So... You said Versailles? Asks The Good House - We look forward to sharing your vision

You don't need to own a proper "chateau" to decide to have French parquetry panels installed, be it made of European Oak or other prestigious European timbers such as cherry wood, walnut, chestnut, birch or European ash.

And you don't need to spend a fortune as well, if you use a bit of common sense and install panels only where it is appropriate, and with the appropriate method.

For instance, if you travel around Europe, you will realize that parquetry has never been designed for kitchen floors. And having Versailles or Chantilly or Aremberg panels in your sitting room will be enough to show your good taste. In parquetry like anywhere else, "less is more." Chevron, Fougere or Herringbone patterns will make your dining room look classy enough, and there are many ways to lay and finish plain strip floor in bedrooms to convey that French touch.

Of course the Master bedroom deserves a special treatment, why not "Marie Antoinette" squares, or a custom made central motif?

Also having parquetry panels in one or two rooms only leaves you with the opportunity to dare a more contemporary design in some other rooms, still using wooden floors.(Brushed finish makes wonders in warehouses and lofts).

On the contrary to common belief, parquetry panels can be cost effective to install, if the job is well prepared and there is no fiddling with the borders. It pays off going for the heavy, traditional, fully assembled panels that can be laid directly on a rubber mat, or screwed to the sub-floor with a couple of screws only. And consider this: When you move out, you take your floor with you!!!!

Finishes are worth a full chapter. Just to name a few, here is a non exhaustive list of commonly used factory finishes, prior to staining and coating: brushed, beveled, smoked, darkened, weathered, distressed, re-cycled, hand (at least for the look!) scraped. It has to be said that very few installers have the knowledge to hand scrape timber floors unfortunately!

The panels pictured here are made to the very best traditional workmanship. All panels can be manufactured in 10, 14, 22, 27 or 32mm thick, all blades interlocked.

Come and visit us in Richmond to see samples of these beautiful timber floors.

Please forward drawings or sketches of your project for us to give you some price indication. We will assist you in any aspect of style and installation as well.

And visit our website to discover the other main products we import from France: Roof tiles, Traditional and Designer fireplaces, stone floors and decorative stone works, and European casement windows.

At The Good House, we look forward to sharing your vision.