Spence came with me to the floor store. I love that place because there are many choices...too many to make a quick decision. The color scheme for my kitchen is clear to me....blue and white...like a cottage in the spring. I told the sales lady that I wanted recycled material if possible. Then I was distracted by beautiful handmade tiles. They are lovely.
The saleslady introduces us to something different: cork. Cork flooring isn't recycled, but it is a renewable material....and it doesn't come from a chemist's lab. They even make cork in colors...even a blue I like.
Playing with the samples, I learn that I can have cork tile in different sizes. That means that the pattern I liked in handmade tiles, can be duplicated in cork. Idea accepted.
I am making progress. The decision is made to lay a cork floor. The only missing piece is comparing cork to linoleum. That information isn't in yet. Both cork and linoleum are warm and resilient on the feet. I can have the colors I want. I can have a pattern on the floor. Both floors are from natural materials. That's what I want.
The estimate from the asbestos abatement people came in. I knew it would be high. I will go for it.
Now the tricky part: scheduling asbestos abatement, removal of my sink and range, and laying the new floor. The floor tiles have to come in at the right time. I don't want a ripped up floor for weeks, waiting for the new floor.