Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Mudroom Saga: Flooring

The other morning, my husband and I got our weekly mochas and lattes to go and strode over to the large home improvement store across the street.  I was brimming with enthusiasm and ideas. 

I like color.  Perhaps something with slight color variations . . . something subtle.  Earth tones.  Or not.  Checkerboard?  Oh, I've always wanted a checkerboard floor . . . not black and white; no, something perkier . . . red and white?  Red and gray?  Pink and yellow?  Okay, no . . . that won't be marketable, and we plan to probably sell this house someday.  Okay, back to something mainstream.  But with some color.  Something with a little personality.  Not the plain beige stuff easily found in all fast food joints and grocery store dairy sections.   




We arrived in the flooring department to find that all the ceramic tile looked almost exactly the same and, yep, much like the stuff I step on when selecting a jug of milk.  Well, okay, I'm not being fair.  You can choose lightish or darkish.  But otherwise, it's all pretty much the same. 

I made this observation as an indictment of the entire selection and was moving the argument in the direction of going to a dedicated flooring store.  Before I could make my considered conclusion known to my husband, he seized upon my proclamation that all the tiles look the same and cut in front of me with his conclusion instead:  If they all look the same, clearly we should buy this close-out stuff in the corner that is about a third of the price of any other tile offered.  Hmmm.  Not the direction I was heading.  Hard to really refute, based upon the premise I had set down.

It does all look the same, as I had just carelessly announced.

It is neutral, which is what we really should put in.

It is alarmingly affordable, another handy fact since we plan to spend most of the budget on the storage system.

And it is only the mudroom.  No one goes in there but the regular inhabitants of this house.  It need not "say" anything about us or our tastes or preferences.  It need only stay put, look clean, and not detract market value from our house.  Even this dairy-section selection would be a vast improvement over the stained, peeling, dingy 30 year old linoleum in there now.

Backed into a logical corner, I had to counter . . . "But still."

In an effort to diffuse the situation,stall for time, and avoid getting dairy tile, I sent my husband on to work while I rocketed around town looking at storage systems.  Surely, one would select the storage system first, so many options in lovely faux-but-still-expensive veneer . . . cherry?  maple?  pine?  white?  silverrrrrr?  Then we'll select the flooring to coordinate.


Yeah, that sounds like a plan. . .



9 comments:

tdjunkie said...

Hmmm, all destinations have multiple routes to get there, good luck :)

Chicken Boys said...

ROFL
~Randy

Chicken Boys said...

I get up that early for work. But we're like old people....early to bed, early to rise. Mike is often in bed around 8ish watching tv, and I soon follow because who wants to sit up late watching tv alone? On weekends we generally get up early. Well, I might sleep in til 7:30 or 8:00 if I'm lucky.
~Randy

Beansieleigh said...

Good thinking, and quick on your feet! Can't wait to hear how it all turns out! ~tina

Weza said...

Perhaps you will be needing a care package by the end of this... how does Australian candy sound?

Chickens in the Basement said...

If I could go back to the construction of the house we are in now, I would do so much different. Instead of all the cabinets we installed, I would use hoosier cabinets, buffets and armoirs to store all of my kitchen stuff. It would be unique, vintage and space to store any item of any size. I have a griddle that I use every day, but have to wedge into a cabinet so that it blocks access to anything behind it. I would love a big honking cabinet that had space for that.

Oh, but we're supposed to be talking about your project! Enjoy the process!
Anna

Four Seasons in a Life said...

Greetings Renee,

Our tiles came from Italy and each one is different from the other, yet there colours are like the river rocks from the American River with plenty of earth tones from warm browns to reds.

When you buy tile make sure it is industrial grade, for they have a higher diamond rate, meaning they are less prone to cracking. Also make sure to have at least a dozen to two extra tiles for future breakage.

You will find the tile that is most suitable, just give it time.

Warmest regards,
Egmont

BadPenny said...

Well you are a lot further than us as we never get to do jobs like this & end up moving house !

Mud is a good colour.... just a thought

Anna Bartlett said...

Resale shmeesale. We painted the house in neutrals, thinking of resale, but have now realised we'll be here for some time yet. We'll be here long enough to have to replace the carpet, the kitchen click-lock floors and no doubt the vinyl in the laundry because they'll be simply worn out. So I think, do something you'll love. Somthing that helps your kids remember what a happy home you had. Checkerboard, stripes, whatever. If it's a smallish space, enjoy it (future buyers can change it!). But yes, still a good idea to think through your storage first. "Storage.... ghggmggmmmm" (think Homer and donuts - I love it!)

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