Living and Dining Room Hardwood Flooring Reveal

*I’m so excited to be sharing with you today my new Shaw hardwood flooring in my living and dining rooms!*

“It looks so cozy. So homey!”

My husband and I had just moved the last piece of furniture back into the living room after having our beautiful new Shaw floors installed and we were taking a moment to catch our breath and just soak in the changes.

And when he said those words, I looked at the spaces and had an ‘ah-ha’ moment.

You see, I think that in all of my efforts to create spaces that had more neutral tones, there had been something missing. Maybe I had gone just a bit too far. Because when you have off-white carpet and an off-white couch, off-white coffee table and off-white chairs, it just sort of all starts running together.

But, suddenly, these neutral rooms had warmth and character. They looked lived in and like they were always meant to be this way.

Furniture that seemed to blend right in before, popped against the tones of the new floors.

There was a depth added that I didn’t even realize it so badly needed.

Just as these Arden Oak floors from the Epic Plus line did for our family room and kitchen, a charming foundation was created upon which the spaces now look as though they’ve been put together slowly over time rather than just recently.

But the best part is that aside from looking so pretty, these floors are about as durable as they come. I’ll admit to not always being the most careful as I’m scooting furniture around (don’t judge) but I don’t need to worry now because they can take the hits and still look like they’ve never been touched.

And I can’t even believe how much BIGGER the spaces look now with the flooring running seamlessly from room to room.

Here’s the view from the dining room looking into the living room.

And here is the view from the dining room looking into the kitchen.

I could stare at it all day long.

We intentionally selected a color that was not too dark and not too light but just somewhere in that happy middle ground. The darker the floor, the more it shows everything and since we do actually get some sunny days here in Oregon (best kept secret) I didn’t want all of the dust to show when the light streams in through the windows.

I also think that these floors look like they might have been original to the house which is in keeping with my goal of being true to the style and architecture of our home even as we attempt to update it.

With all of the creamy tones in the dining room, the new floors really help to add a lovely contrast and this is truly one of my most favorite spaces in our home.

The other day I had this moment where I looked around and realized that my home finally looks like how I always wanted it to look when I envisioned it in my mind. And for a split second I thought, “I wish it had always looked like this.”

But, then I caught myself. Because there has been so much joy in taking our time to update our home. In the waiting and the saving. There’s been joy in the process of discovering my design style and becoming more comfortable in it.

I know that I appreciate it all so much more because it didn’t happen overnight or in one of those HGTV style 2 day makeovers.

In a world where everything seems to move at warp speed, there’s something to be said for the slow and steady approach. It was the tortoise who won the race, after all, wasn’t it? 😉

Thank you so much for meeting me at the fence today friends,

* I am compensated for my partnership with Shaw floors but all opinions are 100% my own*