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Painted Wood Floors

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I have hated the parquet floor in our entryway since the day we moved in.  I have thought about replacing them, but with kids and animals constantly coming in and out I didn’t want to spend the money just yet.  A few weeks ago, I was hanging out on fb, when these gorgeous floors from Country Living Magazine popped up…it was fate!
I love the look of painted floors, but it was terrifying to me!  Well, I wanted to have them finished in time for Debbiedoo’s Copy Cat Challenge…thank you so much for the swift kick in the rear, Debbie!   I didn’t even know where to begin.  So, in true Jessica fashion, I winged it.
Do you see this hideousness I have been living with for years?  Doesn’t it make you want to hug me and tell me how sorry you are that I had to endure this tragedy?
I really, really could have used a hug yesterday.  I sanded the floor, then painted it, then sanded it again, then painted it.  It felt neverending.
Then I painted the entire floor a creamy color and started stenciling the small parquet squares.  I hated it!  I thought…what have I done???  Then I rolled up my sleeves and painted the whole thing again.  I decided that I wanted the squares to be much bigger…like the size of 4 little squares together, so I hand painted…every. single. one.
And sanded them again.  I finally got the beachy worn look that I wanted, and I am one happy mama!

I even bought myself a new rug to celebrate!

And just a quick shout out, I have the coolest husband on the planet…he just lets me do my thing even when it scares him to death!!!

 

~Jessica

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Comments

  1. Looks beautiful! I’ve refinished floors before and it’s a pain. But painting them sounds like a whole other level of torture! Great work!

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  6. That turned out amazing! Your home looks so inviting, like I could just pop in for an iced tea and hang out to gab. It reminds me of the home I grew up in, cozy and loved. Great job!

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  8. Dang girl, you rocked this one! Your entry looks sooo good :)

    Hugs for your years of torture ;)

    Tanya

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  11. Yeah!! You go girl!! I am so proud of you for being brave because your new floor is awesome!

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  12. You deserve a big fat hug for this!! All that hard work paid off – it’s fabulous!!
    And your hubs is a rockstar for letting you do your thing!!
    Kelly

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  16. Looks great!!! Really. I had to read and reread the post. Hard work padi off for sure.
    Cheers Gee

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  17. I totally get how you feel about parquet – it’s definitely NOT my favourite kind of flooring! You did an awesome job transforming your floor from parquet to beachy & beautiful! :-)

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  18. HOLY MOLY on a summer day! I guess you left me speachless on this one girl! Fantastic..I almost swore in between the fantastic:) HA!!~ Jessica, you really did an amazing job. Thank you so much for sharing this with us. I have a feeling you are going to inspire many to do the same. Sharing on my fb wall now!!!

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  19. Awesome!!! I love that everyone is redefining the way we think of floors! I love painting them! It’s paid off big time! Good for you for finally taking the risk :-)

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  21. Love, love, love it! I have one last room of carpet and want to badly to paint the wood floors underneath. This is great inspiration!! Great job!

    sara @ applestonedrive.blogspot.com

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  24. THAT IS GORGEOUS!!! You have me wishing I had a crappy floor to paint! Great job!!

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  25. Simply amazing…congratulations on your new floors!!!! No more tears no the ugly is gone now =0)

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  27. Your floor is beautiful! I love the color and the pattern and the finish.
    Mary Alice

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  28. Oh my!!! I hate, hate, hate parquet floors but you have made me love them!!! How gorgeous is this?! You are a rock star.

    ADORE!!!

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  29. Sorry they gave you such a hard time but I think it was well worth it! I want to rip the carpet off our stairs nd landing so I can do something similar. I’m not brave enough yet!:(

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  31. Oh thanks so much for this post – I have the paint already for me bedroom floor and don’t know where to begin! You’ve given me incentive with your gorgeous floors – Incredible job!
    I’m definitely your newest follower – would love to have you come by for a visit and follow back :)

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  34. Wow oh wow!! Jess, It seriously is incredible! And all of your hard work-sanding, painting, sanding,painting!! You are a studette!!
    Thanks for sharing with us so we can all be inspired by you!!
    Have a wonderful week!!
    Meegan

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  39. Jessica it was worth every back breaking second! Your floor is one of the nicest I’ve ever seen! LOVE IT!!!!!
    Susan
    Homeroad.net

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  40. All that hard work was worth it! They are gorgeous! You might want to consider using a sealant on it?

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  41. I love the new look of the floors. Great job. I saw you over at Debbie’s. I would love for you to come and link this up to my party going on right now.

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  43. Wow! What a great job you did, I’m sure a lot of sweat and tears went on while doing it, at least with me:), but it turned out fantastic!

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  45. Wow!!!!!! What a fantastic transformation!!! Night and day!! So, do you go outside and shut the door so that you can come back in again?? I’d totally do that!!! :D

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  46. This is really great Jessica. I’m totally inspired to get off my butt and figure out what I’m doing with our blah kitchen table set. I’ll hug your over your floors if you hug me over our dining room chair cushions – 8 years of bachelors and 3 years with kids. They are NOT pretty. *sigh* Seriously great job on the floor. I LOVE IT!

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  47. OK, now I wish I had parquet floors somewhere in my house so I can do what you did. I love, love, love how you obtained the worn, beachy look…the parquet floor just enhances that. Thank you for linking up your beautiful floor with us at the All Star Block Party. I’m showing it off today on my social media sites (I’m sure I won’t be the only one!)

    Shasta @InTheOldRoad

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  49. I love this. It’s such a fun “upgrade” and it looks TOTALLY beachy cool.

    Thanks for sharing on Show & Tell at SNAP!

    xoxo, Tauni

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  50. I, too, think it is the GREATEST thing ever!!!!!
    I have parquet I want to do the exact thing with.
    I have NO experience so have to ask the most obvious question (to most)…..how did you do the sanding? Please tell me not by hand?
    If so, I CAN I CAN I CAN DO THIS!

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  51. Wow! That’s a whole lotta work – but the results are just WOW !

    thanks for sharing – I found you through Thistlewood Farm!

    gena

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  52. Oh, but it’s so beautiful now! Bet you’re glad you went to all that trouble. Stunning!
    Brenda

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  53. I have those same parquet floors in my foyer and dining room. I would love to do something like this to them. Thanks for the inspiration!

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  55. Great job!! I really LOVE your floor! Blocks, colors, all great! Liz

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  56. You rocked this one! I LOVE it!!!!!!! Pinning it and hoping to do that in my new house (or my old house) or where ever I live.

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  58. Way to go Melissa!!! You were persistent… you didn’t give up.. and now you have a FABULOUS floor!!

    Thanks for sharing this at The DIY Dreamer.. From Dream To Reality!!

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  59. Wow, what a difference! Your foyer looks freakin’ great!!! You must be so, so pleased with the results. I have always loved painted floors. Congrats on one of the best copycats I’ve seen!!!

    Linking from Debbiedoo’s,
    xo,
    Ricki Jill

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  60. Wow these look amazing! What a process but I bet it’s worth it-we just painted our first floors and it was easier than expected-love the distressed look too!

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  62. It came out so awesome, Jessica!!! I am totally into check pattern right now, yours is perfectly beachy!! Just sorry it took so many tries. :) Thanks for linking this too!!

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  64. OMGoodness! I had to come over to see what all the buzz was all about! You did a fabulous job! LOVe, LOVE , LOVE it!

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  65. Great job! You must be really happy now that you solved this little per peeve! I don’t know if it’s just the pictures, but your version looks better than the magazine, because of the underneath texture :)

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  66. Absolutely gorgeous. I’m wondering if I could do this to the floorboards in my bedroom…

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  67. You have just convinced me to do mine! I have the same kind of flooring in my kitchen!

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  68. That is amazing I love it……..I’d like to invite you to link up @ CountryMommaCooks party going on now-Mon…….and have a great weekend : )

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  69. That is one ambitious copy cat project! Your perseverance paid off. You did a fine job. I absolutely love the end result.

    sharon @ mrs. hines class

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  70. Jessica your painted floor looks incredible!! I’m giving you a virtual congratulatory hug right now. Lol! You are inspiring me to do this in a little closet we have that has some yucky carpet. Well done and thanks so much for sharing this at Inspiration Friday!
    Vanessa

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  71. Your floor turned out beautifully! I’m sending you hugs (lots) for enduring that process!

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  72. ooohhh baby that is beautiful! holy moly, i can’t get over it. now i feel like i need to do this at my house, which i’ve never wanted to do before! I just became your newest follower, and I would be flattered if you came and checked out my brand new blog, and if you like what you see, follow me too! Thanks for the awesome idea!

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  73. I’m in the same place, I love the look of painted floors- but I don’t think I’m brave enough. Your story of how you got to this beautiful floor terrifies me even looking at the great after pictures! You are one brave mama!

    http://www.onceuponasewingmachine.com

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  76. I love your floor! Congratulations on pushing on and getting it done! It looks fantastic…I found your blog today and thanks for sharing all your fun ideas! Have a great day…

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  77. Wow, that looks really great! All your hard work paid off… and yes, I want to hug you and console you for having to live with the ugly “before” floor for all those years!

    Tania

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  78. Here’s your *hug*.
    :)
    I LOVE the paint! And totally agree with the larger squares! You did a fabulous job…and I’m sure you’re so much happier now!
    Kelly

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  79. Wow, you’ve made a great ENTRANCE!! You are so talented, what a fantastic job! Magazine worth. I’m visiting from Nifty Thrifty Tuesday.
    FABBY

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  81. WOW Jessica!! Your entry is amazing!!! Love it. I will be featuring it at my party Thursday. Thanks so much for partying with me!:)

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  82. Hi Jess, are you tired of your great floor being featured all over blogland? I hope not because I’m featuring it on my blog tonight for the start of this week’s All Star Block Party. I hope you’ll join us again. Keep up the good work!

    Shasta @InTheOldRoad
    http://intheoldroad.blogspot.com

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  85. They look AWESOME Jessica! I’m pretty sure my hubby would have freaked out a little. LOL but you did it and they look great!

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  86. Wow, that looks amazing! Did you use any sealer or wax over the paint? I love how the parquet pattern looks through the paint.

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  93. Hi-just wanted you to know I featued your amazing transformation on my blog today-haha reading the other comments I guess I was late to the feature party! Have a lovely weekend!!

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  94. This is an amazing transformation-just wanted you to know I featured your entryway on my blog today- Have a lovely weekend!

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  97. Jessica.. wow! I love that you softened the paint with the sanding’s to a more worn look. My house is 1831, it was badly abused for 35 years of renters before we bought it 35 years ago. Each room has been an unending project in itself. This year my biggest project is to tackle the painted floors upstairs and the steps going up. I want to lighten them and paint some designs on them for character. May I ask what kind of paint you used since this is also a high traffic area.

    I am a newbie here, I am enjoying all your posts. :)

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  98. Oh Jessica! I am so happy to find this post. Just bought an old farmhouse with parquet floors….cannot afford to cover at this time…I told my husband I should paint..he laughs….I am so glad to find proof that it can look good….so gonna do this! Girl, thank you so much…Blessings1

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  100. Bravo to you Jessica! I’m so proud of you for sticking with it, even when it wasn’t going exactly the way you wanted it. DIYing things is scary sometimes, and I’ve definitely messed a few things up, but because you stuck with it, there are probably MANY other floors out there copying YOUR idea now! Well done!

    Debbie

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  101. Wow – I also have parquet crap – and painted my squares black & white. I’ve been wishing I’d gone for a lighter color and larger squares like you did eventually – but after handpainting all of that once, I haven’t been really motivated to sand it and start over! Thanks for the inspiration – I think I can get on it now. :)

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  102. LOVE IT!!!!!! I’ve wanted to paint mine for over 10 years…probably more like 15. It’s just a matter of getting everything out of this house in order to do so. Hopefully this summer!!!

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  103. How do I get the recipe for the Strawberry lemonade cupcakes? Thanks so.

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  104. Here is the link to the Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes, Michele!

    Reply

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