Paper Bag Flooring

To lower the allergen load, I tore out the carpet in my bedroom and bathroom. Very helpful! But that was three months ago, and 'particle board subfloor chic' is getting really old. Even if I used pathetically cheap $1 sq.ft. laminate, I just don't have the $250 to spend on the floor right now, so the plan was to paint it a soft tan-white for a cottage-y look. I've been hesitating, knowing that such a uniform color would show every last speck of dirt.

Then I remembered an article I'd read about making flooring from brown paper bags. Googled it, found a bunch of articles and pictures, and thankfully the directions were all the same. Tear paper bags or brown construction paper, crinkle it, spread polyurethane on the back, lay it down, overlapping pieces to cover the floor. Size and amount of overlap determines the texture, whether large, stone-like pieces or smaller, uniform leather-like texturing. Add several coats of poly on top for a durable finish. What a cool idea! I'll post pictures once it's done.