We started a little project Tuesday. Most of the happenings at Floating Axe Farm take place outside, but this one is a decidedly inside job.
Yes, we’re tackling the flooring. First step, remove carpeting in the living area. Confession: one of my stranger quirks is an aversion to carpeting. Give me something solid that can be mopped any day!
Second step, clean concrete to the point where we can still live in the house. Ten people in 1,800 sq. ft. means declaring any area “unusable space” is just not an option.
And third, live on the concrete subfloor until we decide whether to put down the laminate flooring we bought or return it in exchange for floor paint and sealant. Yet another confession: I had no intention whatsoever of exploring the concrete floor option unit I saw the space devoid of carpeting and the great condition of the cement subfloor. At that point, I started pondering those drool-worthy Pinterest farmhouse photos with the crisp white concrete floors and realized our quirky barn house could pull it off. As it stands, I am the only member of the family convinced this is a great idea. Well, except for the kids delighted with their newfound ability to race Hot Wheels at lightning speeds.
And then… it’s on to the parquet in the kitchen and dining room. This will be a major hurdle, as we discovered that our parquet is well, real parquet. It was in bad need of attention when we moved in, and two additional years of wear and tear have not been kind to its already tarnished glory. Our original plan here was to pull the tiles out and run uniform laminate throughout the downstairs. Now we realize we’re not getting that stuff to budge without a fight, and are considering either refinishing it in a lighter shade or giving it the same white paint treatment as the concrete. Time will tell…
All of this to say that if you visit any time in the next few weeks, be prepared for some construction at Floating Axe Farm!