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If you're lucky enough to have a house with lots of wood floors, one daring idea that we love is to add some character to a couple of rooms by painting the floors. Yes, it's a big step...we'd make sure we were in the hands of a competent designer and painter (no DIY this time!) but the effect can be totally striking. The options run the gamut- you can paint them one solid color, you can mimic the effect of fancy woodwork or parquet, you can go for an eclectic Anthro-inspired look, whatever suits your mood. Check out some highlights:
We are not sure about the practical ramifications of painting floors white, but we love how it freshens up a room and makes it seem more relaxed.
Whitewashed Painted Floor; Image via Flickr
Jonathan Adler painted all the floors of Liz Lange's house white. House Beautiful.
Our favorite idea for painting a floor is to mimic other types of flooring- we are suckers for the two tone tile effect, for example.
Image via Love My Earth
Checkerboard Painted Floor; Image via Flickr
We also really love it when paint is used to mimic ornate woodwork such as parquet floors (and we're sure it's a fraction of the price). Unfortunately grand wood floors are becoming rarer and rarer. Nothing lays the foundation for a magnificent room better.
Lattice Painted floor; image via Style Estate
Our very favorite painted floor, above. We cannot resist the chevron pattern. Doesn't this add terrific character to this hallways? image via Alicia B Designs
Painted floors can also add whimsy to a room. While we are inspired looking at these pictures, something about the medallions and damask patterns are little too much on the "shabby chic" side for us.
Patterned painted floor; image via Design Sponge
Patterned Painted Floor; image via Risa Loves This
Image via Interiors by Francesca
We love striped rugs, so of course striped floors are just as fab.
The floor above is an interesting concept, but a little over the top for us! Nautical painted floor; image via Style Estate
And of course, funky mod squares liven up a room like this girl's room below. Very Jonathan Adler!
Image via Interiors by Francesca
What do you think of painted floors? Would you spring for one, or do you think it's a waste of a perfectly good floor?
9 comments:
Great post! Each one is as as stunning as the one before. I think you are very wise not to try this as a DIY. It seems like it is a project that could go terribly wrong if done improperly.
Hope you will post the results if you decide to go through with the painted floor.
I love those. I painted my bathroom linoleum and people thought I was crazy. It doesn't look too bad for now, until we can afford to re-tile. =)
This is an incredible post - so many images I have never seen! I think it takes a certain amount of boldness to paint a floor, but the results are striking.
I always assumed that my floors were bleached oak with a poly finish, but when I had a hardwood hall put upstairs, and the floor guys were matching it to the downstairs, I was amazed to see that they were mixing white paint into the finish. So, I guess I have painted floors! I love them.
Can you paint laminate floors?
These are really beautiful. Congratulations on the Washington Post mention for this!! I am so excited for you! xoxo
These floors are amazing! My favorites are the green and white geometric along with the blue and white bathroom floor! Congrats!
I'm all over the painted floor idea!
I did a similar post in June that started out as research for a possible office/art room floor painting project. Found some inspiring images via Cottage Living, among other sources. Also, there's a great how-to from Ask the Builder at:
http://www.askthebuilder.com/431_Painting_Floors_Really_Works_Well.shtml
How on earth are those painted floors kept scuff-free? Maybe they keep spare slippers for guests...
absolutely lovely post!
Just the post I was looking for! I ripped up the old carpeting in our upstairs hallway today and it suddenly struck me that I could paint where the carpeting was and leave the rest natural wood. So much inspiration here I think I may just do it!
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