Article, April 24, 2023

Next level contemporary living with wood floors

When Threefold Architects undertook the complete refurbishment of a four-storey terraced property in the heart of an East London conservation area, they turned to The Natural Wood Floor Co to help fulfill the brief. The reason? An important part of the requirements was to respect the existing architectural grain of the building, while completely modernising the interior. With raw materials being a big feature of the completed space, Oak engineered wood flooring with all its natural beauty and charm, is the perfect accompaniment.

A home full of character with wood

While the proportions of the property were not altered and remain typically terrace in size, with around 2,400 square feet of space overall, the new interior is anything but typical. Each floorplate is cut back to create glimpses of the different living spaces. A single linear staircase occupies a triple height void, resulting in a series of dramatic and luminous spaces for contemporary living, with the beauty of the Oak engineered wood flooring visible throughout, including on the stairs themselves.

Embracing the strong craft tradition of the local area, the character and materiality of the existing brickwork is complemented by new joinery and metalwork, which combine harmoniously with the wood floors. The Oak parquet is a feature of several rooms, including the kitchen, living area and study, filling each of the spaces with character and warmth. The durability of the engineered wood floor makes this possible. Because it’s made in layers, engineered wood flooring has good stability and core strength, enabling it to be used even in humid areas of the area or those with high traffic.

Classically modern oak parquet

A design classic in flooring terms, the juxtaposition of patterns in the parquet creates stunning visual interest, to give an otherwise traditional look a modern feel in keeping with the setting. The oak engineered boards have a low knot content, creating a minimal aesthetic and a super-light scheme in keeping with the overall design brief.

And because of the unique design of the interior, the natural beauty of the material can be enjoyed from many angles. The finished result? A once crowded and claustrophobic site is now a spacious, light and multi-layered home, just like the engineered wood flooring that is such an important feature.