The origins of parquet floors trace back to 16th-century France. Artisans of the time meticulously designed intricate patterns by arranging small wooden blocks in varying colors and sizes. This artful practice gave birth to the term "parquet," derived from the French word "parquetry," meaning "small compartment."

These wooden floors were originally conceived as a practical solution to the expensive and high-maintenance marble and stone flooring used in country estate homes, which often caused long-term damage to the underlying timber framework. Initially, triangular parquet tiles were glued to concrete and hand-scraped before finishing. Later innovations introduced long planks with tongue and groove systems, enabling intricate woodworking and elevating parquet flooring to an extravagant and sophisticated level of design.

By the 1600s, parquet flooring had become synonymous with elegance, gracing manor houses, palaces, public buildings, schools, and factories across France. It wasn't until the 1680s, during the reign of Louis XIV, the King of France, that parquet designs reached their zenith. Exceptional parquet designs, particularly the "parquet de Versailles" pattern found in rooms at the Palace of Versailles, catapulted this prestigious flooring style into a European trend.

The grandeur of Louis XIV's residence, which underwent extensive expansion and renovation spanning two decades, originally featured marble floors. However, in the 1670s, issues arose as the marble floors in the King's Grand Apartment began to leak and rot the joists. In response, Louis XIV made the decision to replace much of the marble with the parquet de Versailles. This choice was undoubtedly influenced by the flooring's aesthetics, durability, and geometric sophistication. Architect Nicodemis Tessin noted, upon the completion of construction in 1693, that "In Trianon, parquetry is quite like paneling. There’s one single room in Versailles which parquet is not by squares; the entire rest is diamond-shaped in the new style."

Louis XIV's craftsmen introduced a distinctive pattern for the Versailles floors, featuring large squares of parquetry laid diagonally with interlaced diagonal squares within. This pattern, recognized as Parquet de Versailles, is most often crafted from plain oak. The popularity of parquet extended across France, with aristocrats incorporating various parquetry patterns into their chateaux, including Chantilly, Aremberg, herringbone, marquetry, and mosaic parquets.

Parquet floors remained in vogue, serving as a superior alternative to marble for several centuries. However, in the 1930s, they experienced a decline in popularity as carpeting gained favor among contemporary European homeowners. Many parquet floors remained concealed beneath carpets until the 1980s when these architectural timber masterpieces were rediscovered, restored to their original splendor, and once again celebrated as vintage, timeless treasures.

In the 17th century, parquetry made its entrance into England when Queen Mary sought to transform her official residence, Somerset House (then Denmark House). The late 1620s saw a significant reconstruction and redecoration effort led by architect Indigo Jones. Jones incorporated elements of French-style parquet floors into the architectural design.

By the 18th century, French parquet underwent evolution, with notable additions like herringbone and chevron wood flooring patterns gracing buildings. Wealthy property owners embraced these lavish designs as statements of their affluence.

Negrense, many of whom have Spanish ancestral roots and have carried their cultures to the present day, have undoubtedly inherited a taste for French parquet flooring, as evidenced by the remnants of their ancestral houses. These old houses hold a special place in our hearts, serving as enduring memories of the places where we grew up. Today, it's not just nostalgia that lives on; the timeless and enduring beauty of these floors never fails to evoke a sense of home. This is evidenced by their resurgence, as seen in houses featured in popular architectural magazines, proving that French parquet has once again made a remarkable comeback.