Drastic Change

As mentioned in my last few posts, we have been in the throes of home improvement.  My wood floors were officially finished on November 8 but it has taken this long for some of the dust (and mental fog) to clear so that I can post a few pics.

Let me preface by saying that I have been saving for new floors for four long years.  You know how you have a vision of what something is going to look like and then the reality doesn't quite match?  That's kinda where I am.  I love the variable width of the planks and the true handscraping of the boards.  The wood tone, though, is different than what I was envisioning.  We went with engineered so couldn't customize, but I knew I didn't want espresso or chocolate brown because it would be too dark for me.  The stains that were lighter looked somewhat washed out.  I was going for a medium brown.  Let's just say that tears were shed and I have beat myself up a lot over the past week or so with woulda, coulda, shoulda.  Now you know why I suffer from Analysis Paralysis.

I think the shock of going from light to dark has just thrown me a little lot.  These are beautiful, rich floors!  As you can see from the Before pics, my family room was very monotone.  In that sense, I think the wood helps to warm things up.   I will need to buy some rugs (what kind??) and My Man said we can buy some new furniture pieces for the family room.  I guess I should be excited by that but I just don't want to think about it anymore right now.  I guess I don't do well with drastic change.

What do you think?

Here are some more views in other rooms.  Ignore my lack of staging because I haven't gotten anything everything back in order yet:

Master bedroom looking into foyer

Dining Room

Guest bedroom

I know in my head that I am SO BLESSED to have such a beautiful home and I refuse to let this be the winter of my discontent.  But I feel a little heartsick because I was hoping everything would look pulled together and "done" like I see every day on so many beautiful blogs.  I think I have more work to do.

For what it's worth, My Man and and children love the color!  I don't hate it, I just think everything looks so DARK now.  The gloomy weather we have been having lately hasn't helped.

Enlighten me!  Please!