constantino nivola's yellow tractor paint floor

Constantino Nivola tractor paint yellow floors — Don Freeman

To our minds, paint is about the easiest way to give something a new look without spending a lot of money. We have a special fondness for painted floors, since floors are a pain-in-the-neck and expensive to replace. We stumbled on this inspiring idea while leafing through Artists’ Handmade Houses: the sublime yellow floors Constantino Nivola painted in his Long Island home.

Nivola was given the yellow tractor paint he used to coat the kitchen floor by the Mobil Oil Company, for whom he did a commission. When the sun hits this remarkable surface, the room is bathed in a honey glow. —Michael Gotkin

Tractor paint!!!!!

To win a free copy of Artists’ Handmade Houses, to see a sampling of more brilliant ideas, click here to enter our giveaway. It ends Monday.