Dressing up your hardwood floors…

Okay, I realize what I’m about to say might not be everyone’s cup of tea… I mean, there are many people who love all hardwood floors the same. But in my opinion & past decorating experience, not all wooden floors are created equally. My very first kitchen years ago had heart pine floors (much like the ones I have now only more yellow/orange in color) and I decided to paint them. It took me 2 weeks of OCD precision taping to get it perfect. Many of my friends were scandalized at the time, but it was my favorite part of the whole house. I didn’t have much money to spend on furniture or rugs, but for the cost of a few cans of paint I was able to achieve a lot of look for very little.

Anyways…today while trying to catch up on my stack of magazines, I ran across these gorgeous images of a floor done with two-tone stained squares. Dear god, I’m having serious floor envy. I present to you, exhibit A:

from the April/May 2008 issue of Belle Magazine

They’re gorgeous, right? I like how they’re a very subtle pattern and how the owner of the house used what looks to be stain rather than paint to create his pattern. Anyways…these pics made me re-think how I’m using the hardwood floors in the rest of my house. (Who knows? Maybe one day…long down the road.)

Here’s some additional inspiration:

This first one is great because it creates the look of inlaid hardwood without having to spend very much money! I love simple details like this one.

from the April 2006 issue of House & Gardens

My first foray into floor painting. Sorry it’s such a grainy photo…this was back in 2000 with a 1.3 megapixel camera!

via flickr by Xenophile12

Do you any of you have any additional photos of floor painting or stencilling? I had a hard time finding any inspiration other than what I already had collected…