Colour Blending Tassie Oak Flooring in ongoing Modern Reno - Elwood

Restoring a three-storey apartment with stair and floor colour matching

When the owner of a modern three-storey apartment in Elwood decided to move in after years of renting, one of the first things they noticed was the condition of their Tassie Oak timber flooring. Daily wear and tear had left scratches and fading across the middle storey, and the staircase leading to the top floor no longer matched the rest of the interior.

Our team was asked to restore the timber floors, colour blend the stairs and floors, and create a consistent finish that reflected the modern design of the property.

Preparing the Tassie Oak for Sanding

The Tassie Oak floors had seen heavy use from tenants. Being a softer timber species, Tassie Oak requires careful sanding to remove scratches without cutting too deeply into the grain. We approached the sanding with finer control to ensure the boards remained even and stable.

Before sanding Tassie Oak floors in Elwood apartment

Before sanding Tassie Oak floors in Elwood apartment

Before sanding Tassie Oak floors in Elwood apartment

Before sanding Tassie Oak floors in Elwood apartment

Before sanding Tassie Oak floors in Elwood apartment

Before sanding Tassie Oak floors in Elwood apartment

Before sanding Tassie Oak floors in Elwood apartment

Before sanding Tassie Oak floors in Elwood apartment

Before sanding Tassie Oak floors in Elwood apartment

Before sanding Tassie Oak floors in Elwood apartment

Before sanding Tassie Oak floors in Elwood apartment

Before sanding Tassie Oak floors in Elwood apartment

The Challenge: Staircase and Floor Colour Differences

One of the main obstacles in this project was that the stairs and middle floor were made from different timbers. Naturally, this meant that even after sanding, the tones and grains did not align. Achieving a close colour match required testing multiple lime wash samples directly beside the staircase to find the right balance.

Close-up of Limed Floor, Colour blended to staircase timber

Close-up of Limed Floor, Colour blended to staircase timber

Close-up of Limed Floor, Colour blended to staircase timber

Lime Washing and Colour Blending

We used a lime wash treatment to soften the natural warmth of the Tassie Oak, giving the floors a lighter, modern look. By making close-up samples against the staircase, we were able to adjust the tone carefully until the floor and stair treads blended together.

This process required patience, as different timbers absorb finishes differently. The goal wasn’t to create a perfect replica but to achieve harmony across the three levels of the apartment.

After sanding and lime wash – middle storey flooring

After sanding and lime wash – middle storey flooring

After sanding and lime wash – middle storey flooring

After sanding and lime wash – middle storey flooring

After sanding and lime wash – middle storey flooring

After sanding and lime wash – middle storey flooring

After sanding and lime wash – middle storey flooring

After sanding and lime wash – middle storey flooring

The Final Result

Once the lime wash and finish were applied, the apartment’s floors had a refreshed, cohesive look that complemented the modern architecture of the Elwood building. The client was especially pleased with how well the stair treads blended into the middle storey flooring — creating a natural flow throughout the home.

We also prepared AI-rendered furnishing images to showcase how the lightened floors would pair beautifully with a contemporary interior design.

Before

After

Furnished AI-rendered interior after restoration