amysrq, before you make any choices on your decorating, I'd like to suggest you take a look at some of the threads on the Buying and Selling Homes forum. Not only those on decorating but also on the status of the current housing market. Also you can post your home as it stands now on that forum and get some excellent advice from the folks on that forum on what changes could be made to your home to make it more saleable. I have no idea where you live or what your housing market is, but many markets are facing very very slow sales and very stiff competition. If you want to sell your home then you want to appeal to the greatest percentage of buyers which increases your odds of selling your home for the highest price possible in the shortest length of time. What someone likes to see in decorating and what they will buy may be two different things. Generally real estate agents say if the decorating is too bold the buyers look at the decorating and not at the home - you want the buyers to focus on the home not the beautiful decorating. Wallpaper is generally considered a turnoff to about 90% of buyers. There are ways to decorate homes with neutral backgrounds and accessorize with color that can satisfy your need to make your home beautiful but still accomplish your goal of selling the home. Remember, if you have decided to sell your home, then you are decorating for the buyers. The fact that you are packing is a good first step because that is one thing mentioned by real estate agents, decluttering your home and reducing those personal objects in your home so buyers can "picture" themselves living in your home. I know moving can be very stressful (been through that many times myself) but since you will be moving closer to family that should help. johnmarie has given some excellent advice above. Making your home appeal to as many buyers as possible is foremost, as you don't want your home to languish on the market which can create even more stress. Good luck to you. Here is a link that might be useful: Buying and Selling Homes Forum

Quick question. As you know, we had our floors re-stained about 6 or 7 weeks ago, they stained and did one finish coat, and then came back once the project was done to buff out any imperfections and put the final coats on. They say to wait 30 days before you put down any area rugs...I know part of this is to protect their business, but if it was just the clear coats is that still applicable? I can't go an entire month with our dogs and no rugs, and we want to move back in!! How imperative is this, the rugs will always be in the same spots with our floorpan layout, so if it affects coloring it won't matter really....thoughts?

@Robin Morris, Im a bit confused between the terminology of "sealer" and "finish coat", but I love the look on your floors! Are they glossy or completely matte. I like the look in broad day light better than at night! Just to make sure, you applied one coat of Bona Birch and then 3 coats of another stain which is Bone Mega? (Looking at your samples picture, bone mega looked darker and orangier...) I'm trying to get my white oak cabinets to have a neutral look as well!

I LOVE hickory! It is WILD AND WONKY! It has 5-15 different colours of wood in it. We call this 'movement'. If you LOVE a floor that has a different plank each time you reach into the stack then hickory is for you. If you want a floor that is low-key and consistent they you are barking up the wrong tree (ha...see what I did there?). Hard Maple is a beautiful product. It can be prevented from yellowing with the appropriate UV protection applied to the finish. Cherry is a beautiful wood with a tight grain...but it darkens and reddens as it ages. It comes down to what you are LOOKING for in a floor. Hickory is wild and wacky and an absolute DIVA! If you are not very adventurous then you will want to choose a calmer wood.