Castro Wood Floors: Sleek Oak Complements The Jaffa Residences, Tel Aviv

British minimalist John Pawson has fitted-out the interiors of a collection of apartments with oak and minimal decor for the Jaffa Hotel that he designed in Tel Aviv, Israel. From the flooring to the finishes, the interiors are sleek, modern and inviting.

The Jaffa Residences are part of a luxury hotel in a 19th-century French hospital and cathedral in Jaffa, in the south of Tel Aviv.

Ranging in size from studios to three-bedroom apartments, the 30 residences were designed by Pawson in collaboration with local architect Ramy Gill – who also collaborated on the hotel.

“Pawson and Gill spent over a decade on the meticulous restoration and renovation process which sought to maintain the original raw, untouched surfaces,” said the project description.

“The duo worked together to create a space in which the old and new seamlessly blend together.”

The residences are located inside the newly built wing of the Jaffa Hotel, and feature sliding glass doors joined by perforated metal screens across the exterior.

The screen takes cues from Middle Eastern mashrabiya (oriel windows) and adds privacy and reduces solar gain, while creating shadows as the sun passed across them, inside.

Most of the residences have views of the former hospital and courtyard, while others have views of the Mediterranean Sea. The units differ from some of the hotel’s very contemporary suites in their more Scandinavian yet still minimal design.

The rooms have 30 centimetre wide, bleached white oak planks floors, white walls and plenty of built-in storage. Kitchen cabinetry and countertops, storage closets, and doors are all painted white to blend in with the walls, and are flush in design.

Almost all of the furnishings are made of oak to match the floors, and midcentury Getama couches designed by Danish modernist Hans Wegner with pale cushions. The bedrooms have large, lightwood beds with integrating side tables, light fixtures and outlets within the frames.

The Jaffa Hotel and Residences are owned by Aby Rosen, co-founder of hotel and real estate company RFR Holding. “Jaffa has undergone a fantastic transformation, with the property market blossoming and an increased demand for luxury residentials,” said Rosen. “We put a lot of effort into making this project unique to the location.”

There is something magical about the use of oak flooring to complete a luxury residence such as this. Wood flooring is a timeless addition to any space. Besides being easy to maintain and clean, it lends the space a warmth and natural beauty that works within any contemporary setting.

Castro Wood Floors boasts a range of flooring options with traditional solid wood flooring produced with the latest technology. These products, which are available finished or unfinished, with or without micro bevel, can be installed in various ways such as glued, nailed or even floating.

Their Engineered Parquet Flooring is composed with top quality maritime plywood and top layers from the best wood species. This provides an excellent solution both in terms of quality, stability and resistance. The variety of wood species and finishes turn these products into an ideal solution for all types of installations.