Flooring covers a significant part of the visual space. Some clients want their floor to make a statement in itself; others prefer it blend into the background, allowing the furniture and accessories to stand out.
We specify flooring to suit aesthetic and practical needs, whether porcelain or stone, engineered oak, parquet or other timber flooring, luxury vinyl tile, carpets or rugs. This page shows examples from our more interesting installations.
Porcelain floors
Porcelain floor tiles have become more popular over recent years; they now offer greater variety and style than cheaper ceramic tiles. They are very easy to clean and are often mistaken for natural stone.
In this renovation, we laid porcelain tiles in an open-plan kitchen-diner with an anti-slip version of the same tile on the adjacent patio (they are actually the same colour). With the seamless appearance inside and out, the whole space feels bigger.
Porcelain is very practical in a kitchen, particularly over underfloor heating. It is also great in a bathroom, provided the sub-floor is rigid. You can read more about sub-floor preparation in porcelain tiles in a wet room.
Natural stone flooring
Some clients prefer a natural stone floor. It will need occasional maintenance – some are porous unless sealed, so you need to apply care products. As mentioned earlier, good quality porcelain looks like natural stone, without the maintenance issues.
Engineered timber floors
Engineered timber floors have a real timber wear layer (typically 5mm or so) with a plywood base giving stability for underfloor heating.
With this floor we aged the new engineered oak floor with paint effects then stencilled an interesting design before sealing. Look for extra-wide boards (220mm or so) which give a more satisfying look than standard width boards.
Boards from our suppliers undergo various processes to create different effects. Here, the oak was brushed and burned to give an aged appearance, absolutely perfect for the period house we were renovating.
Here we fitted engineered oak throughout the ground floor providing a uniformity to the space from the hallway to each reception room:
To avoid removing all the old boards, and to ensure a surface to secure the new floor, you can fit thinner overlay boards which look fantastic. Of course you may need to trim the doors into the room and replace skirtings but they can save money in the long run.
Laying over existing boards allowed us rotate direction to run the length of the room – more appropriate for the space. Replacing the boards would have meant laying on existing joists across the width. Here is how the room turned out:
Stripped pine
Stripping and sealing your existing boards is always an option, provided the flooring is in reasonable condition. Reclamation yards hold a stock of reclaimed boards so you can replace any in poor condition. You just need to check the widths and thicknesses to match the existing. Reclaimed pine usually match very well with existing boards, once the whole lot is sanded. You should then apply a wax seal or varnish; we prefer a flat matt finish, but these products come with various sheens.
Parquet flooring
Parquet flooring looks fantastic in both traditional and contemporary settings. We specify different styles to suit our overall design.
The craftsmen we employ finish parquet floors neatly around features such as fireplace hearths, doorframes, and thresholds.
Carpets
We love striped carpets, particularly on stairs; the first thing to catch your eye on entering a home. Note also the oak parquet at the foot of the stairs here.
Stripes also have a place in a contemporary bedroom:
Here is a dramatic black and white stair carpet runner in a monochrome decorative hallway.
For a bit more luxury, we specify a synthetic carpet with medium pile that appears to be absolutely lush, but is very cost-effective:
Rugs
Rugs are always a stylish way to dress a wooden floor. It breaks up the expanse of timber and helps with the acoustics. We would design the specific rug into the overall decorative scheme.
Luxury vinyl tile (LVT)
Vinyl floor tiles are great for bathrooms and kitchens, but can be expensive; so shop around as there are some very good, cost-effective options now on the market. We choose good quality tiles with bevelled edges to give the appearance of a stone tile and feature strips that give the impression of a grout line.
Vinyl tiles are easy to clean and can look very much like real stone or porcelain, without the need to stiffen a suspended sub-floor. They also feel warmer underfoot without underfloor heating.
Vinyl floors also come as wood-effect planks, which we specify for a warmer feel. Choose plank designs that don’t have an obvious pattern repeat otherwise it looks a bit fake.
Below, our supplier cut luxury vinyl tiles into 220mm hexagons for this home office and cloakroom that we converted from a disused garage.
Polished concrete
A specialist should finish a polished concrete floor. Here, we selected chippings for the top concreate layer that would eventually show through when the surface was polished and sealed. The choice of stone aize and colour will give the terrazzo floor its characteristic appearance.
Concrete works well over underfloor heating and retains its heat:
Flooring
This page has led you through the types of flooring that we specify, supply and fit for our interior designs. Flooring is a major investment so needs to be chosen to complement the other room finishes for a coherent and stylish look.
