Poll: Pls Enlighten My Sister re: Home Remodel

[eternalknot]

My siblings and I are re-doing our parents' main downstairs living areas, as an anniversary gift to them.

My sister and I are spear-heading the project, and we've already run into a major stumbling block!

 

Naturally, she's wrong LOL.

I set up this poll so she could see (by your intelligent and like-minded votes) that -as usual- her life and world would be such a greater, more enriching place if she just did things MY way!

 

:tongue_smilie: mostly kidding. we love each other and have a great relationship.

 

The remodel includes new flooring and refinishing of hardwoods, new countertops (2 baths, 1 kitchen), and new paint throughout. Each sister thinks her primary choice has the least selection available, and is therefore the smarter starting point. If it matters, the countertops will be granite or quartz. The flooring will be stone and marble (with option to re-stain the existing hardwoods a different color).

 

Sister A thinks it's easiest to start with the countertops, then select flooring and paint from there;

 

Sister B thinks it's easiest to start with the flooring, then select countertops and paint from there.

 

One sister is wrong. And it had better be her, or you're all dead meat :D!

 

We are both artists, and have a (nit)picky eye for color, which is what makes this decision such a pain. We notice things about color that not everyone does (read: we're anal about it), so our starting point is a major driving factor in how the rest of the remodel comes together. Fortunately we agree on the color stuff, it's just our springboard that we're challenged by!

Edited January 27, 2012 by eternalknot

[FlyingMOm]

I'm with Sister A. :D

[Amethyst]

Of course, you have to start with the countertops. What if the new counters are a different size of shape than the current ones? If you've already done the new flooring, you could end up with gaps or some other problem.

[AuntieM]

Well, it's true you need to leave paint for last. I would say, after just having done some wood shopping, that the selection there is more limited than one might think; in tone you're really going with brown, gray or orange.

 

However, since you are limiting the countertops to natural granite or quartz (no faux stuff?), I believe that's even more limited.

 

So, with bated breath, I side with the sister who says to choose countertops first.

[Princess Peach]

I voted countertops.

[ThisIsTheDay]

What I'm really dying to know is which sister you are.:D Did you make the right choice, and if her choice wins, will you concede? :lol:

[sassenach]

I guess you could do either, but it seems more intuitive to start with the countertops.

[Mothersweets]

I had to be the odd sister out and vote flooring. :D

[gardenmom5]

I would choose granite for counters first. there are so many colors/patterns of stone, that it is much easier to choose something to coordiante with it.

 

I would not do marble for flooring just from a practical standpoint - there are some very nice porcelain tile that looks like marble if that's what you want to do. I have a porcelain travertine in my shower, and my stone guy doing the counters kept looking because he couldn't believe it was tile and not stone.

 

eta: yes, there are many slabs for counters (It was fun walking through the stone yard), but you want the one that jumps out at you because it is so beautiful - so don't limit that by choosing the floor first.

Edited January 27, 2012 by gardenmom5

[eternalknot]

What I'm really dying to know is which sister you are.:D Did you make the right choice, and if her choice wins, will you concede? :lol:

 

I'm the right sister, of course! :tongue_smilie:

 

Before I posted, I decided that if I were clearly ::choke::sputter::cough:: WRONG, I'd concede to her. She's older, I'm used to it LOL.

 

Highlight the line below this one to see which sister I am:

COUNTERTOPS ** WINNING! LOL

[Remudamom]

As long as you paint last it doesn't matter.

[eternalknot]

Of course, you have to start with the countertops. What if the new counters are a different size of shape than the current ones? If you've already done the new flooring, you could end up with gaps or some other problem.

 

We're still in the planning stages! We'd definitely install our selected countertops prior to the flooring, but it's the selection process that's stalled us. Could make for a long project :tongue_smilie:

[Farrar]

I know someone who started with the cabinet pulls and went from there. I don't think there is a right answer.

[Kebo]

I would say countertops, because not only do you need to choose color you need to evaluate how busy the pattern is (how much movement). If you pick a busy countertop, it is easier to balance that with a less busy floor tile. AND, you can then choose which color you want to pull out/emphasize from the granite or quartz.

[dsmith]

I would say countertops, because not only do you need to choose color you need to evaluate how busy the pattern is (how much movement). If you pick a busy countertop, it is easier to balance that with a less busy floor tile. AND, you can then choose which color you want to pull out/emphasize from the granite or quartz.

 

:iagree:

[elegantlion]

I would say flooring, maybe. But I'm always looking from a budget (read half-broke) perspective. Countertops have much more selection in tone, color, etc. at every price point. Floors don't, you could seriously blow the budget trying to get the right floor to match a beloved countertop. I would pick flooring first, but that's just me.

[eternalknot]

I would choose granite for counters first. there are so many colors/patterns of stone, that it is much easier to choose something to coordiante with it.

 

I would not do marble for flooring just from a practical standpoint - there are some very nice porcelain tile that looks like marble if that's what you want to do. I have a porcelain travertine in my shower, and my stone guy doing the counters kept looking because he couldn't believe it was tile and not stone.

 

We're replacing marble in the entry and hallways, but if I can get away with your lookalike porcelain tiles in the bathrooms that'd be awesome. If you have any specific suggestion/recommendation for what you used/have, I'd love a PM from you! I'm glad you mentioned that. It hadn't occured to me to check that angle :).

[Mama Geek]

We actually picked our paint color and then our flooring and then the countertops. I voted flooring first.

 

Why don't you ask your parents what they would like?:auto:

[hellen]

I don't think there is a right answer. Either way could work. Before you go through the expense of new countertops are the cabinets in the kitchen nice enough to not be changed in the next 10-15journey or more years. Is the layout just right? It would be a shame to make a nonfunctional kitchen nicer.

 

If all of the above is fine what if you two shop for granite and flooring at the same time? Whatever you both fall in love with first wins.

[AK_Mom4]

I voted to for you to get over it.

 

I don't think it matters really which of those you pick first. But if you let her have this one, then you can have your way in the REALLY IMPORTANT decision (whatever it is) that comes up next that you two can't agree on!

[tex-mex]

Ideally, flooring should be set aside for last.

 

Do the major project like countertops first.

 

Be sure the baseboards are off -- paint the walls first. Then do the flooring. Flooring is done last to avoid cracks, stains, or pitting while remodeling. Put in new baseboards or toeing last. HTH

[SweetPea]

I have done 2 kitchens - one in each order. It was much easier picking flooring to go with the granite than the other way around.

 

Granite cost more so I really wanted to love it. The floor wasn't the eye catcher of the room.

[Julie in CA]

When we built our house, I decided on the flooring before deciding on the countertops. There were many counters that I liked, and I knew I could find something wonderful no matter what. The flooring was harder for me to pick, and there weren't very many choices that I loved. I decided to go with the flooring and then pick one of the many counter surfaces that went with it.

[Krista in LA]

I vote counters. When we redid our counters a couple years ago, there were so many granites that we loved that just wouldn't go with the tile floor that we already had. I did finally find one that we loved that did go, but it would have been so much easier to pick out counters and then a floor that would go. There was no way we were dealing with the work and mess that removing tile would have entailed though, or I would have hardwood floors right now.

[Scuff]

I said countertops. But the truth is, I'd just look at all and once I found something I just loved, that would be my starting point, so matter what it was. I had no idea what I wanted for my wedding until I found the perfect bridesmaids dresses. I saw a floor tile that I *love* and if we ever remodeled, I'd base everything off of that. Don't know if that's the "right" answer, but there ya go. :)

[JFSinIL]

I'd vote countertops since it is more eye level than the floor, and thus more of a focal point.

[justamouse]

Countertops because that's there the $ will be, and the first thing people will see.

 

AND, floors will be done last and if you have to cut a corner, that's where to do it.

[eternalknot]

I don't think there is a right answer. Either way could work. Before you go through the expense of new countertops are the cabinets in the kitchen nice enough to not be changed in the next 10-15journey or more years. Is the layout just right? It would be a shame to make a nonfunctional kitchen nicer.

 

If all of the above is fine what if you two shop for granite and flooring at the same time? Whatever you both fall in love with first wins.

 

I'm your typical Type B, artsy, non-commital type. My original suggestion was that we just hit up a few stores and showrooms to get a feel for what's even out there ... and then make general decisions that way.

 

My sister is your typical Type A, super-organized, planner type. The very idea of that made her eyes bug out LOL. She's putting together two "idea boards" so we can have an overall view of the design stuff before we commit to the actual labor part. Sounds like a lot of work, to me!

 

I'm following her lead because it's who she is :) she'll pour over books and websites to get ideas, print a bunch of stuff out, make a folder, then take it shopping with us. She'll have already narrowed it down to pretty much what we want color-wise, etc. (My ideal would be to spend a day browsing stores, making good use of technology and snapping pics from our cameras as we go LOL.)

 

I voted to for you to get over it.

 

I don't think it matters really which of those you pick first. But if you let her have this one, then you can have your way in the REALLY IMPORTANT decision (whatever it is) that comes up next that you two can't agree on!

 

It was mostly tongue-in-cheek, but you're totally right :D I wouldn't let this be a hill I died on, or anything, it just amazes me how different we are despite having identical childhood experiences and parenting. I keep telling her someone must've peed in her gene pool. Kidding LOL.

 

Another "prove my sister is wrong" post was last month when she was baking a batch of cookies. I posted this poll so I could prove she was totally wrong about what constitutes the perfect cookie. On that note, my siblings are grateful to the WTM forums because now they're no longer who we run to for confirmation of our respective rightness :lol:!

[laughing lioness]

We did our 2nd floor re-build from the floor up- sanded and poly'd the hardwood before we texturized and painted the walls and ceilings and the trim is still not on. This was backwards from how we did the rest of the house. BUT, it worked. Here's why. We covered ALL of the floors with the red contractor's paper from Home Depot. We were compulsive about totally covering ALL of the floors. ( Mainly cause we'd worked our tails off making them beautiful).

I did vote counters first, BUT if you're careful, it doesn't matter.

Psst- wanna see our floors? Go here and here. I just wanna brag. Arent' they purty?

Edited January 28, 2012 by laughing lioness

[MSNative]

I actually know the answer to this. Countertops (and not just because I saw which sister you are.)

We just put new countertops in our kitchen. Our walls are a gorgeous light green that I would never choose, but love. The floors are a warm hardwood. Cabinets are cream. Appliances are stainless. We had a heck of a time finding a countertop that would work with all of those. Pick the countertop first and then pick the flooring.

[gardenmom5]

.

 

Highlight the line below this one to see which sister I am:

COUNTERTOPS ** WINNING! LOL

 

okay, I once knew how to do the invisible words - please remind me because when I googled it, I didn't find anything helpful. sigh.

[KidsHappen]

okay, I once knew how to do the invisible words - please remind me because when I googled it, I didn't find anything helpful. sigh.

 

Just highlight it with your mouse. Start at the end of her sentence and scroll down until you have seen the whole message.

[gardenmom5]

I know someone who started with the cabinet pulls and went from there. .

must have been some spectacular pulls.

 

We're replacing marble in the entry and hallways, but if I can get away with your lookalike porcelain tiles in the bathrooms that'd be awesome. If you have any specific suggestion/recommendation for what you used/have, I'd love a PM from you! I'm glad you mentioned that. It hadn't occured to me to check that angle :).

I bought them at tiles for less. Honestly, we'd been all over including designer showrooms. I was getting so frustrated, I suggested stopping there on the way home. and there they were. and I knew. ;)

 

what they are doing now is super fine pixel printing of actual marble/travertine that has been scanned, so no two tiles are actually alike. sorry, I don't remember the manufacturer.

 

Granite cost more so I really wanted to love it. The floor wasn't the eye catcher of the room.

 

and since we are standing at the counter *looking* at it most of the time we're in the kitchen, we want to "love it". I had more constraints with my kitchen counters, but for my bathrooms, I got to pick what I fell in love with, and it went well with my desire to do travertine/porcelain on the shower and backsplashes. (well, dh wouldn't let me have the honed limestone.)

 

. She's putting together two "idea boards" so we can have an overall view of the design stuff before we commit to the actual labor part. Sounds like a lot of work, to me!

 

I'm following her lead because it's who she is :) she'll pour over books and websites to get ideas, print a bunch of stuff out, make a folder, then take it shopping with us. She'll have already narrowed it down to pretty much what we want color-wise, etc. (My ideal would be to spend a day browsing stores, making good use of technology and snapping pics from our cameras as we go LOL.)

!

I'm more organized than artsy - but . . . . you can't get a good representation of granite from photos. if you start with granite, it should be to prowel stone yards and decide what slabs you like. also remember, slabs of the same stone will vary according to which part of the quarry it came from. You need to actually LOOK at the stone. not pictures, and NOT 12X12 "samples". though you can certainly take some to have an idea, but no camera recreates it to true color. and 12x12 "samples" do not allow you to see the pattern in the stone.

 

As soon as I found my stone, I put a hold fee down on it while we did everything else.

 

eta: if this is a kitchen for your mom, you might want to consider taking her to a stone yard to see if there is anything she really likes. then go out to lunch.

Edited January 28, 2012 by gardenmom5

[KidsHappen]

When cleaning or decorating always start at the top and work your way down. So in your case I would do paint first so that any splatter of spills won't matter because countertops and floor will be redone. Then countertops and finally floor.

[Ellie]

Flooring.

 

You want the flooring to be the same throughout, right? Well, then, you start with the thing that will be the biggest visual...the floor. Your countertops should be the same as the flooring, e.g., if the flooring is dark, then dark countertops; if the flooring is light, then light countertops.

[gardenmom5]

Just highlight it with your mouse. Start at the end of her sentence and scroll down until you have seen the whole message.

 

I meant how to write a message so it is invisible unless you highlight it.

[fhjmom]

I said countertops. But the truth is, I'd just look at all and once I found something I just loved, that would be my starting point, so matter what it was. I had no idea what I wanted for my wedding until I found the perfect bridesmaids dresses. I saw a floor tile that I *love* and if we ever remodeled, I'd base everything off of that. Don't know if that's the "right" answer, but there ya go. :)

 

:iagree: Only I will go a step further and say it might be "none of the above". Start with a point of inspiration that you (or your parents, in this case) absolutely love and then go from there. That may be the countertop or the flooring, but it might also be a salt and pepper shaker set, a window valence, or an art print. My guest bath decor started with a stuffed cat door stop.

[Carol in Cal.]

I picked the countertops because you're talking about using natural materials, and they vary a lot. It's best to pick out the actual stone that you will use, not a 'similar' sample. Then once you have that, pick the flooring to go with it.

[DarlaS]

I meant how to write a message so it is invisible unless you highlight it.

 

I'm thinking you just choose a font color that closely matches the screen?

 

Like this. It's just a white font.

[Denisemomof4]

I voted countertops, and you are a HOOT in this thread!!!:D

[DarlaS]

For which to choose, I don't think it really matters. I would install flooring last though so they will stay nice. It removes the worry of keeping paint etc. off the new floors. And if someone drops a tool when you're planning to replace the floor anyway? No problem.

[gardenmom5]

I'm thinking you just choose a font color that closely matches the screen?

 

Like this. It's just a white font.

 

no. When I did it years ago, there was an actual computer language command. the "blanked" portion is totally invisible unless it is highlighted. doesn't matter what the background color is.

[ma23peas]

Disagree!

 

Countertops last!

 

If you decide to restain floors, it is very hard to live/breathe though the stain and two coats of finish, you must sand the floors, loads of dust, loads of dust, heavy equipment, tools, counters can get scratched by them, we have quartz...

I would not risk it!

 

Stain floors, put first coat of Fabulon on, then get counters, put the final coat on...needing to sand before final coat, hire professional with high powered sander, less mess.

[DarlaS]

no. When I did it years ago, there was an actual computer language command. the "blanked" portion is totally invisible unless it is highlighted. doesn't matter what the background color is.

 

Oh I see. Sounds neat.

 

When the OP did it though, she just used a white font (I use chrome, and can see html code in posts when I reply.).

[Laurie4b]

OTHER: I think you'd be wise to get a seceral choices of each and start playing with combinations. Choosing one first locks you in and you may end up with the best counter (or best floor), but not the best possible combination--because it's the combination that makes the difference.

 

In other words, you might LOVE Floor pattern A and choose that. It might clearly go best with countertop D. Or sis may have LOVED countertop B, which clearly works best with Floor pattern E. But had you had them all laid out to mix and match, you and sis may have noticed that Floor Pattern B and countertop C were the very best combination.

[MariannNOVA]

countertops -- we made selections for our new house last week -- countertops first.

[OLG]

Voted flooring...only because This Old House usually 'shows' the flooring in first and then the countertops to match, or so my feeble brain remembers.

 

I would suggest you all think about the type of flooring for parents that are aging....

[jillian]

Counter tops

[eternalknot]

OTHER: I think you'd be wise to get a seceral choices of each and start playing with combinations. Choosing one first locks you in and you may end up with the best counter (or best floor), but not the best possible combination--because it's the combination that makes the difference.

 

In other words, you might LOVE Floor pattern A and choose that. It might clearly go best with countertop D. Or sis may have LOVED countertop B, which clearly works best with Floor pattern E. But had you had them all laid out to mix and match, you and sis may have noticed that Floor Pattern B and countertop C were the very best combination.

 

That's a really great idea. It's more along the lines of what I had wanted to do -- spend a day out just seeing what's even out there, grabbing a few samples of ones that stood out most, then going from there with her wacky, wannabe-HGTV idea board LOL. That's too overwhelming for her. She's very much a victim of the paradox of choice!

 

We took it to a vote with the siblings. Unfortunately, my parents had an even number of children :tongue_smilie: there are six of us locally, and three of us are going to do a preliminary "re-con" of what's available in our area sometime next week. We'll narrow it down to one vendor for the countertops and one for the flooring, and then take Sister B on a field trip to see what the options are. We'll leave with samples of our top 3-5 from each, then do as you suggest and start looking at combinations. We'll pull a few together for her idea board, which she'll then show the other sibs.

 

She and I are usually on the same page as far as design goes, and since we're the bossiest of the kids I'm confident that whatever we end up with will be well-received by the others :D we just were in different worlds when it came to the planning of it all!

 

Voted flooring...only because This Old House usually 'shows' the flooring in first and then the countertops to match, or so my feeble brain remembers.

 

I would suggest you all think about the type of flooring for parents that are aging....

 

I watched HGTV for what felt like all day yesterday, and didn't manage to see one renovation-type show! I was looking for one to see what they did LOL.

 

My parents are in their 50s, but it's a good point and I'm glad you brought it up. We were thinking about re-doing my grandmother's bathroom, too, if budgeting permitted. I wouldn't have thought to consider this before making material choices. Duly noted, and much appreciated.

[eternalknot]

For which to choose, I don't think it really matters. I would install flooring last though so they will stay nice. It removes the worry of keeping paint etc. off the new floors. And if someone drops a tool when you're planning to replace the floor anyway? No problem.

 

Yes, this is what I meant -- choosing, not installing.

 

I'm afraid that I wasn't clear about that in my original post :blush:.