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Flooring Design Dilemma living room

Living room flooring dilemma - need help!

6 years ago

last modified: 6 years ago

The previous owners of our house put hardwood flooring everywhere on the main floor, except the living room. Not sure why!? For whatever reason, this room has carpet. The living room is the back corner of the house. From the living room, it looks into our kitchen in one direction, and to the front door in the other direction. The hardwood floors in those areas, run in two different directions. We were thinking of having hardwoods put in the living room (I hate this carpet), however with the floors running in two directions, we're not sure if it would be the best choice since one direction will obviously have to be opposite of which way we run the boards.

My other dilemma with this room is the fireplace marble, which I also hate. I would love to eventually replace it, but for now, whatever we put down at least has to not clash with the new flooring.

What would look best? More carpet? If so what color do you recommend? Hardwoods? What direction?

I should note that we do want to have the floors refinished, so if we put new hardwoods in the living room to replace the ugly carpet, I don't know if that should be done before or after the refinishing.

Looking into kitchen

Looking at front door

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Comments (5)

Helen
6 years ago
Obviously hardwood would make the most sense. Are these large spaces because it seems as though you could theoretically just rip up one of the spaces and then everything would run in one direction. Either rip up the smallest currently wooded area or rip up the one that aesthetically would look best in terms of how the wood would run.

Carpet is certainly an unattractive drab brown.
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Susanne Kelley
Original Author
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
They must have gotten a deal on this carpet because it's the ugliest I have ever seen! If we rip up the kitchen flooring (which would make the most sense probably) it would involve going underneath the cabinets I assume. But if we pick the other direction, we have to deal with the flooring going underneath a 1/2 bath. Neither space is small that currently has hardwoods.
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Before you change out the flooring, bring some of your cushions, pillows, etc. from the living room into the kitchen and put them on the floor. See if there is some way you can bridge the difference between the two cool/warm colorations. You will probably be putting down an area rug in the living room, right? Perhaps the pattern in it can be that bridge, containing warm and cool tones. My reason for suggesting this is that many will say that you should try for continuity in the materials used in adjoining rooms in your home. I like your kitchen floors and see some warmth in them that could be a jumping off point into a warmer living room. But...it is your home. I would play around with fabrics, paint colors, rug samples first.... Good luck!
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Okay - did the corrections and think I have a close approximation of your space. Each block represents 1 foot. The gray area is the space needed around the island for walking with people seated - should be clear of furniture. Can you take a picture of the full wall where the fireplace and tv nook are - not sure I got their placements right. Do you plan on using the tv nook for the TV? How did you envision the living/seating areas when you designed the kitchen? How many people need to be seated - do you need a dining space and how many people need to sit at the dining table or are you just using the island for meals?
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I took a look at the photos in your ideabooks and see that your taste is far more modern than your traditional house. You may be trying to make it something it is not through sheer force of will. I urge you to hire a professional designer to help you marry the two styles. Hopefully, one of the pros on this forum will help if hiring a designer is not in your budget. This photo from your ideabook might be a good starting point. Did you save it because you like the floor color? Could you get a sample from a flooring store to see if it clashes with your fireplace stone? It’s difficult to judge colors on monitors, so really needs to be seen in the actual space. The beautiful trim in your house look wonderful painted white. I would hold off on adding a beam until your vision is more complete with the elements you already have.
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Helen
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Why does the flooring have to go in the half bath. Many baths have different floors. Hanged the wood in the guest bath for nice tiles

I am currently remodeling and there will be wood everywhere but the guest and master bath. I would never have wanted wood flooring in a bathroom and most guest baths in my friends’ himes are not wood even though my friends all have wood floors abutting the guest baths.
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PRO
JAN MOYER
6 years ago
Remove the mantel and hearth........do the flooring to hardwood and your selected refinish. Board changes in direction matter not at all, this is a function of joists in the home. Run it right into the powder room, it's a room that gets no more water splash than a kitchen sink would emit .
SJ McCarthy
6 years ago
As per Jan^
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