While we are talking about Home Improvements

[Beekissed]

Here's an idea. How about going with a stone or ceramic tile in the kitchen but change out the counter tops with wood that is stained to match your wood floor in the other parts of the house, thus bringing them together without having them too matchy matchy. Sort of a coordinated look.

They make some really pretty wooden countertops now and they aren't too pricey like granite...

Add a nice, rustic stone floor to it and it could be a really warm looking kitchen!

 

[valley ranch]

I very much like that```

 

[thistlebloom]

I really like the look of hardwood throughout a house. My sister has hardwood, including the kitchen and it looks beautiful. She's pretty careful of it, but not obsessed, and nearly everyone removes their shoes at the front door.

We considered hardwood, but dh is not a boot remover unless it's someone else's house.
But I have been known to track through with muddy feet too when on a quick indoor errand.

So we agreed on ceramic tile everywhere but the bedrooms. It's super easy to keep clean, I use a Shark floor steamer and it's done in minutes.
It is cold in the winter, but I always wear slippers, so it's not an issue, and we have area rugs in the dining room and living room. That coolness feels refreshing on a hot summer day though.

So Lucky, did you know that painting your formica is an option? It's something I was considering myself. There is a This Old House episode where they used a brand of paint that will go over anything and is said to be super durable. The paint is called Beyond (link).

 

[digitS']

We will have to replace the flooring in this olde house soon. Since we live where we do and are wimps, 3/4 of the house will have carpeting, again. The rest of it, I don't know ...

The house is nearly 120 years old. When remodeling gave us a new bathroom sink 5 years ago, the plumber over-compensated for the sag of the floor towards the middle of the room. The sink tends to collect water behind the facet. I also have a tall, living room floor lamp with little shims holding it at the same vertical as the wall. What "vertical" that is might be open to question.

But anyway, those ancient floor joists have to be considered. Tile must to be heavy.

Steve

 

[flowerbug]

we have hardwood throughout and i love it, but yes, we usually remove shoes and have to be careful, but that ways at least 20yrs later the finish is still reasonably ok. the side room here they used used maple flooring from a gym, but that turned out to be a huge amount of work (every edge had to be scraped to get a good fit again). this side room could now use a bit of a refinish but that isn't going to happen. it was used as an artist studio for several years and some paint got splattered around.

as for the rest of the house and the countertops they are both (kitchen and main bathroom) are the same as the floor.

you can see peeks of the counter in:

http://www.anthive.com/project/edibles/

and the floors in:

http://www.anthive.com/project/house/

the thing about hardwood or tile floors (i'd never do pine, too soft, takes too much damage easily) is that if you drop a glass it's 99% chance it's going to shatter. on carpeting you might get by with a bounce instead of a shatter.

i still would have hardwood throughout, my sinuses/allergies do so much better without carpeting, it takes a lot less effort to dust the floors than to vac.

as for cold floors, that's what socks/slippers are for. i used to hate wearing anything on my feet, but i'm used to it now, in the summer i really hate the feeling of sweaty feet sticking to the floor (or my shoes/crocs for that matter) and that really is where i've gotten into the habit of wearing socks almost all the time.

rugs are too much of a tripping hazard IMO.

if i were splashing a lot of stuff around i'd get a hard plastic floor cover for the area by the sink.

kitchen counter, if wood, has to be really well sealed you want to be careful of knives and setting packages/buckets that might have dirt on them on the counter. we keep old towels around for that and use them a lot.

i think i'm going to have to redo the utility room shower this summer...

 

[digitS']

That's an interesting home exterior, @flowerbug .

@Collector 's 1,000# peninsula countertop is an example of something I can't even contemplate bringing into my kitchen. I can imagine coming home and finding it thru the floor and in my basement!



Steve

 

[so lucky]

You all are giving me some things to think about. Ack! I've got way too many ideas running through my head now. Now I'm thinking I want to strip the wallpaper off and just go with paint in the kitchen/dining. (The only reason the wallpaper is there is because the builders of this house put wallpaper up on unsized walls, and I ended up papering over them rather than tear the facing of the wallboard trying to get the original paper off.)

Steve, I know what you mean about the supports not holding up the floor. We have a really shaky floor now; I'd hate to see what all that weight would do to it.

I'm pretty sure DH won't go for wood in the kitchen. He is always expecting the worst. And the dishwasher did fail at least once...maybe twice? here.

 

[Nyboy]

Snowball I wanted to put hardwood floor in kitchen. When they ripped up old floor they found dry rot, because of dry rot kitchen cabinets had to be ripped out to get to floor under them. When cabinets where removed mold on sheet rock wall so drywall removed. After putting in new walls ,floors and cabinets I wanted all new appliances. Went from change floor to gutting whole room

 

[Nyboy]

Lucky the biggest mistake I made was not putting in full size dishwasher. I wanted lots of storage so put in whats called apartment size dish washer. I was thinking 1 person what a wine glass or 2. Big mistake I have a lot of company which means lots of plates and glasses.

 

[ninnymary]

I have oak floors in the entry way, living room, parlour, and dining room. We put ceramic tile in our kitchen but I wished I had continued the oak floors. After 30+ years the floors still look brand new. All I do is use a dust mop occasionally. I love my floors.

Mary