Thomas Jefferson wasn’t the first homeowner to paint his wood floors, but the green floor in Monticello’s Entrance Hall – the first room visitors enter – demonstrates how effective simple paint can be when applied to the wall that’s underfoot.
“Just like with walls, painting a floor is one of the most cost-effective ways to change a look and really create a feeling,” says Andy Clark, principal of Andrew Clark Inc. Interior Design.
As with any other design strategy, the appeal of painted floors can ebb and flow. “We are seeing a resurgence now,” says Ashley Hanley, principal of the design firm that bears her name. “When more people see [this technique], they think, ‘Oh, it’s not that scary,’ so they’re more comfortable with it.”
Hanley points to Colonial Williamsburg for inspiration, noting that residents in the 1700s and 1800s used painted floorcloths to warm and decorate their homes. Painted floors achieve the same effect. “A lot of times, a painted floor can really ground the space,” she says. “It’s a classic, timeless look.”
Clark observes that painted floors also allowed a homeowner to create a luxe appearance without the cost. “People would use faux paint to mimic marble,” he says. “Painted floors can add a whole new decorative pattern or variety of colors you don’t have. You can do so many things to a floor to elevate the space.”
Clark, who divides his time between New York City and Richmond, has white painted floors in both residences. The NYC apartment came with pickled floors, which he immediately had sanded to their original oak. He quickly realized the pickling had made the space seem larger, so he had the floors repainted with gloss white deck paint.
In Richmond, Clark had hired H.J. Holtz & Son to paint his home’s interior. Once that project was complete, Clark decided to go one step further. “I thought, ‘I like [the white floors] in New York], so why not have them here?’” he says. “I feel like people get stuck into what they’re used to seeing. Just because we’re used to seeing a brown floor doesn’t mean it has to be brown.”
Both designers acknowledge people may worry about how a painted floor will wear. The good news is that it’s up to the homeowner to decide how the floor should look – weathered or pristine. Visible wear can be part of the appeal, or careful preparation and finishing will keep the floors looking fresh for years.
Hanley painted her own kitchen floor during the pandemic because she wanted a change and knew a full kitchen renovation was in the house’s future. “I didn’t take any of the beautiful steps that Holtz takes,” she says. “After three years, the hardwood started coming back through the paint, and the floors looked distressed. If you don’t prep it, and you don’t seal it, then it’s going to wear.”
Clark adds: “The most important thing to say about any painting is the value of the paint and the paint job is in the prep work. That’s where the time goes – the labor – and that’s what makes it last and makes it look amazing. That’s what Holtz does best.”