Rosie Kelly Smith, London

When it came to picking her floor, Rosie had to consider a lot of factors, including how the flooring would work with not only her design ideas but also the practicality with her dog Ruby, as she explains…

“I think with having Ruby I didn’t want carpets – with a tiny wee dog who is so close to the ground she can bring in all the mud, leaves and sometimes animals from outdoors (I did think she was a cat for a while!). So, I wanted flooring that was easy to clean and not high maintenance. I picked Frozen Umber because it’s timeless and can literally go in any room with any furniture or theme. Even if I do decide to redecorate, I know I won’t have to worry about ever redoing the floors.”

To that end, Rosie chose Frozen Umber in plank and herringbone from our Deco collection, to create a seamless mix and match design. The engineered oak is complete with a UV colour oil, offering muted oak tones, perfect for creating the versatile design that Rosie was after. What’s more, the UV finish offers a durable wear layer, making Frozen Umber perfect for those wanting a hardwearing flooring solution for busy homes.

The long oak planks are perfect for opening up the space, drawing the eye across the room and creating the illusion of a larger area. Meanwhile, the herringbone design in the hallway beautifully connects the different areas of the home, maintaining a cohesive look while adding a touch of timeless elegance.

“I knew that I didn’t want the same design through the flat and wanted to break up the hallways from the main rooms to make it seem bigger. I’ve always been obsessed with the herringbone design and have used it for the tiles in the bathroom and the fireplace in the living room – any excuse! After some searching on Pinterest that feature for flooring in hallways makes it look like it’s leading you to the rooms and just knew I had to do it. I also knew I wanted boards for the rooms but nothing that was too narrow, so when I saw these ones, I knew they were perfect.”

When asked how she would describe the style of her finished design, Rosie went on to say: “Oh I have no idea what the style is! When I was picking out the paint for the walls, the furniture and all the artwork I just went with what I liked. I wanted the space to be cosy and feel like home, so I think I made a lot of unconscious decisions with warm, earthy tones. My favourite thing is definitely how everything just flows from room to room which is mainly down to the flooring!”.

When discussing how the floor has been since the renovation was complete, Rosie went on to say “Being completely honest I’ve not had to think or worry about it, which has been such a lovely relief in a renovation. Flooring is such a huge part of any renovation but as soon as it was down I was able to put the furniture where I wanted, start to unpack boxes and actually live in the flat.”

What’s more, Rosie told us that her dog Ruby loves the floor: “One of my favourite things is hearing her little paws on the floor when she’s moving from room to room, it’s adorable! I think if she could talk, she would very much approve of the flooring. One of her habits, while I’m working, is to roll on her back from one side of the spare room to the other, so cute”.

If you would like to join Rosie and start your own V4 flooring journey, click here to browse our wood flooring collection, and order your very own free samples today.