Photos of Our Cottage Kitchen New Hardwood Flooring

I can hardly believe the turn out for this week's Make Your Monday event! You all have been super busy with your creative selves, haven't you?! Thank you so much for adding your link! I will be sharing with you the projects that caught my eye a little later this week because today I'd like to show you photos {and pinch me as I know I must be dreaming} of our completed hardwood flooring in the kitchen.

Last week I shared with you some photos of the kitchen floor "surgery" we had to perform recently in order to prepare for the laying of the hardwood, along with some additional history about our kitchen. In short, I've been waiting for this flooring for a looooooong time. It has been a slow, labor intensive journey getting to this point with our kitchen. It has been a slow, labor intensive journey getting to this point with our kitchen.We've been working on it little by little for over three years now, but when you're on a budget, slow progress is better than none at all, right? We still have to tackle the trim work, install/paint beadboard, and work on a few other small projects I've been dreaming about for a while, but I feel like the hardest parts of the kitchen remodel are behind us. We've knocked out walls to install windows and french doors, installed a new plank ceiling and lighting, added trim to and then painted our standard honey oak cabinets, installed a new countertop, backsplash, and faucet, replaced the appliances, and finally over the course of the last two weekends, laid the hardwood flooring. {I literally got down on my hands and knees and kissed it when it was completed.}Thanks again to my mom who helped get us going with this project while she was here:)

So this is where we began a couple of weeks ago...This was a little scary. I was hoping our measurements were correct so that we would have nice, straight flooring. Getting the first row right was very important! I had visions of us getting halfway finished and having to rip everything out to start over due to mathematical errors! But thankfully, that didn't happen. We, do, though, have the rest of the house to go, so I'll be on pins and needles with each room, I'm sure!



We used Bruce 3/4" oak in the Marsh finish. {We're told it's the same as Gunstock, more or less.} Part of me really wanted dark wood flooring, but having two dogs and three kids, I knew I needed something that would hide dirt and hair well without me having to sweep myself silly.



It adds the warmth I've been longing for for so long...





Not to mention the shine is amazing! There is just something about living with subflooring for years that will make you appreciate a good old fashioned shiny floor when you finally get it!



I'm looking forward to seeing how the kitchen flooring will look against white doors, trim, and beadboard. The bare wood door and trimwork you see in the photos will all be painted white.



I'd like to paint my chairs a dark, rich brown that almost looks black, but not quite...



...Like the color of the frame around this floral art.



This is where it all began...



We aren't finished with the kitchen yet, but this project was definitely a major, long awaited milestone!