Weekend Progress - Installing Hardwood

So this weekend we installed hardwood in the new huge dining room/library. (I say library because I still want to have bookshelves along the entire back wall. Someday.) We have never done a room this huge before and it is much harder. Simply because the rows are neverending.

We are installing the same floors as upstairs. Natural oak, 2.5", semi gloss. But this time around I wanted integrated air vents. Go ahead feed sorry for my hubby. He's the one installing these babies.

BUT they look gorgeous. Just look at those pictures!!! And the chevron pattern on the right we could not have done better if we had tried to match things on purpose. While these vents are definitely a lot of work, they are absolutely worth it!

Because of all the tools we use, we like to keep the floors covered as much as we can. There's still a tiny sliver left to finish, but all in all the entire room is done. I've painted it Gray Owl at 50% (I always paint before the floors go in) and we love it. What a difference from HERE.

I am a bit (ok, a lot) paranoid that the hardwood (3/4") and plywood (5/8") have raised the floor too much. With our very low ceilings I'm always worried about height. But we decided that floor stability is worth the price. And I'm hoping those bookshelves I"m planning along the back wall will give us the vertical lines we need.

Aside: Pardon my toes. It is hot here and I'm having insane water retention issues. Cannot image how I would have managed this heat prego!

Neither the floor nor my toes are actually that red. Just saying...

Hubby had the genious idea to install a separator strip between the kitchen and dining room. In part because if the hardwood were to get ruined in the kitchen we could remove and replace it without messing with the floors in the dining room. We really love this detail. It is a subtle way to separate spaces. I'm thinking we should do the same thing in the living room next weekend.

Something I"m wearing. Love my turquoise in the summer! Especially if I get to mix up silver and gold.