The natural tones of White Smoked Oak herringbone are chosen to complement a bright and colourful open plan kitchen renovation by lifestyle blogger, The Bright Blooms.
Lifestyle and sewing blogger Atia, is known for bringing colour and creative living together in a fresh and unique way as she writes and creates content about a broad range of lifestyle and contemporary crafts, including knitting,
dressmaking, home styling and gardening. And it is this love of mixing colour and creative living that was at the heart of the design of the open plan kitchen, dining and living space in her own family home in London.
“This space was always going to be the heart of the home, where we would spend so much time together. We reconfigured the house with that in mind, knocking through the original kitchen and living room, and adding a half-width rear extension, replacing an old conservatory. By combining these three spaces we created a lovely large and bright kitchen and living space, in addition to being able to add in a new utility, cloakroom and shower room.”
While the building work was being completed Atia was busy planning the interior design for this new open plan room, and as ever, colour and unique design would be at the heart of the concept.
“We’d been drawn to the idea of a green kitchen since the early stages of planning, so then I started to add-in other colour and texture ideas to layer around this. I’d seen some stunning curved fluted oak island ideas so this was something we designed in, and while we chose to tile the kitchen area with a Terrazzo style tile, I was keen to complete the rest of the room with a complementary oak floor.”
Atia looked at various styles of wood floor options, and narrowed it down to either a light oak chevron or herringbone style.
“I wanted a wood floor finish that would have an element of character and texture, but something that was also slightly pale and muted to add a bit of a Scandinavian feel. I decided herringbone was the style I wanted, it felt a little more timeless, and when I discovered V4’s White Smoked Oak herringbone I was immediately drawn to its light tones and natural variations in the oak surface. It was exactly what I was looking for.”
Our ZB203 Deco Parquet White Smoked Oak is created by lightly smoking the oak surface to add a soft warmth. This is then steel brushed to produce a lightly textured surface that follows the natural grain, before it is sealed with coats of UV-cured white oil which creates the muted tones that add a subtle Scandi feel to the floor.
“We wanted a wood floor that would complement the colour scheme, without being an exact match to the island colour. The white oiled finish gives the room a really calm and relaxing feeling, and the herringbone design flows beautifully as soon as you enter the room and really elongates the space, drawing your eye to the heritage French doors at the back of the room."
“I only considered oak flooring as it is hardwearing and has a beautiful natural grain. I looked at a few different white oiled finishes but a lot of them felt too bright. The White Smoked Oak has a soft subtle finish which allows the wood colour to shine, and it sits so naturally with all the other tones and textures in the room.”
Atia’s finished design is a wonderful mix of colourful and eclectic styles that are easy to live with in a space that is designed to suit busy family life. Bold lighting, a mixed colour palette and the coming together of different textures, including the contrasting oak tones of the fluted island, dining table and wood floors, create an inviting and homely space, that also feels bright and modern.
“The wood floors have been such a perfect fit with everything. All of the colours, especially the greens and pinks, sit so comfortably with them. I also love our handmade tiles which were made in Morocco. The entire kitchen wall behind the sink is tiled up to the ceiling and it really catches the light beautifully. We also used the same tiles in an intricate lattice pattern behind the fireplace which adds another colourful and unique feature to the room. And the bespoke curved kitchen island really elevates the kitchen design, especially with the playfulness of the swirled Murano glass pendant lights we installed over it.
We still have a few more plans for this room, and it will evolve over time, but we are really happy with how the overall design and function of the room have all come together.”
Featured Flooring
Smoked White Oak
White Smoked Oak herringbone blocks are stored in a smoke filled chamber that naturally ages the timber and darkens the grains. The oak surface is then brushed and sealed with clear white oils that add a beautifully muted, earthy hue across the surface.
