What It Takes to Care for a Black and White Checkered Dance Floor

Every January, the Christmas House slows down just enough to care for the details that make this place feel like itself. One of those details is the black-and-white checkered dance floor in our Garden Ballroom. It has hosted thousands of first dances, late-night spins, and joyful celebrations over the years, and like anything well loved, it needs time, attention, and a little restoration to keep shining.

Over the coming weeks, the floor will be carefully cleaned and sanded. Each square will be taped by hand, starting with the white and then the black… a slow, deliberate process that can’t be rushed. Once painted, the floor will be left to cure properly before being sealed and returned to the garden, ready for the next chapter of celebrations.

We take our time with work like this on purpose.

Between weddings and celebrations, the house and gardens need space to reset. We don’t believe in rushing from one celebration to the next without giving the property time to breathe. Caring for the details, especially the ones that hold the most memories, is part of how we honor both the house and the couples who choose to celebrate here.

This floor has held hundreds of moments, and with care, it will hold hundreds more. As we move through the restoration, we’ll be sharing progress along the way, returning to this space with updates until it’s ready for its next season of celebration.