the painted floor

Paint adds color and lets the homeowner tie the floor into an overall decorative scheme. For solid colors, brown-red, grey, brown, and various greens have always been popular. Yellow ochre was a favorite for masking dust and pollen. Pale blue and white occasionally were used in New England during the late 1700s.

The most valued painted floors are the decorative ones—dating from the mid1700s through the mid-19th century. The painting might be freehand or stenciled, often in imitation of carpet designs. Within decorative borders, the middle might be embellished with geometric diamond patterns, floral motifs, a chevron design, or a checkerboard. Landscape and animal motifs as well as flower-petal, heart, or oak-leaf designs were used. Design often correlated with the style of the day: urns and swags during the Federal era, for example. The marbleized floor of the 19th century had painted geometric blocks in white, black, and/or grey “veined” to mimic marble. The treatment was popular for entry halls.

Today’s revival of painted floors has artists creating unique designs that include faux stone and wood-parquet patterns, faux carpets, plaid effects, “inlaid” compass roses, and the everpopular checkerboard.

Decorative painting may add vibrant color, or approximate the look of multiple wood species. It can follow historical precedent or be modern; it might be a border or an all-over design.

ABOVE A plaid-painted floor adds even more charm to a blue-andwhite breakfast nook designed by Bailey Quin McCarthy. LEFT The hand-painted wood floor by Ariana Hoffman & Co. is done in a modern black and metallic-gold, square grid pattern reminiscent of Greek key designs. A project for Alexis Varbero of Schwartz Design Showrooms, the floor is in the entry of a 1917 house in South Orange. N.J.