Home styling and interior design are rapidly surpassing gastronomy and travel as the United Kingdom’s and Ireland’s chief hobbies. The glossy magazines and television programmes devoted to home decor and furnishing bears testimony to our heightened appetite for ideas and suggestions for enhancing the appearance and value of our houses. A side effect of this renaissance has been the proliferation of architectural salvage businesses where customers can source stylish, original and offbeat installations for their properties. There are, of course, trends within salvage enterprises and there has been a significant revival of interest in original floors, notably parquet flooring in Ireland and the UK.
Why Is Parquet Flooring so Popular?
The main reason for its being so highly sought-after is that it is generally hugely attractive and will add to the appeal of most homes. Illustrating this point, the UK’s Guardian newspaper recently published a feature narrating the transformation of a “grim” new build in North London into a “picture of modernist refinement” by the tasteful and well-judged installation of period features. A central element of this stunning metamorphosis was the replacement of the laminate flooring – characterised by the owners as “depressing” – with beautiful honey-coloured herringbone parquet.
Higher Profile Case Study: Musee Rodin, Paris
The magnificent Musee Rodin in Paris has undergone an extensive and expensive refurbishment. Formerly the home of the great sculptor himself and currently the repository of many priceless works of art, the gallery’s fabric had been damaged by the footfall of the millions of tourists who have visited the site. The sheer weight of some of the most famous sculptures, including the iconic Kiss, had also seriously warped the original parquet flooring. Now painstakingly restored, the re-opened gallery is being described as one of the most beautiful cultural spaces on earth. As the BBC said, everything is “immaculate, from the expertly refurbished parquet floor to the stucco ceiling.”
Where Can I Source Parquet and Salvaged Artefacts?
The first step is to locate a reputable architectural salvage business. In Ireland, for example, firms such as Wilsons Yards offer a wide range of unique, fascinating and high quality salvage items.
Most salvage yards will have experienced and knowledgeable staff who are happy to help you find your ideal floors and installations. Your property may not eclipse the Musee Rodin but it has limitless possibilities with good quality salvage.
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