This next project was going to unify several of my most recent efforts with a new floor that matched my FRONT DOOR, FRONT STAIRS, LIVING ROOM and also would tie together a kitchen done a few years ago.  Ever since my walnut and mahogany front door went in, I have become a bit of a lumber snob.  The door project was a massive one and it had a pretty profound impact on the house.  I followed that up with a maple and mahogany staircase restoration.  That too was followed up with a living room rehab.  All that remained was several hundred square feet of flooring that would stitch these rooms together in a unified field of maple. 

I wanted to include some mahogany details in the floor to match the other work we had done.  So I was off to Highland Hardwoods for some overly priced lumber.  Highland is a great place to buy lumber if you also like to buy really expensive shoes or jewelry.  I like to buy neither, but I can understand that boutiquey experience of seeing few options of beautiful things elegantly displayed before you. Highland is similar.  The wood they have is fairly exotic.  Ipe, african mahogany, black walnut, etc etc.  It is all sold by the board foot and before you’ve even done the calculation, you know your getting hosed. 

I stocked up on ‘select grade’ maple in two widths and enough mahogany to pull of some sort of detail, yet to be designed.  After laying lots of the maple and mahogany, my snobbery actually went up a notch.  I decided that the ‘select’ grade was not good enough to sit along side my new FRONT STAIRS.  So I was back to the lumber yard to get ‘clear grade’.  At the time of my first order, I didn’t know a grade existed above ‘select’.  I mean what the hell is so select about it if there is a grade higher?

As always Doug did a great job fitting and finishing the tricky parts.  I found a guy named Chad Merrill to do the sanding and poly.  He did real nice work and got it all done in 2 days.  Before my travels I was able to finally moved in, culminating a one year effort on my living room.  Now I just need a flat screen TV and a Mies DAY BED.

Check out some pictures HERE