New Homes Construction and Renovations Showing Nostalgia for Old World Flooring

05/19/05

by Neil Street

As the home construction and remodeling season gets underway, architects, builders, and realtors see a booming demand from discerning homeowners, who are seeking the warmth and luxury of old-world wood floors in their new homes and remodeling projects. Whether it’s a floor made of old-growth eastern pine, or wide plank flooring of oak, cherry, heart pine, or other hardwoods, today’s homeowners are seeking this enduring look in record numbers.

Take a stroll through the showroom of Kellogg Hardwood Lumber located in the picturesque New England town of Bethel, CT., and you will see an assortment of hardwoods, lumber and wide plank flooring that will satisfy anyone seeking the old-world look and feel of an antique, wide plank floor. Business is good these days at Kellogg Hardwoods, and at similar top tier lumber yards around the country, that specialize in both hardwood flooring and wide plank flooring. Some industry analysts point to a yearning for nostalgia in a post 9-11 world; others note that the trend has been growing since the 1970s. Whatever the cause, there is no doubt that the traditional wide plank floor is more in demand than ever.

Wide plank flooring can give a new home or remodeling project a look that is timeless, warm, and nostalgic, all at the same time. It comes in almost infinite variety, in a wide range of species, including oak, maple, cherry, birch, hickory, eastern pine, walnut, heart pine, and more. Each wood is prized for its individual look, feel, durability and coloration. Homeowners are specifying these kinds of floors both in new construction and in remodeling projects, for the unique and classic look, durability, and charm.

Wide plank hardwoods come from both antique and new lumber, and both varieties fill an important niche is this booming industry. Lumber such as the old-growth eastern pine at Kellogg Hardwoods is from trees more than 100 years old. Today, this old-growth wood may be reclaimed from sources as diverse as old barns, old houses, country lumber yards, or can be replicated from old growth trees. At Kellogg, planks of eastern pine can be found in widths of 12 – 20”, allowing the homeowner to literally recreate a stunning floor from the past.

With antique lumber in diminishing supply and high demand, it is not surprising that a viable industry has emerged that supplies wide plank flooring that is harvested from new,
and specially-planted forests. These ecologically-friendly, sustainable forests, provide a steady and varied supply of wide plank flooring which, while not “antique” in the literal
sense of the word, offer a beautiful and readily-available alternative to actual reclaimed wood. And the new-growth wide plank flooring offers the same antique look, rich feel, and lasting charm of its older counterpart. For today’s homeowner or architect, both types of wood provide a wide array of choices, to match any architecture, building detail, or
interior design. Once installed, a wide plank floor will provide a look and feel that cannot be duplicated by any other material.

For more information about wide plank flooring, or any hardwood flooring questions, visit Kellogg Hardwoods website.
Kellogg Hardwoods is located in Bethel, CT., just over an hour from New York City. They can arrange shipment of flooring to any U.S. destination.
Telephone: Toll Free 877-721 WOOD (9663).

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