Dear readers,

Time flies. It’s almost the end of February. Spring is around the corner!

Meanwhile, I am busy preparing clients’ projects, which of course require a lot of my attention.

Since we are currently looking for the perfect floor for one of our projects in terms of stone type and pattern, I consulted my photo files to find images that could serve as inspiration. Maybe it’s fun to share some of these images with you here today.

It has to be decided whether we opt for a black and white checkerboard pattern, or whether we choose a pattern with tiles and cabochons, bordered or not. The size of the tiles must also be considered. The size and style of the space as well as what the space is used for are important to choose the right flooring.

The space we are talking about here is a very large reception area.
Checkerboard flooring and cabochon flooring remain a popular choice for entrance halls and reception rooms.

The choice of the type of stone also depends on the country and the region, as there is often and usually chosen for a locally available marble or limestone.

 

Bordered black and white checkerboard flooring in a project by Lefèvre Interiors

Some of our floor pattern suggestions for this project

Classic black and white flooring of reclaimed white Carrara marble and Belgian Noir de Mazy marble. Noir de Mazy is a type of marble that was very popular since a very long time, but unfortunately no longer to find because the quarry is been completely extracted. It is now being replaced by other Belgian black marbles such as Noir de Golzinne. Project by Lefèvre Interiors

Here is definitely chosen for Carrara marble to match the staircase. Project by Lefèvre Interiors

Black and white marble checkerboard flooring in the stunning entrance hall of the Musée Nissim de Camondo in Paris

Staircase at the Musée Nissim de Camondo. While the floors and stairs are marble, the walls are plaster molded and painted to appear as if limestone blocks. That is exactly what we are intended to do with the walls in our project. A sample of the faux-stone painted walls is already made.

Sample faux-stone painted walls for our project

Black and white marble checkerboard flooring in one of the hallways of Musée Carnavalet in Paris

Another possibility is to opt for a black and white floor, not in a checkerboard pattern, but laid in a completely different pattern. Although we have already decided to not opt for it in this project.

Entrance hall of Hotel d’Hane Steenhuyse in Ghent, Belgium

The formal design of a cabochon floor is often a feature in listed properties with a classic black cabochon teamed with pale tiles. Or vice versa.

The base tile of your cabochon floor can be cut to either octagons (4 corners per tile, cabochon on every corner) or pentagons (1 corner per tile, cabochon on every other corner) depending on how you would love to see the floor and on the size of the room and of the tile itself.

Octagons                                                      Pentagons

Although white and black are the most common colour choices for this style of floor, there can be chosen for alternative colors.

Cabochons can be made of marble or slate stone. Slate stone cabochons appeared in the 17th century and spread widely in the 18th century.

Cabochons are generally square-shaped, sometimes you can see them diamond-shaped or round.

Lime stone tiles which have been cut on the corners are usually finished with tumbled or pillowed edges, while marble tiles are usually finished with straight edges.

I absolutely love this cabochon floor seen at La Galerie Pellat de Villedon in Versailles! Here is used a French limestone of course.

La Galerie Pellat de Villedon Photo credit Jean-Baptiste Perraudin (with permission of La Galerie Pellat de Villedon)

This cabochon flooring in a project by Lefèvre Interiors is made of Belgian blue stone with round Carrara marble cabochons.

Project by Lefèvre Interiors

Entrance floor at Cobergher Hotel in Kortrijk, Belgium

Cabochon floor marble tiles cut into pentagons. Project by Lefèvre Interiors

Large tiles in the reception hall at De Warande, Brussels – Belgium

Last year we visited the beautiful Musée des Beaux-Arts in Chartres and fell in love with the cabochon flooring to see throughout the museum. So very beautiful! I couldn’t resist to share a few pictures I took. It struck me that the tiles are not that big, although the spaces are impressive.

Musée des Beaux-Arts Chartres, France

Musée des Beaux-Arts Chartres, France

Musée des Beaux-Arts Chartres, France

Musée des Beaux-Arts Chartres, France

The timeless style of all this flooring is very popular for entrance halls and big reception areas but can be used in many different rooms such as dining rooms, living rooms and even bathrooms.

So, what do you prefer? Checkerboard flooring of cabochon flooring?

 

If you would love to discuss your home interior design project, please don’t hesitate to contact me

at info@lefevre.be or at info@belgianpearls.be .

To discover our portfolio, please visit our website WWW.LEFEVRE.BE

xx

Greet

Photo credit Lefèvre Interiors, unless otherwise mentioned

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