I have always believed that hardwood flooring should be considered part of the architecture of a home rather than simply another surface material.

Think about it.

The flooring is one of the largest continuous visual elements in almost any interior. It travels beneath the furniture, through doorways, down hallways and frequently from one room into another.

The right luxury hardwood flooring can therefore influence the character of an entire house.

Over the years, Château Napoléon flooring has been used in everything from contemporary California residences to highly traditional interiors, and one thing has become very apparent:

There is no single formula for creating a beautiful room.

Living Rooms

Large living spaces are wonderful environments for wide plank hardwood flooring.

The additional width allows more of the natural grain of the wood to be visible and reduces the number of visual seams across a large room.

With Black Walnut flooring, this can be particularly dramatic.

Walnut naturally has tremendous warmth and variation. When enhanced through our French oxidation techniques, the floor can provide a rich foundation without requiring the rest of the room to become overly decorative.

Kitchens

People sometimes select kitchen flooring independently from the cabinetry and countertops.

I believe that is a mistake.

Look at everything together.

A beautiful floor needs to communicate with the cabinetry, stone, hardware and surrounding architecture.

That does not mean everything needs to match.

Quite the opposite.

Contrast is frequently what makes an interior interesting.

A darker Black Walnut floor beneath lighter cabinetry, for example, can create a completely different experience from a pale French Oak floor in the same room.

Neither is automatically correct.

It depends upon the architecture.

Dining Rooms

Dining rooms are particularly suited to the warmth of natural hardwood.

Furniture, lighting and flooring can work together to create an environment that feels comfortable rather than simply formal.

This is one area where the depth of French oxidized Black Walnut flooring can be particularly beautiful.

Bedrooms

A bedroom should feel comfortable.

Wood naturally contributes warmth that is difficult to reproduce with many synthetic materials.

Lighter French Oak can produce a quiet and relaxed environment, while darker Walnut can create something considerably richer and more intimate.

Again, there is no universal answer.

Hallways

Do not ignore your hallways.

Long planks installed thoughtfully through a hallway can emphasize perspective and visually connect different areas of a home.

The direction and layout of the flooring become extremely important here.

Staircases

Staircases are one of my favorite places to continue hardwood.

Rather than treating the staircase as a completely separate object, coordinating it with the flooring can visually connect multiple levels of the home.

In a well-designed residence, this creates tremendous continuity.

Contemporary Homes

There is sometimes a misconception that rich hardwood belongs primarily in traditional architecture.

I completely disagree.

Some of the most successful contemporary interiors use extremely simple architecture combined with beautiful natural materials.

When the room itself is minimal, the grain and variation of the hardwood become even more important.

Traditional Homes

French Oak and Black Walnut are obviously equally comfortable in traditional environments.

Stone fireplaces, detailed millwork, beautiful furniture and natural hardwood have worked together successfully for centuries.

There is a reason for that.

Natural materials age gracefully.

Where Should You Begin?

My recommendation is to look at actual installations.

Do not simply look at an isolated two-inch photograph of a flooring sample and attempt to imagine an entire house from it.

Look at how the flooring behaves in a finished room.

Look at the furniture.

Look at the walls.

Look at the natural light.

Then obtain actual samples and place them inside your own environment.

Château Napoléon has created luxury hardwood flooring for some extraordinary residences over the years, and our Gallery provides an excellent place to begin looking for inspiration.

Ultimately, the best room is not the one that follows the latest trend.

It is the one you still enjoy walking into years after it was completed.