For a house to feel like home, you’ve really got to feel comfortable inside its walls. After you shuck off your shoes and take that first step, the ‘welcome home’ greeting, the very first tactile sensation, is the contact between the soles of your feet and the floor. And what kind of greeting will that be?

Will it be the warm and soft embrace of carpet? With every step, a little give, soft fibres that fill the spaces between, and envelop your fingers and toes, a cradle that protects you from harm.

Will it be the strength and stability of stone? Tough, unfaltering, unwavering, a guardian that will stand and protect for a hundred years, but devoid of warmth and affection.
Or will it be the subtle and soulful complexity of wood flooring? Every inch unique and ripe with character, warmth and identity. Wood, after all, is the literal body of the most ancient and wise beings on Earth – trees.

Wood. There is an undeniable admiration and respect for wooden flooring, as if we understand the sacrifice these majestic beings have made to become part of our homes. There is a huge amount of complexity here, and the choice to use wood flooring in your home is one that must not be taken lightly. Without a real understanding of the material, you’ll regret your choice later.

On one hand, as I mentioned before, there’s this sense of life that emanates from wood. Heat is retained and radiated like a warm body. A variety of colours streak, twist and turn throughout, like a visage. The scent, like breath. Texture and contours, like skin. The humidity control effects could even be considered as drinking.

On the other, wood can be injured and scarred, like every other organism. Strike it too hard, and it bruises, scratches and dents appear on the surface, it bends and warps when the temperature changes, burns in the sun, ages, and grows weak and fragile.

It’s important to see wood in these terms – like a living creature, something to be respected and cared for, but also a being that can bring life and character into your home. Make sure you make the right choice. If you have any questions concerning wood surfaces, get in touch