UPDATE 6: Flooring & Millwork
It’s Time for Flooring!
At this point in the process, we’ve already demolished the existing tile flooring in the kitchen and replaced the plywood subfloor in areas damaged by water, readying the space for new hardwood boards. Spanning both the kitchen and dining room with the same flooring will contribute to an open and cohesive main floor layout in addition to widening the opening between both rooms.
Feathering New and Old Flooring
Like any stage of remodeling, merging new construction to existing requires thoughtful consideration. In the case of laying all new wood flooring in this Tangletown home, our crew relied on a process called feathering to seamlessly join the dining room hardwood floors to newly laid wood planks in the kitchen. By staggering the point at which the new kitchen planks joined existing wood in the dining area, this zigzagging joint eliminated what would have been a glaringly straight seam from one room to the next. Through rigorous sanding and sealant application across the main level, the distinction between the kitchen and the rest of the wood flooring became even less noticeable.
Preserving Details & Providing Updates
Designing layouts that honor the charm of older homes while providing worthwhile updates can be a delicate balance in both the design and construction process. The charming details of this 1920s home give it a distinct character worth preserving, including the curving risers at the living room landing. While we needed to replace the tile flooring in the kitchen, we were able to preserve these existing rounded, wood steps with careful sanding along with the rest of the main level floor. Alternatively, damage on the risers leading to the kitchen meant rebuilding them with new wood planks was necessary. Other details, particularly millwork like window and door casing as well as base profiles within the kitchen and bath were chosen to match existing details throughout the rest of the home.
Millwork Makes A Difference
Millwork is a generic term referring to those decorative wood elements throughout the home historically produced in wood mills, typically consisting of details like handrails, window and door casing, fireplace details, as well as base and crown moldings and beyond. Just like the curved living room stairs, we wanted to preserve the millwork profiles true to the home’s 1920s beginnings by complimenting or matching existing details. Thoughtful millwork details play a large role in joining updated selections to existing features for a balanced and nuanced approach to remodeling, which is why our team carefully documented these details at the start of the design process. Here are two selections from this remodel:
- Window and Door Casing: This is a two-piece profile to match the existing on the main level, consisting of 1×4 flat boards and a 1×1 backband.
- The Base Trim: We were able to compliment the existing base profile by using a multi-piece method, attaching first a 1×6 board then applying a rounded shoe and decorative cap, for a 7 1/2″ total height.
