Dining room progress ~ hardwood floors now complete!

This is my girl Jenna. And she has something to show you that transpired today. And she should know. She watched the whole thing.

The day started with the dining room floor in plywood mode. Jenna's nose is to the far right.

Awesome Volunteer Floor Guy Ron came today to put the finishing touches on that very room. Just... awesome! He's fast, meticulous, appreciates and drinks good coffee (but just not today) and is just a really nice guy. Ever Present Jenna thinks so too.

Tadaaaaa! My stuff can go back! I can eat over top a real floor now!

The place mats I like to use are actually glass cutting boards.

This next picture is for those of you wishing you had gorgeous hardwood floors. Folks, I worked hard for them. What you'll see next is simply a picture of reality.

And just for fun.. today my mantle was ivory~chicken themed. The mini lights cast the most awesome candle lit glow in the evenings. Truth be told, I leave these on all day. They just bring warmth to the fireplace and room in general.

Oops. You did NOT see a cat on any kitchen island in this house. This is a figment of your imagination. Totally.

Anyway, the room has many finishing touches to come. Curtains, mouldings, area carpets, lights... The upstairs is now open floor plan and still appears abit cold without all the finishing touches in place but they will come soon! Cody's braces are first and I also need a lawn mower. Neither not so pretty but once again, just a little bit of reality.

For today, I am in love with ALL the flooring warming up this place! Thanks Ron, BIG!

Next up: I'm still working on the tile in the front entry. One day I may even finish it or something.

Thurs Nov 20 update

OH

MY.

The floors are to die for. Ron worked past suppertime to complete the last bedroom and living room. The quality workmanship alone is incredible. And throw in some gorgeous oak hardwood flooring and you have the makings of one awesome floor.

'Poor tired' Dave was punching up new mouldings as fast as Ron was laying floor. Vic was in and out and doing everything from shopping, to drywall repair, to moving furniture and wood around. I was carrying wood up and scraping the old kitchen floor off the plywood. Cody was trying a little of everything. There was alot of ptchoo ptchooing from two compressors going at the same time, dust kicking up, hammering, scraping, shop vac blaring, Cody taking pictures of (eek) mom... (I'm so brave to post this)

However there's always some time for coffee, silly pics, the dog...

And for those interested, my current kitchen decor is below. It's called EarlyReno. Note the unique bulletin board windows. This simplistic version does it all on one Costco fold out table. (sink is located in the bathtub) Do you like the all modern colour blocking on that one strip of drywall left? Note two garbage cans. The one with the lid is for food scraps so the dog can't get at it. (lesson learned the hard way)

Is everyone else as tired AND having as much fun as I am?!?

Do not try this at home, kids!

What a fantastic day we've all had today!

I was by my lonesome painting the house all day and got my first coat on. I LOVE it!! This is THEE colour to go alongside hardwood floors. It's called Bamboo Beach, at Cloverdale Paints. I had just given up with my choices and went in there on the weekend and said to my girl there,

"What goes good with this wood?"

"What have you tried that you don't like?"

"I don't want to influence your decision and I don't want to mess you up. I wana start fresh. What would you choose? Cuz that's what I'm bringing home today. The end."

The colour is light, yet warm, and has the perfect slightly golden undertone to it. I didn't like it going on wet. In fact I had a stomach ache while the wall filled up with this this... I don't know. Peach I first thought. I was so use to seeing my rosy taupes. When dry and on all walls, it's no where near peach. It's wonderful. It's perfect! I am so so so so so ecstatic. And onto my 2nd coat later in the week.

Now back to fun stuff. Cody had his school friend Alex over after school today and noticed the drawing I had done on the kitchen floor. So they asked if they could also draw on the floor.

Trust me when I say, I let them know this was a once in a lifetime opportunity to EVER draw on a kitchen floor ever.

And then said ok....

They were delirious with excitement. I was painting while I heard them talking over how funny it was to draw on a floor of all things! They 'started' in this one area...


Just how cute are these two...

And then the artwork started getting really fancy where there was more room. I was in for some highly unique floor details.

Jenna sits here enjoying the incredible new addition to our ever growing renovation process. As I walk around the kitchen, I keep thinking I'm stepping on stuff I shouldn't be, it's very odd to get use to. But every time I make myself walk around an image, I have to smile.

The renos have made a couple of grade 4 boys smile as well today. I'm glad they have a memory that no doubt will last a very long time in their minds. And in mine too!

Thanks for the fabulous new artwork on my kitchen floor, boys! A+!!

How unfussy can a floor get?

Plywood and crappy lino floors are fun!

I've lived with my patchwork quilt flooring now for approx 4 years, the plywood for 3. And knowing they are about to make an exit from this place in mere weeks, I'm starting to have fun with them!

I mean, where else can you...

...leave fun notes for friends...

... slop paint on them and smile after...

and laugh at the indestructable stucco patch you can't remove without a grinder on most given surfaces.

It's been fun not being anal clean with these floors over the last while. And they've stayed amazingly clean for not washing the plywood sections. We were a non shoes kinda home before the renos started. I think I'll be able to retrain us just fine when the need arrives. But for the time being with currently only a couple floors to really wipe up and take proper care of, I'm going to continue to enjoy how unfussy this house currently is.

Just think, in a matter of weeks, I'll have 5x the amount of floors to actually wash!

I 'think' I like that idea...