Hardwood Floors!

The hardwood floors are done! Yeah! It was quite the process. It took them 2 days to complete. I'm really happy with how it turned out and the color. They didn't have to remove any baseboards, which makes me really happy. It was quite the process getting all the dust cleaned up from the installation. I had to wipe down everything in the house. I only had enough time yesterday to put everything back in place and clean the living room up. I left the kitchen for Chris to do and he wiped the counter and table off but didn't sweep and mop the tile so all of us have been tracking more dust onto the hardwood. Sheesh! I had to work today so it won't get cleaned up until tomorrow. We had a scare with the piano when we were moving it back into the living room. That thing is so old and the wheels don't cooperate most of the time so we had it half way moved before we realized that it was starting to scuff the floor because the wheel wasn't turned. Luckily it didn't gouge or scratch it, and the scuff just needed to be buffed out.

Ignore the dust and the messy kitchen. The point of this picture is to show the transition from the dark wood to the light wood in the kitchen. I was really having a hard time choosing a color and was originally going to do a lighter wood floor since the kitchen is but I loved the dark wood colors. I finally went with the dark wood thinking that the tile would be enough to break up the living room and kitchen so that it wouldn't look weird. I think it ended up working out okay and my framed tapa cloth kind of helps since it has both colors. What do you think? Did the gamble pay off? I think it did but what do I know? I just live here. I think if I went with a lighter wood, it might have been overwhelming.
Don't believe those Swiffer commercials. Just because I own a Swiffer, doesn't mean I don't use my broom too.
I love Mockie's face in this picture. Silly girl!
What do you think of this rug? I think it serves it's purpose.
The beast of a piano!
Those are my temporary curtains. I had them just sitting in the linen closet and just put them up so that I can have something until I get around to making curtains. Those blasted couches! It really limits what you can do colorwise. We're debating on getting new couches this year but I think it might end up being next year since we've spent so much on the floor and we still have the yard projects to do this summer. You can't tell in the pictures but the wood is hand scraped, which means that it's distressed. This will help hide any scratches that might turn up in the future. We also went with this one because it had a lifetime warranty on the finish.

So what's everyone's verdict?

Lemon and Lime Centerpieces

Floor Sample

Here's some comparison photos so that you can have an idea of how dark the floor is against the other wood in the room.

It's reflecting a little light but you get the idea.
This one is a little blurry but I was too lazy to take another photo. The shade of the coffee table doesn't matter too much since it will be sitting on an area rug and not directly on the wood floor.

Collage take 2

Here are two floor samples that I liked. The one on the left is my favorite but only has a 10 year warranty on the finish. The one on the right is my second favorite but has a lifetime wear warranty. You can't really see the differences in the picture but the one on the left is a little more cherry and rustic than the one on the right. In the collage below, I had to use the image of the one on the left since I couldn't find one for the other and the pictures I took don't do it justice.

I'm also going with this rug from Ikea that'll make the floor not so dark. I hate trying to find just the right print and colors on a rug, so why bother?

Here's what I have so far. Not much. ha ha

More ideas

Here are a few ideas for throw pillows. I'm trying to find something that will incorporate other colors in the room. Green and red are the main colors since I have my green couches and red candles.

The fabric above is from Pottery Barn and is a little pricey.

I found these others that are similar and a lot cheaper.

I'm thinking about doing yellow drapes and might either go with a solid or print. If I go with a solid in the living room then I'll probably go with a print in the kitchen.

Living Room Take Two

I'm revisiting my living room refresh since we're getting hardwood floors put in. Ideally, I would like to get new everything but that's not going to happen anytime soon. For now, I'm getting new curtains, a rug and possibly throw pillows. I took down my evil blinds and put up a double curtain rod and it's my new best friend. Blinds should be taken down and rolled over with a truck, in my opinion! Here are some ideas for curtains I'm looking at:

Here's an idea: I can do this fabric as throw pillows and then use the red and blue as accent colors.

Center Pieces

We can take branches, glue flowers on them, spray paint them (or not) and add these little birds from Michael's that come in all colors:)

If it were me.....

Here are a few details that are my favorites going along the line of what Rachel says she likes and some ideas that I like. I decided to put them in one place. In some cases I'll put my top two choices.

Rachel:

This dress:

With a navy sash and broach, except with sash longer and tied different.

Green and white bouquet or yellow bouquet.

Bridesmaids:

Green and white or yellow bouquets.

Other Decorations:

If this were possible. It would be cool! Maybe just string clear lights across the ceiling.

Guest book table: Bird cage for cards with lanterns and framed bridal photos.

Tables:

Blue tablecloths, runner or square in middle

Main centerpiece of willow branches and yellow tulips with a few small vases of green hydrangeas.

Or

A combination of these two bouquets. Yellow tulips, white tulips or roses, and green hydrangeas.

Seashells and coral surrounding the vases. Why not? Poly pride. ;)

Wedding Cake:

Either a 3 tiered round or square cake with navy ribbon and yellow and green flowers.

Food:

I wouldn't do food since there will be a separate luau.

Assorted candies and mini takeout containers for people to fill. Cute?

OR

Dessert buffet. Yummy!

You could always do cupcakes or sheet cake.