After we took the floors up in our dining room we were at a stand still with those because we haven’t quite decided a plan with them yet, so you know your girl had to start on the walls. One of my main goals for this room is lots of texture on the walls & lots of character. The plan is to paint the oak trim, add shiplap to the walls, hopefully do a cool ceiling treatment, & leave the lovely dark [walnut I believe] doors & those stained glass windows. Among a million other things. This is the ugly stage of the room. It wasn’t terrible before & I know the “after” will be amazing, but this in-between stage of the room is quite rough. I hesitated sharing these photos with you because I could have waited until the trim was at least painted & not primed, but you know what? This farmhouse makeover is a process & you guys are on this journey with us, even the ugly parts.
Here is the “before” when we moved in…
& after we revealed the original 1800’s wood flooring & put a coat of primer on the oak…
& yes, the wall color is the same! Isn’t it crazy what different color trim can do? I know a painting over oak isn’t everyones preference, but if you have been following me for any amount of time we all knew that this was going to happen. I’m not against anyone having oak in there homes & I can truly appreciate it, but in our home we have preferences too. I have to share this because it’s on my heart & I rarely talk about this on my blog… The other day I shared a sneak peek of painting over some oak in our home on Instagram & a lot of people had some not so nice things to say about me because of this & I had to delete some of the horrible comments, not for my sake, but for my readers sake. I didn’t want any of the comments yelling at me & telling me I was a horrible person for painting over oak to hinder any of my readers creativity and preferences. What if one of my readers had seen a comment telling me that “I must be stopped before I ruin one more thing with paint” & that hindered them from doing what they truly want to do or sharing any of their creative endeavors whatever that may be in fear of getting awful comments? How sad for the creative community. I would never say anything negative or comment my preference on anyone else’s photo that they shared proudly like, “eew, I would for sure paint over that oak trim… not my style!”. Why? because it’s not nice. That person loves their oak trim & we should celebrate that with them even if it’s not what we want in our home. If susie wants to paint her oak trim lime green, it’s in Susie’s house so I’m going to say “You go girl! Get down with your bad self.” Now, if susie comes in MY house & paints my trim lime green? Well, then Susie & I are going to have a problem & I will say “Hey Susie, lime green trim isn’t my style for our house, put the paint brush down!” Do you see the difference? I think we just need to learn to scroll past something we don’t love & not say anything at all or encourage people on their creative journey. It hurts less feelings & it doesn’t put a damper on someones day. Ok, I’m off my soap box, but yesterday’s Instagram fiasco of 2016 about me painting over some oak had me up in arms because I truly want everyone to explore their creativity & do what they love… I hope I can encourage that in all of you whether you like my style or not, but negative comments aren’t encouraging in any way, shape, or form. No one benefits from them, not even the author. Of course we want to create conversation in the comments & sharing of what we love & giving constructive opinions, but we could avoid the “You are so dumb for painting over that beautiful oak” comments, those suck. I just feel like sharing our farmhouse makeover isn’t going to be that much fun for everyone if we can’t just agree to disagree & enjoy the makeover process. I love you guys & my absolute passion in life is blogging & I want it to be fun for everyone & for no ones feelings to get hurt.
Products I used for this project… 
Anyways, back to the dining room progress. Apparently I had a lot on my heart.. but I was feeling all the feels tonight. Before I primed the trim & beadboard I cleaned the walls with some TSP that I found at our local hardware store, but you can order it [here]. TSP is the BEST thing to clean wood surfaces before you paint them. It removes grease, grime, mildew and food stains, crayon, smoke, old wallpaper paste and wax from painted or unpainted wood, metal or vinyl wallpaper to help bond paint to surfaces. I then used one layer of Kilz [find it here] with my favorite Purdy brushes [here] over all of the trim to give a good base for the paint we will be using. More updates on that later. This is one quick thin layer of primer & that’s all I really needed. Next stop… the paint train & figuring out what we are going to do with these floors. They are in very rough shape, have lots of glue & paint on them, but we have a few ideas. What do you think we should do with the floors? I know the room looks rough now after we ripped it all up, but we are on our way to it looking like a dreamy space that we will enjoy for years. I can’t wait to put our dining room table in here & decorate it. But, we have to get through the ugly to get to the pretty right? Love you all & I truly hope my blog is your happy place for a few minutes a day. Be sure to follow me over on Facebook & Instagram for behind the scenes of our farmhouse makeover. xx
Read about how we found the original flooring in the dining room [here]
Take the full video tour of our farmhouse [here]
* Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links, but as always, ALL opinions are 100% my own.
Oh I so agree with you! My Mum always used to say to me: “If you haven’t got something nice to say, don’t say anything at all” and it is so true. Decorating your home the way you want is fraught with doubts about whether you’re doing the right thing (at least for me it is – I feel a certain sense of responsibility not to ruin the house – it has been around since the 1850s and we are just caretakers in its lifetime), without people criticising. I recently posted about our bedroom renovation where we removed some 50s glass from the internal wall and boarded it up and plastered over the area, because the 50s look just didn’t work with an old miner’s cottage, and because it really wasn’t my style, and someone commented that I had ruined a beautiful architectural feature and I should be careful what else I ruin! I couldn’t believe it! And not a single nice thing about all the good stuff we have done (because honestly, it’s a huge improvement whether you like my decor style or not). Thanks for posting this and for being brave enough to say it. xx
My home is my happy place. I’ve spilled blood, sweat and tears over this place to make it my own. When we bought our old farmhouse, it hadn’t been touched in about 100 years…or at least it felt like it. I peeled off so many layers of wallpaper, layers of flooring and painted everything mostly white. My house is old….it has crooked walls and squeaky floors, but I love it! It’s Me. I don’t decorate for my mother or my friends….I listen to input from my husband and children….but in the end….it’s MY ideas. I grew up with antiques and my parents would never DREAM of painting anything made from oak or walnut…..and for many years I followed that same path…..but I realized after some time that if I painted that oak trim ….or if I painted that old dresser….that it would make me even HAPPIER. I still love antiques and there are some things for values sake that I wouild never paint….but those are MY opinions for MY home and MY furniture. Not someone elses. Everyone NEEDS to be creative in their own way. I may not want that for my home….but that’s where individuality comes from. Let’s not destroy someones creative process with our words. This world is rough enough without hurtful words to someone trying to find their HAPPY place. I have followed your blog for a long time and I’ve so enjoyed your honesty and for putting yourself out there with your beautiful style! I love everything you’re doing to your farmhouse! From someone who’s been there.
Please keep doing what pleases you. I am enjoying the transformation and am so happy you are sharing it. I agree with the comments above and your judgement call on making your own choices. This is YOUR home! Do what makes you happy!! Have fun and…..hopefully spilled paint and broken vases won’t be a common occurrence..(smile)
I’m sorry some people can be so rude online. I am SO excited to get to follow along on your progress on this farmhouse and I really hope it doesn’t prevent you from sharing this journey with us!
I was probably going to suggest painting the dining room floors – especially since I saw in one picture that there was a hole near the kitchen door that would probably be pretty hard to match, but the question is, would you continue it all the way to the front door since they’re all on the same sight line? And then, is the foyer flooring the same as what’s in the living room next to it? Maybe pull up everything before making a decision since it all flows together?
Best of luck and cannot wait to see the updated exterior!!
It’s too bad people think they have the right to tell you what to do in your home! Paint away. I personally am not crazy about oak, and I love painted woodwork so I’m on your side. Now the floors – the thing I worry about if you refinish them is there are some pretty big spaces between the boards that will get filled with dirt. I don’t know how to fix that but maybe you do? I’m sure once they are cleaned, the would look awesome refinished. I would be hesitant to paint them since they are in a dining room. Of course you could always put a rug under the table and chairs. It’s the cracks that I’d be concerned with. Keep us posted!
It makes me sad that people have to stoop to that level. It’s your home and you should do whatever your heart desires! Can’t wait to see the final results!
In regards to the flooring, I think you will be amazed at what a little sanding will do. All the glue and gunk would be “surface” level I imagine, so you could simply sand the floors down and stain/seal as you please! It’s when you get into deep stains, pet stains, etc. that sanding them down may not be enough to bring them back to life…although you can typically go with a darker stain and be okay. 🙂 We had the floors redone in our older home, and our “wood guy” kept emphasizing how priceless the wood floors in old homes are…the new stuff just doesn’t have the quality and character old floors do.
I have followed your blog for the longest time, even when you were in your first home here in North Carolina. I have always desired to meet you, and to be honest I was a bit envious of you.
Not because of the things you have but because you have the motivation I need! I hope to one day own a store, a beautiful farmhouse, and a successful blog but until that time and the Lord is willing I will live vicariously through you.
I also love painted wood! It is your home! I agree, if you want your trim to be lime green in your home, paint it!
I cannot wait to see all your updates in your new home!
OMG it’s looking so great already! Light and bright!
I totally relate to your comments about painting over trim. I have a post about painting shortcuts and the main picture is me painting trim. Good God. You’d think I was dangling my child out a three-story window, Michael Jackson-style. I always cringe when I see new comments come through because I just know it’s someone talking about how I’m RUINING the trim. IN MY OWN HOME. Gah. Makes me so mad, because it’s my house. I own it. I can do what I want.
So keep on doing you. You have so many fans like me, who love everything you do.
Liz Marie,
I’m so sorry people had to ruin your excitement. I would have painted the trim too! Design would be so boring if everyone kept the “oak trim.” Difference in style is what keeps design evolving and changing. If we all liked the exact same thing there would be no style. Keep it up girl you are doing an amazing job! Love watching you transform your farmhouse.
-Kayla
Haters are gonna hate no matter what, nothing we can do to change that. You handled yourself and the situation very well, good job!
I am a newbie to your blog, and I am in love with it! You are living my dream of buying a farmhouse with acreage, and the fact that you and your hubby have the skills to fix most of it up yourself is such a bonus! You dining room is going to look amazing, it is so much brighter already. I am so excited that you are taking us along on this journey with you, thanks!
~ Steph
I live in an 1875 Victorian. We are trying to restore the original pine plank subfloors, which are being used as the existing floor, but in pretty rough shape. We have to piece in some new boards, sand them and stain them, but I think they’ll be great. I’m really excited to see what you do with your old floors because I’m not the best at DIY and I’m nervous about this project. We’ve lived in our house for two years and didn’t paint any of the oak trim & staircase because the previous owners took painstaking effort to strip the paint off. I have tried for two years to appreciate the wood. And I love beautiful old wood. But the wood in our house is an awful honey orange color and incredibly beat up. I feel guilt about it but I’ve decided I’m going to paint it, because it’s MY HOUSE. I know I’ll love it more painted and I feel like I’ve given it two years to grow on me. Ha! I also have an old old old piano we got for free and the finish is in really rough shape. I want to paint it but I’ll probably try to refinish the wood first. Anyways, it’s always fun to watch your progress. I can’t believe how fast you make changes! I wish I had the time and my hubby was as much of a confident DIY-er as your hubby.
Hi Jennifer!
Don’t be envious… I truly wish my brain would shut off sometimes haha. The only way I get through a day is coffee and Jesus. I hope you open your store one day.. it is truly a labor of love & brings a lot of joy to our lives, but not much sleep again haha. We do have struggles in a lot of areas of our lives with a lot of things & I think God is showing us that everything is in His time and not ours. I pray your timing for all you desire here on earth comes very soon <3 xx Thank you for your lovely words this morning & thank you for reading my blog.. it really means the world to me.
I think it’s fine if you want to delete comments, but don’t do it because those comments might influence your readers, because that works both ways. If you’re concerned that comments that say painting wood is bad could influences your readers, then by that logic, you saying you like painted wood will also influence them. So it goes both ways. People can think for themselves. For the record, I’d def paint the wood too! Just wanted to show you a different side to your reasoning – if you want to delete comments because they’re rude, fine. But I don’t like to think you’re doing it to control the narrative. Excited to see more of your transformation with this house!
I have never commented on your blog before, but I’ve been following along for quite some time. I want to tell you to keep doing you because you rock! I happen to love your style, but that’s not really the point I want to make. Opening up yourself and your home to the big wide internet is risky because people can be mean. However, I am constantly inspired by you and your blog. Even seeing the way you are handling mean comments is inspiring to me. Having never even met me, with each new post, you are encouraging me to pursue my own creative endeavors! Thank you! Keep it up!
After 40 years of caring for my hard rock maple dining room furniture, I painted it white and distressed it. A guest in my home told me I had ruined the furniture. She asked, Who would want it when you die? GASP! Really ! then I started to laugh. I told her a lot of people would want it but since I would be finished with it at that point I did not care. Every time I walk into my dining room with its shades of white, I feel so at peace and it looks so clean, even when it is not. I am glad you are doing your thing while you are young. I let people influence me for most of my life. Now I am doing exactly as I want. Everyone should have that choice. Keep up the good work.
Thank you for sharing and I love the farmhouse. I know that it will be just as beautiful as your last home. I do not have a blog but I am a follower of a lot of blogs. I don’t understand why some people feel the need to make negative comments. I totally agree with your post that although they may dislike what another person does they definitely should keep their negative thoughts to themselves. I am from Alabama and I was raised to “kill them with kindness” even if you don’t like it. I look forward to seeing all you will do in the farmhouse.
Get down with your bad self ( and white paint) Liz! You do you. Your style is impeccable. More power to those who love to keep wood stained and also to those who love to paint it. We got a lot of flack for painting our oak trim in our home but I am SO thrilled with the result. It’s black and stunning. You do you! The internet haters need to focus on something else and try being a little more positive in life. It will do them some good.
That beautiful home was on the market for how long, available to how many “never paint wood” purists before you bought it? I knew you would receive a ton of criticism for painting the “sacred” oak. I am the daughter of a former antiques dealer and furniture refinisher. I know of nothing that can be done with paint, that can’t be un-done with paint stripper at some future point. And the person who decides to do it, will feel just as much a sense of pride and personal accomplishment as you feel today in making that beautiful home YOURS. Underneath all the primer and paint, it’s still oak trim, protected from moisture, mildew and the sun. It beats me why people cannot listen to the heart, and share your joy in your home, instead of trying to kill that joy. Keep on trucking, it’s going to be fantastic!
I’m so very sorry someone(s) hurt your feelings and put you in all the feels. 🙁 I’m not one to paint wood a lot, but I think the wood bits you have painted look absolutely lovely afterward, and even if they didn’t look nice to me (again they always do), it is your home and if you love it that is all that matters! It’s scary enough sometimes to make a decorating step, and negativity doesn’t mix well with creativity! I’m so glad you showed us the “ugly” stage of your dining room make-over. I think that is part of the fun, and seeing other people going through the ugly stages helps when one is in the middle of their own makeover and feeling like its going all wrong, and nobody else’s makeovers look like this. 🙂 Beautiful rooms are a process! If we all focused on ourselves being as beautiful on the inside as we worry about our homes being beautiful on the outside, our creativity will flourish! hugs to you!
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