Finally! Hardwood Floors: Before & After

Wow! WOW!

I hope I made your jaw drop because mine did and I've been here through the whole 10 year process!

Now I am not a newbie when it comes to hardwood floors. I grew up with solid oak floors in almost every room of my parents' house. As a decorator I'm familiar with the pros and cons of hardwood floors from a design standpoint, but this transformation has surprised me in some important ways that you should consider if you are debating the hardwood floor plunge.

The Surprising Effects of Hardwood Flooring

No. 1 Taller more spacious rooms

Every room from the entry to the dining room where we just installed the hardwood feels taller and more open. I understood this theoretically in the sense that wall to wall carpet adds softness and a cozy feel to a space and the texture of the carpet has a lot to do with this. When you remove that texture you have a counter effect.

I was not prepared for how significant that counter effect would be! It's so much better than I dreamed!

The coziness factor did not decrease in my opinion because I put down rugs and there are plenty of other textiles and patterns in the space.

No. 2 Eye catching rugs

Speak of rugs...mine look stunning! The dark wood floor provides the perfect backdrop for them to shine. It's like rugs were made to go over a hardwood floor or something...hm....

No. 3 The need for felt pads on everything

I do love a wood floor with patina from decades if not centuries of foot traffic, BUT I feel it is my sacred duty to keep this wood floor pristine! LOL

We put these felt pads on all the furniture legs and anything that might someday touch the wood floor (ahem because of a toddler). It's been 3 weeks and not a single one has come loose even when they have been picked at and born the weight of scooting furniture repeatedly (ahem because of a toddler).

No. 4 Conspicuous dirt

The only unfavorable consequence of the new wood floors is that you do see dirt and crumbs readily and we have a bit of an abundance in some areas (ahem because of a toddler). Part of that is due to the fact we chose flooring in a medium - dark brown stain.

However, I feel much happier and hygienic with this floor because at least I can see the dirt and sweep it all up. There aren't hidden particles getting trapped in the fibers and underneath the carpet. Seriously, I have photographic evidence of what was underneath the carpet and mat. You don't want to see it! Ick! Just ick!

No. 5 Improved flow

All the rooms on the main level (minus the kitchen and powder room) now feel like they flow together. Even with different paint colors on the walls and unique designs in each room, the space feels more cohesive and continuous.

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For those wondering we installed engineered hardwood from Woodland Reserve in Acorn White Oak. It is discontinued, but this is a similar white oak in 5" and this is a similar in 7.5" width.

If you are debating between solid, engineered, and LVP, this article is helpful.

I'll leave you with a few more images of the newly transformed rooms. Tata for now!