Parquet flooring: the pros, cons and enduring appeal of this elaborate style
Parquet flooring, delightfully angular and often elaborately patterned, is one of those choices that elevates a space without making too much of a splash. It crops up in many houses in our archive, providing a versatile backdrop that works in a myriad of different house styles.
Parquet flooring is often associated with high-end residential homes and stately properties alike, in many cases in the form of herringbone.
The origins of the style are decidedly grand. “Early examples of herringbone include the installation at Chateau de Fontainebleau in 1539, leading to many a French noble following suit,” explains Lisa Persse, Director of Trunk Floor, a London-based flooring company on The List who work with pure, raw materials. From there, parquet flooring started to become a popular sight in the houses of the wealthy in France throughout the 1600s. Devised as a luxurious alternative to marble, which required constant maintenance, it reached a peak of fashion in the 1680s when it was installed at Versailles (in a distinctive pattern that became known as the Versailles style). Although the method may have originated in Italy, the style inevitably became associated with France, and after its appearance at Versailles spread rapidly throughout European palaces and manor houses. Nowadays The name "parquet" derives from the French word "parchet," meaning "small compartment," reflecting the intricate, sectioned designs of the flooring.
Parquet flooring can still make for an elevated look, as befits its origins, but it is by no means limited to grand houses, and its style and finish can vary hugely. Depending on the kind of wood chosen, the pattern it is arranged in, and the level of smoothness and polish, it can work with practically every kind of interior.
Herringbone: Characterised by rectangular planks laid in a zigzag pattern, herringbone offers a classic yet dynamic look. Its interlocking structure adds visual depth to any room, making it a perennial favourite.
Basketweave: Basketweave parquet flooring is a wood flooring pattern that resembles an interlocking basketweave, made by laying individual pieces of wood to create a pattern that looks woven together.
Chevron: Similar to herringbone but with a more streamlined appearance, Chevron planks are cut at an angle to create a continuous "V" shape. This pattern lends a contemporary flair while retaining the timeless charm of wood.
Versailles: Named after its place of origin, this style involves intricate, square-shaped panels featuring woven designs. Versailles parquet epitomises grandeur and is often used in formal spaces like drawing rooms and dining halls.
Chantilly: This is a decorative, French parquet pattern made up of squares and lines of wood arranged in a diagonal formation across a room. It's named after the flooring found in the Chateau de Chantilly in France.
The pros and cons of parquet flooring
“By reputation, parquet flooring tends to be a more expensive option, but rather than material it is actually the level of detail and craftsmanship that goes into not only manufacturing the blocks but also installing them, that will inevitably contribute to the price tag,” explains Lisa. According to 2025 statistics from Checkatrade, a conventionally laid solid hardwood floor (like oak) will cost you an average of £80 per square meter, and the installation will cost you between £35 and £60 per square meter. Parquet flooring will cost you on average between 30% to 100% more per square meter, depending on the type of wood and design. The increased cost comes from the skill required to install the designs and the extra time it will take. Plus, hardwoods like oak, maple or cherry (the more expensive varieties of hardwood) tend to look more attractive and be a lot more durable than softwood or a laminate alternative when laid in a parquet design. However, as Lisa notes, “because of its association with high-end design, installing parquet flooring in your home can increase its value.” So though your initial overheads will be greater, it could be a shrewd the longterm investment.
Despite the price tag, “there are a number of benefits to laying a parquet floor in your home, not least of which is the timeless aesthetic appeal,” says Lisa. “Its complex pattern creates a sense of movement, which can give rooms and spaces a more dynamic and interesting feel, often helping to the ‘flow’ from one room to the next.” In her guide to flooring, Sophie Dahl recounts the joy of finding original Art Deco parquet flooring hidden under carpets and having it restored to “gleaming blonde perfection” by specialists Sinclair Till. For those of us who aren't so lucky, Sophie points to “The Natural Wood Floor Company's Cheville Parquet and Tuttoparquet, who all make good-looking engineered boards. And for those brave enough to try reclaimed in the knowledge that there will be some movement, Lassco and Retrouvius both offer a bounty of glorious old boards.”
Parquet flooring’s versatility means it complements a range of architectural styles. “Herringbone in particular has a wonderful versatility which enables it to work well in various spaces, from grand hallways to cosy living rooms,” notes Lisa. It looks particularly fitting in Georgian and Victorian properties, enhancing their period charm, but the flooring is also a way of softening the corners of a modern home that lacks period features.
“Another notable advantage of parquet flooring is its durability; when installed correctly it can withstand a lifetime of use whilst retaining its original elegance and integrity” says Lisa. With sustainability front-of-mind for many designers, opting for a design that has longevity both in terms of durability and style feels essential.
So, whether you're restoring a historic property or designing a contemporary space, parquet flooring’s enduring appeal ensures it remains an investment in both style and quality.
Dean Hearne1/13Daisy Sims Hilditch's Notting Hill flat features a classic herringbone pattern of parquet flooring which, like a classic chair or a confident piece of art, makes the house feel solid and chic. Daisy used Neptune's ‘Savernake’ engineered wood flooring, which is an easy and relatively affordable option if you have to redo an entire space. The light shade of oak pairs well with the Italian chairs from Retrouvius, which lend depth to the pale colour scheme, with walls in Farrow & Ball's ‘Pink Ground’.
Lucas Allen2/13Caroline Riddell's mews house features an open-plan living space, where the kitchen, dining room and living room all meet. Walls are clad in off-white tongue-and-groove boards, and parquet flooring provides a seamless transition from one room to the next. The plain backdrop allows for bursts of colour.
Michael Sinclair3/13This house by Maddux Creative showcases the power of parquet flooring to add glamour to a space. The elegant planks add character to the modern furnishings with their aged appearance.
Romain Ricard4/13In this Victorian house in London, designer Maria Speake cleverly reorganised the layout and made inventive use of the salvaged materials for which her company Retrouvius is known, including a reclaimed parquet floor. This adds a kind of 1920s glamour to the room, and evokes old ballrooms.
Paul Massey5/13This Victorian terraced house in London is perfectly primed for parquet flooring. It compliments the long, thin rooms typical of the style, and creates flow and continuity between rooms. The mid-shade of brown feels in-keeping with the period of the house and coordinates well with the dark furniture and red-toned upholstery in the kitchen.
Rachel Whiting6/13Rather than using parquet for the floor, designer Maria Speake of Retrouvius decided to clad a sliding door with it in this Barbican flat. It gives the door an almost sculptural quality and the polished wooden blocks each refract the light slightly differently.
Boz Gagovski7/13Where walls and furniture are bright and bold, parquet floors can provide a great grounding effect with their subtle but effective design. In the living room Sasha Sarokin, the herringbone pattern is complimented by the geometric rug and artwork above the sofa.
Boz Gagovski8/13Lucy Mayers' elevated her tiny Kensington flat with great success, taking it from boring ‘standard student rental fare’ to a space full of personality and packed with surprises. In an interior that shouts, like this one, Lucy notes that it helps to have repeated themes throughout that provide a sense of coherence, whether that's repeated colours (deep blues, greens and warm reds) or the parquet floor throughout the house.
ELLEN CHRISTINA HANCOCK9/13'It's got a really nice flow so you can circle all the way around from the hallway into the kitchen and the living space. But as they are so connected, it was about making sure those areas felt cohesive in terms of the finish and the palette,' explains This was achieved through a masterful mix of warm whites and earthy hues alongside consistent timber herringbone flooring. Additionally, in order for the new extension not to feel ‘like a glass box’, the designer Emma Shone-Sanders decided on an oak-stained kitchen to knock back any overly contemporary lingerings and to compliment the flooring.
Paul Massey10/13In this imaginatively eclectic yet eminently practical London house by Rachel Chudley, the warm tones of the new walnut parquet flooring is set off the bespoke pale blue paint on the walls, which was developed by Rachel with New York colour consultant Donald Kaufman and now forms part of the Rachel Chudley Colour Studio range.
Mikey Reed Photography11/13James and Kayoon wanted this Belsize Park flat by Alice B. Davies to feel calming and airy, keeping in mind that Kayoon often works with colour in her paintings, so the flat almost needed to feel like a blank canvas against which her paintings could hang. This means parquet, in a nutty brown, throughout the house was a no-brainer.
Mark Fox12/13The east London Art Deco flat of Alfred Bramsen lends itself well to a parquet design, given the flooring's popularity during the Art Deco era. The building is well known to design enthusiasts for its colourful central staircase, diamond motifs and pastel-tiled bathrooms and kitchens. Geometric and bold, this interaction of parquet stands out next to the white-washed walls and furniture.
Simon Brown13/13Edo Mapelli Mozzi created his bachelor pad out of one room of a Victorian house. The main room's floor is covered in 'Versailles Tiles' by Cheville Parquet, which were stained to order. The grey tones add to the masculinity of the space.
