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kellykath_gw

Antique paver floor in kitchen

kellykath
14 years ago

I'm going to haved used antique pavers installed in my

white kitchen. Has anyone out there done the same? I would love to see some pictures. I will have these pavers installed by putting them in a herringbone pattern with the leaset amount of grout I can. I also plan on sealing the brick as well. Could someone please send me pics? Sure would love to get some help. ?Thanks

Comments (23)

  • bellaflora
    14 years ago

    I think it's all depending on the type of your cabinets. I always imagine antique paver herringbone in a rustic farmhouse style kitchen so if that's the vibe of your kitchen design I think it would look great. It would work in a vintage inspired kitchen as well.

    I don't see it w/ the fancy & glossy Christopher Peacock or something gotta give white kitchen if you know what I mean. :-)

    Here's a pic I have which has white cabinets & herringbone flooring (not my kitchen, btw). Hope this help. :-D

    {{!gwi}}

  • Jbrig
    14 years ago

    Check out the Finished Kitchens Blog (FKB)at the link below; you can actually search by floor type... Tons of great inspiration pics to be found there.

    Here's pic w/ pavers that I found on FKB(hope this links correctly):

    [URL=http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/1520671209071553525TQYHDU][IMG]http://thumb5.webshots.net/t/62/162/7/12/9/520671209TQYHDU_th.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

    Here is a link that might be useful: Kitchen w/ brick floor

  • Jbrig
    14 years ago

    Rats, let me try that again...

    {{!gwi}}

  • nutherokie_gw
    14 years ago

    Hi Kellykath,

    I'm planning brick pavers in the kitchen and dining room of my new house (just breaking ground), so I've collected some inspiration photos. Some are in kitchens, some not. I'm planning to use new Boral tumbled pavers laid without mortar -- so no grout lines. Anyway, hope these help you envision your space!
    from Cote de Texas:


    ???

    from Southern Living:

    From Napa Style catalog:

    From Veranda - this is the brick I intend to use:

  • kellykath
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    nutherokie: Thank you! I will look into those. Do you have any concerns about this floor? Are you also going to have this adjoining hardwood somewhere? I have always loved this look but and so aprehensive.

  • kellykath
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    My great room is very close to the last picture you posted however I will be putting the brick in the kitchen adjoined to the great room by a large arch. I cannot find a location in California to view these Boral pavers. Any suggestions?

  • squirrelheaven
    14 years ago

    Okie, I'm interested in your floor application without mortar ... no grout. How is this going down and what about 'stuff' getting in between the cracks? Especially food stuff in a kitchen. ?

  • nutherokie_gw
    14 years ago

    Hi Kellykath! I haven't had much luck seeing newly installed brick floors in person. As I'm sure you've noticed, they're not a common choice. I've seen ancient brick floors in Santa Fe and New Orleans and they're gorgeous.

    Our house will be single storey, but the entry, kitchen, dining room, back entry will be one level and the living room, library, bedrooms will be two steps down. The steps will occur between the dining and living rooms (there will also be a see-through fireplace between the rooms). This gives me a natural transition point. Brick in the upper rooms (sounds like Pentacost), wood in the lower rooms. A wood edge on the top step will make the transition.

    As for apprehension? Heck yes! Everyone seems to look at me like I'm crazy when I mention it, and I've almost changed my mind several times. But it is a look I've loved for years and I think I'm just going to close my eyes and do it.

    Squirrelheaven, I'm a huge fan of your photoshopping! From what I've researched, to do a mortarless installation, you put down two layers of 15 lb. felt, lay the pavers on the felt -- tightly abutted -- then sweep fine sand into all the joints. You then seal the floor which stabilizes the whole thing, prevents stains to the brick, and keeps the sand from being vacuumed up. I'm planning to use Ring Brick Floor Sealant on the excellent advice of Lynninnewmexico who has beautiful brick floors.

    The Boral Brick saleslady was very skeptical of an interior application, but her boss said he could think of no drawbacks and that many people are interested in brick paver floors, but fail to plan ahead for thresholds and transitions. Sorry for the dissertation!

  • squirrelheaven
    14 years ago

    Thanks ; ) and thanks for the info, Okie : ) Very interesting!

    Those are indeed gorgeous materials to use! I do think they need to be used with the 'right' type of house/furnishings, for it to look right. And not a particularly a practical choice for a kitchen -- esp the way we think about these things here in the States -- but if Lynn has them in her kitchen, she can certainly provide her firsthand experiences and recommendations : )

  • User
    14 years ago

    My sister has brick pavers in her kitchen and it's wonderfully unique and durable. She did her home in French country, it looks amazing. Sorry no pics. :c(

  • nutherokie_gw
    14 years ago

    It's encouraging that the brick has worked so well for your sister, Lukkiirish! I'm going for a 1920s English-y cottage look. I think the brick will be extremely practical, but I'm also hoping it will add texture and just be a little different. I've seen it used in 1920s and 30s houses so I think it will be appropriate to the style I'm after. My alternative is the same quarter-sawn oak I'm using in the rest of the house. I KNOW it would look good. The brick is just a little bit of a risk.

    I wish I could find the post where Lynn talks about her brick, Squirrelheaven. She was very encouraging and loves hers. She also has radiant heat under her pavers. I'm seriously jealous of that!

  • squirrelheaven
    14 years ago

    Wondering how it's extremely practical? I'd think cleanup for kitchen spills and crumbs would be tough. Very hard on the feet, too, though probably not any worse than tile. I was oggling it in a kitchen design store years ago, probably asking about it, and the guy said he would never do it.

    Same with the distressed wood floors, esp in a kitchen. Beautiful, but keeping things out of the imperfections would be tough. I have somewhat that problem when my cat pukes on the beveled edges of the wood floor in the living area. Not too good cleaning that up and out of the crevices :/

  • nutherokie_gw
    14 years ago

    Well, my cat seems only willing to puke on the rugs! Seriously, we'll be in the country with dogs, gardening, and a husband who sees no problem tramping in from the horse barn or kennel in his muddy (if we're lucky) boots. Oh, and he loves to cook. Mes-sy. The one thing the few folks with brick seem to agree on is that it never looks dirty. To some, the "never looks dirty" thing is a detriment. To me it's a huge plus.

    I think the crumb issue is dependent upon the style of pavers. Regular straight edge pavers, without mortar, make for a fairly monolithic surface which, once sealed (linseed oil sealer, not shiny or plastic-y) should sweep or vacuum up easily. Of course I have a tendency to let form overcome function, so I'm leaning toward tumbled pavers that may be a bit more of a challenge.

    I'm also hoping to have the same pavers on my front and back porch so that from the front steps you see a continuous flow of herringbone brick through the glass front doors, the dining room french doors and out the back french doors. There's that darn form thing rearing its head again.

    You're right that it may be hard on the feet and legs, but my parents have porcelain tile on a concrete slab and that's never bothered me. . . so far.

  • nutherokie_gw
    14 years ago

    Oh, Squirrelheaven, here's a photo of the first mortarless brick floor I ever saw. It's from a Southern Living Idea House issue. I think it appeared in 2003 and I just keep coming back to it. Sorry if I'm boring you to death with my brick obsession!

    {{!gwi}}

  • squirrelheaven
    14 years ago

    Herringbone! My favorite : ) Sounds like you have the right mindset for the floor -- not too worried about dirt. I love the old floors, too. Not sure how I'd fare living with them in real life, versus my dreams, but I'd be willing to try if I had the right place for it, ha.

  • User
    14 years ago

    I'd go with the brick, it's very attractive. It was already installed in my sisters house when they bought it, but it was one of things that drew them to the house. She loves it, it's unexpected, it's durable and like you said, it adds some texture to the room.

  • pps7
    14 years ago

    I love the look and we considered it for our kitchen. We decided against b/c we weren't sure about the ease of cleaning and there wasn't a good transition point from our wood floors. Here area few pics I collected for my inspiration file:

    {{!gwi}}

    {{!gwi}}

    {{!gwi}}

  • housewitch
    14 years ago

    I don't have any experience with using actual brick pavers, although I love the look of brick floors. Our house is elevated, and the weight and height considerations of a true brick floor just weren't practical for us. Friends of ours have actual antique bricks for the flooing in their entire downstairs. Unsealed, they tend to show grease stains and be a bit dirty, but once sealed are entirely livable - if not for those who are not fond of patina.

    I have brick floors in my kitchen, dining room, laundry room and powder room. We used a product called Portstone, which is installed just like tile. We grouted the joints. Sorry that the flash in this picture made the grout lines look soooo white - they're actually a mortar grey color. It's been holding up as well as one would expect any other tile floor for the nearly 6 years we've been in the house. It cleans and wears identically to tile.

  • nutherokie_gw
    14 years ago

    Ha! Yes, Squirrelheaven, you smoked me out. I am not too worried about dirt. I'd like it to just hide until I'm ready to deal with it. Besides, I've concluded I'm only allotted so many hours to obsess about futile (for me) issues and I've chosen to spend that time fretting about incipient sags, bags and wrinkles!

    Pps7, love the brick pics. I think that sepia photo is of that same Dixon and Kirby house featured in Southern Living! Swoon. I remember your house elevation from the building a home forum. It's going to be lovely!

    Housewitch, your floors are beautiful. I looked at Portstone when we thought we'd have a basement beneath the kitchen. Flood-plain issues nixed the basement and opened up the brick options.

    Thanks for everyone's insights. Good luck choosing Kellykath. I know it's a tough decision.

  • nutherokie_gw
    14 years ago

    Kellykath, I just came across these photos in my picture file. They show brick to wood transitions occurring under arches, so I thought they might be helpful to you.

    old, old brick:

    another view from Cote de Texas:

  • kellykath
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    nutherokie you have been quite helpful. I live in so. california and when I mention this type of flooring to people they either think I am nuts or their eyes just glaze over. I remember seeing this brick flooring in a beautiful home 30 years ago and have never forgotten it. Rustic and warm feeling with nice cabinets and plenty of white molding. Maybe it was just the ocean air as it was a bayfront home. (lol) I am using black granite with white cabs and think that the red/blk/white in the used "antik" (arto) bricks will look beautiful. I am still thinking of framing approx. 16" of the brick (havent chosen the pattern yet) with a 4" wood border - transitioning the great room wood into the kitch, laund. bath and art room. Yes, I am nervous in taking this leap. In fact tomorrow, I am going to see a floor I was told about that was somewhat similar. It is so scary as if I don't like it, I really can't afford to rip it out. I do think it will be durable though. As for standing on, with a good mat under a runner, I don't think it would be any different than travertine, porcelein, etc. There are some good pictures with the wood dividing the brick on Portstone.com. After receiving some samples of that I did not care for the look. It looks much more authentic in the pics. vs. up close with regard to how the painted antique finish was applied. I am sticking with Arto at this time as I went to their factory in Los Angeles and their product is beautiful. I would even consider the 6" x 6" square pavers. I don't think they have them in the truer red that I am looking for. They lean alittle more toward the orangey tones. Sorry for the ramble. I'm still keeping my eyes open if anyone has some brilliant ideas. I have a few weeks before I have to make the decision.

  • redbazel
    14 years ago

    I see that kellykath already found the thread I was looking for, the one with Renofan's gorgeous, gorgeous, brick floor, and also a shot of the Lovely LynnNM house. She has brick all over the place! I am linking it here for those of you who are interested, because it not only has photos, but Reno answers some questions about wear and usage too.

    Red

    Here is a link that might be useful: Does Anyone have brick floors? GW

  • nutherokie_gw
    14 years ago

    Oooh Kellykath, just looked up the Arto antik. Really lovely stuff! It's difficult to go against the grain, isn't it? Funny that many of the same people who think brick pavers are crazy see no problem with travertine. It seems they'd be functionally very similar surfaces. As for the wood inlaid grid pattern, that is a gorgeous combination! It allows the pavers to take on a more elegant, refined look. Keep us posted on your progress!

    Redbazel, thanks for posting the link to that thread. Renofan's fabulous floor was a prime inspiration for me!