Remember that old wallpaper we found after demoing the chair rail in our dining room turned third bedroom? Well, over the past couple of weeks we’ve uncovered some other “interesting” design choices made by the original owners.
For instance, when the kitchen cabinets came down we found this toothpaste green paint under the sink:
And when the floor guys took up the layers of linoleum on Monday, they revealed the original faux-brick flooring (to match the faux-brick backsplash, maybe?):
I can’t even wrap my mind around how this floor and the paint looked with the knotty pine cabinets and “green monster” appliances. But the kitchen wasn’t the only room showcasing questionable patterns and colors. This wallpaper reared it’s ugly head from behind a heating vent in the half bath:
It’s actually pretty fun to find these “hints of the house’s past.” I wonder what else we’ll uncover.
Heather Canova says
There must have been a serious fake brick trend going on in the 70’s because my parents had the same kitchen floor!! You just unearthed many fond memories of dropping something on the floor and then not being able to find it due to the dark business. I wonder how many other people have had that exact flooring…weird.
YoungHouseLove says
Hysterical. Somewhere someone in California is probably uncovering the same faux-brick flooring as it seems to have been all the rage back in the day. Thanks for the comment. Smoooch!
Elizabeth says
OMG…too funny. We didn’t have faux brick, but in our brand new in 1977 house my mom put some very Moorish looking dark brown and harvest gold ultra patterned flooring down in the kitchen and if you ever dropped anything you actually had to lay down and look across the floor with one eye closed to find it!
Ahh…memories.
Alisha says
I have been reading your blog for quite a few months now and i love it. I decided to read the archives and came across this post. I had to post a comment on your “faux” brick floor. I had this “faux’ brick floor in my VERY old house as well. It was the most horrible stuff to remove but I was so happy to say fairwell.
YoungHouseLove says
That’s too funny! Love that it was once a “staple” back in the day!
xo,
s
ESBlondie says
Holla Hey! We had the same flooring in our kitchen. What are the odds :)
http://adventuresixtwelve.wordpress.com/2011/09/28/follow-the-red-brick-floor/
YoungHouseLove says
Haha- too funny!
xo,
s
Angela L says
Oh, how I wish my floors were faux-brick! Then I could (more easily) rip them up and put down something else. But no, I got blessed with *real* brick floors in my den and entryway/hall. I can’t imagine the major demolition it’ll take to get rid of them. I’ve been trying to decorate my den, and the brick floor thwarts me at every turn. No color seems to work with these floors. I’m at a complete loss. Any ideas? :)
YoungHouseLove says
The two things that come to mind are either painting them (you can use our “How to Paint A Brick Fireplace” tutorial, but use floor paint instead of regular paint) or, if possible, maybe run new floor over them.
-John
Angela L says
Thank you for the suggestions! I’d never even thought of painting the floor. I’ll have to look into that!
I know eventually (probably in 5+ years) we’ll replace the brick with hardwood, but it’d be nice to have a temporary fix.
Michelle says
I really really loved seeing the before photo with the avocado green stove. Because…. wait for it… we got one of those when I was a kid!!!! I think my mom might still have it tucked away (not working) somewhere. The best part of that was the MICROWAVE on top!!! OMG A MICROWAVE!!!
I still remember putting a frozen loaf of bread in there to defrost, and it had a wire tie closing it with a metal wire and… the frozen loaf caught on fire! I was probably 9 years old. OH MY GOSH FIRE!! THE MICROWAVE IS ON FIRE!!! (not really, just the bread).
That being said, I do not want one of those stoves NOW.
Michelle says
PS. The bread caught on fire in maybe 1977? Old Skool.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh my gosh, that’s hilarious!
xo
s
HeatherB says
Um, is that the same faux brick that is in your current kitchen?!
YoungHouseLove says
Yes! Isn’t that hilarious!!! Our first house’s dining room also had floral paper and blue trim just like this one!
xo
s