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Lexicon Parquet flooring _____________________________________________________ The term ‘parquet’ is derived from the French word ‘parqueterie’, which means a series of small, enclosed spaces. The history of parquet flooring can be traced back to the C16 when wooden floors were first used as a more practical alternative to cold stone floors in European castles and homes. During this time, artisans hand-crafted small wooden blocks, arranging them in various geometric patterns to create attractive floor designs. The C17 and C18 were the centuries in which the design parquet flooring flourished. During this period, parquet became an essential element of interior design, particularly in the grand homes and palaces of Europe. In the C19, industrial advancements led to the development of machines that could mass-produce parquet flooring, making it more accessible to the middle classes. As a result, parquet flooring spread throughout Europe and its colonies, adorning the floors of both stately homes and more modest residences. The advent of concrete framed high-rise structures, particularly as apartment blocks, made the flooring popular as finish to the concrete floors, especially during the Art Deco movement of the 1920s and 1930s, when geometric patterns were high fashion. However, by the latter half of the century, the advent of synthetic flooring materials like linoleum and wall-to-wall carpeting led to a decline in the popularity of parquet. In South Africa imported woods such as Oak and Teak were popular choices of timber. Indigenous timbers used for woodblocks included Kiaat, Yellowwood, Mahogany and Wild Syringa.