Stoddard, N.H.— Carlisle Wide Plank Floors introduced its Earthen collection. The collection is handcrafted with hickory and includes six nature-inspired floors.
“At Carlisle, we have the luxury of working with some of the top designers in the industry and get to see firsthand the colors, sheens, dimensions and character of the flooring they are choosing for their latest projects,” said Chris Sy, president, Carlisle Wide Plank Floors. “Hickory adds a new layer of interesting complexity to flooring and we wanted to honor that complexity through our Earthen collection.”
According to the company, the hickory timbers in the collection are sourced from northern climates, focusing on shagbark and bitternut versions of the species. This is designed to create a dense grain and richer beige-to-brown tone in the heartwood. Some tones highlight the heart sap variation found in hickory, bringing a more contemporary feel to the floor, while in other tones this variation is subdued, creating subtle shifts in color and a more aged and organic appearance.
Carlisle said it highlighted the hickory character in the Earthen collection by pairing its original grade, which includes some boards with knots, in-grown bark and mineral streaking, with boards from its heirloom grade. The blend of natural elements is known as the company’s signature grade.
“Earthen was created to ground and reconnect people to nature,” Sy added. “This unique combination is a true reflection of the life that the timber lived and uses all of the wood at the base of the tree to tell an elemental, one-of-a-kind story.”
The Earthen collection is offered in ¾-inch plank thickness and in lengths of two to 12 feet with a choice of engineered or solid construction. Carlisle said the planks are end matched for ease of installation. The floors can be customized to meet design specifications by altering the grade, choosing alternate face widths and/or adding a texture.
Available in eight-inch-wide planks selected by Carlisle artisans, the Earthen collection includes six distinctive, low-sheen colors, each named after a different type of soil (seen below).
Alluvium
A representation of the variety of colors found in soil, Carlisle described this shade as a personality of its own by leaving behind a myriad of colors.
Argil
Created from a blend of brown and grey, this pastel shade gives the hickory wood an aged look without appearing worn, Carlisle said. A light tint of color evens the contrasts in the grains of the wood, the company continued.
Chalk
When glazed over the natural color variations found in hickory, the warm shade is designed to soften the prominent appearance of the grains. The hue mimics a white veil, inclined to create an illusion of mystery, the company said.
Humus
A shade inspired by walnut, the reddish-brown hue washes over the hickory wood, which is designed to create a rich, dark floor. While most of the grains are absorbed by a deep palette of color, some areas of variation peek through.
Kaolin
A tone reminiscent of earth, this shade features a mix of warm, rich tones of grey and brown.
Regur
Often found in valleys, this hue mimics the nutrient-dense element born from fire that represents rebirth and new beginnings, according to the company. The hints of black, grey and brown are designed to emulate flowing lava cutting through a vast landscape.