sponsored by Mohawk Flooring
As I write this, I’m tucked into a small corner of our living and gathering room, working among boxes, tools and the steady sounds of construction. It’s a good kind of chaos—everything is progressing—and while our dog Jack looks a little bewildered by all the disruption, we’re excited about the changes.
We’ve displaced furniture to many corners and rooms so contractors can install new wood flooring in the entry, kitchen and family room. The crews delivered boxes of flooring to acclimate to our home’s temperature, and they’re currently removing the old carpet and damaged sections to prepare for installation. It feels like a major milestone—the final details of our renovation are coming together.
Updating several rooms at once can feel overwhelming. As you’ll see from my phone snapshots, we manage to get one room looking tidy, only to fill it again while the next area gets worked on. I dream of the day all rooms are finished at once, but for now we’re taking it step by step.
Many readers have told me they want new wood floors but feel daunted by the process. Choosing material, deciding how many rooms to include, managing the disruption, moving furniture, removing old flooring and then restoring the rooms afterward—there’s a lot to plan. Still, after a few busy years, we were ready for an update. Home projects often start messy and end up beautiful.
Because several readers asked about our choice, here’s how we approached our new floors in case you’re considering a similar project.
My daughter and I visited the Nielsen Brothers showroom in Auburn, WA to see samples, ask questions and get professional advice. The sales team and installers were very helpful—seeing material in person makes decision-making much easier.
We had a few complicating factors: the kitchen had damaged sections that needed replacement, previous floors were engineered wood while the new product is solid hardwood, and the main rooms are relatively small and open to each other. Taking those factors into account, we decided consistency across connected spaces would be best. Having experienced contractors has also given us confidence the job will be done correctly.
Tip: Ask lots of questions when working with contractors and showroom staff. They bring different perspectives—estimators, store managers and installers each have practical experience that can help you avoid costly mistakes. I ask many questions because it helps me learn and make better choices.
After Nielsen Brothers measured our space and we approved the estimate, work began. The damaged kitchen flooring was removed first; the family room carpet will be pulled next week. The plan is to install Hickory hardwood throughout the entry, kitchen and family room to create a unified look.
The new flooring is 3 1/2-inch prefinished Hickory hardwood from Mohawk. While a 5-inch board was available, we chose the narrower width so the grain and pattern wouldn’t overwhelm our smaller rooms. Prefinished boards are especially convenient: they arrive already finished, avoiding the dust, odor and extended downtime that come with finishing floors on site.
Living in the Pacific Northwest means many gray days, so we wanted floors that reflect light and add warmth. Hickory is a multi-tonal species with a range from light blondes to darker grains, which gives rooms depth and character. I love the natural warmth real wood brings, though there are also convincing laminate and engineered options worth considering depending on your budget and lifestyle.
I’ll share more about maintaining and caring for our Hickory floors in a future post. If you have questions about the process so far, leave a comment and I’ll answer what I can.
For those who have tackled major remodels at home, was the result worth the effort? What recent improvements have you completed?
I’m partnering with the Mohawk “Floors Me, as Told by Bloggers” program and received hardwood flooring as part of the project. As always, my opinions, experiences, photos and the piles of clutter you see are my own.