Surface Blog

Welcome to Surface, a blog by Carlisle Wide Plank Floors. Join us in discussion about hardwood flooring wood grains & styles, home decor, green building products, trends and more.

Replicating the look of a mill floor

Posted by ChadCassin

George and Sue Carlisle (no relationship to our family) decided to buy a new penthouse condo on Congress St. in the center of Portsmouth, NH. Their concept was to build it out to look like it was originally a mill…that had been converted to a retail space…and finally converted to a residential space.

The first thing they chose was the floor. Since they had installed Carlisle wide plank floors in two of their past homes…and “loved them”…this one too had to be a Carlisle floor. The Portsmouth floor had to replicate the antique look of an old mill floor plus, since both are environmentalists, it was also important that it be a certified reclaimed antique floor.

They contacted Carlisle and spoke with Todd Waterman, one of our Regional Design Consultants. Together they picked one of our most rustic floors called Grandpa’s. Grandpa’s Floor is made from Southern Longleaf Heart Pine beams reclaimed from old mills primarily in the Ohio River Valley and has a complete chain-of-custody certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).

When the wood showed up George’s builder refused to install it …calling it “junk” and “too rough for a floor”. Todd convinced him to install it and once the first coat of finish was applied…the builder was a true believer.
The Carlisle’s entertain a lot in their penthouse home and say that the first thing their guests comment on…is the floor. “They love it!” They’ve also been personally responsible for several additional Carlisle floor orders that have arisen from their parties.

Even thought there is no (known) relationship between George and Sue and us, the way they promote our floors would make you think that maybe there really is.

Posted on February 5, 2009 at 12:44 PM in True Hardwood Story • (0) Comments
Hit or Miss Eastern White Pine: Rustic and Lived-on

Posted by ChadCassin

Eleven years ago Wendy Hyatt saw a Carlisle rocking chair ad in an issue of Country Living magazine, clipped it out, and decided that someday she was going to have a Carlisle Wide Plank Floor in her home. Over the years, as she, her husband Francis, and their growing family moved around the country, Wendy continued to follow our business and clip our ads.

Early in 2008 they—now a family of (5) plus a dog and (4) horses—decided to move from Wisconsin to Hollis, NH and build a new home. This was the chance she had been waiting for. She immediately called Carlisle and spoke with Shannon Sterrett, one of our Design Consultant, and began to plan her floor.
She was looking for a traditional, wide plank floor that would look rustic and lived-on right from the start, much like the old New England floors popular 200+ years back. With Shannon’s assistance she chose an Eastern White Pine wide plank floor with a hit-or-miss surface and Carlisle Ginger Bread traditional stain. In addition, Wendy always wanted a painted floor in her bedroom that looked like a cottage she visited when she was a child. Shannon helped with both.

Today the home is complete, the Hyatt family is living on a beautiful Carlisle wide plank floors (one stained and one painted), and Wendy has achieves her 11 year dream.

Posted on February 5, 2009 at 10:46 AM in True Hardwood Story • (0) Comments
Tender Restaurant at the Luxor Hotel!

Posted by Megan Sprague

Tender is the new steakhouse at the Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas! Carlisle worked with the designers on the project. Here's what Jason Wolfe, Carlisle sales person from the West Hollywood office, had to say about his participation in the project.

"We all decided that to complete the restaurant’s masculine look would be to use our 400 year old Original Gray Exterior Barn Siding, random widths of 5-12” wide and very long boards (nothing shorter than about 10’). The design team is based out here in Los Angeles (great ladies!) and my builder is located in Vegas. Pretty cool project… in a wicked cool setting."

Here's one of Tender's ads

Posted on November 5, 2008 at 11:39 AM in Green Building and Eco Friendly Products • True Hardwood Story • Wood Grains & Styles • (0) Comments
It’s a Small World Indeed

Posted by Megan Sprague

While bow hunting for whitetail deer in the beautiful
state of Illinois last week, I was reminded how it is a small world we
live in, and the genuine kindness of people stretches across our lands.

Having filled my tag, I had an extra day to kill so I decided to look up
a friend of an old client to ask permission to hunt his farm. I drove to
the road I had written down two years earlier, and knocked on the first
door I came across, without luck. I proceeded up the dirt road and
came across a large steel building, with the most beautiful view.

After knocking on the door, the gentleman that answered turned out to be
the friend of my client. I introduced myself as having worked with his
friend and before I could tell him what company I was with, he asked me
to step into the building, then he had me turn around to see the wall
behind us. He said, "look familiar?" It was a large wall of our
beautiful wide heart pine from end-to-end, leftovers from his friend's
home I worked on.

When Jim said to me, "I have been waiting for you to stop in, and you
are more than welcome to hunt here", I couldn't believe it. This is from
a conversation I had with a client two years ago, and this gentleman
still remembered! The genuineness and kindness the man showed me is just
another of the many reasons I do what I do, and enjoy it so much.
Rick

Posted on November 3, 2008 at 02:06 PM in True Hardwood Story • (0) Comments
Carlisle Attends Avenues Fall Release Party!

Posted by Megan Sprague

Carlisle's West Hollywood office is located in the heart of the Avenues of Art and Design. The magazine of the Art and Design district is called Avenues and they had their Fall Release party this past week! Dan O'Neill, a Sales and Design Consultant in our West Hollywood office, attended the event held at Fendi.
To view more photos, click here!

Here's Dan chatting at the event.

Posted on November 3, 2008 at 10:15 AM in True Hardwood Story • (0) Comments