Oh, these floors!

*This post sponsored by Stainmaster®. All opinions are my own.

Finding our dream property? Check.

Getting an amazing team in place to do the renovation? Check.

Demo? Yep, that was fun.

AND THEN…the planning really began. We started thinking of things like “How do we want our house to look? How will it function? What kinds of things can we do to make it easier to care for? Which surfaces will stand up to every day wear & tear, teenagers, dogs, entertaining, farm life, muddy boots, spills, future grandchildren (ahem…that’s a long way off since we’re so incredibly young ;))?”, and the list goes ON!???? I mean, these are the THINGS! The things we needed to consider, care about, plan for, and focus on.

Someone once told me that other than your bed, the floors are the surface with which you have the most contact. In my mind, that translates to a pretty important decision when it comes to flooring.

Let’s start with the mud room/laundry room. We combined an old bathroom and the laundry room to create a larger area and an easy passage from the kitchen to our (future) garage. Here’s how it looked when we bought the place: (below)

It might sound crazy to REMOVE a bathroom, but this was definitely extra, and the red carpet wasn’t quite our look. 😉

The newly opened up space was a welcome change, but we definitely wanted a super DURABLE floor for this room. So many functions in a small space…washer & dryer, entrance from the back yard (hello muddy shoes), and home to our dog when we’re away from the house during the day. We needed something waterproof, puppy accident-proof, and scratch resistant. On top of all of that, it needed to look great!

(Below) Our selection! (mid-install)

We were so thrilled to find this luxury vinyl flooring from Stainmaster® (find this STAINMASTER® PetProtect™ Phenix “Free Expressions” PT100, color “Dove” here!). It checked all of our boxes. The “concrete” look would match up perfectly to the hardwood flooring in the hall, it was just enough pattern to help hide dirt (let’s face it, I’m not into mopping every day), and since this floor doesn’t require grout, there would be nowhere for pet stains to occur! WIN-WIN!!!!

Next up, our kids bathroom. Our daughter had requested a light & bright look, with tons of WHITE. I was SOOOOO on board with her idea. The challenge for the look & feel was somehow creating a warm look amidst all of the white, and again, finding something worry-free. I’m already envisioning lots of sleepovers, gatherings, friends doing makeup for prom and other fun events, and normal every day use. Here’s how the bathroom looked on the first day we got our keys! (below)

So now, imagine white walls, white cabinets, white everything…hang on! We needed something to ground the look, and to be waterproof & timeless! See our selection below! (mid-install)

Oh my goodness, YES. This STAINMASTER® PetProtect™ Phenix “Free Expressions” PT100, Santa Fe Collection, Color: Toasted Brown was LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT. We could NOT be happier with this luxury vinyl floor. It looks like REAL hardwood, but it offers the ultimate durability for a bathroom. 100% waterproof, gorgeous, and oh my lands. I could see this installed in an entire home instead of hardwood…DREAMY! If you have dogs, kids, or just want a low-maintenance high-style option, THIS IS IT. 5 stars!!!

Let’s talk carpet. I know, I know…not usually the most exciting subject. But wait a sec, WHY NOT?? I love the coziness of carpet in a bedroom, and the way it brings “quiet” to spaces (an entire home full of hard surfaces can cause quite an echo!). I’ve always loved the “tidy” look of patterned carpet, and we knew we wanted something pretty, pet-friendly, and stain resistant in our home here on the farm.

Below you’ll find a “before” pic of our son’s bedroom…pretty bold! 😉

Since he’s not really a blue floral kinda guy, we were looking to create a clean slate. We are all a little gah-gah over the new look! (below, mid-install)

This STAINMASTER® PetProtect™ Phenix ST155 Clever Expression, color: “Cast”, is absolutely HEAVENLY and we used it in all carpeted areas of our home. In the showroom it looked kinda on the “thin” side…but GUESS WHAT?? It might be the softest carpet I’ve ever felt. We used a STAINMASTER® memory foam pad, and that lends to the luxurious feel as well. This STAINMASTER® PetProtect™ carpet has unsurpassed durability (yes, please…we don’t care to move all of our furniture for new carpet any time soon!), and unsurpassed cleanability (perfect for puppy accidents).

Our master bedroom was in desperate need of an update when we bought the place…see the “before” look below!

We did a little juggling of the space plan, and here’s how it looks now (mid-install, below):

Fresh, clean, cozy, and oh-so-ready for a good vacuuming and MOVE-IN!!!!!! I love how the pattern adds interest without stealing too much attention from the soon-to-be-decorated space!

Our home had carpet on the stairs when we first took possession, and I actually liked that. The edge trim detail was still exposed, and the carpet allowed for that more “quiet” feel…no echoing feet in this tight stairwell. (See below)

So the former owners were on to something with the carpet, but it was ready for an update…see the current mid-install view below!

Yes, yes, yes. And more yes. I had no idea how the carpet installer would make things look neat & orderly here, but he was amazing! (see below…working his magic!)

And now, with just days until MOVE-IN DAY, it’s hard to sleep at night. SO. MANY. FUN. THINGS. TO THINK ABOUT. And the best part? We won’t be worried about our floors standing up to YEARS of wear & tear…we can just LIVE. And ENJOY.

 

We are SO HAPPY you’re here for our #renovationontheprairie. And FRIENDS!!!! Moving day is right around the corner!