep that to ourselves and not let others see what wonderful and different ways Carlisle has been impacting the lives of our customers over the years. We'll be conducting interviews and featuring customers on the blog to help tell their story and hopefully inspire you to do the same.
As always, feel free to share your questions and concerns. Are you a previous or current customer with your own story to tell? We'd love to feature you! Just leave us a comment expressing your interest and we'll be in touch with you right away. Maybe you'll get to feel like a celebrity and see your story on the blog someday! What's your True Hardwood Story?
As I walked the show, I did see some neat products. The latest kitchen and bathroom counters that peaked my interest are of recycled glass and I saw some neat handmade pullware for kitchen or bathroom cabinets, designed to match any style or decor. Lastly, radiant heat—which has become a popular heating source, is a luxury underfoot in bathrooms. Before the show ended I was able to listen to Home Magazine Live, a radio program hosted by Alan Taylor—he interviewed our very own Gary Ryer for a short segment on our wide plank floors.