Parquet Flooring Trends
September 24, 2018
Who would have guessed that parquet floors are back on trend? We've been seeing a lot of them lately - including a very special one we designed for a client. See a roundup of our favorites and learn a bit more about the history of parquet.
Whoever thought that parquet floors are once again on trend? We repurposed an original parquet floor that was in a client’s office and has now become the bunk room. The parquet floor had significant family history so keeping it was a priority and of importance to the client.
Our solution? We created small parquet insets in the entry of all the bedrooms, such as the master bedroom pictured here.
Since we started working on this project, however, I’ve noticed parquet floors coming back into style.
Parquet, which comes from the French term for “small compartment”, is an intricately patterned wood flooring. One of the most popular styles for modern application is a herringbone pattern, often made from unfinished wood planks, as opposed to the highly polished and intricate square parquet patterns from previous decades.
Photo via Brittany Ambridge
Parquetry was first introduced in 16th century France, and was used as an alternative to marble or stone floors that were expensive to install and caused long-term damage to the framework. The invention of the tongue and groove system allowed for more intricate woodworking to take place, making parquet flooring a much more attainable solution.
The beautifully patterned style brings to mind luxury and opulence, but it often had much more practical uses. While parquet flooring was used in manor houses and castles, it was placed often in government buildings, schools and even factories due to the durability. Parquet wood flooring wears well and is easily repairable, as the affected area can just be chiseled out and replaced.
Photo via A + B Kashaq
Around the 1930s, parquet flooring fell out of vogue and many homeowners covered their floors with carpeting. In the 1980s, parquet floors were uncovered and restored to their original beauty as vintage floors and interiors were trendy.
I noticed a lot of parquet floors in the Scandinavian design magazines I picked up in Sweden and Denmark earlier this summer. The whitewashed or unfinished wood herringbone pattern is incredibly popular, and could be a contributing factor to the trend stateside, as the American fascination with Scandinavian style continues to grow.
Top photo via Kalle Gustafsson; Bottom via My Scandinavian Home
In the past 30 years, parquet flooring has fallen in and out of style, but certainly seems to be back in a big way now. I even think it’s beginning to replace wide plank flooring as the new ‘it’ style!
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