Recently, a reader wrote to say she was contemplating painting her floors white and asking us how we liked ours. Friends were warning her off them, saying they are a pain to take care of. We wrote a number of posts about the specifics of pale or white painted floorsdesigner Laura Handler’s is a revelation — but our essential take is this:

We view painted floors as a canvas that can be embellished or changed as needed, and we’ve posted MANY examples of cool floor patterns you can paint on top of a painted floor, to shift the look or disguise wear or damage. The simplest and most liberating treatment might be Jackson Pollock-esque spatters, as in this wonderful green floor where the splatters are random and minimal (and enough to cover a rough patch).

Or you can go to town, as in this kid’s room….

splatter floor wary meyers

Paint blotches make for a daring Dalmation pattern…

dalmation painted floors

Paint just a few boards to “repair” a damaged area…

painted floors with a stripes

…or get into elaborate patterns a la Matthieu Lavanchy

geometric artistic painted floor
Matthieu Lavanchy

…or do a complex, Richard Woods’ish design

richard woods
richard woods

…or use big flowey stencils…

paint stenciled on floor

…or more graphic ones...

mette helena rasmussen for sköna hem.
Mette Helena Rasmussen for Sköna Hem.

 Paola Navone painted “rugs” directly onto her floors…

paola navone's stenciled floor rug

If your painted floor gets scratched, dinged, worn, messed up, view it as an opportunity.

 

Top photo via SF Girl By Bay

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