Updating wood floor

[GinAndOnIt]

We have varnished wood parquet floor in the kitchen, but it's very dated. It's a very yellow-y/orange colour, and I want it dark brown.

When we had a carpenter here fitting the shutters, he said I could scrub it with something and then varnish over it, but I can't remember what he thing he said to scrub it with. Something similar to a green dish sponge I think. Anyone got any ideas?

I'm not interested in sanding it or buffing it with a hired tool, I just want something to make sure the next coat of varnish will actually paint on.

I have read somewhere that you should 'embrace' a small, dark space by using dark colours to make it feel small and dark. But I kind of think that works better in a stately home rather than a 3 bed semi

shove I must update the garden thread. DP worked so hard over the weekend and gave me a lovely David Austin rose as an extra birthday present. I still haven't finished planting the bulbs though

Searching Pinterest for " small hallway " gives lots of ideas

Oh, I can't wait to see what you've done with the garden gin. What rose did you get? You could pretty much throw darts in the David Austin catalogue and come away with something beautiful. They are all so lovely.

We must have birthdays close together - mine's today! (Thanks for the good wishes Kristina!)

Ah happy birthday!

Gin, that pic of parquet plus utility room that you put up is exactly what we have. We have the utility off the hall and have those quarry tiles that you have and then the parquet, just as your pic shows. I agree that the tones don't work great together but they've both been down over 40 years so we're not shifting them now.

That said, we're probably not looking for the same vibe in terms of décor as you are. Our house is a victorian farmhouse (big red quarry tiles in kitchen also). We buy most of our furniture second-hand or DP makes it. Currently on the lookout for an antique coat and umbrella stand and an antique cabinet to house our collection of maps for the hall. Nicer in my opinion and often cheaper than buying new. Oh, and probably get a brand new mirror.

Then the hall will be finished, yellow floor and all. It will take a while because I like the process of looking for things.

Next year: Upstairs bathroom

I don't think we've bought a single piece of furniture yet, it's all inherited DP has a list of things to build, but he has no time at all to do it. The poor sod has just taken four days off work to clear the garden.

We're probably not that dissimilar in decor choices kidnapped

Ooh I'd love some inherited furniture . I don't know it I should be or because you have lost a loved one .

I'll go for

It's very annoying though, as both DP and I were given the option of free rein in two grand old houses to pick whatever we wanted, but neither of us picked anything at the time because we didn't have anywhere to live. (I was a live-in nanny and he still lived at home)

Luckily, MIL grabbed a few things and held onto them for us and gave us some of her stuff too (she's still alive!!) so we were very lucky. DP has a few very elderly aunts and uncles too who have very kindly given us furniture as they don't use it anymore. I think the other family members were probably offered it all too, but some of them are rather fussy, and I imagine wanted to buy all brand new stuff. How boring

I do like it though, when people say 'oh where's your table from?' (For example) and I can pull out a picture of DP as a baby sat in his highchair next to said table

Good for MIL