A Renewed Love of Parquet de Versailles
As a flooring style, parquet de Versailles is currently enjoying a resurgence of interest. these SPECIAL oak floors impart a WONDERFULLY lively texture and detail, contrast and geometry, CREATING a classical and SUMPTUOUS SENSE of elegant luxury in any room. At Charles Lowe & Sons we enjoy commissions for these types of engineered floors, they exude quality, bring out true artistry in oak flooring, and lend any residence timeless appeal.
This classical Panel design was first made famous by the Palace of Versailles France. The Hall of Mirrors, the most famous room in the Palace.
Parquet flooring first trended in the 1600’s in the stately homes and chateaux in France, Interestingly, one of our clients, Somerset House (then known as Denmark House), was the first to import the style into Britain, via Queen Henrietta Maria, who took residency there and undertook renovations in 1625. However, it was the King of France himself, Louis XIV that set the benchmark for this sought-after style in 1684 when he had Versailles Palace installed with this exquisite parquet design. This was the true spark of what was to become a European wide trend for this beautiful style of Versailles flooring in the 17th Century. A mix of artistry, intricacy and grandeur ensured the distinctive diamond shapes, framing intertwined diagonals, was a hit with the aristocracy.
During the 18th Century the appetite for Versailles panels continued as a favoured flooring style for castles, grand residences and stately properties, popular across Europe and Russia.
Closer to today, whilst the 20th Century saw the introduction of carpets and alternative floors, the sheer beauty and elegance of the original Versailles design has remained a strong favourite for those with large floor spaces and a love of wooden flooring in their properties.
The Versailles panels flooring design
The original parquet de Versailles design is composed of large squares around 3-4 feet with a depth of anything from ¾ inch to 2 inches and is supported by joists for overlaying the panels upon. It has an antique look and one that exudes classic sophistication.
Versailles is a busy, royal, rich sophisticated and ornate look. For that reason, it’s not for every property but in a suitable setting it makes the floor into a very strong feature in the room. With so many diverse, contrasting grain patterns spliced together, it highlights the floor space and can be a signature of status.
completely unique Versailles panels
Charles Lowe & Son’s Versailles panel floors are absolutely unique. Every inch of each panel is skillfully hand planed, carefully aged and distressed, again by hand, beautifully finished with our secrete blend of earth pigments, oils and waxes, and laboriously rubbed and buffed to a welcoming mellow patina, all right here in our workshops. These panels are even available in engineered oak flooring for complete stability, suitable for use over underfloor heating, it’s safe to say they are in a class of their own.
Our craftsmen can produce Versailles panels exactly matching any of our floor ranges, colours and finishes, offering a wide range of stylistic choices.
Charles Lowe and Sons specialise in the Versailles panel style.
Versailles panels make a comeback
Anyone reading websites and magazines for style trends in interior decorating in 2016 to today would have noticed that Versailles flooring is having a moment in the limelight again with a resurgence of interest in the unique style. At Charles Lowe and Sons, we’ve certainly noticed this upturn in interest in the Versailles choice, over the last few years.
Whilst a classic look and traditional design, it can also complement the right kind of contemporary furnishings well, giving it power in modern, as well as period properties.
Arguably, it might be inaccurate to suggest Versailles is a trend, it’s been around for such a long time, it is a statement of high quality timelessness. It is more a cornerstone of style than a fad that bounces back for a few years. For those wishing to achieve the stately-look, Versailles is a pedigree born from one of the grandest palaces of all time. It’s therefore hardly surprising it is catching the eyes of architects and designers as a guaranteed hallmark of opulence and elegance.
In the workshop at Charles Lowe and Sons, working on a commission for a bespoke Versailles panel design.