It is always tempting to push the boundaries of traditional design and parquetry is not immune of this tendency. The French leached grey finish, so popular over the last 3 years, is a good example of that trend(see our previous post). Wide herringbone pattern is another example, here is what it looks like in a simple renovation in the heart of Windsor.
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Natural oil on top of a brushed finish provides a contrasting rustic feel in this sophisticated interior.
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The simple question that comes to mind is how far we can go with the width and length of herringbone boards, that once used to be 65 x 390mm only!
The photos show boards that are 150mm in width, and 900mm in length, and you may have already noticed that the length has to be a multiple of the width, usually 6 or 7 times. It keeps the pattern more orderly when you look at it from a 45 degree angle, and also helps for installation, making it easy to check alignment of boards across different rows.
As for the question about the width, as a manufacturer we would advise not to go wider than 150mm if you want to use solid timber, but we can supply boards up to 220mm wide, either in solid or engineered type. That said, the beauty of traditional parquetry has always resided in high grade narrow boards with a fine polish and low sheen.
With technology now allowing strict control of the moisture content, indeed nowadays the limit is your imagination !
