big projects

So I haven’t been online much the last few days, because we are finally tackling one of our biggest projects yet!

Office / Playroom

This room has been through many changes. First of all, it’s supposed to be a sitting room. But since we’re not 80 years old or living in the 1800′s, we decided that a sitting room was not really on our list of priorities.

Instead, we have turned it into an office / playroom.

But due to E’s allergies, she had a hard time sitting on the carpet without getting an itchy rash.

So we decided to put down laminate hardwood flooring. By the way, we use laminate flooring pretty much everywhere, because the only true hardwood in our house that’s in the front hall and dining room looks absolutely terrible after only 6 years. Gauges and scratches and tears. I’m sure there’s hardwood out there that can withstand daily use from a toddler and two dogs, but frankly, we can’t afford it. So far, laminate hardwood has really exceeded our expectations.

We’d also love to be more eco-friendly and use bamboo, but I’ve heard it’s really soft, and I can only imagine what it would look like after a few years.

We ended up finding a great deal on some flooring a couple of weeks ago, and that was that. I decided that since we were going to clear out the room to install flooring, I might as well paint the room. This is also the first room you see when you walk into our house, so it needed a little pick-me-up.

And a huge clean-up.

Picked out a color in record time and started painting on Saturday. The great thing was that I didn’t have to worry about spills since we were going to be ripping up the carpet later.

I went with a spring green – it’s actually called “sour lime” – and it’s fantastic! Bright, cheerful, peaceful. I’m really really happy with it.

I finished up the painting on Saturday night and we started working on the floor Sunday afternoon.

Out goes the nasty, stinky carpet — the very last piece of carpet downstairs!! *happy dance*

And in goes the hardwood.

Our little helper was right there the whole time. Right THERE. The WHOLE time. Talking. THE WHOLE TIME.

Can I paint?
[while I was on the ladder] I will climb up and save you!!
Can I paint?
Can I have your tea?
Did you do this? Great job, mommy!
Can I paint?

But we are far from done.

Still need to finish the last few strips of flooring, put down the base molding, put up the crown molding, put down the floor-to-floor transitional molding, paint my desk and bookcase, move everything back in, hang pictures/shelves/etc., hang curtains, and find a decent floor lamp that doesn’t break the bank but doesn’t look like crap.

Phew. I think I need a nap.