faux inlaid wood floor

from Southern Accents magazine

Painted by Billet-Collins Studio and featured in Southern Accents magazine, this faux inlaid wood floor was influenced by historical inlaid floors. Designers Robert Brown and Todd Davis created a sophisticated pattern to complement the octagonal foyer.

For details and more tips see: Painting Your Floor: A Primer from the Pros by Julia E. Lewis

"A properly prepared floor will yield the best results," says Kellie Hodges of the decorative-painting firm Billet-Collins Studio. She advises clients to have their floors professionally sanded or screened prior to painting.

This is especially important if the floor is old and has a wax finish, adds decorative painter Bob Christian: "The wax has to be removed; otherwise, the paint won't adhere to the floor."

Glazes were used to create the look of inlaid wood and allow the grain of the wood to show through. Several coats of polyurethane are used to seal and protect the finish one is is cured.


RESOURCES: Kellie Hodges, Billet-Collins Studio, 301/670-5550, www.billetcollins.com; Bob Christian, 912/234-1960, www.bobchristiandecorativeart.com; Richard Keith Langham, 212/759-1212; Todd Davis and Robert Brown, Brown Davis Interiors, Inc., 305/401-7565, www.browndavis.com; Stiles Colwill, Stiles T. Colwill Interiors, 410/828-7805.