Beautiful wood floors and a desire to create a bold, graphic statement with something other than a traditional rug. This particular design was inspired by a graphic flat-weave Dhurrie rug from India, but you can do anything!
The Materials:
Orbital Sander, pack of 100-grit sandpaper and sand mask (all available at hardware stores)
Gloss Floor Enamel (one color for base, additional color(s) for design)
Paint roller with 48" extendable handle, paint tray, paint brushes for design work
T-Square (if you're looking for a way to make geometric shapes), ruler, pencil and blue painter's tape
How-To Tips:
It's important to prep your floors first. Sanding ensures that the paint sticks to the smooth finish. This can be quite an undertaking and may require some outside help depending on how particular you are. If you choose to go it alone, start by thoroughly dusting and mopping the floor to get rid of any oil and dirt, then close all the windows and doors, sealing cracks with painter's tape to keep dust from getting into other rooms. Wear a dust mask to protect your lungs and then get sanding! The goal is to take away any glassy surface and get to the bare wood. You may need to hit corners by hand, then damp-mop up the dust and let it dry.
Now onto the painting! Start by masking off bottoms of all baseboards with painter's tape, then use your roller to apply a nice, even base coat. Start at the spot farthest from the door, then roll in the direction of the floorboards, painting yourself out the door. Let it dry for at least 24 hours, then apply a second coat.
Once your second coat is dry, the real creativity begins. Sketch out the design you want to paint with a pencil. We used a T-square (a set of perpendicular rulers) to make geometric shapes with clean lines, but you can go freestyle if you're artistic. Next, create that outline with tape and fill in with your color or colors of choice. Let dry for another 24 hours, then do touch-ups as needed and enjoy!
