The Tradition

In the 18th and early 19th century when rugs and carpets were scarce in rural New England; painted floors, flat woven fabrics and painted canvas floorcloths were the alternative to add beauty, convenience and durability to a floor. Floorcloth styles ranged from imitations of expensive oriental carpets to simple patterns with stripes, medallions or borders fitted to the exact shape of each room. Later more decorative stenciled and geometric patterns became popular with some designs imitating marble, parquet, mosaic or tile. Over the years floorcloths use ranged from heavily used hallways, porches and kitchens to dining rooms and other living areas where style was as important as practicality Floorcloths were used throughout the East .  President Adams used floorcloths in the White House Dining Room and Thomas Jefferson, true to his reputation as a promoter of practical innovation, replaced oriental rugs with floorcloths during the summer months at Monticello.

Decorative, practical art for your floors.

They're meant to be walked on.

Floorcloths ...

May be use on any hard flooring -- wood, vinyl, slate, etc.

Floorcloth Care.

To preserve the beauty of your floorcloth
Use it on a hard floor -- using it on a carpet will reduce the life of your floorcloth.  Clean it with a damp mop or sponge.  Spray cleaner and a nylon scrubber will remove most any spill or spot.

DO NOT FOLD FLOORCLOTH, roll to store. Avoid rolling or unrolling at very low temperatures as it could cause the finish to crack.

Floorcloths are made of heavy canvas painted or stenciled. Multiple layers of varnish seal and preserve the paint to make them practically stain and waterproof. The design and execution of even a small floorcloth takes many hours. They are designed to give you years of wear.