American Hardwoods, Pure, Practical and Perfect All Through the House

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American Hardwoods,Pure, Practical & Perfect All Through the House

(HIT) - "When you see the historic colonial houses that people still live in," says Certified Kitchen Designer Florence Perchuk of Manhattan, "the only thing that's retained its individuality and functionality is the wooden floor. Nothing can destroy it!" In fact, centuries of use and buffing have only enhanced the hardwood's warm, natural glow.

The same holds true for the American hardwood floors, cabinets, furniture and mouldings in today's homes. With improved, easy-care finishes, they are beautifully practical in even the busiest of households. (Besides, a three-year-old banging a pot on the floor can't compare to constant use since 1798!)

Even better, says New York designer John Buscarello, "Wood is the only completely renewable surface in a house." With endless options for finishing and refinishing, "Homeowners rarely make a bad wood choice. It's almost foolproof."

Convenience and natural versatility top the list of hardwoods' benefits, adds Perchuck. "I've seen a tremendous shift since the early 1990s from stone to wood floors - wood is warmer and it 'gives,' so it's more comfortable to stand on." She says kitchen designers love hardwood because "it's never intrusive. You can stain it, paint it, applique on it, inlay tile and stone, or inlay contrasting-wood patterns. The possibilities are infinite."

And don't underestimate the "message" that American hardwoods send: naturally classic, they go against the grain in mass-produced, artificial, throw-away age.



	Photo courtesy of Mullican Flooring and the American Hardwood Information Center

"There's a quality to wood that's uniquely comfortable," agrees New York designer Margot Gunther. "It works well with everything: sleek modern, country French, or my personal favorite, an 'old-money' look with substance to it. Wood never fights you, and it never looks like you 'bought it yesterday'."

Trusted Value, Classic Beauty

Worried that your active children and playful pets would destroy fine hardwoods in your home? Don't. The fact is, genuine American hardwoods last far longer than their imitators, and require minimal care. Thanks to today's polyurethane finishes, these are not your grandmothers high-maintenance hardwood floors. Mud and spaghetti sauce disappear with damp mopping; spilled paint or nail polish with a bit of steel wool or sandpaper.

Gunther once asked a client, "Don't you find the wood kitchen floor impractical?" She replied, "No, not with four boys!" Wood is not only easy-care but also muffles everyday noise. "The mixer is running, the TV is on, the kids are on the floor playing.... It all makes a racket, and stone or tile floors actually amplify sound," notes Gunther. "But wood absorbs it."

Granted, hardwoods are an investment. But just as you might think twice about a costly evening dress, you'll wear only once or twice, a smashing designer outfit you wear twice a week becomes a bargain at the same price.

Add this to the fact that as American classics, hardwoods simply never go out of style. Nearly three-quarters of consumers in the American Dream Home Survey said they'd rather redesign or postpone the project, or reduce their house size in order to have the best materials like oak, maple, cherry or other hardwoods.
In addition to the health benefits of hardwood floors for people with allergies, authentic, top-quality materials make sense both aesthetically and economically, adds designer Gunther. "With the look-alikes and laminates, a nick or flaw sticks out like a sore thumb and can't be refinished. To me that's no bargain.

Nothing Beats Natural

Interior designer John Buscarello agrees. "Laminated flooring can look good as a small sample piece, but once you cover a whole room with it, homeowners are surprised by how unnatural and phony laminates look. Wood is warm, laminates are cold. When they eventually dull out, they can never regain their luster like wood can."

"Faux" surfaces are just that: imitations of the real thing. "Even the plainest hardwood still looks better than the finest faux wood, which just never quite has the same depth or patina," says Connecticut designer and cabinet-maker Beverly Ellsley.

The latest trend she see is toward such "character woods" as knotty cherry and knotty hickory. Ellsley's high-end clients always have appreciated hardwood's warmth and authenticity, "but where they used to insist on wood without knots, they now pay extra for it!" Her advice? "If you want uniform, buy laminate; if you want genuine beauty full of character, buy hardwood."

For more ideas on hardwood flooring and other ways to use American hardwoods in your home, visit the American Hardwood Information Center at www.hardwoodinfo.com.

Courtesy: Home Improvement News and Information Center

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