Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Painted Floors

I posted a month or so ago about my kitchen dilemma - to paint or not to paint, that was the question I put out there.  Unlike some of the "big bloggers", I do not get tons and tons of comments every time I post. That is fine - I am regional (except when I travel and can't help myself) ,  and pretty random in my topics. I blog because I love the process and the sharing with like minded souls, so I don't really worry too much about how many comments I get each time.

It is fun to see what topics people respond to and are passionate about, though.
So, with the kitchen post, I certainly found out how to get more comments - ask people for advice! I loved each and every comment and have seriously considered all suggestions. So here it is - 2010 and I am still debating over the kitchen and what to do with it.

I think I had better tell you the whole truth now.

Our house is for FOR SALE...... so I am not sure this is the best time to make such a major change. With the way my life goes, I would paint the kitchen some fabulously wild color combination like this.............





and just the almost right buyer would come along and say "oh, if only she hadn't painted all that beautiful antique long leaf pine" and the deal would fall through.

I thought about a safe, but still lovely, color like this ...... (I have the black counter tops)






but I am not sure the flow is right with my dining room which looks like this..............





with the blues and greens and aged beaded board ceiling.........



Sooooo, my next thought is, painted floors! I love them and here are some of my favorites.





Love this large design like a hex sign from a barn in the northeast.





Big stripes would be fun.





Of course, painted floors might not be to someone's liking, either. I have mixed feelings about making changes to my house. Sometimes I think it doesn't matter - that we should do what we love and when the time comes for someone else to live here, they can do what they love.







Other times I worry about the whole "resale factor" and it really goes against who I am. Some people can live in a fairly vanilla house, or one that is safely decorated, but it is so not me. I am constantly moving furniture and accessories around and wanting to change things. I sell things out of my house and at antique shows, and then come home with new things.

I think about space and how we use it, and want to create rooms that are warm and functional and make me happy to live in them.  I think a home is a huge reflection of the people who live there. I know I am stating the obvious to anyone who is reading this, but there are people out there - I know them - who just want a nice, clean house to live in, but their passions lie elsewhere. I am not them.

So, do I follow my heart, and paint those floors or cabinets, or just the island, whatever - have some fun with it all,  or sit tight and wait for that person to come along who adores ALL the old pine and rock and antique, scraped dark floors and doesn't have that fundamental need for color?

Then I can design my own house and make it just like I want it - maybe something like this from Jon Pankratz, AIA......


 



or this, from my new friend and another favorite architect, Reagan George, AIA........




yes, another hill country house, but smaller and and tucked into the woods somewhere, designed just
 perfectly for my art and treasures.

Or maybe something like this...........



 old and quaint and distinctly old German Fredericksburg..........

so, my dilemma continues. Of course, comments and opinions are always welcome!!


All photos either from House Beautiful or from my collected files. I apologize that I do not have photographer credits.

37 comments:

  1. What a dilemma. Did your real estate agent have any guidance for you on this?

    In your shoes, I would probably leave the house as it is and focus my energy on the house of your future. But, that's me.

    I love the photos of houses you like.

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  2. Oh how I do relate. I think with it forsale I would try to make the house appeal to the masses and in the Hill Country rock and old pine are really sought after, so they may appeal to more of the masses. When you get your new house you can redo it just to please you. I hope you house sells soon, then you can get busy recreating your next one. Hugs, Marty

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  3. Fredericksburg, Texas is one of my most favorite places on earth!

    I vote for the old, quainte, distinctly German house.

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  4. I would leave the floors and paint the cabinets a warm shade of white. I would also paint the yellow, it is just a little to bright. The cabinets look dated, if you painted them they would make your floors pop!

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  5. I painted my kitchen floors a big checkerboard and love it but worry that I'll have to paint over when it comes time to sell. I agree with the others - save the money, time and energy for your new abode.

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  6. I personally don't really like painted floors and if I were trying to sell my home (which we just did)I wouldn't do much with it! People are really picky when looking at a home! Save your creativity for the new home is my vote! Good luck..:D

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  7. I vote for leaving the floors as is...painted floors are lovely but not for everyone, so you narrow your perspective buyers. Love, love, love the German home! Good luck.

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  8. My dear, we are in the same boat. I am also selling my house and grow very restless to do some decorating (I like to change things often).

    My best advice to both of us (ha) is do nothing. Do not waste you time, energy or money on changes to your home unless you are sure they will pay you back when you sell.

    Just hold tight and read lots of blogs and dream of the new house.

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  9. I must say, one of the most charming things in the world is painted kitchen floors. I can remember, when dating my husband a LONG time ago, going to his parents house and admiring his mother's painted kitchen floors. She did them herself. She is an artist.

    But, I think you should just wait, sell your house and buy or design one like the quaint German house...love, love, love. No sense in spending a lot of time and money on something you can't enjoy in the future and someone else might not like. And, then, paint your kitchen floors in your new beautiful house that you love and will live in for the next chapter in your life.

    Talk soon.

    Gwen Driscoll
    Ragland Hill Social

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  10. House on the market? That is big news!! I have sold two houses with painted floors and everybody loved them. In my current home I painted a muted plaid on the floor and I just love it. BUT if your home is already on the market I may just sit tight and see what happens...good luck!

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  11. My Dear Ann......
    I am going to say something I feel very seriously about to you, and not to gently and I've met you,so here it is..........What can you be thinking??????You are emotionally involved in the house because you owned it. And you are so nice you want it to be it's best for the buyer. The reality is that no matter what you do they will change it because they want it to be their own....... Leave it alone....Period. Love you!
    Maryanne

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  12. I love painted floors and ALL your ideas--those for your current home and new one as well. Unfortunately, we are not the majority. An anecdote to illustrate my point: friends of ours are custom builders here in Central Texas. Her custom kitchen cabinets--compliments of her husband--are a luscious Fiestaware green with black granite countertops. Everyone loves it when they see it. So in the next spec home he built in an upscale neighborhood near them, he painted only the island that green. The house sat on the market for over a year--in an up market no less. Negative comment after negative comment about the island color. He striped the island, stained it and it sold in weeks. Most people don't really want anything out of the ordinary--they want to be like everyone else.

    BTW--yours is one of my favorite blogs; I'm always excited to read each new post! And, I would describe your cabinets as classic, not dated. If anything you might consider painting the yellow a nice pale (boring) taupe. Best....

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  13. * I must agree w/ everyone else!

    May I suggest you (just IMHO): keep/make your home sparkley-clean & smelling fresh (repaint areas that REEEEEALLY need it, using pale neutrals... "they" can "punch" it all up later!), uncluttered (INCLUDING closets, garage, cupboards, etc!), add fresh flowers (withOUT toooo much fragrance!), replace any lampshades that are old, faded, outdated, etc. annnnd make sure the outdoors look as welcoming & charming & fresh as the indooors!!! THINK THAT WILL SERVE YOU WELL, my friend!!!

    Thennnnnn, you can happily use all your marvelous, exciting, creative, fun & imaginitive ideas in your FABULOUS N*E*W home!!!

    Blessings for a quick, easy sale!!!

    Warmly,
    Linda in AZ *
    bellesmom1234@comcast,net

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  14. Too funny.... I just posted my latest and we used a couple of the same House Beautiful pics! Whoops! :{}

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  15. Hi Ann ! I am commenting again after I cracked up when you went on my blog...Here's the real deal: you have fabulous taste. It reflects in this home and it will in your next one. Whomever the lucky buyer might be, they will be able to say they bought their home from Ms Hill Country House. I think that is worth more than any paint job...Maryanne:)

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  16. Hi Ann! Happy New Year!
    Boy, this is a tricky one. My first impluse in to say "leave it", BUT.... this is a VERY high-end house.. not the spec home type, and I believe the type of person who has the means and the taste to buy your house is not someone who also just wants to live in a "clean house." I think your hi-end buyer is a differnet animal than the normal house buyer.
    That being said and after going back and looking at your original kitchen photos, I say in all honesty (and I can say this because I've spoken to you;);) DO NOT PAINT YOUR FLOORS! Your kitchen floors are gorgeous. If it were my house I would paint your cabinets a soft white (or like your ceiling, which I love!) that relates to your limestone in a heart-beat, and then take your yellow walls from the more primary yellow to a muted, earthy yellow- one that relates to the dining room colors (or maybe a beautiful French-blue?). I think the natural wood cabinets are really busy, and that the two different natural colors of the woods in the floor and the cabinets fight with each other. Painting would also make your fun back splash and your beautiful appliances POP!!
    My personal opinion is that people often think that buyers are looking for 'plain vanilla' houses, but I believe buyers look for Continuity (see how people could confuse the two?!)
    Our house in Dallas was anything but vanilla and we had constant showings, lots of offers and in the end the person who bought my house didn't change a single color! What our house did have was great visual flow.... continuity!!
    Good luck with your decision!!
    talk soon, j.

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  17. Hi Ann, you have a wonderful blog and an exquisite taste, I have loved browsing through your blog. I think whatever you decide to do it´s going to be just perfect, and if not, then you can change it again, isn´t it?? And your new house has to be something you really love and feel confort in, and lots of space for your always changing furniture, as you told.
    Muchos cariños, and happy to meet you.
    Maria Cecilia

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  18. I would leave them alone...LOVE painted floors...but you are much safer not painting them if the house is on the market (real estate is our business here at Coastal Charm). Best of luck with the sale of your home!

    Blessings,
    Linda

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  19. Well, this must be a popular subject--to paint or not to paint----
    I must admit I have no original thought in this matter. Don't spend your time or energy on this home. Wait for the next one. You will have one within the year. As we talked earlier, I feel it.
    Love you and love your taste!

    Kelly

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  20. The comments are really stacking up and I have nothing new to add! I agree with the other posters who suggested just leaving your kitchen as it is. I think it's beautiful, by the way. Maybe you could paint the walls cream/white, but that's just me. I painted my kitchen floors in my previous home and didn't like it at all. Even though I used oil based floor paint, it eventually began to chip, but again, just my opinion!

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  21. YOu have wonderful taste, love all your ideas. But - I would say to save your creative juices for your new home and keep your current home as is. It is Hill Country Classic and that is what many will be looking for.

    I know what you mean about always wanting to change things up. We're still settling in, I still have bare walls with nothing hung on them yet, and I want to change it all up. Color, furniture, the whole nine yards. I have to act like I'm fine with it right now though or I'll end up in divorce court...

    I can't believe you're moving! I take it you're staying in Frbrg though... Hope so! We haven't even met "live" yet!

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  22. Well I had to scroll and scroll because I needed to check out your kitchen since this might be my first visit. I love the colors you already have going on. If you want to paint I say paint. We remodeled our kitchen in our home of 28 years just one year before selling. Always had old painted cupboards and replaced them with beautiful maple ones. Now we have moved into a newer home that has tons of oak cabinetry. Absolutely not my favorite and I am thinking of painting at least some of them. That look is defiantly in. And everyone changes things after buying don't they?

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  23. I would leave drastic changes to the next owner. You have a wonderful house (as you know) and there is no way to please everyone. I agree that we should all please ourselves, but selling a house is a big deal involving a lot of money. My advice is to be practical and leave things as they are for the sale.

    With your NEXT house have all that fun expressing yourself. It will be wonderful.

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  24. Mrs. W...
    It has been forever since I have been in that dining room and I miss it. We have had some wonderful times there with Emma and all of our friends! Miss seeing you! I really do like the ideas of painted floors, not sure if I would ever be brave enough to do it though!

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  25. hmmm, i don't know..."for sale" changes everything and your concerns are legit! i always worry when i try to sell that one crazy thing in my booth...it might be great, but i've limited my market by its craziness! i would probably leave everything as is, continue to collect your ideas and go crazy in the next place!

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  26. Hey gf, where have you been? I have missed you! I vote for paint, I loved that first photo with the green. Let us know what you do decide to do.

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  27. I don't think you should change a thing in this house. It's great as it is, and I'm one of those people who would say "I can't believe they painted over that wood!" Save your decorating energy for the next house!

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  28. Long Leaf Pine is coveted in the Hill Country. I would leave it up to the next owner. Men seem to like the natural wood more than women do. I painted the pine cabinets at my house in the hills and love it. The kitchen is so much brighter. They were not long leaf pine though. Your house looks beautiful as is.

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  29. I was just reading about painted floors today! I love the stripes. I would like to pass along some blog love with a blog award for you... www.paperwhitej.blogspot.com

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  30. Thanks so much for visiting my place. I'm looking forward maybe to meeting Thornton Dial himself.

    We've painted the floors of 2 bedrooms and a hall with Benjamin Moore white porch and floor paint. Visitors don't know what to make of them. It is a striking look for sure but I think most folks can't imagine doing it for themselves.

    We'd removed carpet and the old oak floor underneath badly needed a refinish. We painted and saved a bunch. All depending: if we sell we can refinish the floors and have them look brand new.

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  31. Hi, I just found your blog, I'm from Texas too, and I just wrote a post on how I painted my floors in my old house. I agree with "j, from, for the love of a house". Nice to meet you. Your home is beautiful.

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  32. Hi, I just found your blog, I'm from Texas too, and I just wrote a post on how I painted my floors in my old house. I agree with "j, from, for the love of a house". Nice to meet you. Your home is beautiful.

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  33. If you were staying...I would do it in a skinny minute! But I don't think I would waste the energy/time/money on it while your house is on the market...particularly if that pine is sought after.

    You have a gorgeous kitchen...It is your stone alcove and the stone doors that will be selling your home anyway...

    Can't wait to see what you end up with! You have phenomenal taste!

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  34. I am quite fascinated by the painted floors. I actually was going to do a post on this...check out google images...there are some wild ones!
    xx

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  35. Oh paint paint paint. I just had this conversation with my hubby today. I say... who cares about resale... its your home! For me, I must have COLOR!!! COLOR COLOR COLOR...
    good luck with your choice!!!
    XoxoGapGirl

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  36. I have enjoyed reading all of the comments on this post, but ultimately agree with Linda in AZ. Of course, the market is different from place to place (why are you selling?), but it seems like pricing a house correctly in the first place is what works here in Atlanta (as well as clean, fresh, neutral, and great curb appeal).

    I was recently in a home that had painted floors in the kitchen - the kitchen was its own room, so there was a clear place where the painting could start and end. The painter is truly an artist, and he aged the floors in places where the cook would stand more. The floor truly looks like it has been there 100 years - it is so beautiful! Maybe for your next house, wherever that may be?

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  37. I love painted floors and splashes of color here and there. And I adore a personable kitchen. But I tell ya, people do like wood. I think you should file all of your great thoughts for your next adventure. You have such a gorgeous home in a fab area! What and where to you want/go? Well, good luck!! -s

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