Sometimes things really do happen for a reason. David and Natalie (Nat) Mudd and Sam Carter – co-founders of Knot & Grain, met when they moved with their young families to the same Worcestershire village and bonded during the pandemic. ‘We were thankful to be able to share our love of the outdoors through country walks and garden get-togethers, and later, a few beers at the local pub,’ says David.
Now Knot & Grain has opened its showroom in Worcester, offering wooden floors with a difference.
‘The seed for Knot & Grain was born from a desire for us to get away from the traditional model of shopping for a floor. Through our experience in our showrooms and selling branded floors online, we learnt that offering thousands of mass-produced, imported floors only leads to inflated pricing and an over-complicated buying experience. We started to develop the idea of offering something different. With a passion for woodwork and timeless interiors, we fell in love with the concept and together we developed and formed Knot & Grain,’ says Nat, Knot & Grain creative director.
‘Knot & Grain simplifies the complexity of choices that shoppers face when choosing their wood flooring. We empower our customers with the freedom to design bespoke wood flooring that is unique and affordable, without compromising on quality. From plank style to the surface texture we keep things simple with our step-by-step process.
‘We deliver quality bespoke flooring directly to the customer, without the middleman. We don’t mass produce: each floor is made to order, reducing wastage and the environmental impact whilst providing customers with floors that meet their exact requirements. With over 20 years of experience in the retail flooring industry, we have become quite the connoisseurs – we truly cherish every grain and
honour every knot. We are here to help our customers create their wood floor, exactly the way they want it.’

‘Customers can find us online: they simply click on ‘Build your floor’ to start the design process. The first step is to choose their style – straight plank or herringbone. Then onto which grade of sustainably sourced French oak: Rustic, Classic, Pristine or Heritage. Each grade is characterised by the number of knots, sapwood, grain and colour variation that is naturally present in the wood,’ explains David.
‘The next step is to select colour – we have 20 options to choose from – and then texture: smooth or brushed. Last comes plank thickness – 15mm or 20mm
– and finish: oil or matt lacquer. As well as our convenient online service, we’re also here, where customers can watch our production team in action, using state-of-the-art machinery to bring each plank to life. We have a quick turnaround: custom flooring can be delivered within 12 working days.’

With a small team, there is no room for standing on ceremony. ‘Producing and dispatching samples for online orders is the first job each morning. Our finishing machines will fire up and then our production team is set to work, brushing and colouring the flooring for orders,’ says Carter.
‘As directors of a small business, we’re all very hands-on and will most often be the ones answering the phones, advising customers in the design studio and responding to emails. We’re also busy procuring and managing stock whilst our orders continue to grow. Other than that, we are constantly developing new ideas – whether it’s formulating new colours for our collection, pinning ideas for the next photoshoot or adding new flooring that is unique to them, hassle-functionality to the online store. There’s free. All our flooring is handcrafted in never a dull moment: it’s how we like it.’
‘We are all about customisation made simple. Our mission is to empower and educate our customers to design quality crafted flooring that is unique to them, hassle free. All our flooring is handcrafted in the UK and we take pride in the materials and machinery. ‘We are all about customisation made and machinery. We create beautifully crafted flooring that lasts,’ says Nat.
