Feeling a bit cocky, I strutted into the kitchen & poured my coffee over a splash of half & half – today was the day. I poached 2 eggs instead of 1, I knew I was going to need the extra energy for what was about to take place.
The resurrection of our kitchen floor was happening today.
Blink if you have ever been disappointed with a purchase? I saw you, you blinked…
It’s happened to all of us. It looked absolutely fabulous on the size 2 model. You order it. You get the long-awaited “Your package has been delivered” text – you race to the mailbox through the snow in your house slippers – rip open the box…
wait a minute….
this just ain’t right.
That describes how I felt about our kitchen floor.
In the store it looked great. It was rustic, with all the right colors and a design that would not show dirt.
The perfect floor for our kitchen…. right????
WRONG!!
We have the same flooring in our bathroom
and it looks great…
in there.
But, in our kitchen??
I knew it was wrong before the installation was complete. I wanted to say something but we had 2 pallets of this stuff.
It was awful, it was clashing with my countertop. Two busy patterns in conflict.
This was a bitter pill to swallow.
When you are working on a project of this magnitude, the last thing you want is to redo something you have already spent time and money on.
I tried to find something good. The only good thing about it was that it hid the dirt well… but when I thought about it –
dirt hiding on my kitchen floor did not seem like something I really wanted.
So, after 2 years of witnessing a daily tug of war in my kitchen, I decided today was the day. After my breakfast of caffeine and protein, I marched out to the garage, got the hammer and a chisel, and took it all up.
I hammered and chiseled to “Boom Boom Pow” until every last piece of that tile was out of there.
My version went like this….
tap-tap Popppp……. tap-tap Popppp…..
Thank you to the Black Eyed Peas for keeping my hammer in perfect rhythm.
When all the dust settled from the hammering, chiseling, and sweeping we decided to extend the same living room flooring into the kitchen.
Sir Lots-a-Wit installed the flooring (both times).
I got the honor of trimming the base of the cabinets at the floor.
I used 1×3 oak – mitered the corners and stained them to match the existing cabinets which are knotty alder and nailed in place.
This new floor looks fabulous – it does show dirt… but I am okay with that.
Lesson learned?
When picking flooring or countertops or backsplash, consider the big picture. Make sure it all flows.
Sidenote – through all the hammering and chiseling and shop vac noise, our sweet Bella is always right there, she has no flooring preference.
***
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My oh my oh my… both were beautiful but I understand living with something day to day when it’s just not right. We have a faux painted bathroom that we call a “foul ball.’ Someday “it” too shall pass… 🙂 Thanks always for the inspiration!!!
Mary Jones – I love your sense of humor about the “foul ball” – When I was preparing to write this post I could not find a single photo of tile flooring, one showing the actual floor! Hahaha… I guess we don’t photograph the parts we don’t like!!!
Your “foul ball” will be a “home run” very soon!!
tp
Thank you Teresa… In full disclosure, you know I can’t take credit for the humor in this home… it’s all from “my” (if I may) Sir Lots-a-Wit… ha ha ha
I hear you on this Sister!
Hey Vicki – Sounds like you have been there too. I should say that there was nothing really wrong with the tile floor. The pattern clashed with the countertop. You have done some major decorating, you know!!!
tp
Yes, I admit, I blinked…ridden in this rodeo before haha!
Bitter pill of course, but your kitchen looks amazing as your sweet floor model Bella will attest to 😊
Good morning Mary Kay – Thank you for standing with me on the decorating wall of shame! This was a valuable lesson for me, hopefully, others who read this will avoid making the same mistake!
tp
I have those tiles on my kitchen and dining room floors. I have different countertops though. I don’t’ like them much they are always so damn cold! I like the wood.
Rena – you are right about being cold!!! We have the same tile floors in our bathroom and it looks great and are cold. It seems to be a popular pattern.
I wish I had consulted a professional decorator before making my choices! Thank you for your comment.
tp
Well, my older brother Hubby, Mr. Wait -a- Bit to Mr. Lots-A-Wit prevents me often from creating mismatch problems by complaining about spending any money to fix the problem. We can hold off until we read of someone else’s mismatch . Then Mr. Wait-a-Bit compliments us for finding the mismatch elsewhere. We have waited 5 years to put in new counters next Winter. Yours looks GREAT now that you’ve changed it. Denis would say “she would have spent a fortune on an interior decorator. She saved money her way” . Oh well, days I believe we’ll be waiting at the “Pearly Gates” with my Mr. Wait-a-Bit going ” let’s stay here until other folks give us the “High Five” it’s a bargain”. He and Mary Ellen had lot’s in common-sorry Mom.
You made a great choice , It will serve
you well ! We have similar wood Flooring in Our Family Room ! Sandy just loves it low Maintenance !!!