Painted Floors and all that Jazz

House Beautiful 2002, designer Miles Redd

This weekend I will be sanding the wood floors in the Kitchen. Originally they had some really abysmal pink 50's tile. He got rid of those asap (contracted out, Yeah!) but in their wake left a pretty chunked up mess (for us to deal with, Boo!) Old stain was removed first. Then came the lengthy process of filling the deeper holes with stainable wood filler. Much discussion has been given to the final finish for the kitchen floor. I've always wanted to do a painted wood floor, something graphic and individual. Like Miles Redd's kitchen:

Image via Lifes scattered thoughts, 8/23/07

Or his famous and often photographed studio apartment floor:

Image via Miles Redd online portfolio

I just love black and white harlequin patterns:

Or brown and pink stylishly applied:

also image above, House Beautiful June 2006

So we decided to do a painted pattern of our own. Sort of a painted adaptation of some beautiful 1920's tile uncovered in a renovation at the Fort Sam Houston Officers club. Its amazing what you find hiding under wall to wall carpet. I guess vacuuming is easier maintenance than keeping these beauties ship shape.

THIS is the one!

We had plans to do a trace of the tiles. And then make an acetate template. Changing a bit of the colorway in our version to fit better with our decor.

Another rooms uncovered treasure!

But... we have removed part of the wall between the kitchen and next room to recreate the existing arch present between the living and former dining rooms. When this is accomplished the overall feeling should be of an almost loftlike space one room falling into the next all the way to the back door. So in the interest of continuity we are giving up on the painted floor concept. We're going for dark stain on the rest of the floors. Something like an ebonized floor. I know it will be beautiful. But, it can be hard to let it go.

So the stain and poly has been purchased. I can see it from here. Away we go!