Attention amateur decorators! Consultation needed

[abacomah]

......walls down to jagged, torn-up drywall (I have no choice but to go with a deeply textured wallpaper or pay big bucks for major drywall repair!!!!)

Have you thought about beaded board for the walls? I have a friend who did beaded board panelling and later had a water leak ...... no fixing drywall. I personally like the 5inch wide bead board planks that fit together with tongue & groove but the panelling looks nice too.

Might be an alternative to wall paper.

 

[TooFarTampa]

I do have a question though as long as we are on the subject of decorating. I was toying with having a hardwood floor installed but the expense is scaring me. My kids have laminate in their room and I think it looks great and will cost much less. But I have so many people telling me now to break down and pay for the hardwood.

The better laminates are very nice looking but don't have the feel of hardwood. Laminate is like carpet or vinyl in that it has a life span. Good hardwood and tile installations are considered "permanent" flooring. The best of those are site-finished, 3/4-inch hardwood or tile in a mudbed, which are truly lifetime installations.

So you have to ask yourself what your needs are.

If I were to do hardwood on an entire floor of a home I was building or remodeling for our family, I would definitely want site-finished, 3/4-inch thick hardwood -- in fact I would probably save and wait instead of settling for something else.

(Engineered flooring can be beautiful but I am used to 1920s homes and thus prefer the feel and durability of the solid wood tongue and groove flooring. However, engineered wood is why hardwood has become so popular and accessible, which is great.)

But just one room? I might go with the laminate over the engineered hardwoods, simply because if you installed engineered and ever decided to redo the entire floor with hardwoods, you would be very hard pressed to match what you already had. That said, if you think you might be happier with hardwood, by all means go for it because you don't want to look back on your choice and regret.

 

[seagrovelover]

Pea I vote for the brown, that will be beautiful with the tile color:clap_1:

 

[TooFarTampa]

Pea I do love the darker brown/lighter green combo on the pic I posted, but what's getting to me is that strip of darker green that has the potential to just mess up that very pleasing contrast.

I think it's the darker strip of tile that is saying to me that you have to have a more subtle wall color. The dark green is meant to be the accent. If you have a very dark or very vibrant wall color, it is going to fight with that dark green accent.

I really like the softer peach or melon color the more I think about it. I just love your idea of the inside of a canteloupe. You could do a soft watermelon too, and throw in some black accessories.

 

[abacomah]

.....I think it's the darker strip of tile that is saying to me that you have to have a more subtle wall color. The dark green is meant to be the accent. If you have a very dark or very vibrant wall color, it is going to fight with that dark green accent.....

I am learning a lot from you guys on color and how they interact. Thanks for sharing ..... would have never thought of the colors fighting with each other

Since I'll have to pick out something new for the bedrooms once the floors are in and I have that vivid blue in the bath, these comments are all very helpful .... and I feel so lucky to have Alifunn willing to help my poor little clouds:clap_1:

 

[lindatat]

TFT & AbacoMah, thanks for the advice. I'm thinking that eventually I will replace all the carpet in the house; it's just not in my budget right at this moment. But now I'm thinking that maybe I should break down and get the entire top floor of the house done in hardwood - that's 3 bedrooms and a hallway. Seems silly to do one room in hardwood and not have that "seamless" look. Then in a couple of years I could do the stairs leading to the hallway along with the main floor of the house. We'll just have to see if I can handle the cost (might mean giving up the Sowal trip in August - yikes!)

 

[Rudyjohn]

We have had Pergo floors installed in our kitchen 2 years ago and in our master bath (last week).

The kitchen is a black & white stone-look. The master bath is a white pine, bleached look, wide plank. I have to say, we absolutley love, love, love them! We've always had a dog or 2 so we felt it was our only option for our kitchen. We were advised by several flooring specialists and an interior decorator to nix the hardwoods because of the dogs, their nails, etc. Rudy goes flying across the floor and so far, not one scratch anywhere! We're completely sold on the engineered floors.

We had beautiful maple floors in our previous house, which were gorgeous but we were constantly seeing LOTS scratches, gouges. I was always freaking out. Had to have them refinished before we put the house on the market. I decided that was the last time I would ever have real wood floors.

Now for purists, I can see why you would want hardwood floors. If I had a 1930's house, I'd probably want the real thing too.

Also, LBH, how long do you plan to stay in this house? I know we won't be staying in our house but for another 5 or 6 yrs. It's pretty costly for hardwood.

 

[abacomah]

......
Also, LBH, how long do you plan to stay in this house? I know we won't be staying in our house but for another 5 or 6 yrs. It's pretty costly for hardwood.

That's a great question on "how long are you going to stay". Makes a big difference. You're right about scratches, etc ...... it's like your car .... first scratch hurts and then you say ... what the heck ... I like the "weathered" look

I would suspect with engineered floors, like most things, you have to ensure you get a quality product. Sounds like you did Johnrudy

 

[lindatat]

We have had Pergo floors installed in our kitchen 2 years ago and in our master bath (last week).

The kitchen is a black & white stone-look. The master bath is a white pine, bleached look, wide plank. I have to say, we absolutley love, love, love them! We've always had a dog or 2 so we felt it was our only option for our kitchen. We were advised by several flooring specialists and an interior decorator to nix the hardwoods because of the dogs, their nails, etc. Rudy goes flying across the floor and so far, not one scratch anywhere! We're completely sold on the engineered floors.

We had beautiful maple floors in our previous house, which were gorgeous but we were constantly seeing LOTS scratches, gouges. I was always freaking out. Had to have them refinished before we put the house on the market. I decided that was the last time I would ever have real wood floors.

Now for purists, I can see why you would want hardwood floors. If I had a 1930's house, I'd probably want the real thing too.

Also, LBH, how long do you plan to stay in this house? I know we won't be staying in our house but for another 5 or 6 yrs. It's pretty costly for hardwood.

Plan to stay in the house at least 5 years; could be longer. And it's a 1963 tri-level house with a sub-basement - it's definitely not an historically significant style. Very 60's BLAH architecture (but it's home!) Those who have advised me to go with hardwood have recommended it specifically for the resale value because I will likely sell when the kids are older. Honestly, looking at the laminate in the kids room, it has held up quite well - and it is 5 years old. And I'm going to venture to say that it was probably a pretty cheap product - had to have been something that Bob got on sale at Menard's and he installed it himself. Anyway, if I have to choose between high-quality laminate and hardwood, and the cost is comparable, I think I'd go with hardwood - the bedrooms don't get a lot of traffic and we never wear shoes in the house. And we don't have any pets.

JR - would you recommend the people who installed your floors? If so, PM me their name & number. I need to start out by getting few estimates.

 

[Teresa]

I think I'd go with hardwood - the bedrooms don't get a lot of traffic and we never wear shoes in the house. And we don't have any pets.

always the best choice, IMO. they are beautiful and only real wood looks and feels like real wood, with much character, even the scratches and worn patches.

my wood floors need another re-do in the main living area. but, you just can't beat the livability and warmth of the real thing.

our bedrooms have carpet, but instead of replacing the carpet - someday we'll install wood in those areas too.

good luck lindabobhat!