Our Welsh Chapel Dream Parquet Floor

The Welsh Chapel Dream

Keith and Marj fell in love with Capel Salem, a derelict grade II listed chapel in Pwllheli, in 2022. Their vision was to transform it into a thriving community hub and pottery studio and the adjoining Sunday school into their home.

It was a major undertaking. Having been empty for decades the building had no water, no electricity and was ridden with fungus and dry rot. Much of the original woodwork was devasted, including the Sunday school’s original parquet floor which Keith and Marj had intended to preserve.

Hence began the long search for a replacement parquet floor that would blend with the architecture and age of the chapel. The need to replace the floor also created the opportunity to install energy efficient underfloor heating, but only if the new flooring would be compatible.

The perfect parquet flooring

Luckily, Keith and Marj were introduced to Broadleaf and discovered our Original Vintage Parquet. It matched their needs perfectly. Made in Wales from sustainably sourced timber, carefully aged to look as though it’s years old and works with underfloor heating because of the way it’s dried and machined.

They chose our Soaped Oak finish whose warm bare wood tones marry beautifully with the eclectic modern décor and fabulous indigo blue walls of their snug. The floor also provides a striking contrast to the impressive brutalist clay tile wall feature created by Keith.

behind the scenes at Broadleaf

Keith and Marj even visited our factory in West Wales to watch their floor being made by our talented production team. They got the chance to try their hand at colouring the blocks before they were sealed with our durable natural topcoat and packed for delivery to their new home. Their passion for their project was contagious and it was a genuine pleasure to meet them.

The perfect finish

Keith’s verdict on the finished floor: “all the edges have softened and there’s little dents in it. When you see the light coming through the window, it’s amazing. We know it’s brand new, yet it looks like it’s been there since the chapel was built.” A sentiment echoed by Marj: “We LOVE our floor SO much. I marvel at it daily!”.

We are extremely proud to have been part of this project, and can’t wait to see the next stage of its completion.

If you would like to see samples of our parquet floors and get some advice on finding the right floor for your project do get in touch or visit one of our showrooms.