During some internet browsing recently, I stumbled across some images from the listing before we bought our house. Being that we were crazy-excited to rip out that brown carpet and get to fixin’, we didn’t snap too many before photos — so I’m glad I found these images. I understand now why we almost didn’t even look at the house: that ugly carpet, the popcorn ceilings, the nondescript white walls and vertical blinds were masking the house’s mid-century bones. Once inside, though, the open floor plan, big windows and high ceilings made us see otherwise. And after peeking under the carpet and spotting original hardwood, we were stoked.

But once we ripped up the carpet, this is what we found. Wah Wah. Plaster and paint, big gaps, and tons of nails everywhere. We wanted hardwood, but maybe, for the sake of time, we’d have to just slap some black high-gloss deck paint on everything. We started by pulling out hundreds of nails and staples by hand on our hands and knees, and got ready to rent a huge floor sander. But I ended up calling a flooring guy on a recommendation from our own Mary T., and he came out and said he could fix the original floors — no problem — for less than we expected, and during a monstrous snowstorm that shut down the city for two weeks. Best money we could’ve spent.

Beautiful, blond hardwoods, yes? (Those Troentorp clogs are the business, too).

And here’s a shot of our living room now — still so much to be done, of course. I want to paint the Nelson-knockoff coffee table glossy white lacquer and get a glass top to protect it, and put up the baseboards, and reupholster that black vinyl sofa… But we’ve come a long way from that before shot! — Megan B.

Paint: Benjamin Moore Aura in “Sunny side up”
Rug: Angela Adams “Islands” in Chocolate
Couch: Vintage Steelcase (won on the Price is Right, reputedly!)