Lafayette Park, Mies Van Der Rohe: First Level Floor

The first floor was done in 9 x 9 black linoleum tiles. Original to the townhouse both floors were done

in the black tile with a marbled pattern throughout. You can purchase today a very similar tile which comes in a 12 x 12 linoleum, it's called "classic black" made by Armstrong, it's their vintage line. The upstairs tiles with the exception of the guest room (they were pink) were in good shape. Once I strip them, clean, buff and wax they'll pop like new. However, the downstairs tiles were very dry and loose, some were missing. They were so dry they popped right off. John had told me about friends that had installed linoleum roll no seams and how stunning it was, I knew that I wanted black, I knew I wanted linoleum and I certainly liked the idea of linoleum roll. But finding black proved difficult, finally i did but the cost was way out of my range.

The floors are concrete both up and down. Over the years there was some areas that have settled. The entrance happened to be the worst area, it slopes a bit but easy enough to fix by floating a new floor.

yep, having fun now!

I was fortunate enough to have the same person Shawn Hensley install the floors in this house, and do the cement work. He also did my house in Ferndale, he installed a rubber floor in my kitchen and bath. When I'm ready for the bathrooms he will do those as well. I'm a bit of a purest and snob about who works on my home and Shawn is one that I'm lucky to have found.

The floor was leveled and new 12 x 12 linoleum tiles installed. The floor needed some serious leveling. They had to float several coats to level. Linoleum was the right choice in all regards, expense, durability, more importantly I was able to maintain the original integrity of the design but using modern materials.
The following images show the cement work, and the new floor (not yet waxed).
I should also mention that I won't be installing any baseboard molding, John and Frank both suggested this to me early on, at first I thought they were crazy, but the more I looked at the clean lines (well I could have surfaced a little better) I knew, no baseboards.

The guys that installed my linoleum were good enough to tear up the ceramic tile in the bathrooms. But when they removed the tile, with it they destroyed the marble thresholds, both of them. I should have told them to preserve them, my bad. One broke clean and I was able to to take to a master at V. B Granite and Marble . Valentin is a master with marble and granite and was able to replicate with white Italian marble. A word to the wise mark everything when someone other then yourself is doing the work. don't assume that they know what to preserve. MIes chose marble and marble it will be.