Some of the most stunning and timeless floors can be found in palaces, temples, and castles all around the world. The combination of materials, design, and craftsmanship has created works of art that have inspired generations. Although once only accessible to society’s wealthiest, current manufacturing technology and installation techniques give modern homeowners access to the same materials and eye-catching designs. With nearly four decades of experience in all manner of flooring, Commercial Floor Services is eager to share these options for timeless floors with you!
Stone Tile
Perhaps the oldest of all building materials, stone has been used to create durable and elegant floors for many millennia. Some of the earliest examples are the timeless floors that the ancient Egyptians built, even inside the Great Pyramid of Giza, which still endure as a testament to their longevity. The Greeks and other cultures would take the artistic level of their timeless floors further by using small stones and pebbles to create beautiful mosaics, some dating to over 3,000 years old.
As technology advanced, the opportunity for creating nearly identical squares and rectangles out of stone such as marble became possible, and the predecessors to modern floor design took full advantage of that fact. This design can be seen across a multitude of infamous architecture. A famous example of this evolving craftsmanship can be found in the impeccable design of architect Filippo Juvatta’s Palace of Venaria, pictured above. Using contrasting marble colors in a checkerboard design set at an angle to give the appearance of diamonds rather than squares, this masterpiece has been a source of inspiration ever since. It is one of the most timeless floors of all time.
Marble and other varieties of tile and mosaics are more accessible today than ever before, so creating a contemporary design that incorporates the elegance of stone for a timeless floor has never been easier.
Hardwood
Another traditional material used for nearly as long as stone is hardwood. Although timbers and planks of wood had been used in construction for thousands of years, wood floors began their journey to popularity in the Middle Ages, although it would be centuries before they would be refined into the floors we know today. Milling large, old-growth trees by hand was exceptionally arduous, so the first wooden floors had planks of differing sizes and were often left rough, allowing repeated foot traffic to polish them down.
As techniques improved, so would the elegance of the timeless floors that the craftsmen of their day produced. In the 17th Century, French builders began to produce parquet floors of painstaking design. Each piece of wood was cut, fit, and polished by hand, and although the beauty of these floors is difficult to surpass, the level of work required made them inaccessible to most of society. The Hermitage Museum in St Petersberg, Russia, a Unesco World Heritage Site, is home to some of the most beautiful parquet wood floors in the world.
The 20th Century advent of industrial milling machines and modern woodworking tools gave builders consistent and quality wood planks in a fraction of the time. Thanks to evolving installation techniques and the Craftsman design revival of the late 1900s, hardwood floors are once again popular. Different patterns, such as herringbone and chevron, can offer gorgeous designs reminiscent of the royal parquet floors of the past.
Stunning design for timeless floors doesn’t require reinventing the wheel. Instead, look at the work of past masters and be inspired by the classic materials and artistic vision they’ve left behind. When you’re ready to add a touch of timeless class to your home’s floors, contact us. Commercial Floor Services will be your guide throughout the process.
We look forward to sharing our passion and experience with you!
