School Room Reclamation Project: Days Something Or Other

I don't remember what day the flooring took place, but I do know that I behaved in a matter most unbecoming.

I'd scoped out laminate flooring at Lowe's, and settled on a cherry color (which, being the cheapest one there, drove my decision more than anything else). Ken went to go pick it up, but decided that he liked the customer service at Home Depot better, and decided, unknown to me, to go there instead. My last instructions to him before he left was, "Whatever you get, don't pick oak. I hate oak laminate. It looks stupid."

He came back an hour later with a van load of- guess what- oak laminate.

So I pitched a fit. I was ugly. I behaved in a shameful manner.

Ken ignored me, and began installing the hideous oak laminate anyway. By himself. In 90 degree heat.

I love that man.

He's installed so many laminate floors that by now he's a pro.

Plugging away. In 90 degree heat.

And then, something magical happened. I came downstairs to check on the progress of the ugly-oak-laminate-when-I-had-specifically-said-no-oak-laminate, and I began to notice things about it.

Like the fact that there were grooves in the laminate, giving it texture. Like the fact that it felt substantially studier than the cherry I'd picked out. That this combination meant that it would withstand far more Wrecking Crew punishment than my choice would have.

I don't think my camera picked up the texture in the floor. You know what would have picked up the texture in the floor?

Yeah, that's right.

And when the floor was all done, I realized that I loved it. I loved the color of the oak. I loved how it kept the room light and airy. I loved how it worked with the free cabinet. I loved how it played off the paint and the couch.

I hated that Ken was right, though.

Anyway, enough blabbering on. Here's the pictures you're really waiting for:

Desks, couch, and bookcases.

I love it I love it I love it!

Here is the gorgeous free cabinet that Ken fixed. It was the perfect place to store my absurd amounts of art supplies.

See? Every bit of craft material, neatly stored away!

I love my bookshelves. Ken questioned the addition of the doors, thinking they were "stupid", but in this case, I was right. Schoolbooks, no matter how well organized, always look messy.

See?

I have so much space! I still have an entire bookshelf that is mostly unused! I may be able to store all our curriculum for the next five years!

My desk.

The kids' desks.

The preschool area.

It is fantastic. It is 400 square feet of my dream schoolroom.

Now if it could just teach long division.....