Home Improvement

We're almost ready to take the plunge: I have been LONGING to re-do the floors downstairs for quite some time and we've just about saved up enough to do it (Thank you, Dave Ramsey). So, naturally, I thought I'd document the changes here for the world to see.

Here's what we're dealing with. These are the "BEFORE" pics, mind you, but once you see them, there will have been no question about that.

First, let's look at the current flooring situation so you can truly appreciate what we've been up against:

This is just a little sample area that is a true & accurate representation of the rest of the carpet. Maddy thinks we have polka dot carpet.


The "transition" from kitchen linoleum to living room carpet. No, we don't even have any pets.

Here's a cushion from the upstairs couch that we'll be replacing with Good Couch from downstairs. My children think we live at "Pump it Up" because they bounce around on the couches as if they are trampolines. The springs have busted out of the bottom of it and it's so faded. It's BROYHILL, though, people! It was supposed to go to college with John (slipcovered, of course). And, now I'm getting ready to sell it at the neighborhood garage sale next weekend for pennies on the dollar. I'm going to have to get real mean when we move Good Couch from downstairs up to the bonus room. No food, no bouncing, absolutely no fun whatsoever on Good Couch.

Here's Good Couch. (Sorry for the bad lighting--I don't pretend to be a photographer.) He'll be moving from our future "Warming Room" up to the bonus room.

Here's the piano and the red chair (again sorry for the lighting--it looks pink! Also, please ignore the Webkin on the floor. I don't know how that got there. We don't normally have toys on the floor in our house.............................) Both of these pieces of furniture will be moved upstairs to bonus room to make way.

Here's the main reason we want to re-do the downstairs though--as you can see, the eating area is small and restricted by the carpet boundary. We are going to do all laminate flooring (it looks like real wood, now!) and will be able to move the kitchen table into toward the main room down there. We're thinking of making it one big kitchen-y room/hearth room/warming room...We'll get a table that is large enough to seat our family (involving no folding chairs for the dad) and then some...get a couple of club chairs and an ottoman by the fire place. So cozy!

If you've walked into my house lately, this is what you've seen--flooring samples all lined up as we have all but prayed over this major decision.

Here's a table & chair dining set that I like.

So...you can now look forward to updates on this project as we go. Can't wait to post the AFTER pics.

EDITED FRI AFTERNOON: When I asked Michael on the phone if he read my blog today, he said "yes--the pressure's on now. I guess we're committed to doing this, huh?" Aahhh...the power of the press! I shall get my new floors yet!