2025 WFOY: Best in Marquetry/Inlay

Custom Floors Unlimited | Houston, Texas

CATEGORY DETAILS:

Entries in this category include any hand-cut marquetry/intarsia, or inlay featured within a wood floor as a stand-alone feature, inlaid into the floor, or throughout the entire project.

WHAT MAKES THIS FLOOR UNIQUE:

Custom Floors Unlimited in Houston, Texas, has earned the WFOY Marquetry and Inlays award for their “Tree of Life,” a meaningful addition to a 1920 historic home in Houston’s Museum District. Spanning 15 square feet, this inlay graces the threshold as a gift to the client’s mother, a gesture that inspired the company to offer their work on this section at no cost. The “Tree of Life” concept, symbolizing growth and legacy, resonated deeply in a home where every room, including a study with a trap door to a basement wine room, embraced creative innovation.

Following extensive discussions about the tree’s appearance, the team hand-sketched the design, creating a mature oak tree with a walnut burl trunk, selected for its rich texture, and inlaid in oak. The tree features holly wood flowers with purple heart centers, their proportions refined through careful deliberation to ensure an appealing look. Hand-chiseled and scroll-sawed, the craggy base transitions into non-repetitive branches, reflecting nature’s organic design in a process the team found fulfilling.

Rift wood at the base and highly figured quartered oak at the top creates a cloud-like pattern above the tree, with the trunk serving as the focal point. Finished with a traditional wax and proprietary semi-satin blend, the glue-down solid floor is seamless, with invisible seams up close, resulting in a functional work of art. This inlay enhances the home’s historic charm, reflecting a thoughtful contribution to the family’s story.

Installation Method: Glue Down
Flooring Type: Solid
Flooring Finish: Proprietary Blend
Finish Sheen: Semi-Satin
Species: Walnut burl inlay in oak with holly wood flowers
Mixed Media: Various
Pattern: Custom Carved Inlay
Square Feet: 15