Fear of Commitment?

Your bedroom is the perfect place to experiment with style. Hey, most of the time your eyes are closed so go for it!  There are fewer must haves now with walk in closets in many homes. Clothing storage is less a priority than before, so personality can be in the forefront. 

How about an upholstered headboard and a fun reading spot?  What?  A quiet spot away from kids?  A chaise lounge or club chair and ottoman could be the answer.  Pop a flat screen TV on the wall; set a fun accent piece such as a 3 drawer chest and a tall vase with twigs to balance and draw the eye upward and you are good to go. 

I don't know about you but I love it when the old rules are thrown out and our imagination can run wild.    

~Peg

Introducing Tyler Boone

This week we sat down with the newest addition to the Vander Berg Furniture team, Tyler Boone.  After growing up in Sioux Center, Tyler went on to Buena Vista University where he majored in Business Management and Accounting.  His educational background combined with years of sales experience in furniture and flooring as well as the service industry makes him a great fit to our team.  Tyler and his wife, Alisa, are happily married and have made Sioux Center their home.  We’ve enjoyed getting to know Tyler in our short time together so far and trust that you will welcome our new addition with open arms.    

What will your role be at the store?

My focus is guest service.  Vander Bergs have always been committed to pairing the best possible products with unmatched service and I will continue to emphasize those values.  When guests come to me they can expect that I will work to custom fit their needs with products that are going to be usable, durable, and make a positive addition to their home.  It’s really easy for me to sell products that I believe in for a company that I believe in and that I know believes in me.

Why did you want to work at Vander Berg Furniture?

Furniture is something that I have previous experience with and I really enjoyed my time working in the industry.  It’s one of those things that once it’s in you, it’s hard to get out and step away, so it seemed like a natural fit when the opportunity came to work with this great group of people.  The people here are fun, easy going, and allow me to work to my strengths.  Vander Berg Furniture is a family business that stands for many of the same things that I do personally.  This opportunity also allows me to continue to build on relationships with clients that I have developed in my previous career stops.

How is Vander Berg Furniture different than other companies?

This is a special place that views both customers and employees as a collection of families coming together to take care of each other.  Jeff and the entire staff care about individuals and are committed to taking care of you.  At the end of the day, the Vander Berg name is on any product or service that goes out and it’s important to retain the integrity of the brand.  

Where do you see Vander Berg Furniture going in the future?

There really aren’t too many limits on what we can do here as we continue to grow and I’m excited to be a part of that growth.  

Stop by the store today and say hello to Tyler or contact him by email at tyler@vbfurn.com.

Updating Your Room's Fifth Wall

The largest unfinished space in any home is often the ceiling. Although popcorn and sparkly treatments are out-of-date, these treatments are still very common. At Vander Berg’s we encouraging you to grab your scrapers and add some new life to the forgotten ceiling!

There are several creative options to enhance your room’s appeal through the ceiling. 

Wallpapered Ceilings

One of the latest trends is wallpapering the ceiling to draw the eyes up.  You can use wallpaper with a distinct pattern as shown below. Another option is using paintable wallpaper to create a faux look such as tin ceilings or various textures.

Painted Ceilings

Simply painting the ceiling a different shade can make a dramatic difference in a room. For taller ceiling darker colors make the room feeling cozy and defined. While painting lower ceilings a lighter shade will make the room feel larger than it actually is. An unexpected flair can be added to the room by painting the four walls a subdued color and adding a pop of color to the ceiling as shown below.  

Painted Murals

Murals on the ceiling are not only for the Sistine Chapel, but can also add panache to a room. Fun or dramatic, a ceiling mural can instantly set a room’s mood. A few examples are below. 

Molding

Molding can add dimension, architectural appeal and just finish a room. Most instantly envision crown molding, but there are so many more options! Molding can be used to frame sections of the ceiling, or create a tray ceiling look.  Some examples of ceilings featuring molding are below. 

So now is the time to reclaim your ceiling, scape off the popcorn and sparkles and add a fresh new look to your room!

- Patti 

Energy Efficient Blinds

Many people pick out blinds only because they offer some privacy in their home, but did you know that blinds can greatly increase your home’s energy efficiency? As much as 50% of a home’s heating and cooling energy can be lost through their windows. Not all blinds provide energy efficiency. Hunter Douglass blinds has have numerous options for energy efficient window treatments and are available at Vander Berg Furniture.

Energy efficient blinds from Hunter Douglass help homeowners save money in three ways: insulation, solar heat control and daylighting. 

Insulation:

Adding insulation to your windows with Hunter Douglass blinds saves money in both the winter and summer months. In the winter the insulation keeps the warm air inside your home. At times the temperature difference between your home and outside can exceed 70° in the winter months. The extra insulation Hounter Douglass blinds offer keeps warm air from leaking outside. In the summer blinds slow heat from coming into the home, thus reducing the need for cooling.

Solar Heat:

During the summer months money is saved not only through insulation, but also through solar heat control. Direct sunlight is reflected off Hunter Douglass blinds by a white or light-colored backside of the blinds. If the blinds did not have this reflecting barrier, heat would be absorbed into the blinds and then be transferred into the house. By reflecting the light off the blinds, energy is saved.

Daylighting:

Hunter Douglass blinds diffuse incoming light to soften in and bring it farther into the room. This function is often referred to as “daylighting.” Daylighting reduces glare, improves visual comfort, and saves energy by reducing the need for overhead lighting.

Stop in and look at the multiple options for blinds at Vander Berg Furniture. Once you have one picked we will measure and install the blinds for you.

Berber or Plush?

Carpet selection.  At one point or another it seems like everyone has to choose new carpet, but very few are able to easily make a decision.  After all, there is so much to think about.  What carpet lasts the longest?  Is it pet friendly?  What about the kids—is it stain resistant and durable?  With so many decision points, it’s no wonder folks often take a good deal of time to decide.  

Years of experience in the flooring industry has taught me a thing or two about carpets and there are a few tried and true tips to remember during your buying process.  First of all, where will it be and what will it be used for?  Many people opt for berber carpet as it doesn’t reveal footprints or vacuum tracks and can also give a rich, stylish appearance.  Part of this is from the olefin or nylon that berber is typically made from; Mohawk also has berber made of a Smartstrand material partially derived 

from corn.  Yard for yard, berbers are usually the less expensive option compared to plush or frieze and the smaller loops last longer than larger loops.  The wildcard for berber is that it does not pair well with children or pets and can snag very easily.

So what about plush or frieze?  There is a reason that these types of carpet are the most popular in the industry.  For starters, these carpets are much better with both children and pets and naturally hide dirt and stains.  They are also easier to clean than berber, which holds the dirt tightly, but some people still prefer to stay away as plush and frieze flooring leaves behind footprints and vacuum tracks.  At the end of the day a decision has to be made and there are advocates on both sides.  So now the decision is yours: berber or plush?

-Loren