I am sure that you realize that hardwood flooring has always been the choice for elegant homes, but this idea was reinforced during our visit Monticello this past weekend. First of all, I would highly recommend that everyone to travel to Charlottesville, VA to visit Thomas Jefferson’s home. The grounds, architecture, antiques, maps and furniture were all perfectly preserved from Jefferson’s time (even if all were not original in the home). One of the things that did stand out was the hardwood floors in Monticello – especially the wood floors in the parlor.
Historic Hardwood Flooring
Here is a picture of the hardwood floors in the Parlor at Monticello:
Hardwood Floor in Monticello Parlor
These are the original hardwood floors that was designed by Thomas Jefferson based on the styles he saw when he lived in France. From when the home was finished in 1808 until now, those wood floors have survived the test of time! What else can stay in style for 200 years! Elegant and sturdy, hardwood flooring was the perfect choice for a room that was designed for daily social activities such as games, music, reading and used for formal events like weddings, dances, and christenings.
Here is what the website said about these beautiful hardwood floors:
“Jefferson likely based his design for the parquet floor on examples he had seen in France. Each unit is constructed of a center square of cherry and a border of beech. When first installed, the contrast between the woods would have been even more striking than it is today, with the cherry coming across as a rich red and the beech a golden blonde. Beeswax was the only substance used to bring out the color of the woods. Additionally, the squares were installed with their grains going in alternating directions, which would have added further nuance to the regular geometric pattern of the floor, depending on the angle of light and where one was standing” (from http://explorer.monticello.org)
What I find even more intriguing is that there is a hardwood flooring style called Monticello based on Jefferson’s design. (how many people can claim they designed a flooring style?!)
Modern Hardwood Flooring
Another sign that this this hardwood flooring style has proven itself admired and desired through time is that this hardwood floor style was chosen by Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas for their Poolside Villa:
Hardwood floor at Caesar's Palace
Again hardwood floors were chosen for a room that would have lots of traffic and need to be elegant and classy.
Hardwood flooring for you?
Would you like to have a showpiece hardwood floor like this in your home or business? Contact your local Hardwood Flooring Experts by calling 317-759-2575! We’d love to discuss your flooring needs and give you advice on how to make your interior dream a reality! Our Flooring Experts have years of experience in all aspect of hardwood flooring, including hardwood floor refinishing, hardwood floor installation and hardwood floor repairs. We have helped thousands of our Indiana neighbors restore beauty to their home and office with hardwood flooring.
We look forward to hearing from you!
