STEP ONTO A WORK OF ART WITH SUPERSTRATA ARTISANS’ CUSTOM HAND-PAINTED FLOORS
- melinda979
- Jul 7
- 4 min read
Painted floors offer a distinctive way to reimagine a space by merging color, pattern, and craftsmanship underfoot. With endless possibilities in tone and design, these floors become more than a surface—they act as a canvas for storytelling, guided by the vision of the designer and brought to life by SuperStrata's skilled Artisan Collective.
Often seen in early American homes since the mid-1700s, painted floors ranged from simple patterns to more elaborate hand-stenciled creations meant to imitate floor rug patterns. Now we are seeing a revival of painted floors, with interest in both intricate vintage patterns and geometric motifs incorporating a modern flair. SuperStrata has created a range of expertly painted floors such as these throughout the years, and we are always open to collaborating with you to explore beyond these designs to define interiors—see what it’s like to work with us.
1. Explore more of this hand-painted floor by SuperStrata artisan Patrick Shoemaker with SuperStrata for Sarah Bartholomew’s Kips Bay Show House. Photo by Patrick Cline.
2. Closeup of a geometric painted floor by SuperStrata artisan Patrick Shoemaker with SuperStrata for Sarah Bartholomew. Photo by Patrick Cline.
1. Closeup of ornate rug pattern painted floor by SuperStrata artisan David Faust.
2. Ornate rug pattern painted floor by SuperStrata artisan David Faust.
Your pattern and color choice can make all the difference in how a room will feel when you walk into it. Painted floors can open up a tight space, especially when used alongside design elements such as tall windows and mirrored walls. When it comes to color palette, lighter hues can make a room feel more airy, while a bold color becomes a focal point and provides a bit of dramatic flair. Darker, rich colors like oxblood or navy blue have an elegant touch to them, or you can get more nuanced with earth tones that bring warmth to a room.
Control the sheen you want by choosing a matte or high-gloss finish, and note that this also matters when it comes to an area of the home with high foot traffic. Matte finishes tend to require less upkeep, while polished floors need a bit more attention to hide scuffs and natural wear. Not sure what sheen, color, or pattern might work best with the base material you have to work with? Connect with us to share the details of your project so we can work together.
Our artisans are master decorative painters and can create patterns of all types, whether you want a hand-stenciled design that is more ornate, a simple border around the room, a mural-like work of art, or geometric shapes that can look almost like an illusion at different angles.
You can even bring a faux painted element into the mix, as seen in SuperStrata artisan Sylvie Bilger's hexagonal faux malachite painted floor in collaboration with interior designer Ceara Donnelley in our Flatiron District Apartment project. For Martin Brûlé Studio, Sylvie created a striped painted floor with blue-grey and white faux stone that leads you from the lobby into the living areas in our Sherry-Netherland Residence project.
1. Faux malachite hexagonal painted floor by SuperStrata artisan Sylvie Bilger for Ceara Donnelley in our Flatiron District Apartment project. Photo by Laura Wheatley.
2. Closeup of faux malachite hexagonal painted floor by SuperStrata artisan Sylvie Bilger for Ceara Donnelley. Photo by Laura Wheatley.
1. Process of faux malachite hexagonal painted floor by SuperStrata artisan Sylvie Bilger for Ceara Donnelley. Photo by Laura Wheatley.
2. SuperStrata artisan Sylvie Bilger in the process of painting a faux malachite floor for Ceara Donnelley. Photo by Laura Wheatley.
Learn how Sylvie balances faux elements within geometric designs.
Introduce even more texture by incorporating our artisans' skills with painting techniques and tools that alter paints and glazes for a truly unique look. You might even consider an aged or whitewashed appearance for a bit of rustic elegance. To create these faux weathered floors, our artisans use techniques involving careful sanding and scraping to reveal the underlying paint layers.
1. Faux weathered blue and white checkerboard painted floors by SuperStrata artisan David Faust for Rita Konig.
2. Black and white checkered painted floor by SuperStrata artisan David Faust.
In collaboration with designer Rita Konig, our SuperStrata artisan David Faust created this effect with a pale blue and white checkerboard painted floor pattern. These pale-colored geometric designs bring to mind the simple charm that the late Bunny Mellon was known for, inspired by Swedish-style painted wood floors that mimic stone paving.
One example of this is SuperStrata artisan Patrick Shoemaker's painted floors for DRA in a New York residence. For our Bronx Residence project, SuperStrata artisan Tim Murphy collaborated with Schumacher to paint similar patterns in pale hues on the wood floors in multiple bedrooms throughout a home, as featured in Frederic magazine.
1. Paving stone painted floor design by SuperStrata artisan Patrick Shoemaker for DRA.
2. Closeup of paving stone painted floor design by SuperStrata artisan Patrick Shoemaker for DRA.
Learn more about Patrick’s expertise in all things decorative painting.
1. Pale harlequin hand-painted floor by SuperStrata artisan Tim Murphy for Schumacher in our Bronx Residence project. Photo by Max Kim-Bee.
2. Pale blue and white paving stone painted floor by SuperStrata artisan Tim Murphy for Schumaker. Photo by Max Kim-Bee.
Take a look at Tim’s mastery of painting techniques.
When SuperStrata collaborates with you on your vision for a space, we bring our deep understanding of artisan techniques and decades of experience designing for and consulting on residential and commercial projects. Our full knowledge base of materials and artisan finishes is at your fingertips, giving you a range of one-of-a-kind finishes to incorporate into your design while taking the guesswork out of the artisan process.
