Back in the 80s, neon spandex, off-shoulder tops, high-top sneakers, and ripped jeans were considered the height of fashion. The look was so coveted that people would often spend hundreds of dollars on brand new jeans, then sit outside the store and rip holes in them.
Even without the rips, old jeans are generally preferred to new ones. Beyond their style connotations, denim gets softer with every wash, so older jeans are more comfortable. They hug your skin and fit better. Similarly, distressed jeans are adored, and there are lots of DIY articles on how to distress them yourself. It involves scissors, sandpaper, and chalk.
We could argue that the joy of these distressed jeans is purely psychological. Some people even refuse to wash their jeans to achieve that grungy look. They wear them as long as possible before finally putting them in the wash. Depending on who you ask, you’ll hear anything from three uses to six months between washes.
Still, some people are more interested in fashion than feeling, so they buy new ‘distressed’ jeans. These jeans come from the factory pre-distressed, so you walk out of the store with brand new clothes that look like you’ve had them for years. Beyond jeans, a similar interest draws us to vintage clothing, classic cars, antique furniture, retro gadgets, or even remakes of old movies and samples from old music.
Fashionably Aged
We all have a longing for the ‘simpler times’ of the past. It partially explains the appeal of wood floors. In general, they require a lot of attention. You need to keep them dry because moisture can cause the floors to warp, rot, or develop fungus and mould. Ideally your floor should be pre-treated to prevent termite infestations and other types of pest attacks. You sweep the floors to get rid of surface dirt and mop with them with minimal moisture.
They also need to be polished or waxed, and occasionally sanded to get rid of scuffs and marks on the surface. A commercial wood cleaner should be used, not a regular detergent which could damage the wood. And yet, despite all this fuss, we still love them, mostly for sentimental reasons. Of course there are different types of wood floors. A floor can be natural wood or engineered wood.
Engineered wood is made with two layers of solid wood sandwiching middle layers of plywood, fibreboard, or recycled pulp. Some manufacturers use solid wooden blocks for the middle layers as well. This makes the floor stronger, bringing it closer to a fully solid floor. It also means you can sand the floor several times before it needs replacement, since the top layer has another solid layer beneath it.
Most people who install wooden floors are drawn by its traditional appeal. They are generally the kind of person that likes a nice rustic design in their home. That kind of person is drawn to nature and enjoys the kind of home that reflects the outdoors. They might have French doors and a yard full of greenery, a hearth with a chimney.
Instant Antique Flooring
This type of floor gets better with age. The longer you have it, the more beautiful it looks. It gives your home character and makes you feel more cosy and comfortable. It also makes your home warmer and more welcoming, like your favourite old-school holiday log cabin, except with all the benefits of modern living – like internet and indoor heating.
We live in an age where we can get pretty much anything we want on demand, in minutes, and delivered right to our doors. We can microwave food in seconds, and have real-time conversations with people on other continents. We have become used to instant gratification, so it can be frustrating to have to wait decades for your floor to get that lived-in look.
That’s why distressed floors are suddenly so popular. It means you can have your floors installed and a few minutes later, have the effect of an antique oak floor. You can literally get 5 years of wood aging in 5 minutes. You can have an 18th century house in a 21st century house, offering you the best of both worlds. Plus, it won’t cost you nearly as much as buying a colonial house with original wood flooring.
In many ways, the more science advances, the more we long for the things that made us happy when we were younger, like cookies, ice cream, or the soulful scent and homely feeling of a real wood floor. Distressed engineered floors allow us to instantly transport ourselves to a space of warmth, comfort and love. Within minutes, you can get that classically aged wood floor right in the heart of your modern home.