Check Mate: Our Favorite Checkered Floors

 In the 1920s, black-and-white linoleum rose to popularity thanks to its ease of upkeep and affordability, but surprisingly the pattern of contrasting colors dates back more than 2,000 years. Originally it was used to play games, indicate certain details in hieroglyphics and even ward off negativity. The last of which is a practice that’s still followed in some parts of the world. In Thailand, for example, many believe the pattern represents the harmony between good and evil. When one wears eye-catching checkerboard, supposedly they’re shrouded in mystical protection. Since this ancient belief works for clothes, how fun is it to imagine putting checkerboard floors in your home could create a magical buffer against bad energy?

This pattern adds such visual interest to each home in a unique way. Some of the best designs you’ll see today treat the floor as a neutral with little worry for accessories that match or how the pattern will interact with furniture or decorations.