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Interiors International, Inc. For a girls room I would keep the floors as light as possible. You might consider a bleach and or white washed finish. It is a hot look and you can see it in Coastal living Magazine. Every issue has at least one house with them.

Mary Metzler Thank you so much for your imput. I love the idea. I am agonizing over this decision because our second floor is all carpet and eventually I would like to rip up the carpet and have the red oak floors refinished. I feel like I am making a stain choice for the whole second floor. We have six children and when they were young and crawling carpet was a good choice but soon I would like to change it . Do you still think I am able to use a bleach finish? Our home is a traditional Georgian style. Please help.

TanCalGal Complete a floor plan for room & closet. I like this one: http://www.ehow.com/how_7244848_set-room-layout.html

Finish wood floor the same as you would the flooring in rest of house. Probably a mid-tone. Not too dark, not too light.

Twin beds on East wall with a tiny table + lamp between. With floor plan, U might be able to move beds around and find a unique placement: say, 1 under North window & 1 under East window etc.

First choose bedding & area rug & then choose paint color for head boards and walls. I always tried to design a kid's room that will look good with unmade beds + have beds easy to make. I like this one. White walls and duvets and printed sheets & pillowcases + bright headboard.


Closet space will be a problem. With this room, I might paint the interior closet yellow + with white hangers. Closet is slightly deeper than most: move rod(s) forward and have bookcase behind for stuff?

Mary Metzler Love the suggestions! Thank you so much. I finally feel like I have some direction. Would you be able to recommend a minwax stain color? It seems as though everyone that I like is a custom mix and no luck on finding the make up. I was looking at the dark walnut but I thought it might be too dark. Any advice would be appreciated. The doors in the room are stained. Maybe I should try to match them.

TanCalGal Floor appears sanded and ready for the finish?

This is an article on choosing paint color. I'd follow the same steps for floor stain. Buy small can & test on a board or in closet. If U end up mixing 2 stains together keep track of % you have used for a pleasing color. Walnut is too dark. I'd try natural alone, and then Gunstock alone, and then a combination of the 2 to find the tone I liked. http://www.lindaholtinteriors.com/2011/07/testing-wall-color-101/

Don't match the doors. It is OK if doors are darker than floors. See photos. Hill Country Contemporary Pulp Design Studios

For even coverage of stain I think U need pre-stain wood conditioner then stain then polyurethane for protection.

Mary Metzler Floor is sanded and ready to go once I find a stain color. I love the colors of the floors that you posted. I wish I could find a exact match. Right now I am blending 1/2 special walnut and 1/2 dark walnut and adding just a little red mahogany. I am looking for a midtone rich brown color. That will look good throughout my home. I think natural is too light for my Chicago home but I will get a sample of gunstock also and try that. I really appreciate your help. This is a DIY job. My husband sanded floors and will be staining them. Maybe I could get him to do some test patches.

elklaker Have you tried Early American? It's always been a good choice when we refinished red oak floors.

TanCalGal Early American does look good.

Also, some begin with Fruitwood (instead of Natural) as a base and add other stains to that. Take your time so you end up with something you like.