Saga of Sticky Tile

So most people wouldn't stress about flooring.  Or the lack of one's chosen flooring.  They'd just suck it up and go with Plan B.

Not I.  I am not she.

I've used vinyl tile in many applications previous to The New House (we really gotta name him), in bathrooms, foyers, kitchens, etc.  It's a good material if you are:

a) looking for something quick
b) looking for something cheap
c) know it is going to be an interim solution

Vinyl tile turned up our choice as we needed something that ticked all 3.  We will eventually be reno-ing the laundry room and hall bathroom, however in the meantime, I need not bad 1990s builders grade lino.  You dig?

I checked out Armstrong.  Maker of all vinyl tile I had previously used.  Fell in LURVE with Armstrong Fairfax Peat.  No problem right?  I'd head down to the Home Depot and pick me up some vinyl love.

No can do.

I guess Canadians have a bit more of a love for vinyl tile.  Maybe it's the snow and ice?

Calgary's Home Depots are filled with aisle after aisle of choice.  My trip to Home Depot went a little something like this:

1st lap around the store: Hmmm...gotta be here somewhere, wouldn't it be in flooring?
2nd lap around the store: I wonder if it's in the kitchen cabinet section....
3rd lap around the store: Maybe I should ask someone, oh wait there it is.  Is this it?  10 choices?  WTH!??

10 choices.  Who does that?  And 8 of them were fugly.

And for the record, this is the absolute first time I have ever encountered a smaller selection of items in any American store as compared to it's Canadian counterpoint.  (Hockey Skates don't count)

I went home defeated.  Life was ruined, what ever was I going to do?  TO THE INTERNET!  There are a million and one flooring stores online that offer discounted flooring options like hardwood, and engineered hardwood and laminate and ....... not vinyl tile.  Serious, 4 hours later and I was still looking.

Oh I could find all kinds of styles that would make me rather have plywood floors that were fine for other applications, but nothing that quite cut the mustard.

Many days and trips to Home Depot, Ace, Local Flooring Places and Desperate Google Searches later I tried the one location of Lowes I hadn't been to yet.  It was near work, I needed to get out of the office on my lunch break.

And I found IT!  (OK well maybe not IT, but at least something I was enough happy with to finally decide upon).  And there was one left.  Not one case, not one box, but one single tile.  *sigh  That does seem to be my luck.

 And so the saga continues....