The term "blank slate" tends to be used loosely, however, in our case it is spot on.
We have been waiting to install our flooring due to the custom order island in the adjoining kitchen area. We selected a floating laminate floor for this renovation (more on that in a moment), and it was recommended that the floor be installed around our cabinets vs. under to prevent any possible floor buckling. Now that the challenge is in full swing and we have SO much to do in such a short amount of time, it was time to get that flooring in STAT.
We began our flooring search and shopping around for options a few months prior to ripping down our wall. We stopped at a variety of flooring outlets as well as the obvious options such as Lumber Liquidators, Home Depot and Lowes. We also started ordering samples from a few online flooring sources.
I really wanted to do a hardwood oak floor, however, each sample received the key test. Have you tried it? We have two large dogs, three active little boys and a Jen (the clumsiest of us all). Of course we don't want to have to worry about constant maintenance or even replacing the floors anytime in the near future, so each floor sample was scraped and tapped with a key to test for durability.
Some options definitely performed better than others. And the real hardwood? Major sad face because they failed the test big time. Not to mention they were by far the most expensive options.
Once real hardwoods were out of the picture, the next thing we looked at were color, grain, thickness and warranty. I still wanted to achieve the look of a hardwood but with maximum durability. As we eliminated options one by one for being too light, too dark, too orange or too thin, we landed on Cotton Valley Oak from Home Depot. It was juuuuust right. Next step was to click the "purchase now" button and take a deep breath. So scary ordering such a large quantity of something based on a single sample.
The flooring has been waiting patiently for us since. This past weekend we room-a-zoom-zoomeed to get it installed throughout the entire living area!
We officially have beautiful floors! #milestones
We have installed flooring on a few occasions, and this was by far the easiest. It receives a homeowner thumbs up!
We will do a separate post to document more of the flooring installation process, as we still have the entire kitchen side to do also. Word is that our island is being delivered at the end of the week so cross your fingers and toes for us!
We have only lived with the floors for a few days now, so I can't really speak to their long term durability, but so far, we are very happy campers. Most importantly, they finally made our space feel warm. Like ooey gooey melt in your mouth roasted marshmallow warm.
Once the floors were in, we started trimming out the room. I selected 5" base trim and 3" window and door casing. A small upgrade from our previous trim, but a big ol' dramatic difference in my eyes.
We didn't install trim on the back wall as our next step is to start building in the bookcases. Floor to ceiling goodness is about to go down. Er up.
Remember the paint color debate? I had forced myself to pick something because gazing endlessly at 42 swatches each day was making me twitchy. And I also thought it would be much easier to paint before installing cabinets, flooring, trim and built-ins. After the color was on the wall, I needed to let myself adjust to it, and convinced myself to give it time. Most days I am actually really fond of it. This week is gloomy and paired with the floors, it almost feels too green/muddy. So now I don't know! I am going to keep moving on with our original plan, but I totally have a massive internal debate happening...
Other than that, we LOVE everything else happening.
So that is where we are a week later! Floors and some trim. SUCH a difference.
Up next? I found a mirror I love for above the shoe cabinet and we are in the middle of the classic DIY or buy debate. Speaking of shoe cabinet, I am planning to give it a little update to break up all of our white furniture and cabinets. While I work on those items, Bryan is amping up to tackle the big bookcase build. Let the games begin!
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Don't forget to stop in and check out the other fantastic participants also working to makeover an entire space in the same six weeks. Each Wednesday I feel like a kid on Christmas morning! #oneroomchallenge
Hi Jennifer! What is the name of the paint you used? And did you guys install the flooring yourselves?
ReplyDeleteHi Danielle, The paint color is Benjamin Moore's Quiet Moments. And yes, we installed the flooring, I will be sure to share more of that process in an upcoming post. :)
DeleteHi Jennifer,
DeleteI was wondering the same thing...what is the paint color? I wanted to know because it looked like the color I have in my whole house. When I read you used Quiet Moments, I thought, "No wonder it looks like my home. That's the color I used."
It looks much more sophisticated in your home though. But I think it's because your floors are much darker than mine.
I can't wait to see what other colors you bring into your space. I could use some new ideas.
The floors are beautiful and nice to know that you have given us the thumbs up for durability! They do give the whole space such warmth! From the pictures the color is beautiful but I am familiar with all of the "paint color" self doubt problem!
ReplyDeleteIt all looks AMAZING so far. I like the wall colour. But we all go through that. There are days I feel our walls are too dark (especially on days the sun don't shine), and it's an off-white! There's just nothing we can do about it, and we can't control Mother Nature either, although I think we all wish we could sometimes! The floors you chose are also gorgeous! I like wider plank floors. I think you will be happy with them. We have three cats and a toddler, and even though our hardwood floors are 7 years new, you would think that with all the dents and scratches, they've been here for 50 years!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the process of the renovation! I can't wait to see what you do with the shoe cabinet!
Antonella @ www.loveyourhomeblog.blogspot.ca
Thanks Antonella! We did hardwood on our stairs and although I call those dents and scratches "character", my husband has a harder time seeing it that way, lol. Fingers crossed these floors can stand our abuse. xoxo!
DeleteLooks beutifull! Can't wait until next week :)
ReplyDelete- Eea
Great choice for the floors. It already makes all the difference!!
ReplyDeleteLove, love, love the floors! It's such a perfect option (not too dark and not too light) and I love variation in the wood grain! I get what you mean on the wall color. I have the same issue with our living room depending on what time of day it is and how the sun reflects on the walls. Personally, I love the color and think it will look amazing once you get all your furniture and accessories in the room. I can't wait to see the final reveal!
ReplyDeleteThat was the perfect choice in flooring! I adore it!
ReplyDeleteTegan xx - Permanent Procrastination
oh my gosh Jen, everything is coming together so beautifully! I love the fact that you share every progress with us, it is like we are doing the renovation together! lol...not s hard for us though! Can't wait to see what you are going to do next!....you are just amazing!
ReplyDeletethat laminate is beautiful and the color is spot on! and you'd never even know it's not hardwood from looking at a photo.
ReplyDeleteYAY! Mission accomplished ;)
DeleteYour floors turned out beautifully! So stunning!
ReplyDeleteYour house is so gorgeous! Ah I love it!
ReplyDeleteHer Heartland Soul
http://herheartlandsoul.com
Beautiful flooring! I love the choice and (I'm a little bias because I love dark wood) It definitely warms up the space and is already such a huge difference. Can't wait for next Wednesday!
ReplyDeleteI like the color it suits the space, I think once you have the wall unit in and all the furniture and accessories you'll really get the feel for the color and like it :) With the white as well I think it will be beautiful and bright.
Lauren | LB Designs
www.lbdesigns1.wordpress.com
xx
Aghhh I love the floors. They definitely add such a lovely warmth to the room !. Hopefully your island arrives safe and sound ;) Can't wait to see your progress next week :)
ReplyDeleteCaitriona | Blog
STOP!!!! Holy wow, those floors are stunning. And you guys installed them?!?!!?!?!? You never cease to amaze. I feel ya on the paint...I went through the same debate on our main living areas and finally just closed my eyes and pointed. I don't have the heart, or nerve, to tell J that I don't love it. So I'll live with it. for now ;)
ReplyDeleteAnd your pantry??? My gosh, makes me want to rip mine out completely and start over!! I need those labels!!
That floor is gorgeous! I'm not sure if I would go with a laminate (unless it was more of a cost decision of course) just because I've seen so many old homes with original hardwood that you can sand and restore with poly. Hardwood for sure scratches and wears more, but it's also a natural material, which I love. Either way, I think the wall color still looks great :) Once you have the room filled and decorated, it will fade into the background and just be a soothing neutral!
ReplyDeleteIt looks SO nice! I love the dark, but not too dark color. :) I think I have probably posted this before, but we have wood laminate floors in our entire house (except for tile in the kitchen and baths), and we love it! It is so easy to maintain and I never worry about it getting scratched up when I'm scooting furniture around. I am not sure about your wall color either. It looks nice, but it does seem a bit more muted than the colors you usually love. It may look perfect once you get all your other furniture and accessories in the room, but it would stink if you decided after all that that you didn't really love it. I see you being happier with a similar color that is just a tad cleaner (as in, not as muted / has less gray). That's only if you're planning to stick to your favorite color schemes of the past, though. I've you're planning to change things up, then the new color may be perfect. See... I'm no help. ;)
ReplyDeleteOh my word!!!! I LOVE your flooring choice! It is absolutely gorgeous!!
ReplyDeleteWow, those floors are GORGEOUS. They definitely warm up the room. And I'm still just so in love with that console.
ReplyDeletexo, Sarah
http://www.sarahhartley.net
The flooring looks fabulous and makes SUCH a difference! xxx
ReplyDeleteThe floors look incredible. I say you should get a wall color you love as much as your floors! It seems like you keep trying to talk yourself into liking it. Having said that, I like the wall color, and I think it looks great with the floors!
ReplyDeleteSo this is just my two cents, but I would paint the wall that you are building the tall bookcases on a very neutral color before install, and here's why: a few years before we recently bought our house, they did a major kitchen remodel. I loved everything about it, except the yellow wall. I needed a more neutral color in the kitchen, especially paired with the gorgeous solid wood cherry cabinets and black granite. Because they painted before installing the new cabinets, it was really hard to get every nook and cranny painted. If there is a neutral color on the background wall, at least it wont jump out at you if you decide to paint another color over it in the future. Hope that helps!
ReplyDeleteAnd I LOVE your floors! That's our next big house project, and I will definitely employ the key test when the time comes. Thanks!
Your floors look so nice! I look forward to these updates! I just wish it was my house transforming...
ReplyDelete-Kristen
www.pugsandpearls.com
Long time iheartorganizing lover, first time poster. :0) How do you feel about your white trim and doors with small kids? Hubby and I are building a house and I am so torn over floor/trim/door/cabinet colors. I have three young girls and one white and one black cat. I love the look of white but will I be constantly cleaning baseboards and wiping fingerprints off doors?
ReplyDeleteHi Amy!
DeleteI personally love the white and appreciate that I can see if they get a little dirty (because I am not sure I would think to always clean them if I couldn't see the dirt). Just a weird personal thing for me though. Our previous trim was painted so at first I found myself touching it up from trucks crashing and everyday wear, but as it cured over time, it really held up well. I also appreciate that I can touch up imperfections with paint quite easily. Now, my only trouble area seem to be just inside the front door. But yes, they are more maintenance than wood in my opinion. Our kitchen cabinets clean like a dream though. Everything wipes off in one super swift motion, I couldn't be more thrilled with them and their super smooth finish!
xoxo!
I would definitely go with white. I've lived in houses and apartments with wood trim, and it gets nasty too. Probably even nastier because if you can see that it's dirty, it is DIRTY, if that makes sense. :) And, really, I don't think the white shows dirt all that badly. I only clean my baseboards once or twice a year, if that. Are they pristine all the time? Heavens no. But, I don't mind. They are still light and bright, and I'll take that any day over dark wood (or dark painted) trim. As far as the doors go, only a few of our doors really get grimy. They are quick to wipe down. A microfiber washcloth with warm water works really well. Clorox wipes are also good, and a magic eraser for anything that either of those won't conquer. I don't clean the doors very often either, but when I do, it takes longer for the water to get hot than it does to wipe the door down. So, anyway... don't stress over maintenance. Just pick whatever color you like best. :)
DeleteNOOOOO, leave the paint colour, it's perfect. I have a very similar colour in my home office and I love it so I'm partial to what you chose. You are looking at a huge space with nothing there but white kitchen cabinets and a white ceiling. It's gonna all come together when the furniture, etc. gets brought in. DON'T CHANGE IT!!!
ReplyDeleteHa- I have been kind of 50/50 on your wall color choice, but as soon as I saw it with your new floors it all came together for me! Go figure! So I think it is beautiful as is, but if you do decide to paint I am confident you will choose something amazing.
ReplyDeleteLove the wood floors and you would never know they were laminate. Great choice!
ReplyDeleteI realize you are the one that is living there - but when i saw that first picture with the flooring i thought the paint was perfect! However...i have the same color in our open living space so i know EXACTLY what you are talking about!!
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see those built ins!!!
Thank you for sharing.
Hi! Love what you are doing!! Currently we are starting a first floor/kitchen reno and have been struggling with floor choice. With 3 boys of my own, we need durable! Wondering how your laminate sounds.... Does it sound hallow when walked on with high heels? I know I sound silly but really curious how it sounds.... It looks gorgeous!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI haven't done the heal test yet, however, right now everything in our living/kitchen area echos due to the nature of the openness and lack of furniture. There are different underlayment options which do muffle sounds, and the thicker, the quieter, so that may help in your decision process. Overall, these do seem quieter than some laminate floors I have walked on in the past. :) xo!
DeleteWe live on a lake and I so wanted wood floors to warm up our home BUT there are constantly people coming in either wet, sandy, snowy, muddy. My alternative was wood-look ceramic tiles. I hope I like it as I have talked my husband into having our old ceramic tiles (12x12 beige) removed and this installed in kitchen dining and great room!
ReplyDeleteI think that is a great alternative, I have seen them done and they can be so very beautiful! I hope it all goes smoothly!
DeleteStanding ovation and clapping. Great job, and so beautiful. Love the floors. I also like this wall color.
ReplyDeleteThe flooring looks amazing, Jen!! I am so excited to see this space come together!
ReplyDeleteYou definitely made the right decision on the flooring. We have hardwood floor, and I am AMAZED at how much it has scratched up with two little kids. :( We will probably have to refinish in a couple of years (if even then??) Your flooring looks beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI love them Jen! They are the perfect balance of dark with the light walls! Everything is really coming together nicely. =)
ReplyDeleteIt's a beautiful space! Can't wait to see more.
ReplyDeleteHi, what do you use to clean your laminate floors? Love the look. Jane
ReplyDeleteHi Jane! I fill a bucket and add a few squirts of dish soap, a small amount of white vinegar, a small pour of lemon juice and occasionally a few drops of essential oil. Smells great! And I always keep my microfiber mop damp (a lot of wringing), not fully saturated.
DeleteDo footprints show on your floor? On my floors I can see every footprint when my kids and hubby walk barefoot. And it doesn't go away until I mop. I'm not talking about dirty footprints -- even if their feet are clean, I can see barefoot prints on my floors. :(
ReplyDeleteI haven't noticed footprints so much (but I have heard the darker the floors the worse they can be), but they do seem to get dusty pretty quickly just given our renovation situation. I should know better once the floors are completely installed throughout the entire upper level and we have our duct work swept.
DeleteLove the floors !! struggling to make a decision in our master bath which is barely 6 ft x 7ft and have builder installed tile that is popping up. Love the vinyl that you did in your downstairs bath but wasn't sure when I brought the little sample home. Thinking tile but afraid to do it ourselves
ReplyDeleteThose floors are divine Jen, absolutely love them! Can't wait to see what you do with the rest of the space... Paint colour is so tricky, we recently repainted our bedroom from blue to white, and I have to say the lighter colour makes everything feel so much brighter and warmer. I love it, and not missing the blue at all. Tricky though!
ReplyDeleteI just love your blog! Your ideas are wonderful (checking floor samples with a key... Brilliant!) I absolutely love where you are going with this space. It already looks amazing
ReplyDeleteIt looks great already! I love the wall color and the warm look of the flooring. Can't wait to see what's next!
ReplyDeleteYour floors are gorgeous!!! We went through a similar debate on solid hardwoods vs engineered and laminate and although I would've loved the solid wood, the engineered was better for us. Being right across the street from the sound made the floor company freak out that we might have some buckling and be calling them in a few years! Awesome progress!!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful flooring Jen! Can't wait to watch you transform this space!
ReplyDeleteMajor eye candy!! I LOVE it!! Cant wait for the next update.
ReplyDeleteMmolesy
I love the floors and think they make the wall colour jump out more. It's a really classy combination. I always go through the self-doubt phase when I pick a paint colour but I just tell myself it's not the end of the world if we have to re-paint down the line. We rarely do because once you put everything together, it all looks so different and more cohesive. Can't wait to see the other side! Fingers crossed for you that the island arrives this week! Xx
ReplyDeleteDear Jen,
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I have always loved the look of dark hardwood floors - can you please do a comparison post of the options you have in this post? or could you please just list the names of the darker wood swatches? I really like the top left bottom left and the one in the second row - third from the left! :)
Sure!
DeleteTop left: Lamton Laminate Mountain Range Collection Rocky Mountain Maple
Bottom left: Style Selections Handscraped Bourbon Hickory (Lowes)
Second row - third from the left is actually the same as the bottom left, the Handscraped Bournon Hickory. Ha, I must have really liked that one. :) It didn't do well with the key test however.
xoxo!
Looks so beautiful so far! We also have laminate all over the downstairs of our home and so far so good! I would like to know where you got your vent cover?! Very cool.
ReplyDeleteThank you Christen! The register cover is from Lowes: http://www.lowes.com/pd_544747-33599-AMFRRBM410_0__?productId=50160329&Ntt=allen+and+roth+vent+cover&pl=1¤tURL=%3FNtt%3Dallen%2Band%2Broth%2Bvent%2Bcover&facetInfo=
DeleteFirst of all, I LOVE your blog :) I really think you're amazing; so talented, positive, and real. The walls definitely look green to me. If you're doubting the color, I think you should paint them. Easier said than done, I know, but you should love everything about your gorgeous new space. I know from personal experience that when I start doubting a design/color choice, I can never go back to not wanting to change it!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous floors! Fabulous ceilings! It's going to be great!
ReplyDeleteWhoa, they're really gorgeous!! I feel you on the paint, I'm so wishy-washy indecisive it's ridiculous! Good luck this week!
ReplyDeleteWhen you do post more about the floors, I would be really interested to know the cost beyond just purchasing the planks... what other expenses when into it? Trying to determine if I could get rid of my BLUE carpet! :) Also, did you and the hubby install it without any other hands? For what it's worth, I love the wall color with the floors and think you should keep it just like it is!!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the floors! My fiancé and are starting to take up our current floor (tile and carpet) to install hardwood or laminate. I'm actually kind of fond of the laminate option because like you said and like your test proved, it's pretty darn durable. I'm gonna have to save this post to share with him tomorrow. :)
ReplyDeleteI was wondering what sound your dogs' nails make on the laminate floor? We are looking to replace the flooring in our entire ranch home and trying to decide between laminate and engineered wood. We currently have laminate flooring in the kitchen, entry and hallway. Our little dog makes a click click click noise when she walks on the laminate floor. At my sister's house, you can barely hear when her three dogs walk on the hardwood floors. What do you think about the flooring with pets? I love all of your renovations!
ReplyDeleteWe have a Weimaraner and a Labradoodle and each dog sounds very different. The fuzzy doodle prances around quietly and gently and we don't notice her sound much. Our weimy sounds like a horse in an echoing tunnel. He is very loud. I think we have just gotten use to it over the years since we had laminate in our living area prior, but yes, it is clicky even when his nails are trimmed. That said, the floors have been holding up great to their playing and daily antics, not a single scratch or mark. :)
DeleteHi Jen, this is my first comment on your blog though I have been following you for awhile now :) I love your style and organizing ideas.
ReplyDeleteYour floors and walls look amazing. Cant wait for the next update.
Dianne _Sydney
I love the flooring, it looks really classy.
ReplyDeleteThe paint seems to work for me and as some comments already said: it will probably come together nicely once all of the furniture is in place.
But if you're really doubting it, now is the time to redo it :p. You won't have to move things around...so much easier ;)
The color and flooring combo reminds me of a cozy beachside spa. Doesn't seem muddy from pics. :) brittney
ReplyDeleteI LOVE your flooring choice! They contrast beautifully with the walls and ceiling!
ReplyDeleteThank you for this post!! We will be moving into our first home in two weeks and are so excited to make it our own. I've been going crazy collecting flooring samples from Menards, Home Depot and Lumbar Liquidators. I love the look of the dark wood & your post has greatly helped in our decision making.
ReplyDeleteSorry in advance, I'm sure this has been asked and answered, but couldn't find when searching. Is your media cabinet the same IKEA Billy Bookcase DIY? Did you paint the tops and add the mirrors and trim? I did Billy's in a room, but they were the tall cases; however, we did add trim so that they appear as one built in and I love them. I love your media case and need something long for my space. HELP!!! Need dets!!
ReplyDeleteYep, same DIY from a few years back. Here is the post where we chatted about the top and mirrored doors: http://iheartorganizing.blogspot.com/2014/05/built-in-bookcase-beautiful-update.html
DeleteJen, I just wanted to double check the flooring name. Cotton Valley Oak? I LOVE it here, but when I went to my home depot to get samples they looked warmer and more orangey - but here they look darker and more chocolatey. Do they just photograph cooler or did you maybe link to the wrong one? I really love the floors. Amazing.
ReplyDeleteHi Anna!
DeleteCotton Valley Oak by Hampton Bay is the brand we went with from Home Depot. They are not at all orange in our home (I was really trying to avoid that), it may help that we have very cool walls, gray furniture and white trim... I found that it was hard to visualize a floor based just on samples and once we had a box and placed out a few pieces, I had a much better idea of how it would read in the space. Maybe check with Home Depot to see if you would have any restocking fees if you were to order a single box to verify color selection? xoxo!
Hi! Love the remodel and your blog is amazing! So great for my OCD lol. We are struggling with floor colors as well. I have three kids and I like floors that don't show footprints and don't need to constantly be cleaned. Do you feel like you are always needing to sweep and mop? I k ow darker floors show a ton but I love the look. Thanks:)
ReplyDeleteHi Tiffany,
DeleteI was just joking with my husband that as much as I despised our dated linoleum floors in the kitchen, I don't miss that they hid the dirt and dog hair. ;) The darker floors are definitely less forgiving, but still not quite as bad as some of the super dark floors I have seen in other homes. They are so easy to clean and I suppose it is nice to know when they need to be cleaned vs. being masked and hidden. I don't see footprints, just crumbs and occasional puppy hair/dust. I find myself vacuuming every 2-3 days and mopping once per week. I am hoping that dies down even more when all of our construction is done and the house is back in order.
xoxo!
You are my go-to to look up different things with all of your kitchen/living room redo. :) I am right where you were here, trying to choose paint colors. And boy, it is not easy. I am stuck with the natural oak doors/trim. That is what Greg likes, and I just finished varnishing the whole main level and upper level's worth of doors. I have 30 boxes of flooring that we are going to install ourselves next month. We bought it from Flooring Expo in Woodbury. It is darker than the cabinets, but not quite as dark as yours. I do like the contrast when I laid out a bunch. But I know it is really going to darken up my house. Trying to find a good paint color to go with the oak trim the hickory engineered flooring... Oy!!!! We are painting before the flooring goes down. Any suggestions on a good neutral color that can't be in the gray family?
ReplyDeleteHi Jen! I happened to come across your blog searching for thick floor trim and I LOVE your whole finished product! Would you mind sharing where the floor trim is from? Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Jordin! I found the trim at Home Depot - I believe it is this: http://www.homedepot.com/p/L163E-9-16-in-x-5-1-4-in-x-16-ft-Primed-Finger-Joint-Pine-Pro-Pack-Base-Moulding-5-Pieces-L163E-PFJ16BD5/202083222
DeleteWe were able to purchase per linear foot at our local Home Depot. :) I love the taller profile, it really is beautiful trim!
Hi Jen!
ReplyDeleteI was wanting to see what material you used for your plank ceiling. I was interested in doing the same thing in my living room. I love everything you have done with your remodel!! Everything is beautiful!
Thank you so much!
DeleteYou can find my tutorial posts with details here:
http://www.iheartorganizing.com/2015/01/iheart-kitchen-reno-planking-progress.html
and here:
http://www.iheartorganizing.com/2015/02/iheart-kitchen-reno-beaming-with.html
xoxo!