I haven’t really had a chance to share one makeover on the blog yet between finishing the kitchen and bathroom renovations and getting the house back into livable condition. Though you have previously had a peek of it, there have been so many other changes that you could have overlooked it. The effect is MASSIVE. Would you care to guess? Our new flooring is here!
RIP, DARK HARDWOOD
Espresso floors were extremely popular in the late 1990s and early 2000s. In light of this, when we originally purchased our home 14 years ago, I believed we had found our dream house. Swoon at all that wonderful, dark hardwood! Of course, fashions vary as the times do. I’m sure they’ll return at some point because everything old can be made new again. But after more than ten years of living with dark floors, I’ve discovered two important things:
Although the former living room floors were lovely, they gave the space a gloomy feeling.
1. DARK FLOORING APPEARS DIRtier and faster.
On dark floors, every dust particle is visible. And that was soooo irritating. You sweep, mop, and vacuum regularly, yet in a few of hours, the floor will seem unkempt once more. The dust isn’t nearly as evident, but obviously replacing your flooring doesn’t imply you should stop cleaning (or irritating).
2. The house will appear darker overall.
Dark hues absorb light, thus your dark floors are absorbing all of the natural sunshine that comes in via the windows. It’s simple to ignore the floors as the source of the dark interior. In fact, I seriously pondered putting in another window in our living room for a very long time. It turned out that all I needed to do to enhance the California sun was a more shiny surface.
CORETEC FLOORS, HELLO!
The sunlight on our floors is now actually visible to me, and it brightens the entire space. We renovated the staircase as well as the entire first floor of our house.
The shiny new flooring are still covered in painters’ tape.
I was very eager to photograph the light on our brand-new staircase!
We decided for Manor Oak because of its yellow tone and clean texture since I wanted that Scandi minimalist colour. In actuality, I almost fall into the brown colour range and I definitely fall into the beige spectrum! The latest fashion calls for some sort of grey in the grain. Of course, they can’t guarantee the range of hues that an engineered product gives when you choose real wood planks.
I had a tonne of options for the colour and grain pattern of COREtec, which is produced, so I was able to obtain exactly what I wanted! Since the wood grain is printed on, any forms, colours, and undertones can be used. Due to its current popularity, oak grain is used in the majority of the options.
A studio Mcgee floor with a grey tone.
Picture Source: Studio Mcgee
Studio McGee is undoubtedly an inspiration for this style because they include a lot of grey with traditional American oak. Given the significance of grey in my existing colour palette, I was certain I wanted some of it in the undertone. However, when you consider all of the oak family’s colour options, I opted for something more yellow-toned with a gentler texture. Extreme graininess tends to turn me off since it feels too rustic.
The end result is a clean, modern appearance that feels more cosier than the previous espresso appearance. I believe the overall appearance is more cleaner and more cohesive, and each area feels more welcoming.
LIFE-PROOF TILES
Really, the huge variety is a great perk. We chose luxury vinyl floors in the first place because they are kid-friendly and waterproof. It was a no-brainer for us because COREtec is substantially more durable than real wood floors.
The core of the boards is extremely robust and difficult to scratch, dent, or destroy. Additionally, you don’t have to tear everything apart if there is an accident (knock on wood!). It is a favourite among all of my contractors since only the damaged boards need to be replaced. It ensures that those “oh-no” situations are unquestionably much easier on the wallet.
Since you’re all aware, the girls have been pleading with us for a dog for years. If we ever cave, at least we’ll be ready. 😂
FLOORS THAT ARE PERFECT FOR ANY STYLE
It’s fascinating to observe how light may be reflected so that it bounces around the space; this demonstrates how thoughtful design can make spaces appear bigger and brighter. When I have client designs professionally photographed, I frequently notice this trick: photographers frequently utilise white and black silks to alter the light in their images. It’s awesome to use flooring to permanently implement the same method! The change has stunned my neighbours and acquaintances who have seen it in person. Even my closest friend Kelly expressed a desire for the exact same floors! You can bet I’ll share if she does. A brighter environment is an excellent addition for any taste, so I ca