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Here’s a brief history of the herringbone pattern and how it has become so popular in modern interior design. Read on!
Herringbone flooring is a very modern style, and yet, did you know it’s been around for a while. In flooring, it’s been around for decades and is known for offering a sophisticated feeling to any room and adding a touch of glamour too.
Unlike a lot of other parquet flooring patterns, it also offers a very direct focal point, which can elevate your room. It is an extra touch that won’t go unnoticed when you are having guests over. If you’re interested in the very interesting history of the Herringbone flooring pattern, take a look at our guide and find tips on how to apply it.
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Herringbone: A History
Herringbone flooring and chevron styles a very similar in that they create a point, but the thing that separates them is how they’re cut. Chevron slates are cut at an angle so they can be matched up and create a smooth line down the middle, where Herringbone is regular untouched slates interlocked into a point, creating a zigzag pattern down the center.
Herringbone doesn’t exist in a vacuum, and, in fact, can be traced back as far as the Ancient Egyptians. The pattern could be found on examples of their jewelry, high-end Ancient Roman fabric, and the Romans’ road paving. The herringbone pattern made for a more durable effect, which makes sense when you compare it to Chevron.
The pattern was eventually named after the skeleton of a herring fish, which might take some of its glamour, but when applied to interior design it is all sophistication. Today, it combines a classic and modern feel to any home and has been popular for decades now.
How You Can Apply Herringbone
As mentioned, the Herringbone style is considered very sophisticated and luxurious, so you would want to add it to a style of interior design that also emits those features, like art deco or industrial styles.
However, if you’re more of a comfy, rustic individual, you can use the Herringbone style to balance out a room full of rustic pieces, or even a rustic-colored floor.
It’s worth remembering, however, that the Herringbone and Chevron styles both come to a point. This means that the focal point of your room should be directed from the floor. In the living room, typically, the TV is the focal point, so your middle arrow should point to it, or if you have a long hall it should point to the doorway.
Herringbone flooring can be simpler to install than Chevron, as it won’t take any slicing away at the ends. And, if you were to grab some of the simple click-in-place tiles, you could even do it yourself.
However, it can be complicated getting to the edges and seeing where you are going with the pattern, and mistakes can be made by simply being too close to the project. But don’t worry, the process is made even simpler by the fact that you can buy Herringbone slates that will emulate the pattern without having to work out a blueprint.
