How we create warm and dark custom floor colors on site for Flatiron lofts, from light brown and caramel to carbon black.
Choosing a floor color in the Flatiron District? Call Joe Avila at (908) 232-6600 or book a virtual consultation.
Flatiron lofts were built as showrooms and offices, and many now hold apartments with long open floors, iron columns and tall windows. A warm or dark floor color can anchor those big rooms. Our custom color effects service starts with a full sanding, then builds color on site using eco-friendly, low-VOC pre-treatments and finishes imported from top European manufacturers.
How Custom Color Is Built
Our sanding and finishing process restores a floor to a like-new surface ready for complete customization. Color then comes in layers: an optional pre-treatment such as a lye, a reactive stain or a precolor, followed by a color oil, diamond oil or master floor oil. These finishes penetrate and bond with the wood for long-lasting durability. Because every layer can change, the range of color is practically unlimited. See how the floor is prepared on our sanding process page.
Light Brown: Natural Warmth
Light brown tones keep oak looking like oak, only warmer and richer. Our light brown range includes Antic, Brazil Brown, Softwood Lye and Naturelle, and Wood Lye Grey and Naturelle. These suit Flatiron apartments with exposed brick or warm millwork, where a pale floor can look washed out. They also flatter patterned floors such as herringbone, where the grain direction changes from board to board.
Red Brown: Caramel, Walnut And Rhode Island Brown
The red brown range adds depth and a touch of warmth. It includes Brun Caramel, Walnut, Rhode Island Brown and Brun Chocolat, along with versions over Antique Lye such as Antique Lye and Brun Caramel or Antique Lye and Walnut. The antique lye softens the base color first, so the brown reads more aged than new. These tones work well in a loft library or a dining room under warm lighting.
Want color samples laid out on your floor? Book a virtual consultation with Joe Avila.
Dark Brown And Black: Smoke Brown To Noir Carbone
For a dramatic floor, our dark brown range includes Brun Fumee (smoke brown), Black, Noir Carbone, Noir Carbone and Naturelle, Wood Lye White and Black, and Antique Lye, Black and Plus de Blanc. A deep floor gives a Flatiron loft the feel of a private gallery or club, and it sets off pale walls and white oak cabinetry. Dark tones show dust more readily than mid-tones, which is worth weighing in a busy home.
Choosing Color On The Floor, Not On A Screen
Color changes with the species, the cut and the light in your rooms. That is why stain samples are laid out on the sanded floor before a color is selected, so you can see each option in your own light. In one private residence in Manhattan, rift and quartered white oak herringbone was finished with WOCA lye and brown oil for a soft, warm brown. Our sanding and refinishing team handles both the color and the protective finish.
Ready to choose your floor color? Speak with Joe Avila.
Quick Answers
Which color families do you offer?
White, Grey, Light Brown, Red Brown, Dark Brown and Black, each with many combinations.
Are your color treatments low-VOC?
Yes. We use eco-friendly, low-VOC pre-treatments such as lyes, reactive stains and precolors.
Can you make an oak floor look like walnut?
Yes. Our red brown range includes Walnut and Antique Lye and Walnut color options.
How do I choose the right color?
We lay stain samples on your sanded floor so you can compare them in your own light.
Begin Your Custom Color With Joe Avila
Call (908) 232-6600, email joe@hugginsflooring.com, or book a virtual consultation. Explore herringbone, chevron, wide plank and parquet floors, or our sanding and refinishing and NWFA inspection services.
About The Author
Joe Avila is the founder of Huggins Wood Floor Specialist and leads New York City Wood Floors, a Huggins Wood Floor Specialist brand. He brings 26 years in wood flooring, is NWFA certified (CSI, CI, CWFI, CFS), and teaches AIA, IDCEC and ASID continuing-education courses. See his certifications.
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Contact New York City Wood Floors
Email: joe@hugginsflooring.com
Phone Number: 908-232-6600
Address: 406B West Broad Street, Westfield, NJ, 07090
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