London Floors That Turn Heads – And Hold Up to Real Life
Homes in Herne Hill are splendidly diverse. One of the flats in Streatham has very little to do with a Victorian terrace, which has nothing whatsoever to do with a new-build in Elephant and Castle. Yet there is one thing that silently holds a multitude of them together beautiful wood flooring. The employment of Wood Floor Fitters London has been on the increase in the last 10 years, and one can easily understand the reasons. Lay a worn carpet in practically any old house and you will have found beneath it a set of original boards, screaming to be reused. Connect with reliable wood floor installers near me and start your transformation today.
But what are the popular styles now? And what is more to the point, what will work in a typical London home, not only in a shiny magazine shoot when the dog is not there and no one ever spills red wine? This is what we have experienced in 20+ years of installing floors throughout the capital.
Herringbone: The Timeless Pattern
In case there is one style that continues to emerge in the discussions with clients, it is herringbone. Be it engineered oak laid out in a typical zigzag or laminate that imitates it at a fraction of the price, this pattern has a real staying power.
Why is it so effective? A few reasons. To begin with, the diagonal lines are used to narrow down small rooms – consider the corridors and the Victorian terraced living rooms in Herne Hill – and make them look wider than they are. Second, it provides a visual interest without colour or pattern on the walls. Third, it takes great pictures which is more important than it likely should be in the Instagram era. It takes great pictures which is more important than it likely should be in the Instagram era.
A client in Herne Hill informed us: I was indecisive between plain planks and herringbone. Week after week. My partner said to me to just choose one. We chose herringbone. As soon as it was laid down we both knew we did the right thing. That’s a feeling we hear a lot.
Herringbone is more difficult to fit compared to straight planks. More cuts. More precision. More time. What you actually need is experienced wood floor fitters London who have fitted hundreds of floors, not some one who watched a few You Tube tutorials last week. Experience is the single most important factor to look for.
Wide Plank: The Scandi Influence
Wide plank flooring came on a flood of Scandinavian interior influence and does not indicate of receding. The 180mm boards or more are used to give the feeling of space and calmness that the traditional strips cannot achieve. Give the feeling of space and calmness that the traditional strips cannot achieve.
It is very well suited to open-plan living. Big kitchen-diners in Brixton, loft conversions in Peckham – wide plank is a more considered touch that adds a quieter touch on larger floor spaces. The grain on any board is made a feature and not mere background texture. The grain on any board is made a feature and not mere background texture.
Here also there is a practical note. Large planks travel farther than small ones. This is much better dealt with by engineered construction than by solid wood, particularly in Herne Hill properties that whine with central heating during winter. It is worth doubting when a fitter advises solid wide plank without mentioning the conditions.
Best Flooring Fitters London have installed wide plank floors in many areas of Herne Hill. We will always gauge the surrounding and then suggest a particular board width. It may seem self-evident, yet not everyone does it.
Considering having wide plank or herringbone at home? Call 020 3322 7001 today for a free consultation. We serve all the neighbourhoods in London and can recommend the best style and material to use on your given property. Call 020 3322 7001 today for a free consultation.
Parquet: Back in Fashion, Old School
Parquet is enjoying a good renaissance. No, not the weary brown blocks you see beneath the old office carpet – new, light-colored parquet in geometrical designs which are truly modern. Parquet is enjoying a good renaissance.
Mosaic parquet, finger parquet, Versailles panels – these are not the styles you hear bandied about in every flooring shop. However, their demand has increased significantly, especially among house owners residing in Herne Hill who desire something with personality that can also relate to the age of their houses. Their demand has increased significantly.
Laying new parquet is not the same as restoring original. Blocking may be loose or damaged, or completely missing. It will take a lot of patience and the right skills to restore it to its former glory, sanding it, filling it and finishing it without taking away its original identity. It’s painstaking work. What comes out, however, is a floor that appears as though it was always intended to be there.
Looking to find wood floor installers in South London to restore a parquet or install a new one? This is what Best Flooring Fitters London does. We have done original parquet in houses in Herne Hill – floors which had been declared dead and resurfaced miraculously. This is what Best Flooring Fitters London does.
Grey and White-Washed Tones: Sectarian, yet Pre-eminent
Floors which are grey are the most divisive in interior design. Other humans are so fond of them. To others, they are cold and cold. The only thing to disagree with is that they are immensely popular throughout London, especially in the newer constructions and refurbished apartments. They are immensely popular throughout London.
Oak is light grey and white-washed and is ideal in the room where there is little natural light. Instead of absorbing light, which is important in north-facing flats or ground-floor conversions, they reflect what light they have around the space. They reflect what light they have around the space.
It all depends on the finish. The cheap grey laminate may appear flat and plasticky. A properly brushed and oiled floor engineered to quality has depth and texture that translates as truly warm, despite the colour. This difference counts – and our team emphasizes it to each customer.
Natural Oiled Oak: The Time-tested Classic
A statement floor is not desired by all. Others simply desire something that appears to be wood, feels like wood and ages well over two decades. That is better filled in with natural oiled oak than with nearly anything. Ages well over two decades.
It is very compatible with period properties. The natural oak does not clash with the building in a Victorian terrace in Herne Hill or a Georgian conversion in Brixton, it goes hand in hand with it. It goes hand in hand with it. With age, the colour darkens a little, small scars tell their tale, and the floor acquires a lived-in appearance which can never be produced.
Maintenance is a real consideration. Floors with oil require regular re-oiling – about every few years depending on traffic. Lacquered floors are more capable of withstanding surface marks but they are difficult to repair once they are damaged. This difference should be explained by a good fitter.
Laminate: Not to Be Overlooked
And this is the reality that not all flooring individuals will scream at you: good laminate flooring, installed correctly, is literally hard to discern in an actual room when compared to engineered wood. Hard to discern in an actual room when compared to engineered wood.
Contemporary high end laminate is embossed, realistic in grain variation and finish is a level that the low end models of a decade ago could not even equal. The finish is a level that the low end models could not even equal.
Best Flooring Fitters London has fitted laminate in all the ten South London neighbourhoods. We have witnessed the good, the bad and the downright worrying. We simply provide and install what we believe in – and we will not push a product unnecessarily.
Cheap installation of laminate flooring does not imply compromising. It involves being savvy – good preparation, good product, good hands. That is what we have been providing during the last 20 years.
Underfloor Heating: The Style Factor No One Talks About
UFH alters all aspects of flooring selection. Over underfloor heating with solid wood is a stress recipe – boards swell and shrink erratically, cracks form, cupping occurs. Engineered wood is much more appropriate and some species and structures work much more reliably.
This is something to bring up before we even talk about style, frankly. Having a floor that is unbelievable in a brochure only to buckle six months after installation due to the fact that it was not the right floor to use in your heating system is not the thought of anybody. Specific questions to ask: Does this product have a rating to be used above underfloor heating?
People Also Ask
Should laminate flooring be used in Herne Hill houses?
Yes, indeed,–and much more frequently than some think. Laminate today is able to withstand heavy foot traffic, it is better able to resist surface moisture compared to most wood products and it is available in designs that truly compete with the appearance of solid or engineered timber. It often provides superior long term performance at a considerably reduced price.
It is the specification and the fitting that is the trick. When a good laminate is installed over a well-prepared subfloor with proper expansion gaps and where necessary moisture barrier will last longer than a high quality product that was installed poorly. It is there that the difference is made by 20+ years of experience.
Have you been ready to discover the correct floor to your London home? Don’t speculate – take good counsel of those who have seen it all. To book with Best Flooring Fitters London, call 020 3322 7001 or visit https://flooringfitterslondon.org.uk/ to book. We include Herne Hill and all the places in between.