2012 look back at 2011

My resolution for 2012 is to be a better blogger, workout more/be more active, and eat better.

So, for my first blog of 2012, I would like to do a look back at 2011 and some of the things that I didn't post about.

1st up - some home decor/updates that we did to our home
We installed hardwood floors...real hardwood. I always wanted hardwood flooring in our home, but since we built our home from ground up it was not very wise to buy the flooring from the builder as I hear that they mark the price up tremendously. Plus, who wants to pay 30 years for their flooring (i.e.rolled into their mortgage).

Hubby promised me we would get hardwood eventually. Well, finally after several budget meetings, it fit into our budget. YAY!  We searched so many places and online and finally found EZ floors. They were the best place to buy flooring, economically and yet still have the quality that I wanted. After some online searching I found someone that recommend Mustafa at an EZ floors location in Cypress. Granted, there is a EZ floors near our neighborhood in Katy, we found Mustafa's store to be more friendly and helpful. So, after many and I mean many trips to the store we finally settled on our flooring. From my research, I DEFINITELY wanted an American based company (as many of the chinese companies are said to be sketchy) The chinese brands are cheaper but lack in quality and customer service after the sale, in my opinion. I read some of the brands even begin to peel.

 I also wanted a DARK hardwood. For me, it looks richer, more expensive, and less like laminate. Plus, to me, it is so much more cozy and calmer after a hard days work. I want to come home from work and my home feel like an oasis. MOST importantly, it HAD to be in our budget, or my husband would freaking flip and cancel the whole thing lol.

 In addition, I did not want a smooth floor, I wanted a handscraped/hand sculpted look. To me, this was better in the event that there was future damage to the floors....God forbid scratches and such (although in our home we have a shoes off policy) , the handscraped floor will hide the infamous accident (i.e. dropping a glass, etc) .

 Lastly, we wanted a material that was hard and durable. I researched all the brands of trees and their hardness factor.  You can find this online if you are ever in the market for flooring.

And Ta-da, Mustafa brought out Andersen's Applachian flooring - Black Hills is the color. I loooooooved it!!!!!!

So, to stop all my rambling, here are pics of our flooring being installed back in June - July 2011-ish. We got it installed in the living and dining room. I LOVEhow it turned out. Wish we could afford to get it installed all over the downstairs (except for the bedroom) , but that will NEVER happen.

You can see my dining room curtains here, talked about later

The workers put my furniture back exactly. It was weird that they knew where to place it without me telling them.

They are working hard

Before the flooring was installed, indecisive me started freaking out....worried the color wasnt dark enough....HA, I am so silly.  I sent this pic to Hubby at work screaming...I dont like. hahahha

Next up, we finally got Curtains in our 2 Story living room. Before I say anything else, I have to say Drapery Montage is AWESOME!!!!! They are located in Houston on fondren road and I have been stalking their website for a while. They have done 25 foot ceiling curtains in the past so I knew I could trust them. The owner, Edith, is very nice and patient (especially with an indecisive person like myself). She helped me pick out a cohesive color that went with my furnishings, that went with the Tiffany blue curtains that I already had in the dining room (since my first floor is an open concept floor plan....things need to "go together".

 She helped me pick out Living room curtains and tied those into the Kitchen Nooks curtains that she made, which then tied to the Tiffany Blue Curtains that I already head up in the dining room.  Let's let the pics speak for themselves.

Igonore my slippers on the floor..HA! Sorry, Messy me

I will post the kitchen nook pics a little later....sorry to tease you, but drapery montage, made pillows for my couch that matches the kitchen nook curtains.....as a surprise to me. I loved it!!!! You can see the color in the above pics (a tiffany blue and brown color.

So, how has everyone been? Any new an interesting home updates? Please update me via email or comment.