2023 WFOY: Best in Circles/Curved/Bent Wood

Ourada Designs | Nine Mile Falls, Washington

CATEGORY DETAILS:

Entries in this category include any hand-cut circular shape within a flooring system, such as circles, ovals, curves, or bent material.

WHAT MAKES THIS FLOOR UNIQUE:

This year’s winner in the Circles/Curved/Bent Wood category is a true masterpiece, created by Tom Ourada, a craftsman known for his intricate and artistic wood flooring designs. Referred by a designer familiar with his work, Ourada initially was brought on board to repair water damage at the 12,000-square-foot home nestled near a picturesque river.

During his visit, the homeowners expressed a desire for an elaborate wood floor that would flow seamlessly from the kitchen into the rest of the house, incorporating natural elements to bring the outdoors inside. Ourada worked closely with the homeowners, presenting them with multiple design concepts from which to choose.

“They had a lot of ideas about bringing the outdoors inside their home via an artistic wood floor. I acted as their filter and gave them a lot of different ideas from which they could choose,” says Ourada.

The final design showcases intricate birds of prey, an abstract blue epoxy river with a Russian olive border winding 60 feet through the kitchen and dining room, culminating in a stunning circular medallion in the home’s entryway. Eight different inlays were expertly crafted, comprising thousands of hand-cut pieces that were meticulously assembled, including an osprey nest, two ospreys, two eagles, a matching rug shape, and a 6-foot-10-inch compass in the shape of a log end cut with Lake Coeur d’Alene immortalized in epoxy.

Ourada drew inspiration from unique floor designs he had seen previously, incorporating jagged maple “lightning” into the medallion design to mimic the appearance of fossilized wood. The medallion features book-matched black walnut and elm, with inner rings crafted from reclaimed Brazilian cherry wood sourced from antique pallets.

This breathtaking floor showcases not only Ourada’s unparalleled skill and attention to detail, but also the endless possibilities of wood flooring as a form of art.

Details of Finish Process: Smaller inlays were run through a 38” drum sander with 40g, then palm sanded to 180g. The bigger inlays were edged, Trioed, and palm sanded up to 180g.

Installation Method: Nail Down
Flooring Type: Solid
Flooring Finish: Rubio Monocoat
Finish Sheen: Satin
Species: Russian Olive, Black Walnut, Black Locust, Maple, Brazilian Cherry, Wenge, African Mahogany, Black Wood, Lacewood, Mango, Alder, Peruvian Walnut
Mixed Media: Blue, Yellow, And Orange Epoxy
Square Feet: 265