Above – My 1940’s cottage with solid wood floors
If you are building a new house or renovating, one way to add charm and character is with solid wood floors, I say “solid” as there are a few other options including engineered wood, however, if you want quality and durability, you can’t go past the beauty of solid wood. With the many types of wood finishes, I’ve written this post with hints on selecting the right look for your style of home.
Wooden floors have been around for centuries which proves their durability, they add character and warmth that carpet and tiles cannot. Wooden floors can look rustic or refined depending on the finish you choose. I live in a 1940’s brick cottage and lucky enough to have the original solid wood floors which have a durable gloss lacquer. I have lived in the house the past 8 years, it was renovated 4 years earlier, yet our floors are still looking great. The bonus of solid wood floors is that when my varnish eventually wears, the floors can easily be sanded back and varnished again or given a different finish. Our beach house however, has engineered wood floors with an oiled appearance, and although visually they look beautiful, they don’t have the quality or durability of solid wood flooring. If we need to sand them in the future, there is only a thin slice of the solid wood glued on top of a base plywood, which means it may only be able to be done once. It was a house and land package so at the time I had no choice, however should we build again I will definitely be investing in solid wooden flooring.
A Beach House
As for wide versus narrow, wider floor boards can make a space look bigger, narrow boards are a little more traditional, however they can make spaces feel a little smaller. A trick to make a narrow hallway look wider is to run slightly wider boards horizontally across the hallway. If you use narrow boards and run them adjacent to your skirting the hallway will appear longer but narrower. Extra wide boards such as 230 mm should be left for very large, open plan areas.
With regards to the finish for a beach house floor, they are more suited to a low sheen lacquer finish, although a lacquer can be damaged by sand on shoes so you could opt for a brushed and oiled finish. I would also suggest for a seaside location you choose floor boards that don’t have too much texture or distress so as not to trap sand.
Above: A slightly warmer shade with a satin (low sheen) finish. The tones of this wood remind me of sand and shells – Design by Issie-Mae Interior Design
A Country Cottage
A character cottage can take almost any colour floorboard. For a true rustic look you could choose a distressed finish in a medium to dark wood. Remember small spaces look better with lighter colours, larger spaces can take both. Personally I am not a fan of “knotty woods”, however this style is suited to a city or country cottage. If you like this look think about the size of the room as a lot of knots can look a little busy in a smaller space. A wider board with fewer knots will make a smaller space feel more spacious as long as you don’t exceed 180mm. If your cottage is small with little natural light, then I would avoid very dark toned wood, a white washed look will brighten it and make it appear larger. As for the finish, you can choose a distressed look or brushed and oiled for a more traditional finish. A low sheen or gloss finish will look more contemporary.
Above: Also by Skolnick Architecture & Design
Above: Narrow boards can look a little busy, in this case however they work well with the narrow ship lap on the ceiling above- Image via CapeRace Cultural Adventures
A Traditional Town House
Narrow herringbone can look amazing in a period townhouse or a new build traditional style home. Herringbone comprises of wood of equal size arranged in a zig zag pattern. The pieces are cut in perfect rectangles and then staggered so that the end of one plank meets the side of another. You need not carry the look through the entire house, more of a feature in an entry way or bathroom or a kitchen where you can add a border around the edge.
A large, traditional townhouse will look good with light to medium wood in a satin lacquer or brushed and oiled finish. Dark wood can look great too but I would go for a smooth, even toned wood without too much grain, definitely not something too rustic as you want to keep the elegance of a townhouse.
Above: Herringbone has been used in this entrance as a feature. The dining room has typical long run boards but the border around the herringbone determines where the two areas meet. – Image via Patterson Custom Homes
Above: This rich, dark flooring looks beautiful in a traditional style kitchen. For finishing wooden floors in a kitchen or bathroom it is best to consult the people you are purchasing your solid wood floorboards from as they will give you the best advice as to their products- Image via Susie Soleimani Photography
A Contemporary, Minimalist Style Home
In a minimalist home where there is a lot of space and a white palette, dark wooden floors can look amazing, be prepared for more cleaning as they show dust and dirt quickly, however they do make a fantastic statement. Very dark wood flooring can look beautiful against a white kitchen.
A contemporary home is more suited to the smooth look of a brushed and oiled finish, unless you want a contrast of texture, you may then opt for a rustic look and I would suggest an antique hand distressed finish such as the one below.
Above: Dark floors make a statement – Image via Rodriguez Studio Architecture PC
Above: Image via Hingeworks Cabinetry and Construction.
Above: A medium to dark tone herringbone floor that works beautifully with the kitchen cabinets – Image via
A Rustic Lodge
Above: Rustic boards look fabulous in this large open plan lodge. The tones within the wood and style of grain work beautifully with the stone fireplace – Image via Big-D Signature 
Above: Dark, distressed antique finished boards add a rustic look in a traditional style bathroom – Image via Greenwood Homes
Above: I love this idea from designer Michael Grant where solid wood has been used as a feature behind the bed, extending onto the ceiling, showing that there is many ingenious ways to use solid wood flooring.
This will be my last post for a week, so I wish you all a Merry Christmas and I’ll be back just before the New Year.
