We recently had the pleasure of working with a wonderful new client who was moving to Rancho Santa Fe from Orange County. She had just purchased a charming fixer-upper that came with an unbeatable price — but also with plenty of original features and remodels dating back to the late ‘70s. Naturally, the home’s dated style wasn’t quite aligned with the fresh, modern look this young family had envisioned.
During our design consultation, we brought along a selection of beautiful, light, natural-toned vinyl plank flooring options. It didn’t take long for her to fall in love with Parkway from the Gemcore Sapphire collection — a stunning color that perfectly blended timeless elegance with the modern, airy feel she wanted for her home.
For this first phase of the renovation, the family focused on updating the bedrooms and family game room before tackling larger projects like the kitchen and main living areas. With young children at home, vinyl plank flooring made perfect sense — it’s durable, cost-effective, and easy to keep clean, making it ideal for busy family life.
However, working on older homes often comes with its own set of challenges. This particular property, built on a terrace, had extremely uneven concrete subfloors. Before any flooring could be installed, we spent over a week carefully pouring self-leveling compound and grinding high spots to create a stable, level foundation. It’s work that often goes unseen, but it’s absolutely critical — because sadly, we get calls every week from homeowners asking us to fix buckling or shifting vinyl plank floors that were installed over poorly prepared subfloors. The only true fix in those cases? Removing everything and starting fresh — a costly and frustrating experience that professional prep work can prevent.
We also recommended replacing the outdated door casings and baseboards. The originals had been installed over carpet and left unsightly gaps once the flooring was removed. Instead, we upgraded to clean, modern Craftsman-style trim and matching door casings, giving the home a fresh architectural detail that complements the new flooring beautifully.
One final detail: when the stair moldings arrived, we noticed they didn’t quite match the flooring’s tone. Rather than settling, we custom-fabricated new stair nosings from the actual flooring material itself. Not only did this create a seamless look, but the eased edge design also provided a stronger, safer finish — especially important for families with young kids. Stair trim failure is more common than many realize, and we often recommend this custom solution for clients who want both safety and style.
In the end, this Rancho Santa Fe project turned into something truly special — a thoughtful blend of practical solutions and design-forward upgrades, all tailored to the client’s vision and lifestyle.
If you’re planning your own renovation — especially in an older home that needs extra care and expertise — we’d love to help. At San Diego Flooring Pros, we bring years of professional experience, an eye for design, and a commitment to quality that ensures your flooring isn’t just beautiful today but remains so for years to come.
Contact us today to start your flooring journey with a team that does it right from the ground up.