COTE DE TEXAS: A Few Changes at My House

A Few Changes at My House

 

For the past few years I have been changing up things in my house a little bit at a time.  The biggest change was going from yellow walls to gray walls.   It all started when I changed the kitchen countertop from tile to white marble – my light yellow walls suddenly didn’t really look good with the marble – and since all the rooms in my house flow together, the implications were large.  Once I decided to repaint, like a game of dominoes, it all started falling, piece by piece.  

The trouble is this – how do you redecorate without your husband really noticing?  If I had told Ben I was going to redo the entire downstairs, he would have had a heart attack.  In order to save his life, I never told him.  Instead, the changes were done a little bit at a time over the course of a few years.   Slowly, slowly, and quietly.    Once the countertops had been paid for and forgotten about, I had the walls painted.   Well, they needed it anyway!!   Once the walls were gray, I lived with the old yellow silk ticking curtains for a while before I changed them out for the grayish taffeta.  And who would ever notice a few new slipcovers anyway?  Certainly Ben didn’t.   He pays so little attention to what I’m doing around the house, he is still oblivious that I have been redecorating for the past couple of years all with a grand scheme in mind. 

It takes patience, though, to live with your house in flux while you wait it out.  It can be torture waiting out the next big step.   And then, there is never the “big reveal” – something I always insist upon for my clients.   And then, it can seem like the end is  never in sight.   There’s always something else that needs to be done.  Of course.    But, with a few final changes that were recently made, I think it’s almost all done, for a while at least.

 

 

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I always say the big changes started at my house when I changed out the kitchen countertops, but to be honest, it started in 2004, 8 years ago, when I toured this house with my sister-in-law.  I had always loved this house built by favorite Kurt Aichler.  I had seen its interiors in magazines but never in person.  The house we saw that day was beautiful, decorated by its owner Michelle Stewart, who has since moved on to bigger and better things.   The floor plan is perfect, the landscaping is lush, and Michelle’s furnishings were so pretty.  I was sick when I went home that afternoon – you would have been too if you faced a house full of reds and blues and yellows!    The next day, I sent all my family room furniture to Hien Lam to be slipcovered in white linen.  So, truly, this house was start of all my problems and I blame Michelle for them all!   

 

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Stewart’s family room was all white linen.  I thought I had died and gone to heaven. 

 

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Here the same room decorated for Southern Accent’s Christmas issue.  I still think that candelabra is one of the prettiest I’ve ever seen.  I just noticed the room is white with brown velvet.  Looks familiar!   I call this house the “one that got away.”  Snort.  Yes, it got away because we couldn’t afford it!  We’re being honest here, right?

 

Changes:

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BEFORE:   My living room was filled with Bennison fabrics and checks.   Once I repainted the walls gray, nothing really went together anymore.  I lived with the gray walls for months before I changed out the curtains.  Then all the furniture was recovered in an ivory linen.   All in stages.

 

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Even my collection of Masonware didn’t make sense anymore, so it’s now on vacation in a storage cabinet. 

 

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AFTER:  Although the room looks very different, the only change besides the slipcovers was the white cowhide rug and the little concrete table. 

 

 

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Instead of the Masonware, I used white books and shells. 

 

 

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BEFORE:  My dining room had the same yellow curtains and a yellow plaid table skirt.  I had blue and white transferware in the hutch and on the walls are my old sconces.

 

 

 

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AFTER:  The changes came in stages.  First the paint.  Then the gray taffeta curtains came a few months later.   The skirt was changed to a white matte taffeta from Rogers and Goffigon – the fabric is one of my favorites because there is no shine to it.   The slipped chairs made the biggest difference but that was a last minute change I hadn’t even planned on making until the day when Pam Pierce’s new website launched and I stared at it for days on end.    Her beautiful slipcovers inspired me to make this change.

 

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And finally, the blue and white transferware joined the Masonware and is sitting out the next decade.  I love the white creamware instead.  Will I ever change to a table instead of the skirt?  I’ve thought about it, but I love a skirt in a dining room.  To me, it’s so romantic and soft looking.  Maybe in another house I would change it out, but here – I can’t imagine it.

 

 

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BEFORE:  My family room has gone through a lot of changes over the past 8 years, but here you can see the yellow paint and why it had to go.   And, I finally wanted curtains in here, something I had resisted for 18 years.  I always insist on curtains for my clients, but for myself?   I let it slide.

 

 

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AFTER:  The new paint and the curtains and shades made a huge difference. The room instantly became cozy and warmer. The sound is muffled – which is really great during March Madness. This was one change Ben totally approved of.

 

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The other day I had a client over to look at the curtains so she could visualize how they would look in her house.   Ben joined in the conversation – extoling their virtues.  I was stunned – who are you and what happened to my husband?   BTW, the client ordered the curtains.  Thank you Ben!

 

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The only change besides the curtains and paint were a few brown velvet pillows.

 

And so, almost everything was finally done.   The wall color now made sense with the fabrics and the curtains.  It only took a few years, but it was worth it.   The only issue left was the foyer.  I call it that – a foyer – but it’s really only a long,  wide space that the front door opens on to.  I rarely show this area of my house because I’ve never been happy with it. 

 

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The “foyer” – looking back from the stairs and family room to the front door.  The living room is at the right of the front door, then the dining room is on the right of this table.  You can see the secretary behind the table. 

 

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And looking the other way.   Here you can see the desk behind the round table.   I love how Sammie Jo is in all the pictures.  Georgie is scared to death of the camera and runs away.  I can even “pretend” to take a picture without even holding a camera and she still runs away. 

 

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The main issue was “Le Secretaire” – which I had inherited from my mother’s house.  It is pretty enough – but it has this Venetian paint job which drives me crazy.  It got to the point where I didn’t even look at it.  My mom kept saying it needed painting.  And it did, but I never got around to it because the style of the piece just wasn’t what I wanted.

 

 

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And those sconces!  

 

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I decorated it with white porcelain and antique books.   Here are some “drama shots” I took one day pretending I was Eddie Ross.  Sad, but true.

 

 

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Oh wait, there’s more Eddie Ross pictures.   It all came to a head when I showed you Angie’s house.  Remember Angie?

 

 

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Angie had the beautiful house in the country and the apartment in NYC.

 

 

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Both homes were filled with Swedish furniture she had bought from the Lone Ranger Antiques.  Like these two matching cabinets behind the sofa.

 

 

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Her NYC apartment has three Swedish chests in the bedroom.  All from the Lone Ranger.

 

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And there was this pretty desk and chair in Angie’s NYC apartment living room.

 

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All of Angie’s pretty Swedish pieces got me thinking.  I know the Lone Ranger – and have bought from him before at Round Top.  This is my clock which came from him.   His prices are phenomenal for the look.  His pieces aren’t period, but they do have some age.  But for the price of an 18th century chest – you could buy 20 of his chests.  Plus, he’s so easy to deal with.  And everything for sale is listed on his web site HERE.  And he delivered, almost immediately.  So easy.

 

 

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Do you blame me for dreaming of painted Swedish pieces?  Over the years, I’ve used this wine tasting table as a stage to showcase my brilliant styling techniques.  Here, my birdcage was used for years to fool visitors into thinking they were visiting an English Manor House in the Cotswolds. 

 

 

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To further the look, I added two large blue and white jars and some purple transferware.  Yes, M’lord.

 

 

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Here I was running a shop selling said purple transferware.  Omg, this is sooo embarrassing!

 

 

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And now, with all the transferware apparently sold….

 

 

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I think I took a picture of this table every time I bought a new blue hydrangea.  I have no idea why.

 

 

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Ah, here’s a change.  The birdcage was retired for this large faux old urn that all the stores were selling a few years ago.  I got mine from Wisteria.  The blue hydrangeas were changed out for white orchids.

 

 

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Aw, the lamb makes her first appearance.  And I notice the desk in the background got an editing job too.  I am cracking myself up at all these pictures I took of this stupid table! 

 

 

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During family dinner parties, the table became extra seating.  Not sure where urn went to?

 

 

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And this is how it was – facing the other way – with “le Venetian Secretaire” next to the front door …

 

 

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and the desk from my teenager bedroom next to the stairs. A call to the Lone Ranger was needed, asap.

 

 

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Here’s how it all looks today.  The Swedish secretary is to the right of the “Foyer.”  Two demi lune tables stand back to back in the middle, and a desk stands in the back next to the stairs. 

 

 

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The secretary is a light grayish white.  I filled it with the same things there were in Le Venetian Secretaire. 

 

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Books and white porcelains.

 

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Of course those huge iron sconces had to go.  I got these on 1st dibs from Melissa Levinson in L.A. HERE.  She actually overnighted them to me.  I picked this pair because of the crystal macaroni beading – I love that!

 

 

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The demi lunes fit the space perfectly – I’ll keep these forever.  One day they can be separated and used in an entirely different way, but for now – they are placed back to back.  Hi Sammie Jo!

 

 

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The urn and the lamb need to go, I know.  But I just love the look of the white furniture here instead of all the brown.

 

 

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And here is the little desk against the stairs. 

 

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Again, this is really versatile piece that could be used as a nightstand one day or an end table.

 

 

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The only question I have is the floors.  After almost 18 years, they need refinishing badly.  At one point I had thought I would paint them a light, gray color – upstairs and down.  An alternative would be to bleach them.  I know that would look good with all the painted pieces, but lately I’ve had my heart set on darkening the floors – almost a dark-black.  Angie has white walls and black floor with all her light antiques.

 

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Angie’s bedroom – dark floors, white walls and the same Lone Ranger demi lunes.

 

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This Swedish furniture dealer has the dark, dark floors.

 

 

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This house in Dallas filled with light painted Swedish furniture has dark, dark hardwoods.

 

 

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This house filled with painted antiques has a light wood floor – a little lighter than mine are now.

 

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This house has very light stained hardwoods. 

 

 

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In their own home, the owners of Tone on Tone, the antique store that sells Swedish primarily, use a bleached wood look. 

 

 

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And this house – shown earlier – in Houston, used a light stain on their hardwoods. 

Which is best?  The light light 0r the dark dark floors?   I’m completely torn between the two, but I think I lean more towards the dark dark.  Especially with all the seagrass.  I need you advice, so let me know in a comment what I should do.   Help!!!

 

263 comments :

  1. Hi Joni - Love all the changes!! I've had both dark and light-bleached floors. Light-bleached floors are not as difficult to maintain as one might think. We have two long haired dogs...lint, dust, and scratches are never an issue! The light reflecting off bleached floors is divine. Whatever you choose will be lovely. Cheers, Loi Thai

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  2. so enjoyed every detail. Loved hearng the personal parts of your process and felt so nice to hear your laughter - as though i was havng tea wth you. Of course the place is magnificient both then and now. You have so much to teach me and you now so much about fabrc furnture and desgn. Would love to hear details about your old bennison days and your fabric viewpoints of bygone days. And all about your mum's cabnet. On any subject more please...and thank you. karen

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  3. Love all that you have done--and the inspiration it gives me. I am slowly slip covering everything in white, following your lead. While the dark floors are dramatic, I think the lighter floors are easier to keep. Your slip covers on your dining room chairs are lovely!
    Joni, thanks for your continuing dedication to sharing design ideas. You are the best!

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  4. I just LOVE your home...you have such good taste!! And cute puppy too!

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  5. i have personal experience with dark floors, and they are lovely. Be warned, however, that they show every stray dog hair, every atom of dust, and every single scratch. to look good, they require daily cleaning.

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    1. So it's easier with the light floors. With the greyish walls I would also take the light floor whereas with light creamy wall I would go for a darker floor. These are just spontaneous thoughts.

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  6. I can't wait to learn which you decide. I'm having the same debate! I feel like the dark floors would be lovely in your home. But I think they are both beautiful!

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  7. Joni, your personal blog posts are hands down my favorite! Some friends and I have actually had a conversation about how much we would all love to meet you in person. Thanks for sharing your home.

    I think that the dark floors would be the way to go. Love how they look. Since Anon above me thinks that super dark are very time consuming maybe not quite ebony would be best.

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  8. When can I move in? That is exactly how I would decorate my house - I love the shades of white! It's beautiful!!!

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  9. Love all the changes you have made.....everything looks so beautiful :o) I vote for the lighter floors....
    ~Des

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  10. I love love love the evolution of your foyer table!! Oh, and I vote for dark wood floors :-)

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  11. Joni- It's looks beautiful! It looked beautiful before, but this update makes it a bit more casually elegant :)

    "Do you blame me for dreaming of painted Swedish pieces? Over the years, I’ve used this wine tasting table as a stage to showcase my brilliant styling techniques. Here, my birdcage was used for years to fool visitors into thinking they were visiting an English Manor House in the Cotswolds."

    Killing myself laughing!

    Dark/light floors. I love both! Right now I'm leaning towards natural with a rich french wax (which sort of shocked me since I've ALWAYS been a dark floor devotee) I'm also into grey stained floors, too.

    xoxo,

    Andrea

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  12. Does your husband know mine? I have been going through the same thing. Changing things a little bit at a time so he does not notice that we are changing things up.. I am in to easy at this age. Light shows the dirt and dark shows more scratches. Both would look good, but I would go with what you have. They look great and they look good with all styles.

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  13. I personally have never met a person who has dark floors that would "do it again"...

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  14. The slow painful unfolding of your master design style is wonderful in pictures! Great post and I would go for the dark floors, they provide some drama for the all the light pieces, but then I do love high contrast.Thanks for sharing, your blog is the best.

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  15. Be prepared to wipe down those dark floors every day. Just saying.

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  16. Joni - your home is wonderful no matter what version you pick. As to the floors, I have two adorable Pekingese pups and beautiful dark floors (hand scraped hickory). I love how the floors look when they are freshly swept and mopped, but I will tell you they require daily (even twice daily during shedding season) care or every single dog hair stands out (whew is that morning angled sun an eye opener). Not sure I'd do it again. I'm curious - what is the next big trend you see coming? I love our neutral/linen/seagrass/white slip home but suspect it won't be too long til a new look will catch my eye.

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  17. Darker floors. The lighter floors look great in pictures when every item in the room is in the same light, Swedish, beachy color palette but in real life the room can feel washed out and blah. Plus, the very light stain tends to remind me of Pergo since so many people who choose Pergo choose a light honey color. I have dark hardwoods and some rooms without rugs, some with seagrass cut for the room and a few bedrooms with wall to wall seagrass and I would definitely do it again exactly the same. Plus, I have two kids and a dog and I don't think the color has much to do with the dirty factor - a dirty floor is a dirty floor regardless of the color.

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  18. Hi Joni, I vote for the dark floors with your white furniture. Your home is so beautiful and I loved seeing the transformation of this space. xo, Sherry

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    1. There I see a point in it - thinking of the zebra fur...

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  19. Hi Joni,
    I loved the evolution of your house details- not to mention your sense of humour! Honestly, how much do you like housework? I agree with Taylor. Nix the DARK floors notion. explore the other suggestions. What's good for photos isn't necessarily good for living.
    xo Wendy

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  20. I'm a lighter wood floor girl. You're a dark wood floor girl. I've paid close attention to your preferences over time and there's no doubt in my mind. They are equally beautiful, yet different.

    Lighter floors can be oh-so-gorgeous but you need to go with what you truly love. The darker wood is your love, Joni, when it comes to flooring. You will not be sorry.

    Except that... now I've read your readers' comments regarding the upkeep required for dark floors... Hmmm... Still, your home doesn't have all that much foot traffic, right? And you're pretty doggone (!) meticulous, really.

    Go for the dark... and never look back!

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  21. not sure there are words to express how gorgeous it all is but stunning comes to mind. In my last home I had dark floors the stain was called Jacobean. When we put it on the market the first two showing both made offers. Sold it in two weeks Loved,loved,loved them. In this home they are a medium tone no personality at all. I do like the bleached but I am love drama some juxaposition to ground the pale. Ok that said painted floors make me drool. In your house I vote dark.

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  22. Hey Joni - you completely crack me up!! I adore all the changes you made. Me personally, with all those beautiful light fabrics and furniture, I'd go with darker floors for contrast. Yes, they certainly show the dust bunnies, but wouldnt you rather know they are there than not?!?!

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  23. Maurie@GraciousInteriors.blogspot.comMarch 29, 2012 at 10:00 PM

    Ah, floor colors...It is a hard decision, because dark and bleached floors are both subject to fickle trend changes. So...decide which you like and don't second guess yourself. If you like the contrast of dark floors with the light furniture, go with your instincts. You have great taste. And you have influenced many of us who read you regularly. (I love seeing the first comment to this post is Loi Thai from Tone on Tone fame.)

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  24. I'm laughing at your comments about the original look of your foyer - I once tried to create an English country house in a Florida condominium! Not real successful....

    I would seriously think about leaving the floors alone - replacing flooring is the worst remodeling job in my opinion. You'll have to remove everything from the big furniture so it can be moved (I remember piling stuff in the bathtub). Your floors still look pretty good to me. That being said, I'd vote for dark.

    Mary

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  25. Just thought I'd add my two cents. I had the dark floors, they are beautiful I have to admit and I just love seeing them in photos. But, and its a BIG one. They are the hardest to keep clean, and I will not ever do it again. I went with light travertine (french pattern) in the kitchen, foyer, and the family rooms. The formal living rm, and all the bedrooms are the gray white washed color stain and I love them. So, after all that being said, I think you need to do what you like best and can keep up with. You have a wonderfully decorated home. Thanks for the great blog. Teri

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  26. Your home is beautiful and so well done. I am thinking about redoing my wood floors, also. Dark wood is so hard to keep clean. I would LOVE to redo mine with limestone. I hear it is much easier to keep clean. I'm getting too old to mop everyday! Thank you for always giving us exceptional photos and information. You're the first blog I check each day!

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  27. 3/4 espresso with 1/4 ebony in a satin finish. That's the recipe for the prettiest floors I know. I stole this perfect mix one day while visiting the Menil Collection and they were getting ready to stain the floors in one of the galleries. I've used at my own home (2 dogs and 3 boys) and with all of my clients. Dark floors will always be elegant and never trendy. Check out almost any museum with wood floors. Call Sandra- owner of Floors Etc. in Houston 713-880-8888... tell her I sent you and you will get the most professional job with the OWNER overseeing everything. Personally... I don't mind seeing a few scratches (again, go to the Louvre, d'Orsay, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston...) and I like seeing a little dog hair in the corner because I know it's there and can clean it! When it looks clean, then it is clean... who wants the dirt to hide?! Good luck... a BIG decision and Sandra can help you!

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    1. Love this comment, Creative Tonic! Practical and inspirational at the same time. Great advice!

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    2. Thanks for the stain recipe tip. What brand of floor stain makes "expresso"? We are about to redo our floors, and I'm looking for a custom color mix (was looking at Minwax) that is dark but still had some warmth to it, as my house is mostly decorated in light caramels/light blues versus greys.

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    3. A super-helpful comment - - I'd listen to this one, Joni!

      Jennifer

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    4. Great advice! I agree with Creative Tonic - super dark floors will never go out of style. I have "ebonized" hardwoods through out my entire house - and I would defintely do it again(sounds rare based on the other comments). I love the contrast between the floors and and the lighter furniture. I have two boys and a dog - and there is some daily maintance - but honestly it is less than 5 minutes with a swiffer/sweeper. I would want to do that anyway with lighter floors!
      Thanks Joni for your blogs! I feel like you're a friend - even though we have never met (I feel that way about Hoda and Kathie Lee too:)

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    5. Dura Seal brand... but the COMMERCIAL grade... not from Home Depot or hardware store. I would seek out a professional company to make sure you get the right formula. Also forgot to mention 2 coats for sure!

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    6. thanks a million for this. 2 coat when refinishing? ok. I think I might end up calling this company. are they super expensive? I have a few names. I'm just putting it off and off because we will have to move the entire house out and then move it back in. which i am dreading. but it really, really needs to be done. thanks again.

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  28. Loving all the changes and taking notes : )
    First of all... in most of the photos you showed us, I notice that sea grass is covering a lot of your floor already.
    I am not sure you NEED a change. However, you would probably enjoy just a shade or two darker than you have.
    Secondly, Ben WILL notice new floors : )

    Again, I love the changes you have made and it looks timeless, yet current. I will study your rooms for more ideas.

    Dee

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  29. Joni - you have so many beautiful things. You must buy more in a month than I buy in a decade. And no wonder - the selection of stores in your area and all the incredible designers must make a person crazy for something new every 6 months! I am partly envious and partly thankful that I don't have to be around so many beautiful things.

    So...I love the transformation to the white look. I cannot believe how beautiful your living room looks with those curtains. And just the addition of the gray paint and slipcovers - amazing. I am so envious as I cannot get David to let go of a green chair he loves in our living room, let alone slipcover everything white. I love the pieces from the Lone Ranger (what a funny name). Strangely one of my favorite things in your house (besides your barometer) is that black-shaded lamp on the white table by the stairs. Lovely - I love the dark note. Your foyer is better than my 4x4 box. How I would love to have a table!

    I love your dogs, your taste, your changes. Well done. I do love dark floors. I think they are very, very classic and create that light and dark contrast that is so striking. Although I think the lighter might be more forgiving with dirt and dust bunnies. It will be a massive enterprise but I suspect it will transform the house yet again.

    xo Terri

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  30. Joni, I am just so happy for you!! You have a home that you love and it has turned out beautifully,(I do still miss the checks in the living room) It looks so warm and romantic, especially with the lights dimmed perfectly. I am in love with the checked slip covers and the new white table in the entry, truly made a huge difference. I vote for dark, I think light would make your beautiful look feel trendy rather than classic. So many lovely pieces. I am on the hunt for a lamb, love your little guy!! I say keep him and the urn, I think it all works so well together. Kudos to you and congrats on evolving into the home you love, xo Kathysue

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  31. I love the urn and the lamb….and I'm so glad to see that your Staffordshire dogs have come back home! As far as the floors - I think you should go with dark. It would balance out all of the whites and grays. Everything looks wonderful!

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  32. I love hat you are realistic about homes not being redecorated over night. All of the changes you've made are beyond beautiful! I'm usually a huge fan of co,offal interiors but the white and shabby chic is beautiful! I really enjoyed your post!

    Xoxo

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  33. Can my husband join the other guys' club??? OMG, I think they see change as $$$$, rather than us simply re-feathering our nests! It's a seasonal necessity and once every few years we need a bigger change. I just finished my house when I started reading blogs...I wish I could change a lot! But the change I am focusing on right now is the same one that changed your family room...drapery panels with bamboo shades under. I can't wait to get it started. I can see it every time I am in that room and I love it already! Thanks for sharing your experiences..it's encouraging to know each of us is not alone in this seemingly constant design dilemma...you are funny!
    xoxo, Chris

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  34. Joni my dream is to someday have dark aged oak herringbone wood floors; soooo I would go darker!

    I had to chuckle that your hubby did not even notice what you were doing until you covered the family room windows! Ha!

    xoxo
    Karena
    Art by Karena
    The 2012 Artist Series

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  35. I like your little lamb too!

    I sold a house just because the $25,000 I put in espresso dark wood flooring killed me. They show every single footprint, toe smudge, dust, hair, smear, water drip, etc. I'm much happier with the medium brown floors I have now. I had light maple floors years ago and they were easy peasy to keep clean. I say go for the bleached look!

    Thank you for sharing your lovely home!

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  36. I would go with dark floors too. I love the look of dark floors with white or creme furnishings, Makes it look crisp and classical.

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  37. I prefer the darker floors. Some contrast is nice and make all the lighter pieces pop more. I also think the darker floors are more versatile and will go with more styles down the road, in case you change in the future. Thanks for sharing all the great pictures of the transitions, I am glad to know I am not the only one!

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  38. I think dark floors would look beautiful in your home especially with the dark railing on the staircase and the black painted doors throughout. Dark floors seem to fit the style of architecture in your home better too.

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  39. I just LOVE to read all your posts... your personality/taste is perfection!
    Usually I'm not into dark wood floors, but seeing the different pics I'm noticing I'm leaning more toward the darker floors - they seem to ground the room and add that perfect balance to the monochromatic swedish decor. Thanks for always sharing your brilliance!

    Best wishes
    Desiree

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  40. It's me again... just a warning: DARK FLOORS SHOW EVERYTHING... UUUGGG!!

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  41. Does he crawl in and out of an upstairs window? How can anybody not notice- you are too much. What are you going to do with him when you do the floors - let the movers roll him up in a rug with all that furniture! Very funny. I remember years ago, Ben sighing that you keep "plugging new things in". It couldn't be prettier though.

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    1. Are you a member of Joni's family? Cause I don't think family should get involved.

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    2. yes, she is. she is the sister in law that toured the stewart house with me 8 years ago. why can't family get involved? not sure i know what you mean?

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    3. Please accept my apology. I have no idea why I wrote that except the hour was late and I may have had one more glass of wine than I should have. I wish I had a sister in law that lived close enough to tour homes with. You are fortunate indeed!

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  42. Dark floors will look amazing with your style.

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  43. Dark floors will look amazing with your style.

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  44. I am going to vote for dark floors and major editing of your bookcases by the fireplace.

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    1. yep. that's on my list to. care to come over and let's take everything down and put it back up? i have tons of antique books in the garage just waiting to be exchanged out. the problem with my bookcases is that the shelves are very far apart. but yes, i hear you. i know.

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  45. Loved seeing the transformation of all your rooms. Your home just gets prettier and prettier. I like decorating a little at a time...just adding and adding and changing. I can't imagine doing all at once. I am hating my yellow walls too now. I loved them when I painted them back in 2004, but now want something more white/gray. What color did you use on your own walls? I'd love to know. I've been putting off changing because yes, it will mean painting every room. Living room, dining room, breakfast nook, kitchen, hall, office...ugh....

    I am so into dark floors too. I keep thinking....will I get tired of them? But what I like about them is how they ground a room. They weigh the floor down and make a room look taller. Now I wonder why we all have done light oak for years and years and years. I'd like to redo my own in a dark color.

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  46. Our new master bedroom has dark floors and I love them. Next will be to do the living dining floors dark...but frankly I need to recuperate from all that construction and save up for that!
    I too and loving light walls and light counters, light furniture.
    One question....do you have a cleaning woman? How do you manage to keep all your sofas so white and all your things dust free?
    pve

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  47. Hi Joni ! Thank you for sharing your "upgrading" experiences.... so funny and there are many ladies out there who would relate entirely to how you went about the process !. I think that your floors look great just as they are. Dark floors are incredibly difficult to keep clean. They tend to shine and every single mark shows up. I feel that white or bleached floors wont be enough contrast to your furniture. I love the colour that your floors currently are.

    I recently decorated a beach house here in Australia on the South Coast, and used wooden floors in mid-tones. The scheme was blue and white and dark furniture and the outcome was very good. I would like to mail you a couple of shots of the house. I love your dining room ... and love the gate-leg tables in your family room.. The whole house looks fresh and crisp without being too modern. Well done !

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  48. ...lovely...lovely...lovely...

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  49. I had to laugh Joni about you trying to redecorate your entire home without Ben noticing....men don't see things unless they're dramatic changes. I painted my dining room three different times before the husband noticed a color and asked if I repainted. OK you're making me take the plunge, it's curtains for my living room. I only have bamboo blinds up and we don't even need those since we live in the middle of nowhere but seeing your living room it looks more finished. I've already started painting all our inside doors black because of you but thank you it looks better. You have a lovely home my friend and the white and gray makes it look more updated. Thank you for sharing your personal space.

    Happy Friday!
    XX
    Debra~

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  50. I can relate! The sofa and a pair of chairs went out for a re-do this week. I've been living with yellow walls in the family room and I am spurred on by this post to change them....finally. Must go paint shopping SOON!

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  51. What a beautiful home you have! Amazing how the white slipcovers change the look entirely. I want to know where to find a mirror like the one above your couch in the living room. I have been looking forever and have not turned up an antique or knock off. Any source ideas?

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  52. I love the new changes you have made to your home!!! It is just like a breath of fresh air. Gorgeous! I'm not sure which floors I would do. I know that in the Scandinavian countries, light/white-washed floors are very big. Our country has not fully embraced that yet (or so it seems).
    Also love the pics with Sammie Joe!

    Leigh

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  53. I really like the look of both the dark and light floors but my vote is for the dark. Michelle Stewart's home from Southern Accents is one of my all time favorites! That issue was a keeper for me.

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  54. Your home and the transformation is absolutely breathtaking! I desperately want the pattern for those slipcovers - they are exactly what I need for my dining chairs - perfection! My preference would be for the dark floors, although, i can tell, what ever you end up choosing will be great. I'm now going to have another mull over these amazing images - i LOVE this post - thank you!

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  55. Oh dear Joni,
    Gorgeous and so well chosen changes!! I so love you dining table in white! And the sconces , to die for!!!!
    I would choose for the white/white floors!
    xx
    Greet

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    Replies
    1. greet - i value your opinion - and i'm scared you are right! I'm so confused. i prefer the dark but i'm scared the light would make "more sense."

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  56. I love reading how you are thinking....so creative! love your home!

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  57. You absolutely crack me up when you talk about your "strategy" with your husband! I think we can all relate.....:)))Thanks for the tips!

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  58. I love, love your blog! You make me laugh because I "style" my home or at least think I'm styling all the time! Have you thought about taking that round table out of the "foyer" all together? I had a foyer table for a while and thought I loved it. One New Year I needed it for stacking party favors. I moved it and realized how I had just been stuck in what I thought looked good. My house looked so much better without it! It gave everything a less cluttered look (I know you like a collected look but you might be surprised)! Anyway, it really changed things for the better and it seems like every design article I read these days says to edit and editing really is working for me!! Happy Designing!!

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    Replies
    1. Every room that Joni shows needs serious editing. The foyer looks like a gift shop and the living room so crowded one could kill themselves approaching a chair. It's fun to collect, but it is always refreshing to have a little negative space to allow your eyes to rest and take in the beauty of what's there. I would put one striking piece in the foyer and remove the clutter. The calamity of design as it is today implies that there is nothing of real importance in the foyer so it's filled up to create volume. The secretary and a pretty chair would be all that is needed.

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  59. Perfect Joni post, my favorite kind! I vote to keep the floor stain you have, dark are too much maintenance and I know I would hate that as I want to do less and less cleaning/maintenance the older I get. I like the color stain you have, sets off all the light paint and fabrics. You have a great eye for accessories, love every single one. Enjoyed seeing the different versions of the table vignettes.

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  60. Im all for the dark dark floors but I do think its just a personal preference and i agree with your comment about the light seagrass & dark floors. But all I want to do is sit in the little chair next to your round table and go through all those books!! Im sure they're all design books! WOW what a collection!

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  61. You are a scream! Dark floors seem to be the rage now, and makes for a nice contrast to
    light walls & furnishings.

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  62. Your house is lovely, Joni, and you crack me up, especially about your displays on the center table. You do keep up with the trends - I remember the big birdcage look. I happen to like that wine tasting table - it looks old - and I like the look of old wood mixed in with the painted, but that's me. But I do understand your transformation to a more Swedish look. If you want to really embrace that look, then go for the light floors. But I have a horror of the pickled oak floors from the late 80's - remember those? - and couldn't go there. They were dated so quickly. I know the look is not exactly the same, but it is such a big change (money and hassle), and I just don't know if it would have staying power. You'd have to really love it. Trends change. Not everybody likes a total all white/gray look. Personally, I'd go with the darker floors, but not ebony. I think it gives the lighter pieces more pop, adds drama, and keeps things from looking washed out. Plus it's more enduring. You'll just have to swiffer a lot. My favorite look for floors is that worn mid-tone (French oak?) color that you see in old waxed herringbone or chevron parquet floors in venerable European houses, but it's pretty impossible to duplicate here. We Americans might love something that looks old, but we want it easy care. LOL And I'm sure Ben will notice if you get the floor refinishers in!

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  63. Your house is BEAUTIFUL. I just bought a 1950's rambler in VA that needs some overhauling - bought it for the 1 acre of land that has 26 fruit trees, grape trellises, and tiered back yard. I am planning to add an English rose garden, a log-made pergola for the grapes, a gazebo, and more! Can't wait! I would go with darker floors, but light enough to see some grain. Almost old-floor looking. I think that looks great with light walls! Question - would you mind telling me what color you painted your living room walls? I was determined to paint mine Pittsfield Buff (BM), but now am rethinking it after seeing yours!

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  64. I love this post. You are funny and honest....that and the beautiful pictures and your knowledge are what makes your blog so good. I say dark floors. Your home is beautiful. Thanks for your sharing.

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  65. I could spend hours at your beautiful site, looking at every detail of your lovely home. Re the floors: when I bought my 1910 bungalow the floors were light maple. With all the white trim, I wanted dark. The refinisher did some swatches for me in the brightest room, the dining room. Ebony was just too black and almost obscured the wood grain. Jacobean is the next stage up from Ebony and that's what I selected. I absolutely love my floors but then someone showed me a combination of Ebony and Jacobean, not jet black but stunning. That will be my next house! Good luck; anything you choose will be beautiful with all your white.

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  66. The dark floors will anchor your light furniture better than the lighter floors although they too are beautiful. Something tells me that even this will not satisfy you.

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  67. This was great as I was thinking....ok, Joni just painted got the painted furniture and now she can stop for a while...then you mention the floors! I love dark, but you will have the dog hairs and dust everyday.

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  68. Please consider dark floors carefully. My sister had hers redone at GREAT expense; they are now dark dark ironwood and she hates them. They show every single hair and dust flake. She is constantly on duty with a swiffer and regrets her choice. Especially if you have pets... Medium tones are more practical if you don't have a a daily housekeeper.

    I love watching your house grow. It is delightful to see the evolution. Thank you.

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  69. I agree with dark floor police patrol. I know you don't want to hear it, but the tone you have right now is probably the best choice

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  70. Hi Joni
    I have just had to make the floor decision also.I am replacing tile with wood floors. I have always liked the dark-almost ebony look
    especially with white slips and seagrass/sisal. My housekeeper had a stroke! She said "don't you dare do that!" Just like the comment before mine, everything shows! She says one footstep shows. My fabulous floor man totally agrees. I finally settled on a light white
    washed wood. Email me if you have anymore questions.
    kathrynterrell@cox.net

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  71. I love your changes, I too am in the process of moving from Reds and yellows to yellows and blues. My house is full of people and a huge dog, so not so much white. ( we live in the country). I was wondering how to make the changes so as not to shock my husband. We have been in this house for 17 years and I too hung drapes this year. Thanks for the ideas and inspiration. I really look forward to your posts. I love that your dog matches your room!

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  72. Great post, Joni. Please check your FB wall as I posted a chair photo that will interest you. Love all the changes to your beautiful evolving rooms.

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  73. Great post, Joni. Please check your FB wall as I posted a chair photo that will interest you. Love all the changes to your beautiful evolving rooms.

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  74. oh my gosh, you are too funny with your purple transferware shop. I love super dark floors, but I think with dogs, you might regret them?! Don't know, though. Whatever you choose will be lovely.

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  75. Oh my gosh, your house is so freakin gorgeous! I love a thousand times the gingham check on the dining room chairs, i could just stare at that room for days. All the white with the white slipcovers are heavenly too. As far as the floors, i would have the same dilemma... as if i could ever afford to have the dilemma to make that choice. I really like the light light floors of "Tone on Tone" the best of all the pics your showed, none of the medium light though. I would go very light or very dark... What a fun post!

    Cindy

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  76. Your home is TDF!!!! I had all dark floors when I moved into my home and the were a lot of work for "ME". I have a dog and my home is a old farmhouse that would constantly show dust. Our shih-tzu does not shed but wet paws do show. I also do not have the "luxury" of a cleaning person so I was a slave to dark wood floors in sunny areas. I now have all the floors lite stained and love them. They are natural wood with the satin finish polyurathane.... Love them!!!!!!!!!!!!!! my kitchen is under a major reno and the floors are white maple with porter's wood wash in white, they show NOTHING. W hen this project is complete I will be sending you pics. Honestly Joni if you have a weekly cleaning person go for the dark.

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  77. Joni

    Love all the changes it is just lovely! Your curtains are inspiring me! I have the same shades but hate my dining room curtains. Thank you for guiding us through the whole process. You always make me laugh! I have made some of the same dreadful mistakes in my own home in the past only much worse!! I vote for dark floors unless your dogs shed a lot. My yellow lab sheds like crazy and there is hair everywhere!

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  78. Joni, you crack me up! I love your honesty and I love your home. You have done a fabulous job redecorating your beautiful house. I am a medium to dark floor person myself, and I really like the contrast between the floors and your furnishings, because I think it shows off your furniture better, but I could see your floors being lighter, and just as beautiful. If you love that look you should go for it! Thank you for sharing your photos.

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  79. I do so love the look of dark floors. When we renovated a few years ago, our contractor warned me about scratches, stains and upkeep. Ultimately, I chose floors that would be forgiving of our blond dog's hair. If your dogs are shedders, I would keep what you have or go lighter. As it is, I'm already keeping Swiffer in business. BTW, I have the same husband. It can take up to a year for him to notice something new or different and then he'll ask "how much did that cost?"

    Good luck with your decision. Your house will look gorgeous either way.

    Maureen

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  80. Love all the changes in your home! Beautiful! My vote goes to the dark, dark flooring....it is my favorite!

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  81. Well...to tell you the truth....whatever you choose will be stunning because your home is gorgeous and you obviously have the "extremely talented" decorating gene! LOVE...LOVE the wall color! I have "butter yellow" walls myself and want to change to gray, but gray is hard and can look like a battleship if it's not right. Yours looks so warm and inviting, would you please share the color with us?

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    1. Gail...I used SW Crushed Ice in my house. A very light gray with a black (as opposed to blue) base. I am interested to see what Joni said she used!

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    2. of course I'm in Florida and can't remember the color for the life of me. it's a pratt and lambert. ha! it will come to me, I'm sure. in fact, I think I've posted the color before.

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    3. Thanks Joni, if it does come to you....I'd still love to know.

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  82. Sneaky you! I have a husband that doesn't notice changes either! And, I have YOU to blame for all the slipcovers, and white/gray-overs in my own house! (THANK YOU!!!) Love all the changes in the house - I would love the contrast of dark floors with all the light furnishings! I'm sure whatever you do will be beautiful!

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  83. Love the changes and the new Swedish furniture. I'd go with a medium brown color for the hardwood floors. I had bleached floors for 5 years and after a few years I was really tired of them. For the past 6 years the floors (white oak) have been a medium brown satin finish. The upkeep is so easy and it's a nice backdrop to light and dark colored furniture. Super dark floors look great but the upkeep is time consuming especially when you have pets.

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  84. Joni, I know I'm late to your party. I've just finished reading every single blog (took me over three weeks). Just want to say thank you.

    I love your evolution. It is so true to what each of us does (hopefully) - a bit at a time as budget and enthusiasm allows. Unfortunately, I see myself in your old rooms! I have yellow walls! Blue and white ceramics! A blue couch, a green loveseat (different rooms), etc! I do love color, and the yellow walls lifted a mild depression several years back (four houses ago - can you believe I've painted the same yellow in four houses?). But it is time to move on.

    Anyway, I'm working up the courage to begin the change to white and light. Have succeeded in my bedroom. Love it. Thank you for letting me borrow some of your courage to do my decorating!!

    Libby

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    1. seriously - all the blog stories??????? omg, that's scary!! I've tried to reread some of the old ones and well.....you've got a lot of patience. thank you!
      J

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    2. seriously - thank you! I think you're great! And especially great that 1. don't edit or remove posts, allowing everyone their opinion, 2. never sink to others' lows, and 3. stand up for the homeowners who share their homes with us.

      I'm painting my powder room next weekend. Baby steps so far....

      Libby

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  85. Having worked with a great deal of clients/couples...Men do not like change & they want to know the bottom line$$$ (having said that-I am sure that is a broad statement that does not fit all men) only the ones I have worked with. If you go with Dark floors you will be happiest!trust your gut. Love the post. xxpeggybraswelldesign.com

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  86. Charlotte Des FleursMarch 30, 2012 at 12:01 PM

    I vote for a dark stain to match the rich color of the armoire in your livingroom. The lighter stains are too trendy. I think you will get tired of them after a while. Also, darker floor will give you a wider range of colors to choose from when you get tired of your grey walls. Houston gets much better light most of the year than does Sweden or New York City. Therefore, no need to capture every photon with ultra light colors as they do in Sweden.

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  87. You dear Joni...should have had your own shop...maybe you still can! You are an artist, and very creative...and the creative spirit must do what the creative spirit must do...whether the husband is aware or not (cracked me up!).

    As far as the floors go, I love the warmth of what you have now, but understand your desire for change...you'll know what to do either way...one thing though...everyone has the dark, it's been done and done...not so much the light...that would be unique and special.
    By the way...which do you think Ben would prefer? ;)
    xo J~

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  88. Hi Joni......Love your blog........first one that I go to daily every morning. Love your home ...... very tasteful and pretty. Just wanted to tell you that I have recently put new dark flooring throughout my whole main floor and stairway.
    Dining room, family room, library, and even the bathroom and kitchen. I just love it. I have two dogs...... four children and two grandkids that are in and out of my home often. I chose a floor that was already distressed as I knew
    with experience that it would only become that way anyway and didnt want to be fawning and fussing over it constantly. Had a lighter hardwood previously and it didnt show the dirt as much but......it wasnt nearly as pretty nor
    did it look as fantastic against all the white slipcovers etc in my home. The contrast is beautiful and I think it is timeless and classic. I could change everything tomorrow and it would look good with whatever I chose I think. Yes
    it can show spots and doghair but it truly is not that bad. I bought the rubbermaid "reveal" mop that has a bottle attachment and you just mist your floor and wipe.....the bottom pad gets thrown in the washer when dirty.....this has
    been a life saver for me and in two seconds I can wipe whatever I see whether a paw print or spill. Otherwise it is just vacuuming in between which I would be doing anyways no matter what flooring I had. So of course my vote is
    for the dark flooring.....whatever you choose will be lovely I am sure. Thanks for such great posts.......please keep them coming. Erika

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  89. Heathercrest InteriorsMarch 30, 2012 at 12:16 PM

    I have stained my bedroom wide plank floors black and I love them.

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  90. The dark floors are beautiful, but I've had both very dark and very light and can tell you from experience the dark floors are much harder to keep clean, especially with dogs in the house. I have 2 dogs that don't shed that much and my dark floors needed to be swiffered twice a day to keep them looking clean. With my lighter floors I could get by with once or twice a week cleaning. I agree with the posts above, the dark are beautiful for pictures, but unless you really like to clean, I would quickly nix the idea! Your home is gorgeous!

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  91. Love your blog Joni. Love your living room and dining room, they are gorgeous. I would say dark floors and yes they are very hard to maintain and need to be cleaned daily (I don't have dogs but two preschoolers). I have original 130 year floorboards which were painted black eons ago. They are dinged, wonky, lovely.
    As for the foyer, I have to say I liked it before. It looks great now too (and this is only my opinion) that going from "English Manor" to "swedish manor" (? does that even exist, sorry I don't know too much about Sweden I must admit) whole hog is going to look and feel similarly dated in a few years. But, if you love it, who cares what I think and enjoy it. I do love English country/Irish antiques, furniture, gardens, homes, fabrics (love Robert Kime etc) so I'm biased.
    Thanks for sharing and enjoy your lovely home.

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  92. I am in the minority. I will forever love your "old" house...and it's still not tired or old to me. You know me (a little) and color is "my thing." Got to have it. Will never go cream, except lots in my coffee. You are a hoot, love your posts...always FUN!!!!

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  93. Joni--I sent you an email of floors like I like. They are not too dark or too light and they look perhaps to be of some sort of distressed wood.
    They look a little rustic but not overly so. LOVE your home and your blog and whatever you decide on your floors I'm sure it
    will be "right".
    xoxo
    Shelley

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  94. Considering the fact that you are a designer, I am sure you know this-dark floors show dog hair and dust-a lot! I have a Cavalier, and I adore them, by the way, and they shed! I have a thing for floors that show dirt-YUK! Anyway, I love dark floors but hate how they show everything. so, medium tones are my best bet. Just saying.....

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  95. 1. When I read the line about redecorating the entire downstairs without your husband noticing, I actually SNORTED! Yes, that's how we make changes at my house, too -- stealthily, one piece at a time, with workers scurrying around while my husband is out of town... "Were the walls always this color in here?" says the husband upon his return. "What? Of course they were!" says the wifey, blushing slightly and opening her eyes VERY WIDE...

    2. If you aren't ready to reclaim your masonware when it comes back from vacation, feel free to send it on sabbatical to my house. It would look fantastic in my kitchen, and I would take very good care of it for you. :-)

    3. My husband says the same thing about draperies to other men!! They're like drapery cult recruiters, these decorators' husbands! "Dude, they make SUCH a HUGE DIFFERENCE! You'll be so glad you got the curtains, Man!"

    4. Deep, dark, espresso brown floors, without a doubt.

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  96. Love the changes you made. I too am in the process of repainting my yellow walls to gray, but what gray? Some are too blue, some too green. What color gray did you use?

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  97. After a fire I had to replace some of the hardwood floors in my 100 year old house. I went with the original look which was not too dark or too light, now I wish I had gone with dark almost black. I love both the before and after.....I love color but I love the creams , too. Great job!!!!

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  98. Hi Joni, I love all the changes! GO DARK on all the floors! Your new pieces will get lost if you bleach the floors. In addition, no one was more thrilled when you put draperies in your family room! Every time I saw a picture of that room, I would scream - DRAPES on those windows!!!! To me, nothing completes a room like drapes. That room looks 1,000 percent better and warmer! Please do not be hard on yourself for past decorating choices. We all do that. But not everyone photographs our rooms to be able to look back and cringe at our choices. All of the editing and new pieces are perfect! Well done!

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  99. Thanks for the tour, Joni...I love to see how your home has evolved...and also really lovin' those macaroni sconces and the lightly gilt chair in the foyer; I vote for dark floors!

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  100. dark floors get my vote!

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  101. I have dark floors, not black, but pretty dark wood and I LOVE them! Yeah, your gonna get a stray piece of something on the floor but that's going to be there anyway. I only have to clean them maybe once or twice a week and it's not bad at all. I just use my vacuum that's lightweight that works on carpet and wood cause I hate any sort of sweeping, it works great.

    I loved this post, you were so funny! The foyer looks very pretty with the new update. I think the size of the table really made a difference too, I kept thinking the other one was just a hair too small but it could just be my eyes playing tricks on me. The new pieces are all very beautiful. I'm not sure if the chair was in the first pictures but I noticed a very pretty chair next to the new desk that caught my eye, love the look of that little chair!

    I'm going to remember this post when I get ready to change things up again in maybe 10 years or so, we are remodeling now so everything is new and updated(as much as we can afford to).

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  102. Dark floors...I almost didn't do it because I read comments similar to these on another blog. And then I decided to just go for it. I would always wonder 'what if' if I didn't get what I really truly wanted. Granted, I only have them upstairs (for now...I'm saving for downstairs, the carpet was more annoying than the tile so it had to go first), so not as much foot traffic. And I no longer have dogs. But I just don't think it's that big of a deal! I honestly think it comes down to what kind of a person you are yourself. OCD Neat freak? Probably not for you. Laid back? Go for it. Dust particles on the floor don't really get me riled up.

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  103. Joni, your house is and was beautiful. I always love the look of all white, but don't think I could live that way. Partly because I live with 3 big boys and two (male) dogs, but I am also just a little too English Country at heart. I think you will probably revisit that look after a rest from it. But thats the fun of it isn't it?
    Dark floors, definitely, with your sisal and light furniture.

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  104. I love posts about your home. The new stuff looks fab, I have two pieces of (fake/cheap) painted Swedish furniture in my apartment and I know I'll never tire of them because they are subtle, change appearance with the light at various stages of the day and are timeless.

    No! The urn and lamb don't need to go. They are perfect, please keep them, I love them.

    Dark floors can be beautiful but in my opinion they suck the light out of a room and make it smaller and claustrophobic. I think they can also look a little gloomy and affect your mood.

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  105. Great changes Joni! I love dark floors and the contrast they give with the light, BUT I am lazy and don't want to clean them as much as they need. I'll look forward to hearing what you decide!
    xx

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  106. I love the natural color wood of your floors. I know that the dark floors are the "in thing" to do right now, but I feel that you have done a wonderful job with your home. I think that you are so influenced by what other people are doing, and I know this only to well, because as soon as I would change something, I would find myself asking the question. "Now why did I do that?" Changing the color would mean a lot more work involved...and I notice that you have pets. You have done a great job with your home....now it is time to enjoy the fruits of your labor and give yourself a well deserved toast. "Hip. hip, hooray....it is awesome!" Nancy

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  107. In the Victorian World that I live in, we would say that your home is in ,"Summer Dress". Slip covers, sea grass and lighter accessories were used to make the house more bearable in the hot summer. I wish you could put it back, in the winter, when I feel we need warmer colors and different fabrics. But hay, if you live the summer beach cottage look all year round. Go for it. Richard from My Old Historic House.

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  108. Your home is fantastac! love all the changes! I say..go with your gut and do the dark floors! :)

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  109. I'm laughing Joni because Cote de Texas was the start of all my redecorating problems! hahaha. Actually I'd been a long time fan of the Houston look, Pam Pierce and Ginger Barber and when I found you I said that's it, I'm going for it! I'm supremely jealous you got to tour Michelle's house. Its always been a favorite of mine since stalking it in the Southern Accents Christmas Issue. I tried to mimic those wreaths hanging outside her house for years! I currently have dark floors and am going whitewash gray/white soon. I think it will open it up and make the home feel larger but what do I know? ;-) All the colors are gorgeous -I think when you live with one color for so long, naturally you want to try something different. One things for sure, your home will still be fabulous regardless.

    xoxo
    Jennifer
    Vreeland Road

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  110. Charlotte Des FleursMarch 30, 2012 at 5:12 PM

    Hi Joni, After following your Blog for the last few months, I think I have your design style defined.

    1) You are a monochromatic girl. You love Carol Glasser's work. She uses much richer colors than you currently do but she is monochromatic as well. My guess is that you would like some of Charles Faudree's strong red rooms because they are monochromatic but highly layered. Where you went wrong with your yellow walls was all the other colors you added to your spaces. You had medium yellow walls which suggest happiness and sunshine. Adding a powerful blood red (the pillows in the FR) interjected passion. Blue is the color of relaxation and quiet calm. No wonder your rooms seemed confused! The brain did not know what the colors were trying to tell it.

    2) You love highly textured, architectural furniture and accessories (house-like birdcages, large urns, and BIG baskets). When you have an abundance of such things, you HAVE to have a very monochromatic color pallet. You might have been able to keep your yellow walls if you had removed the red and the purple pieces from your mostly blue Mason ware collection. Furthermore, your flower choices would have had to be a softer blue to match the Mason ware. The purple orchids in the bright green pot were too strong for the rest of the colors in the room.

    I am not a "greige" person but I think you have finally found your style and it is beautiful.

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    1. very very very interesting! you are right. but when i painted the walls that color, my family room had linen slips - not white linen, but linen linen. i didn't think that dark blues, like porcelains, are relaxing colors, but you may be right. loved your comment!

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    2. Charlotte Des FleursMarch 31, 2012 at 11:32 AM

      Hi Joni,

      Thanks for the tip on Lone Ranger Antiques. I am going to be at the Woodlands for a business conference next week. It just so happens that I have most of Tuesday am open so am going to drive over to Round Rock for the Antiques show where Lone Ranger will have a booth.

      I am somewhat tempted to drive down to Houston (which is closer) for some antiquing. However, I get to Houston every 2 to 3 months and may not have the opportunity to attend the Round Rock show for a long time. My family is from Gotenberg, Sweden so it will be interesting to see what he has brought over.

      By the way, we were humans before we were decorators. Color has a tremendous psycholgical impact on us, especially women. Think of yellows - the color of sunlight and firelight - warm and inviting. (Ask a real estate agent, yellow houses sell more often than any other color.) Blue reminds us of a clear blue sky and water - refreshing and relaxing. Blue is the color most often chosen for business logos because it is also the color that says "relax, I have the power to take care of things". Red is the color of passion - all kinds of passion. In decorating those passions are for food and companionship. Think of a red diningroom and a red bordello.

      I like to use color match the use of the room. For my family room, for instances, I have mostly yellows (to invite you in) with a touch of red (for companionship). The neutral pallet you have chosen is emotionally neutral. This works for you because you can showcase your beautiful furniture and decorative pieces.

      I think the neutral pallet appeals to many people today because there is so much drama in the world today. We have wars, terrorism, financial crashes, and a very contentious political climate. Most people just want to come home, wash away all those emotions and fill their minds with beautiful things.

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    3. Please take note, Don't go to round rock. THe show is in round top. And tuesday is the day.

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  111. Joni, your blog and your own home are beyond beautiful! For looks, I say go to the dark, dark wood. For care and upkeep? Use the light, light ones....

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  112. Ahhh! I LOVE the new pieces! I was just in Miami last week and had to stop and pick up another (WHY!) swedish sofa from Jeff. I don't even know where I'm putting it. I love dark floors, I think it provides such amazing contrast to all the light linen and gray finishes and keeps it from looking too matched. HOWEVER, they do show everything, I clean my floors a lot...I would still do it the same way again, just because I love the look so much, but every dust bunny shows. On my medium brown floors in NY they NEVER look dirty. I convince myself they are still clean until I realize my socks are black. Love it all Joni!

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  113. Love everything Joni!! It all looks great. I say go as dark as you can. I think with your seagrass you'll really enjoy the contrast.

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  114. I love that it was Michelle who inspired you. She's not only talented, but also such a sweetheart. A great combo! As for your floors, I'm a fan of darker, but not super dark and not too shiny (as in not reflective...shows all the dust, dirt and pet hair). Send me an email if you want to hop over and see my floors. I love the way they turned out. (And you'll be able to see if you like the color with seagrass layered on top since I've got plenty.) I can also recommend a wonderful wood flooring company here in Houston: Gary at All Brite Floors (www.allbritefloors.com). Not only does his team do a great job from the start, but they stand behind their work. Can't say enough good things about Gary. Seriously...come over if you'd like!

    Happy weekend!
    Linsey

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    1. thanks. I do need to come over anyway - thanks for the tip of the company. this is the 2nd name I'v gotten. I was going to go with this one person but i'm going to research more. the thought of moving everything paralyzes me which is why i have put if off!

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  115. Dark floors absolutely. Light floors are too trendy and will be out soon.

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  116. I am learning so much from your posts Joni, and I find myself getting lost in all the beautiful photos you include with each one. Thank you so much for the magical escape from the humdrum of my daily chores! To answer your question about the floors, I think if you had to change your floor color, you should go darker. The pillows in your new family room really stand out now against the new slip covers, so if you go darker with the floors it should really pull that together for you. I live in a much smaller home than you, and am quite content to keep my walls and floors light in color so as not to feel closed in. I like to add a little drama to my rooms with darker accents. You have a lot more space to play with, so the darker floors will look amazing. Good luck to you!

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  117. I enjoyed this post sooooo much!!! Your home is beautiful!
    I think go dark with the floors.

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  118. I so enjoy your blog! And I loved the lesson on deconstructed furniture. Thank you! I agree with one of the comments above about editing. I would take all the things off the floors. Too many things under all the wonderful furniture pieces. I like seeing the shapes of table legs and furniture. Edit, edit, edit as one designer I follow preached. For floor color, I lean towards light or painted light. Dark is so heavy and done so much I'm sort of weary of it.

    Keep up this fabulous blog. You're delightful!

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  119. I love my dark floors!
    This type post is my favorite. You are so honest and have such wit!
    Thanks for sharing.
    xoxo Dianne

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  120. Can you please tell me the color name of your Chelsea editions slipcovers in your dining room? I ordered some samples but they were all shades of blue & your look more gray. Would love to know!.......btw....I would go with the pale floors, they would look great with all your pieces and would give you a more Swedish feel!

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  121. I love looking at photos of your house, Joni! Everything is just beautiful! I like both light and dark, but for your house I would go dark without a doubt. It would provide nice contrast and drama, and more importantly, I think, it would make everything look more grounded than with light floors. It would have a classically elegant look. If seeing dust concerns you, I find that when you have color variation in your wood this distracts the eye from the dust. If you stain it dark enough to give the impression of a dark floor, but light enough that you can see some of the grain, the dust isn't as noticeable. My sister and I both have dark mahogany floors. Hers is maple with a mahogany stain, and looks pretty much like one solid color. Mine is natural Santos mahogany with a clear finish, and has varying shades of mahogany. Hers really shows dust, mine not so much. I'm sure that whatever you do with your home,it will be gorgeous - you always do wonderful things!
    Sandy in White Rock

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  122. I actually like what you have. Timeless.

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  123. Joni,
    You really made me laugh and sigh! Beautiful rooms, I love the changes. I am for the dark floors.
    They will stand the test of changes longer.
    I love the grapes you have displayed on the new white side table. Where can I find those?
    Thanks for sharing...
    Donna
    leviheart@aol.com

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  124. Loved the evolution of a home. Your pieces are so beautiful. Enjoyed your honesty and humor. Your home is gorgeous. Favorite comment...does he climb in through a window? Too funny.
    Monica

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  125. Joni,
    Here's the thing...I love what you've done, the changes you've made, but I really liked all of the "before" pictures too. I totally relate, I love change in my home too. Thanks so much for sharing.
    Karen

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  126. Joni- from the time I first discovered your blog- I've loved every room you've shared in your house.. I positively drooled over the living room- the darling french daybed with the checked slips was just TDF- and the "tea" table in front of it - so perfect- especially when you explained the high ceilings in the room- the dining room was next in my affections because - like you- I am a stripe and check kind of girl.( I screamed with glee when a while back, you shared your first home pictures, and the inspiration of the Dan Carithers room with tan and white checks and the blue and white ginger jars- I saved that same picture for Years!) Your armoire =stunning and when when you changed it to the all white books - the wow factor only increased! Well- I could go on , but the point is- I loved everything before- and now I love everything after! The dining room is my favorite- those chairs in skirted slips in checks- oh- be still my heart!Although your kitchen is also absolutely wonderful with your collections on the Bakers rack being just about perfection. You do have such a gift for arranging everything so well on the shelves(-sigh-) and I even thought your quirky little inherited cabinet was adorable in the foyer!Loved everything in it!
    For me- the color of your floors right now is just great- if I changed- would go just a shade or two darker or just apply a wax with color to bring out the natural warmth you have. I do perfer dark rather than lighter with the seagrass- But again- whatever you do- I'm guaranteed to love. Keep on keeping us laughing, while you continue to inspire! Loved this post!
    Alice A

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  127. I don't think you need to change your floors, especially with all of your seagrass. I've had Duraseal Coffee in satin finish in my last two homes and love the color. Goes with many different furniture colors.

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  128. My friend bought a beautiful mansion...it had brand new all dark wood floors. She couldn't wait to rip them all out because it showed every footprint. Every speck of dust from a shoe was transfered to her floors. Footprints everywhere. I recommend getting a large floor sample and living on it for a week or for sure visit a home with the same floors that haven't been cleaned for a few days. It is so pretty, but very dirty looking all the time.
    Could you do a medium dark but not dark dark??? I have light wood floors and they show a lot less than dark. But my medium wood floors never looked dirty ever!
    BTW...you are an inspiration and so talented and we are all so grateful you blog!!!! Your writing style is so generous and humble and down to earth even when talking about things so grand. Cote De Texas is the best.

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  129. Joni, Remember a few months ago when you were showing your readers the changes that you had made in your formal living room and you stated that you never used the room. I think I know why! Perhaps there are just too many, albeit beautiful, accessories in the room for it to feel relaxing and comfortable. Many of the accessories are made of marble, crystal, coral and alabaster which also make the room look hard and cold. Compare your rooms to Michelle's and Angie's and the last seven in your post. They all share a less is more quality that makes a room feel warm and inviting. That being said, I think you are an amazing designer and even better blogger. I would rather read a cotedetexas post than an Architectural Digest any day of the week. Thank you for the enormous amount of work you do creating a blog that is inspiring and entertaining.
    p.s.
    I prefer the dark floors myself.

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  130. If you were going for the antique flea-market look, you nailed it. Thanks for the post.

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  131. i wish i knew where my comment went..I LOVE all your changes, so glad you got your secretary, mine sold too! I think it was your attraction that made the sale. I vote for dark floors.
    Bonny

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  132. I really enjoyed seeing you evolve...its all so wonderful. But I guess I am in the minority, I would go with very light floors.

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  133. Funny because I literally was looking at your floors after viewing all the light wood you added. I was thinking that I had liked the warmth of the wood tone on the furniture you removed (the desk and round table....not the light color of the Venetian piece) and that now it was gone. I saw the dark railing and decided that the dark wood is simply a nice accent and I literally then looked down at your floors. I LOL when your next comment was about how to handle the floors. I vote big time for going darker. You have enough coverings that it will be a lovely accent. Good luck with your gorgeous, gorgeous home. And so nice for all of us who will never get a "big reveal" ourselves to know that good things DO come to those who wait :)

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  134. Joni,
    You have a lovely home and I love your blog. I was going to vote for the dark floors until I read all the replies on upkeep. I'm afraid you won't have time to blog with all that cleaning! (Selfish of me!) Light floors are nice, but I like contrast in a home. What about a richer stain on your floors? A little darker, but not ebony. Form follows function has been drilled into my head! Whichever way you go, I know you'll make the best choice.

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  135. I vote for DARK floors!!! Would be beautiful in your home. What is your gray paint color please??? I need to paint my entire house and want to do gray but not sure what shade...there are so many! Thanks!

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    1. feathered gray - pratt and lambert. it's a very very taupey gray. not blue based gray at all. good luck!!!

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  136. I don't think there is really anything wrong with the floors you have. Except for the fact that you can't even see them because they are covered with books, magazines, and clutter. There is a great Swedish company called Ikea, and they sell bookshelves and storage systems so you can put all of it away where it belongs.

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  137. You have a lot of nice things in your family room, but In My Opinion, it is way too much. Maybe it's my ADD, but because you have so many things, I can't really focus on anything in particular. Sometimes less really is more. Also, I love the gray wall color.

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  138. You are very brave to post your house here for critique from others. When you were considering the changes to your foyer, did you consider removing the long cabinet at the back wall with the darker counter top? I think that perhaps building beautiful bookcases along that wall would have provided some warmth to the space. I feel like you are adding so much stuff to the area and it really needs to be edited. When I look at Greet's blog I don't see the amount of collections in those homes that are in yours, especially around the center foyer table. I think that removing that table, using one of the demi-lunes against the wall where the secretary is with some art (think moody) above it would have warmed up the space. The bookcases would have given all your collections a home and off the floor. Instead of a desk, i would have chosen a bench with some pillows to soften the area. Another thing I noticed is that the living room is all legs and it is distracting. I think having some pieces with skirts would help soften that room as well, especially considering how high the ceilings are. The dining room on the other hand has all skirts and the rug extends into the foyer. These could be issues that are also throwing off the eye.

    I see a lot of myself in you and find that i keep adding when I can't get the room right. In reality perhaps editing would be the better solution. Good luck and thank you for sharing.

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    1. Great advice and so well thought out. There is definitely too much stuff. For a living room of this size, there is no available floor space to even walk in. There are way too many chairs. All of the white furniture facing away from the entry says "you are not welcome here". I can't imagine filling one entire house with nothing but white linen. It must be very boring. I love white fabric, but it is no longer special in this house given the fact that it is seen everywhere. Joni's taste needs some maturing.

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    2. Scale and proportion are off in the living room. I think adding a larger sofa (perhaps english rolled arm) and two larger chairs with some velvet fabric would be all that is needed. In the end I think you spend as much money trying to fix the issue with tables and accessories when the underlying problem is the foundation pieces are not there. I would address scale in the living room with a couple of chairs and a sofa and a great large painting over the sofa. I love mirrors but I think that art even moody gives the home some personality and warmth. Mirrors are also invaluable but they should be used appropriately. I think the mirror with the plates surrounding it in the living room is distracting to the eye - too many little things in that size room and not enough umph. Large pieces in a smaller room will actually make the room feel more substantial and with the large ceilings you need to balance that out. I think reworking your living room since that is the first impression of your house will help change the entire flow of the house. I feel like you are throwng money into tables and accessories when you really need to address size and scale. If you get the living room right, you won't need so much stuff in the foyer to try to "blend". I also like to show more wood floors in my rooms and the rugs in both the living room and dining room don't show much. Again scale and proportion. I get a confused message with the streamlined look of the all white linen but then the collected look with all the stuff in the foyer. I love collected with lots of patterns and the use of color to balance the abundance. WIth simple fabrics and rugs I think collections need to be edited and organized to get the same feel.

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    3. yes, I could take everything out - but a sofa and two chairs, but what would i do with all the chairs that i've inherited in that room? and I love them - i love the look of all french chairs. and actually i have been editing believe it or not. but i'm sure i could do more. the cabinet is another major issue. that came with the house and i've thought about tearing it out a million times before. or maybe just skirting the doors. i hate it with a passion. the living room photographs different than what it looks like. it doesn't look all that cluttered in real life. i've had two sofas in there - one that was too large and one that was too small. and then i bought that day bed for it. i don't know. i really don't know anymore!!!! but i must say that when you walk in the house, the living room looks pretty from that angle, imo. food for thought.

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  139. I enjoy reading your blog and appreciate how open you are and how you share the way you think through issues. That part helps me the most.

    I vote for dark floors for the contrast and the timeless elegance.

    I also would like to know your gray paint choice. You did indeed write about it, but I can never find my way back to that post.

    Rene

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  140. Your question is a simple one, light or dark? The answer is a can of worms! I love the contrast of dark stained floors, gray walls & slipcovers. A few years ago though, I moved past 50 and now there are so many more sides to every simple question. Would I really be willing to face the upheaval of moving my house just to have stained floors that will only show around the edges and in the foyer? If (we) survive the project, am I willing to commit to the necessary daily upkeep? I personally love painted floors but I don't have already beautiful hardwood floors to paint over. I wouldn't change the floors you already have. I would celebrate the wisdom of my grey hair and enjoy a cup of coffee in my beautiful home.

    I like color in my home and while I can't imagine having the amount of items you have, I wouldn't have made near the changes you have. I would be happy to be on the "storage" end of anything you want to go to a good home!

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    1. Oh, I thought of one more thing ... if I make a change to the floors, have I just added a whole bunch more dominoes to the table? If I later make a simple addition somewhere, do I now have to have the walls & floors all repainted? At that point, I'm sure I'd be quickly moving past coffee and wine to the scotch!

      I love your taste & insight. I've read all your blogs, have a notebook filled with comments and ideas. To thine own heart be true.

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    2. dawn, the issue is in places like the kitchen - the wood is almost raw in some places, it really needs refinishing. you are supposed to do it every 8 years i've been told and it's been 19 now!!!

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  141. So much fun to read about your changes. Entertaining and instructional. You make me laugh. Sooner or later, most of us need a change and it's nice to see how you have accomplished that.
    I hope you can find a way to try out the dark floors before you change everything. For me, and for a friend who had them.....never again. Entirely too much work and even then, they didn't look really nice. Dust settles out of the air as soon as you dust anything. The dark floors show every footprint.
    Thanks for a wonderful blog and for sharing your experiences with us.

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  142. I'll throw out one more name for you: Schenck and Company (713-266-7608). I used them for a renovation a few years ago. Not only did they work meticulously to make sure the color of my new floors matched the old, they also had a sanding machine which sucked up the sawdust rather than blowing it everywhere. Far less mess than I've had with other flooring companies.

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    1. ok thanks. that's another thing i am really worried about - like my wallpaper upstairs in the bedroom filled with sawdust. i know the walls will be covered but still....

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  143. Greetings~ I like stains that are deep but not dark. I like the extra warmth. It's subliminal. The other payoff is the beauty of the wood is still evident, grounding the room. All the best. Thanks for your great posts. ~

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    1. Totally agree with this . . . deep but not dark; that is what my floors are, but I couldn't think of the right words to describe them! In my opinion you still want to see the wood grain.

      Jennifer

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  144. Have to say, Dawn makes a good point. Your home is absolutely lovely, as is and maybe you have more interesting things you'd rather be doing. Having said that, I did go to the trouble of having my floor stained the darkest possible brown (ebony) and haven't looked back. I adore them. My walls are a soft, changeable gray, woodwork and trim a creamy white - it all works together to create the perfect backdrop for slipcovers and sisal. And in terms of upkeep, yes, they do show the dust sooner than a light floor would but I guess I'm not much of a housekeeper, as it really doesn't bother me that much. I'd absolutely recommend it.

    Debra

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  145. Just have to say: I LOVE your lamb!

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  146. hi joni ~ first, your home, absolutely lovely, as always. but your commentary on the ever changing foyer arrangements had me laughing tears. thank goodness you don't take yourself too seriously. you are always a breath of fresh air in the blogging community. seriously, laughing TEARS!! tessa

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  147. The paint color might be Hedron or Feather Grey Pratt and Lambert. I

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  148. I love your gray taffeta curtains. Can I ask where you got them or the name of the fabric? And what gray color did you paint your walls?
    Thanks bunches =)

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    1. the paint is feathered gray by pratt and lambert, i'm pretty sure of that - just looked it up on another blog. the taffeta on the curtains are from schumacher. pretty cheap for taffeta - maybe $50? the table cloth is much more expensive though and the difference really shows. if i could afford it, i would use that taffeta from rogers and goffigon all over the house - it's fabulous - thick and matte, but it's just way way too expensive for me. i can dream though!

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  149. Joni you are so funny.. I do the same thing.. little changes no big reveal! I'm designing and renovating a 1979 Mediterranean style into a french farmhouse.. one wing completed and I have dark ebony floors.. They are beautiful.. I have lots of white paneling and moldings and substantial baseboards. I say go really dark! My old beach house had southern white pine,it was perfect for that house but I love dark now! If you check my blog I think I have a foyer picture for my boyz wing that shows them!
    The white slips are perfect. Did your husband notice those!!!
    Have fun your home is stunning!
    xo,
    Gail
    casualloveselegance.blogpot.com
    l

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  150. Your blog has been in my bookmarks for years - the biggest reason was the pics of your home. I loved it before and love it now. It is so "happy".

    Just to change the subject for a moment - I've had your blogpost bookmarked called "A Bit of Charming England" since last April 2011. I was wondering if the Woodland Heights tour is on again this year? No, I can't go. But, if you get to go again and Ms. Millar's house is on the tour, will you show shots of her kitchen (you described it in the blogpost and I was disappointed that you did not show pics)? This house is the same era as my own and I would love to see her kitchen - for inspiration. I love this home and how Ms. Millar designed it.
    Sincerely,
    Debra from NC

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    1. look up her email address and ask her to send you pictures. she is so nice - i'm sure she wouldn't mind at all!!!!! the address should be on that story. she'll either say no or yes, but i think she might say yes! try it!! i doubt her house will be tour again. usually u only get on that one time.

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  151. I vote for the dark floors. I think the contrast would be great and when you change things up again in a few years life will be easier for you. I love the new piece in the foyer! Fun read, thanks.

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  152. Joni, I saw that same house on the house tour and it has influenced me for years. The Conrad shades throughout the house, the open shelves in the kitchen (way b/f it was hip), the shell encrusted frames in the hallway. It was just perfection. I have recently put dark wood floors in my bedroom which has pale blue walls & white trim. The contrast is beautiful but I have to tell you that they show every bit of dust!!!! What about a dark but not black more like the color of those Belgian raw wood floors. Did you go on the Southampton tour? I am thinking like the reclaimed chestnut floors in that house would be beautiful color for your house with furnishings & paint. The changes are lovely in your house. You are so right curtains can make a room!!! I learned that from you.

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  153. Its always a treat to see your house. Love the changes although it was very pretty before, I would vote for darker floors. Can you share where that awesome stone table came from? I have been studying and re-reading this post to remind myself Rome wasn't built in a day and although I don't have to worry about a hubby's input its all financial for me and I need to just be patient and take my time. I have learned so much from reading your blog and even from your reader comments, every morning I check to see if you have a new post. Sarah

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    1. I got the table 2 years ago at MAI - they're a sponsor on the blog. not sure if they still have one.

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  154. I went to the swedish dealer saturday thanks in part to you post, and bought a much needed desk. I enjoyed the post very much. But you can't let the taste vin go. It really looked good there. I was also at clutter, in warrenton, and the patterned ceramics looked very fresh. I thank you also for your explanation of the the taffeta drape on the dining room table. The ready made linen table cloths don't fit my table, which is a big oval table with two leaves, and if I want a table cloth I am going to have to make it. Your outlook is really admirable, and I like your openness about the decorating budget. along with dark or light wood floors, I love painted wood floors. Could you do a post on tile patterned floors?

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    1. my table is oval. you'll have to make one for sure. can't imagine a store bought one would fit correctly???? maybe.

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  155. And more about the dining room table cloth, or drape. How many inches does it puddle? If you did a regular table cloth, how nay inches off the floor would you make it?

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    1. you might want to call MOnica and ask her = she is listed on the left side of the blog. she does all my curtains and bedding etc. not sure exactly how much it puddles - maybe 3 inches? not a whole lot though - just enough that it doesn't hang straight to the floor which to me looks skimpy on a tablecloth. seriously - call monica. she can tell you exactly how much i puddle cloths. haha!!!!

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  156. I so enjoyed this post! I am commenting so late, this will probably never get read! But, here goes: 1) Go for the darker floors. Yes, they require more swiffer-ing, but they will be more beautiful, and you are already longing for them. 2) Thank you for turning on the lights in your house for photographs. I never understood your comment a while back that doing so looks dated. I thought it just made an otherwise pretty room look hollow. Much nicer and warmer looking to have them turned on. 3) As a residential stylist, I notice things that others don't, so please don't think this a nit-pick. One of the more important things in home (or garden, for that matter) styling is to have every focal-point object level and straight. It would be very easy to get a carpenter to fashion a shim for each of your two large finials on top of the painted secretary. They will then stand very straight and not look precarious. Now, that being said, your home is lovely, it reflects your own personal style and your very, very nice taste. P.S. I don't get these anonymous posters who criticize just to be mean!

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  157. I can see why you hate your foyer, but you did the same thing just different color? Is the chair useful? I like this look when the table can be used to sit and look at a book, but this is just too overwhelming. THe table is covered in stuff both above and below. The chair is at an odd angle and looks like it is trying to be styled. The looks that people love are those that look as if someone lives there, not styled. I think you are trying too hard and should embrace the bones that you have. The foyer leads to the back of the house and those beautiful french doors to your backyard. Don't hinder the site line by adding a useless table to display a bunch of stuff? Why? Embrace the floor plan and enjoy the lightness of the house. You are over thinking.

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    1. should be sight as in eye sight

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    2. hmm. i lived without a table there for about 10 years? it was so empty there - i thought it called for something. but.....maybe not. the books underneath.. i have no place for them. i should just move them to the garage and clean it up a bit. thanks for giving me something to think about.

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  158. Joni, first of all, GORGEOUS! I loved your home before, but I love it even more if that's possible. It is just, in a word, perfection!

    The original chairs you had in your foyer? I have two like them that are side chairs. Identical if the seats in yours are rush.

    I have missed you SO much. My computer has gone south, and I have been forced to borrow (aka steal) Mr. Magpie's work computer to do some visiting. This is awful not having my own computer, but hopefully that will change in the not too distant future. I'm just so glad I got to see this post. I adore what you've done, but I think you know that I love your taste.

    Okay, in terms of the floors, go dark. The darker the better. I have light floors (pickled) upstairs, and I think they work with dark furniture (which I also have), but downstairs we have dark floors which I really love. We had even darker floors in our previous home, and the current resident (a friend of mine) stripped them and left them light. The difference is night and day. The dark oak floors looked more sophisticated.

    I'd better sign off before I get in trouble. Mr. Magpie will be wanting the return of his property pronto!

    Again, great job, and I loved the commentary, too. I love how you snuck this in on Ben. Great advice! LOL!

    XO,

    Sheila

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  159. P.S. I almost forgot to say that two of the things I love the most (and covet) are that stone lamb and the wonderful urn. Oh, Joni! They are great!

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  160. I'm not at home, but I think the color is stone? not sure! Ill have to look when I get back. but it's def. more gray than any other their other fabrics, like a gray-taupe.

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