THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 23, 1995 TAG: 9504210066
SECTION: HOME PAGE: G2 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Medium: 78 lines
WHEN YOU THINK about it, carpet in the kitchen makes sense.
Compared to hard-surface flooring, carpet is better at cushioning a fall, preventing slipping and sliding and providing insulation.
Another plus, according to Shaw Industries Inc., is that the stain-resistant line of kitchen carpeting introduced by that company in February is easier to clean and maintain than hard floors, which require sweeping, mopping, waxing. Yes, even with all those messy kitchen spills.
``Floor Recipes'' is the name of the new collection of five styles of carpet made for the kitchen and other high-traffic areas. You can get carpet that resembles ceramic tile or gingham or has the ribbed look of sisal, carpet in a diamond pattern or a pattern of interlocking bulb shapes. Colors include neutrals, grays and taupes, blues, greens, rose and mauve shades.
The manufacturer's suggested retail price is about $20 a square yard, although the price may vary.
The stuff is tough, assures the manufacturer. Colorfast, resistant to moisture and stains, the densely tufted loop carpet is soft to the touch and cushioned with a polyurethane backing that prevents liquids from seeping through to the subfloor. Vacuuming can keep it looking good for years, although the company tells how to remove stains and spills in a free brochure.
The brochure on the ``Floor Recipes'' collection also expands on the advantages of carpet in the kitchen. To get a copy, call Shaw Industries at (800) 441-7429. If you are interested in a purchase, an operator will have a local sales rep get back to you. BUT DOES IT ``BLEED?''
``Wash Separately.''
If you are the person who does the laundry at your house, you've probably come to hate those two words as much as I do. These days, the dread phrase seems to appear on so many clothes labels.
A reader of The Heloise Helpline column in Good Housekeeping magazine, who had just spent four hours washing eight shirts, one shirt at a time, on the small cycle of the washer, asked the homemaking expert for help. Heloise gives the following advice in the May issue of the magazine.
When an item is labeled ``wash separately,'' Heloise hand-washes the item the first time to see if it ``bleeds.'' If it doesn't, she puts it in the washer the next time, with similar colors, just to be on the safe side. If it does bleed, she hand-washes it every time.
Those of us whose hand-washables live in the bottom of the laundry basket for months at a time would probably be wise not to buy wash-separatelys in the first place. THE CATALOG OF CATALOGS
We may curse all those catalogs the mail carrier delivers, but the fact is we're crazy about 'em.
Three quick stats from the Direct Marketing Association prove it:
Americans spent an estimated $57.4 million on catalog purchases in 1994.
A total of 52.6 percent of the U.S. adult population shopped at home in 1993.
The number of Americans who shop at home has increased 70 percent in the past decade, while the population has increased just 17.3 percent.
If you're hopelessly hooked, you might be interested in a copy of the ``Great Catalog Guide,'' which is like a Yellow Pages of catalogs.
The Direct Marketing Association's seventh edition of the guide lists nearly 200 catalogs organized into 50 product categories. For each company, the guide tells how to request a catalog, place an order, make an inquiry. Special services such as monogramming and gift wrapping are also described.
The guide also offers general tips on shopping by mail or phone, information about consumer rights and the steps to take to receive only the catalogs you want.
The guide is available for $3, payable by check or money order, by writing ``Great Catalog Guide,'' Direct Marketing Association, 1101 17th St. N.W., Suite 705, Washington, D.C. 20036-4704. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
``Northern Medley'' is one of five styles in the kitchen carpet line
called ``Floor Recipes'' introduced by Shaw Industries. by CNB