Brighten Your Home With White Washed Wood Floors

Whether you want to build a home with a coastal feel, update your Carolina Beach or Wrightsville Beach bungalow, explore the simple beauty of Scandinavian-inspired dcor, or simply freshen up your home, white washed wood floors might be the answer.

Are you wondering what on earth we?re talking about? If so, you?re not alone! We?ve had a lot of questions about this unique and fun look, so we decided to answer the most common ones in a blog post. Let?s start at the beginning?

What exactly are white washed wood floors? Sometimes known as ?pickled wood flooring? or ?pickled hardwood floors,? white washed wood floors by any name are gaining popularity across America, including right here in Wilmington, NC. It?s a technique that allows you to brighten wood floors that may have grown dark and dingy with age, without losing the natural grain pattern. Another bonus: they can also make a small space seem larger, especially when paired with white walls.

How is it done? To get this breezy coastal look, white stain is applied to the floors and then wiped away. The different names of the process simply refer to which way the stain was applied. If you go against the grain, it?s called pickled wood flooring. If you go with the grain, your floors have been white washed. Pickling will saturate the wood more, and looks best when applied to oak floors. White washing, on the other hand, is a great way to highlight the natural grain of pine floors. No matter which direction you go, you end up with a modern, transitional look that?s classy and clean.

Should I DIY? You can DIY almost anything, but that doesn?t mean you?ll get the best results?especially when it comes to a job as large as your floors. We may be biased, but we think this is a look best accomplished by a professional. The easiest way to guarantee that you get the look you want is to buy engineered hardwood flooring that is pre-pickled or white washed, rather than painting the floor you have. Not only is painting your floors labor-intensive and time-consuming, but there?s no way to tell how the paint will take until you start?and then it?s too late to change your mind. Buying it when it?s already been white washed or pickled means you can get the exact look you want, without any unpleasant surprises.

Gomer Pyle Meets Carpet Pile

Here in North Carolina, we have a special spot in our hearts for The Andy Griffith Show.

There was a lot to love about this classic sitcom, from the wide-eyed antics of Barney Fife to the close-to-home setting, based on Griffith?s hometown of Mount Airy, NC. But when it comes to favorite aspects of the show, we?re partial to Gomer Pyle, the mechanic with a heart of gold. And, just as Gomer was often deputized by Barney to serve and protect, we decided to do some deputizing ourselves.

Well golllll-y! What is pile? Pile is the raised strands of yarn that make up a carpet. Deeper pile has a lusher feel, but short pile is usually easier to care for. The word pile comes from the Latin pilus, which means hair, and just like there are different types of hair, there are several kinds of pile?three, to be exact.

Garsh! So what?s the first type of pile?

Loop Pile: All carpets are initially woven with a loop pile, which means that the yarn is attached to the carpet in uncut loops. The durability of loop pile is due to the fact that no yarn tips are exposed. It?s a popular choice for high-traffic spaces like living rooms and staircases but you may want to opt out if you have pets with claws that could get snagged. There are three main subcategories of loop pile:

• Level ? All loops are the same height, resulting in a uniform surface with no visible texture. Level pile is often found in commercial spaces.
• Textured ? Loop height varies slightly, which can give a carpet pattern or texture.
• Multi-Level ? Loop height varies dramatically, guaranteeing deep patterns in a carpet.

Shazam! And the second kind of pile?

Cut Pile: With cut pile carpets, often used in residential spaces, the loops are sheared so that the strands are no longer connected. Durability of cut pile depends on the type of fiber, the density of the pile, and the amount of twist in the yarn. Four popular cut pile are:

• Textured Plush ? Hides footprints and vacuum streaks, making it ideal for busy households. Decoratively versatile and can be used as an ?all over? carpet.
• Saxony ? Carpet yarns have a soft twist and the pile is often cut at an angle. Less textured but still able to hide marks. Frequently used in children?s rooms and living rooms.
• Friez ? Yarns are extremely twisted, resulting in a ?curly? textured surface. Has an informal look. Helps minimize footprints and vacuum marks.
• Plush ? Has a thick luxurious feel but shows footprints and vacuum marks easily. Best for low traffic areas and formal rooms.

Surprise, surprise, surprise! I bet I know the third kind of pile:

Cut and Loop: Cut and loop is cut and dried?it combines cut and loop piles. This creates surface textures, sculptured effects, and can help hide soil and stains.

Flokati Rugs: Funky Fluke or Fabulous Find?

If you ever caught an episode of the 1980s game show Press Your Luck, you may remember one of the common prizes: flokati rugs. These Greek rugs began to earn a following in the ?60s and ?70s but, unlike some other styles of the era, they remain popular in magazines and households today. In fact, many contemporary designers would still consider these rugs a prize.

Known for a shaggy texture that resembles sheepskin, flokati rugs are actually made from handwoven wool. Traditionally, Greek rug-makers carry the flokatis to mountain waterfalls where they?re soaked for hours in cool water, a process which fluffs up the shag fibers. This method of rug-making is unique to flokati rugs, making them both functional and the result of distinct craftsmanship.

• Due to the soaking process that fluffs the fibers, flokati rugs are extra soft, making them a popular choice in bedrooms and spaces where plush flooring is appreciated. However, these rugs aren?t just luxurious?they?re tough, too. They keep their texture, shape, and sheen throughout the years and, because they?re made from wool, they?re also naturally static and flame resistant.
• Be aware that some manufacturers cut their costs by using artificial materials such as polyurethane. This not only makes the flokati rugs non-organic but it could also mean they?re a fire hazard too. True flokati rugs are 100% wool, from the distinctive shag to the backing.
• Flokati rugs are traditionally off-white but can be dyed, so you don?t need to worry about limiting your dcor palate. Similarly, you can find flokati rugs in the standard circular and rectangular sizes or free-form sizes.
  
• One of the things that designers love about flokati rugs is that they merge with many different styles. They can add a funky element to traditional homes or break up the precise lines of modern spaces.
• Cleaning flokati rugs is relatively straight-forward. They should be shaken outdoors regularly to avoid dust buildup. Mild wool soaps can be used but high water temperatures, chlorine bleach, and dry cleaning should be avoided. Small flokati rugs can be put in the washing machine on the Gentle cycle and be air-dried afterward, but keep in mind that direct sunlight can alter the color of the rug.
• If your flokati rug ever needs a quick pick-me-up, you can use a plastic or wooden garden rake to gently comb the wool.
• Flokati rugs are measured by the weight of wool per square meter. Thus, the heavier the flokati rug, the thicker and fluffier the shag.
• Flokatis have staying power. For centuries, they?ve been cherished as family heirlooms, included in inheritances and dowries, and used as bed covers and wall-hangings in addition to rugs.