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As I walked through a small, 1900 Edwardian apartment, one of nine I was recently asked to remodel/renovate, I could not help noticing the detail in the floor. Light stained, four inch wide hard pine planks flow throughout the space with a simple detail of a half inch wide strip of dark stained oak, about four inches away from the baseboards, border the edge. My main objective is to preserve the floors and keep the buildings period character.
Creating handsome hardwood floors actually started way before Queen Victoria had a historical age named after her. In the late 1600’s, looking to find a way to replace marble floors that would rot the joists in the subflooring when washed, the French mastered the art of parquetry, which is a decorative geometric mosaic of wood. The most popular design since then copies a textile weaving technique known as herringbone. This style is a V-shaped pattern usually found in twill fabrics. Other patterns are basket weave, brickwork or even trellis inspired designs. Translated to hardwood floors, parquetry is as beautiful in today’s homes as it was in Versailles in 1684.
A lesser used method of woodworking is marquetry which is an Italian based form that began in the 16th century as well where an artisan creates a mosaic pattern using curved or free flowing forms. This technique is usually found as an art form where the outcome is of a picture. But this technique can be used in hardwood floors to create wave patterns or follow the shape of a curved wall.
Using the French and Italian method of laying hardwood floors as our foundation, we can get as creative with our floors as our imagination allows. If you love high detail, sit down with a highly trained hardwood flooring contractor to draw up you own patterns. But if you like strong impact with less details you can simplify the patterns by laying your planks on a diagonal or request your contractor to use a different species of wood on stair risers than what is being used on the stair treads (or steps).
So when you are considering hardwood floors, think outside the proverbial design box. Some people use fabrics, others waves in the ocean and yet others simple geometry as inspiration for their floors. What will your hardwood floors look like?
Creating handsome hardwood floors actually started way before Queen Victoria had a historical age named after her. In the late 1600’s, looking to find a way to replace marble floors that would rot the joists in the subflooring when washed, the French mastered the art of parquetry, which is a decorative geometric mosaic of wood. The most popular design since then copies a textile weaving technique known as herringbone. This style is a V-shaped pattern usually found in twill fabrics. Other patterns are basket weave, brickwork or even trellis inspired designs. Translated to hardwood floors, parquetry is as beautiful in today’s homes as it was in Versailles in 1684.
A lesser used method of woodworking is marquetry which is an Italian based form that began in the 16th century as well where an artisan creates a mosaic pattern using curved or free flowing forms. This technique is usually found as an art form where the outcome is of a picture. But this technique can be used in hardwood floors to create wave patterns or follow the shape of a curved wall.
Using the French and Italian method of laying hardwood floors as our foundation, we can get as creative with our floors as our imagination allows. If you love high detail, sit down with a highly trained hardwood flooring contractor to draw up you own patterns. But if you like strong impact with less details you can simplify the patterns by laying your planks on a diagonal or request your contractor to use a different species of wood on stair risers than what is being used on the stair treads (or steps).
So when you are considering hardwood floors, think outside the proverbial design box. Some people use fabrics, others waves in the ocean and yet others simple geometry as inspiration for their floors. What will your hardwood floors look like?
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| A great example of the herringbone pattern in the parquetry technique. A great way to add depth to any interior. I also love the light bleached finish. |
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Using a traditional herringbone pattern for this floor works well with the modern kitchen.
Another great herringbone pattern floor. Some additional details here are the how the different sections are bordered with the same species. The next details are stair risers which are the same painted white as all the moulding throughout. You don't have to make both the stair tread and the riser the same species or even the same material.
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| Mixing different species of wood is a masterful way of creating different areas within the same room without having to use rugs. With floors like this you would not want to cover them . |
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The different geometric patterns joined together here make the floors almost three dimensional. I love how the pattern pops out at you.
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Great example of a basketweave pattern.
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Squares, squares, squares. Probably not for everyone, but I like the detail and craftsmanship that went into creating this pattern.
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Awesome example of marquetry in a contemporary home. I love how the detail in the floor follows the curve of the glass block wall.
The parquetry floors in this kitchen are a great accent and coordinates well with the dark cabinetry and other wood work. The floors finish the warm and regal pedigree of this traditional interior.
| Lots of beautiful craftsmanship went into this hardwood floor. Notice in the lower level floor the the vertical pattern and the two strips of dark border to the right. The stair risers match the two dark strips and the top floor of the kitchen is laid out in the straight pattern. |
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In two different houses I've lived in, the renovation contractor has swiped out original WIDE pine boards from the attic space and had them refinished to use in the main part of the house. In my childhood home (circa 1810), they were to repair and match up with existing pine planks, and in my current home (circa 1920), they were used to build my kitchen counters, mantle, a nook table and mantlepiece. It's a great sneaky way to find beautiful boards in older homes.
www.woodfloors4u.co.uk