floors
Lior wanted the floor throughout the property to feel like the original timber. First he removed the laminate and installed underfloor heating. Before laying engineered oak on top, he used an ageing technique on the boards, which involved putting them in a giant machine with chains and stones for a few minutes. The machine tumbles boards so they come out looking distressed and old. He then stained them dark with Old English oil. “The flooring on the stairs didn’t look old enough,” he says. So with his attention to detail, he went over each tread with a hammer.
Hone your stone If you want a smooth finish without the high polish, go for a honed travertine. By smoothing out the surface of this limestone variety, the natural pattern in the stone is allowed to shine through, and there is a subtle sheen without the surface being too slippery. Honed travertine can come in satin or more matt finishes, so choose the finish that will work best for you. Here, the honed travertine floor tiles give this kitchen a classic finish.
Give practical MDF a go If opting for a painted finish, MDF can offer a simple and economical alternative to solid wood. Medium-density fibreboard is constructed using fine particles of wood, compressed together with resin and wax, and the result is a smooth, strong, versatile, hard-wearing material. True, you don’t get the texture and appearance of natural wood but it’s a dream to paint and you don’t need to worry about blemishes such as knots showing through. It is ideal for painted joinery projects and looks great on panelling, as demonstrated in this hallway.
Lay cost-effective engineered wood A solid wood floor looks classy, but it can be expensive. A great alternative is engineered wood. These floorboards are constructed from layers of wood with a core layer of a substrate, such as plywood. The top layer is made of a hardwood and is usually around 2mm to 6mm thick. As a result, once the floor is laid, the effect is no different to a solid-wood board. The reduced amount of hardwood material per board means engineered boards tend to be better value than their solid equivalents. The boards are also more stable than solid wood: they’re more resilient to temperature and humidity changes, and have the benefit of being compatible with underfloor heating.
Revive tired floors A tight budget presented a challenge for Camilla Leech of Trunk Creative when it came to updating the laminate flooring of this converted school apartment. Her clever and purse-friendly solution involved rubbing down the laminate to key the surface, and treating it with a specialist industrial floor paint, like one you’d find in a garage. It gives the floor a rubbery feel. “The owner didn’t want ordinary floor paint and, besides, that would have worn off and produced a distressed finish, which he wasn’t keen on,” Leech told us. “This was a good solution and we used it everywhere except the bathroom.”
A small, floating study shelf with drawers provides a spot to catch up on emails and paperwork. The floors throughout the living space, hallway, bedrooms and study are whitewashed timber. “The clients wanted a hard-wearing, light timber floor, which eliminated most native Australian hardwoods commonly used,” says Joel Carr of Fido Projects. “We proposed and installed rock maple, a very hard light timber, in 180mm-wide boards, whitewashed and with a matt finish.”
Horizontal lines Choose repeating horizontal lines in the flooring, siding and even ceiling boards to make a room feel longer. Forgoing a rug is another helpful way to make your space feel bigger. Not having any visual interruption on the floorboards creates an optical illusion that your space is longer than it is.
Play with pattern Stripes don’t have to be plain. This inspiring idea uses a mixture of patterned tiles to create varying sized rows. The stripes add texture to an otherwise sleek bathroom. If you wanted to avoid pattern, you could achieve a similar design with different-coloured tiles from the same range.
Go for a one-piece Sheet vinyl is the perfect design tool for sleek, seamless flooring if you’re after a uniform look. It’s a tough, easy-to-maintain option for family life and can conjure up the look of concrete for a fraction of the price – and minus the installation hassles. The block colours of sheet vinyl are thoroughly contemporary and perfect for breezy, open-plan living.
Chevron design is recognised by its distinctive ‘V’ shape, with angled boards designed to fit together at the ends, and was frequently found in large, elegant buildings, particularly in France. These days, it’s a great design trick for smaller spaces, as it will create an optical illusion that your room is wider or longer than it actually is.
Lengthen your room As a rule of thumb, wooden floorboards look best when running in the same direction as the longest dimension in the room. This works well in a hallway, as laying your planks lengthways means the eye is drawn to the furthest point, leading you through this transitional space into the main house.
‘Cement tiles are hard-wearing – after all, they’ve survived all over the world for centuries,’ says Ezra. ‘But the secret’s in the sealing. It’s a porous tile and needs annual sealing. If left “raw”, it’s susceptible to staining.’ So, be prepared for some maintenance. In wet areas, the membrane must be completely waterproofed prior to installation and sealed once installed. Sealing tiles once a year may be not be convenient for some homeowners, who may prefer a non-porous (or vitreous) tile. Ezra recommends that the slip rating should be confirmed with the supplier before laying in wet areas, such as a bathroom.
Another reason for their attraction is that they are a ‘living’ tile that changes over time. Ezra says that although some may consider this a disadvantage and prefer a tile that stays bright and new-looking, the mellowness of a tile that ages gracefully is what makes them special. ‘If you don’t want the safe option of a mass-produced, unchanging tile with no maintenance needs, they are a dynamic and personalised choice,’ she says. ‘An attractive patina is more likely to develop outside, with exposure to wind, water and sun, or in high-traffic areas.’
Tiles are an excellent, sturdy choice for the hallway – they hold up well to heavy traffic – and there are endless patterns and colour choices available. Remember that tiled floors can be slippery when wet, so use a door mat with a rubber underside to prevent slips.
Instead of using poured concrete for the kitchen floor, Brown chose 1m sq concrete tiles so the grout lines would add subtle texture to the space. He also laid underfloor heating in this room, so the concrete is nice and warm on chillier days.
Maxara engineered oak floor
Banish threshold strips Removing doors between key living spaces is one thing, but most people would consider removing the bedroom doors a step too far! However, you can still create flow between sleeping areas and the rest of the house by forgoing threshold strips and using the same wood flooring on the landing and throughout all the bedrooms.
Paint the floor Whether you choose white or another light hue, painted floors can be a smart choice in the loft: They reflect more light than plain wood, and paint is a great finish for less-expensive wood flooring – a great help for staying on budget.
This beautiful solid-wood floor is made from oak bleached with lye and finished with a soap treatment. This is a technique popular in Scandinavia that lightens wood for a sophisticated, paler look. Here it adds to the light, airy feel in this modern dining room. Look for products in specialist flooring stores, or buy pre-treated boards.
Perfectly smooth, filled boards aren’t for everybody. In this striking Essex barn, these characterful rustic boards speak for themselves. The scratches, texture and gaps only add to the country vibe. A neatly laid, engineered-floor would have looked much more sterile in this context.
Don’t want to go for a bright ’n’ sparkling white-painted floor, but not too keen on wood either? One compromise could be whitewashing – using white paint thinned down with water (try a one-part water, two-parts paint mix). Unlike conventional, thicker painting, this lovely, pale effect allows the wood’s grain to peek through, and has a cottagey, homespun feel. Apply repeated coats until you get the look you require, then finish with a sealant to make it more durable.
A coloured painted floor can add real wow factor to a room. It also covers up a multitude of sins if your ancient boards are looking less than lovely. And it detracts from the dreaded ‘wood clash’, when you have too many tones of pine, oak and beech competing with each other. This flat, matt blue looks fabulous, and offers a sophisticated alternative to white. Choose a special floor paint designed for heavy traffic that will resist spills, stains, scuffs and scratches. Make sure you sand first, and fill any holes and cracks before you wield your paintbrush. Also check your tin to see whether you need to prime your boards first, and apply knot sealant so they don’t peek through.
A dark stain can look dramatic and elegant while still showing off the natural grain of original floorboards. In this bathroom, the chestnut floor looks stunning next to white sanitaryware. It’s a great solution if you don’t want to throw out your perfectly serviceable pine boards, but would prefer a different hue. Always experiment with stains by patch-testing on a spare piece of board or in an unseen area with different hues until you get the shade you desire. Try a dark oak or walnut hue, then finish with three coats of clear varnish for a glossy, grown-up look. Don’t be tempted to use coloured varnishes on very pale boards, as chips and scratches will show through.
White floorboards are ever popular and no wonder – they instantly brighten and freshen up a room, and can make it feel larger, too. These slim boards have been painted in a durable white floor paint for a Scandi-chic look that will last the distance. Think carefully before you commit to painting boards, however; once you’ve painted them, it can be hard to turn back (unless you fancy an epic sanding session!). TIP Whether you’re painting, oiling or varnishing, always make sure the floor is vacuumed, scrubbed and squeaky clean before starting. Remove any beading, edging or skirting to ensure a perfect finish.
High-gloss varnish not for you? If you prefer a natural, matt surface to your floorboards, try oiling them instead. Oiled floors can be easier to repair if damaged or stained – you can sand down the area that needs touching up and re-oil (rather than having to start from scratch). Instead of sitting on the surface, like varnishes and lacquers, oil sinks into the wood, adding another layer of conditioning. It’s a good idea to top up the oil every year or so to keep the floor pristine. Look for specialist Danish floor oils containing natural ingredients for a beautiful effect.
naturally pale wood, such as light oak, or choose wooden boards that have been washed or treated for a bleached-out effect.
The shagreen leather floor echoes the luxurious flourishes elsewhere in the flat, while the velvet headboard adds depth and texture. ‘The flooring is very special in this room – it feels heavenly underfoot,’ explains Irina. ‘The leather will soften and become even more beautiful with time.’ Japanese linen wallcovering, Phillip Jeffries. Velvet for headboard, Abbott & Boyd. Leather floor, Alma Leather.
Rob chose oversized ceramic tiles for the floor in the kitchen. ‘They measure 2.5m x 1.2m and, because they have very few joins, look a lot like polished concrete
Engineered wood Made from two lengths of wood veneer (typically 5mm thick) sandwiching a layer of birch ply, engineered boards straddle the gap between laminate and solid wood. They also come in wide measures. ‘Twelve inch-wide boards look great in a big room,’ says Andrew Petherick. ‘Many people are moving to engineered boards as they have the look of real wood but are stable,’ adds Jeremy Friendship. Pros ‘Engineered boards are flat, don’t expand or contract, and can take underfloor heating,’ says Andrew. ‘They’re also well sealed, so you can happily mop them.’ As the veneer is quite thick, they can be sanded to refresh them, and are a green choice as they contain less hardwood. Cons They lack some of the character of the real thing. Lacquered boards are sealed, so are robust, but the most authentic finish is raw, and these can get scratched and stained as with solid wood. They can be noisy.
Let your parquet take centre stage as the key feature of the room. Sticking to neutral walls, pale worktops and muted grey units has allowed this kitchen’s floor to stand out beautifully as the main attraction.
Work in warmth Imposing interiors can be calmed by a traditional parquet floor. These dark kitchen cabinets might look too harsh teamed with tiles or concrete, but the warm, matt parquet softens them up beautifully.
White it out Fans of minimalist, Scandinavian interiors can whitewash their parquet for a beautiful bleached-out effect. The light hue of the floor in this open plan kitchen-diner creates a fresh, breezy feel, but the character of the wood still shines through.
Tweak the finish There is no rule that says parquet should have a natural wooden finish. Sand, varnish to a shine or paint your parquet, as in this bedroom, for a contemporary twist on this classic flooring.
Mix ancient and modern The juxtaposition of man-made materials and aged natural ones can look amazing, as this scheme proves. The clean, modern walls and floor really showcase the time-worn door, which in isolation adds interest rather than visual noise, for a beautiful effect.
Add edge to a vanity unit Concrete can really come into its own in a bathroom, as it forms a single, seamless surface and can be modelled into any shape, even a sink. For a neat and easy way to incorporate a shot, swap a wood or composite vanity top for a chunky polished concrete one.
Unify with a single expanse of flooring It’s often tricky to link different zones in a large, open-plan space, and using the same floor finish throughout can really make a difference. This pale polished-concrete flooring helps the kitchen flow effortlessly into a dining area and on into the living space.
Ready to paint your floor but wary of going bold and bright? Try grounding the space with a neutral gray hue. It's still an unexpected color for a wood floor, but it has a nice, toned-down vibe.
plinten
"When we moved in, we wanted to do something new with the kitchen floor," says Ray. "The ceramic tile was worn out, but a total renovation wasn't in our budget." After doing some online research, the couple painted over the tile with garage-floor paint. After doing two coats of primer, they painted stripes through the hall and into the bathroom. Paint: Behr premium one-part epoxy concrete floor paint in White Base and Silver Gray, Home Depot
Plinths. Stones. Giet.
For something a little different, though, cork can be a great option, as it’s soft, durable and sustainable. In this bathroom, the team at Design Storey have laid a cork floor to provide the homeowners with a cushioned exit from the tub.
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