Looking for a wood floor that shouts individuality and high-end design?
Why not try one that will bring out the purple in your sofa or compliments a safari theme in your family room?
Purpleheart and zebra woods are just two examples of unique woods that are used on floors. While these exotic woods may not be as popular as oak and maple, they are sure to capture the attention of your dinner guests.
There are many types of unique woods that are grown in the United States or imported from other countries, such as Australia and Brazil. Typically the cost is higher than the more common oak floor and can range as high as $20 or more per square foot.
Often home buyers will shy away from using unique woods throughout each room on the first floor, as they might with oak. They are concerned about the added cost and having the house look too individualized, said Mark Elliott, president of Elliott Homes, a semi-custom and custom builder based in Morton Grove.
Buyers will, however, use unique woods in one room where they want to make a statement or add them as borders, inlays or medallions to compliment or contrast other woods.
One unique wood that consumers should consider is Australian cypress, said Mark Dittmer, general manager for the Chicago region of The Bahr Company, a flooring company based in Romeoville. That wood is imported from Australia and has a cream-color wood with hard knots. “It’s a great substitute for pine for people who want a rustic look,” he said.
It also is harder and has less grain than pine. The cost typically is 20 to 30 percent more than red oak, which averages $5 to $6 per square foot.
Australian cypress is shown in a model at Dearborn Tower, a loft development at 1530 S. State St. in Chicago. The development has 317 units, priced from $180,000 to $1 million. “People sometimes mistake it for a pine floor,” said Brian Giles, vice president of Frankel & Giles, co-developer and marketing agent for the project. “It’s got a lot of dark and light shades, so it’s got a lot of character.”
Ipe is another exotic wood and is considered one of the hardest woods available. It has a rich brown color with a plain grain. “(Ipe) is extremely hard–it’s like putting bricks down on your floor,” Dittmer said. The cost is approximately $10 to $12 per square foot.
While the hardness is important, it is not the selling point for consumers. “It’s more for differentiation,” Dittmer said. “Your neighbor doesn’t have it and, boy, it looks great.”
Brazilian cherry is brown with orange to red tones that create a warm look. It can be used in a kitchen to contrast with maple cabinets and pull out the dark tones of a black granite countertops.
Purpleheart typically has a deep purple color, but also can include some brown tones. It has a straight grain with a medium to fine texture. Often it is used as part of a contemporary design to provide a contrast against lighter woods.
“You could put it with an oak, maple or ash floor,” Dittmer said. “Today with homes having large, open areas you could add it around a fireplace or kitchen island and it can define a room a little better.”
Other exotic woods, such as zebra, ebony and rosewood, typically are used to accent other woods, Dittmer said. Zebra wood has black and light tan colored stripes, while ebony has a deep black color. Either could be used with oak, maple or ash, for example.”They’re high-dollar floors–you’re talking about $10, $15 to $20 a square foot for the material without installation.”
Buyers who want to create a unique design with a wood floor can add a one-inch strip of an exotic wood around a more traditional oak, maple or ash floor. The floor also can include ornate inlays at each exterior corner that are made from several types of wood, Elliott said.
“What people are doing is going with the specialty stuff as borders around the room,” Elliott said. “Sometimes its more simple, sometimes it’s more ornate. It varies with the type of wood, but generally the inlays are darker than the (main) floor.”
Another exotic wood is teak, which has a yellowish-brown wood and comes from Asia. “It’s used on boats and has lots of natural oils and tannins that make it resistant to rot,” said Rick Baumgarten, president of Lee Lumber & Building Material Corp. in Chicago.
Buyers, however, are more willing to spend the extra money on teak kitchen cabinets rather than adding an entire floor in teak, Elliott said. A teak accent strip on a light colored floor will help blend the floor with the cabinets without the additional cost of teak throughout the floor. It also can help compliment a black countertop or stainless steel appliances.
While many of these woods can add interesting details to a floor, they typically are reserved for the more daring home owner. Some will experiment by adding a touch of purple or yellow to outline an area, but most consumers are not brave enough to use it throughout a room. “You have to be a little daring,” Dittmer said. “There aren’t a lot of people who want a purple floor.”
Among the other types of woods are: Bamboo, which has short planks made from tropical grass, is a porous wood with light cream and brown colors. Santos mahogany, which has a fine grain with medium to light brown tones. It has a high degree of luster and costs about 50 percent more than oak. Yellowheart has a bright yellow color and a light grain.
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Allison E. Beatty is a Chicago-area freelance writer. If you have questions or information to share regarding new home buyers’ product and design choices, write to Choices c/o Chicago Tribune New Homes Section, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60611.
