“INSPIRATION FOR THE HOME OF YOUR DREAMS”
STICKS
and STONES
BECOME FLOORS
Many of today’s homes are carpeted, but I think wood and stone floors have proven their infamy in many decors. A wide plank wood or a natural stone floor that encompasses a homes entire living area offers an exciting approach to flooring. Each board of a wood floor tells a story of beautiful summers and long cold winters. Each slab of stone tells the story of unmovable resilience. Their sustainable use has become a great pride for environmentalists and designers. Today we know the importance of using felled trees and quarried stone in prudent and ecological manners and each provides the perfect source material for future human endeavors.
MANUFACTURED WOOD FLOORING
Kährs has been manufacturing quality wood in Sweden since 1857. They invented engineered hardwood floors and are Europe’s most popular hardwood brand, guaranteed for life. Whichever Kährs floor you choose you’ll own a floor created by nature and crafted using the very best technology, with total respect for the environment. A Kährs floors will live up to all of your expectations.
Cherry Genua floor
Kährs demands suppliers to guarantee the origin of wood and sustainable and responsible forestry is the basis of their operation. In view of this, they have stopped marketing threatened wood species until there are processes and documentation that offer guarantees that the rainforest timber is derived from controlled sources.
Kährs sustainable timber comes in natural colors that won’t walk or scratch off. The wood can be used in about any room in the house except a full bath. Their engineered hardwood can be installed over sub-floors and existing floors. They can even be installed over radiant heat systems. For the health conscious family, Kährs floors contain few chemical compounds and virtually no chemical emissions.
TRIVENETA PARCHETTI - ITALIAN FLOORING PRODUCTS
The New York Design Festival offers exhibitions, educational programming and special events to celebrate New York City and its role as the leader in the fields of art, architecture and design. A few years ago I discovered the Design Festival’s Pier 94 and an Italian floor company called Triveneta Parchetti. Since 1980, Triveneta Parchetti’s wood floors have been manufactured entirely in Italy with modern electronic equipment that ensures perfection in detail.
With Triveneta Parchetti floors you can enjoy the pleasure of living with environmentally friendly and hand crafted wood flooring finished with natural materials such as oils, resins and waxes of vegetable or animal origin. There are no petroleum, formaldehyde or pentachlorophenol products in the flooring. Triveneta Parchetti floors are designed to improve the quality of life in your home.
Ri Struuat Turan Do Collection in brushed and aged larch
The Triveneta Parchetti Collection features a parquet floor called Pavimento that is stupendous. The parquet looks great in a wine cellar or on kitchen floors.
The Parquet floor
Triveneta Parchetti’s Shabby Colors Collection includes wonderful colors – Verde (Green), Beige, Celeste (Blue),Rosa (Pink), an Blanco (white).
Verde, Beige, Blue, Rosa
Blanco
Beautiful Blanco Floors by Triveneta Parchetti
STONE FOR ALL
My favorite flooring product is natural stone and especially travertine.
Travertine has been used for thousands of years in homes and buildings. The Romans built the Colosseum with travertine. Since it was less rare than marble, it made a perfect alternative in areas where marble was less appropriate. Look what they created.
The Colosseum
TUMBLED OR POLISHED
Polished travertine is slippery when wet so using a textured brushed or tumbled travertine is best in high traffic areas. The polished or honed travertine can be used on walls or counters. For high-traffic areas, some experts suggest using travertine mosaic flooring because the smaller size of the stones can help prevent cracking as occasionally seen in larger tiles. In general, the travertine flooring tiles sold to customers have a Measurement of Hardness (MOH) rating of about three or four, which is comparable to marble.
Tumbled Travertine
Travertine stone flooring that has been polished and sealed can help contribute to the air quality of your home as it does not absorb odors, chemicals, or gases. Dirt stays on the surface of the sealed stone, rather than being ground in, and can easily be removed.
Tumbled travertine on a kitchen floor
Below is a photo of my Denver basement where I installed travertine in a Versailles pattern. Its been amazing. Its actually cool in the summer and room temperature in the winter. The upkeep is minimal, taking only a damp mopping on occasion.
Tumbled Travertine on a basement floor
So next time you need a floor product, think about wood and or stone. They can absolutely be combined for a great interior floor.
