Well, I've been wanting a new floor pretty much ever since I bought this house -- over 11 years ago! I scraped everything together that I could manage just to get the house, and couldn't afford many upgrades, like tile flooring. So I got the standard linoleum, and always regretted it. After a couple of years, the floor started separating at a major seam, and there were gouges in it that looked awful.
I started seriously looking at (and saving for) replacing the linoleum a few years ago, but never decided what exactly I wanted to do. Then I realized that by now I need to replace the carpet too. So I've gone back and forth for 2-3 years about what to do. Carpet and tile? Wood floor all the way? Wood and tile? All tile? Way too many choices. I was very close to doing wood and tile, but kind of at the last minute changed my mind and decided to go for all tile. I've struggled -- STRUGGLED! -- with this decision! I find it hard to believe, actually, that some people seem to enjoy these kinds of redecorating projects, and are so good at making the decisions they require. I am NOT one of them!! Even after the decision is made, I second--and third, fourth, fifth--guess myself forever.
This is the family room BEFORE:
An especially mysterious stain in the living room; never did figure what caused it, and was never able to get it out despite multiple attempts with various products.
The living room BEFORE:
The bottom line now is, the decision is made, I've bought the tile, and it will be installed next week. I'll post before and after pictures once it's in place. I hope I'll be happy with it, because it's as permanent as anything gets. It'll be here in this house even after I'm not, most likely. Unless the next owner rips it up and puts something else down. I'm not going to, that's for sure. Like it or not, I'm livin' with it!
