THE CARE ZONE Matthew Speck, commercial sales director at
Karndean Designflooring, discusses why luxury vinyl tile is becoming increasingly specified in care environments.
Flooring is a key element in care home design; however in the past care facilities felt restricted in their selection due to the narrow range of choices available. Recently there’s been a real trend amongst contractors, architects and designers to specify Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVT) because of its durability, ease of maintenance and endless design capabilities which allow the flexibility to create individual spaces that suit the needs of users.
Many residents have limited regular access to the outdoors when residing in a care home so many facilities are now using the floor to bring the outside in. All our wood and stone designs take inspiration from nature and we pay meticulous attention to detail when replicating the finer details, so specifiers can create a homely, welcoming space that can help to reduce agitation and stress among residents.
A prime example of recreating an outdoor setting inside is the Chocolate Works Care Village in York, whose recent restoration from abandoned chocolate factory to a high-quality environment for the elderly includes a two-storey market square with shop fronts, a pub, restaurants, walkways, peace gardens and a spa, plus many other facilities.
They opted for the warm, earthy tones of our Opus Terra stone design placed alongside some of the original wooden planks from the factory and areas of carpet, which demonstrates how zoning can be incorporated to create a unique ambiance, guide the visually impaired around spaces and add interest to key areas. Our products come in a wide range of colours, styles, shapes and sizes, so zoning, sweeping curves, rug effects and borders can be easily achieved.
While it’s important to allow the care home sector to achieve the desired look, there is still a responsibility for architects and designers to maintain the key properties of safety and practicality. We work very closely with the care
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home sector and architects specifying in this specialist area and we highly recommend LVT products with specialist slip resistance ratings of R9 and R10. All our products offer this, enabling increased slip resistance without having to sacrifice the overall look or feel.
The right surface also needs to be straightforward to install and easy to maintain. From resisting spills to avoiding dust and mites, LVT floors that are non-porous have been proven to contribute to cleaner, healthier environments.
“Zoning can be
incorporated to create a unique ambiance, guide the visually impaired around spaces and add
interest to key areas.”
Not only does our new innovative rigid core collection, Korlok, enable quick installation thanks to its superior 5G vertical click locking mechanism, it’s also quiet underfoot due to the acoustic foam backing, which would be an additional advantage in a care home setting, especially when looking to reduce noise transfer to rooms below.
We also make sure our products have the durability to withstand the most demanding environments, including heavy footfall, wheelchairs, and the constant moving of equipment.
Selecting the right floor surface is undoubtedly one of the most crucial decisions when planning a new build care home or refit. Although ensuring safety is the top priority, the overall look and feel is also important, which is why our commercial team are always on hand to advise on unique design briefs.
www.karndean.com RESIDENTIAL & CARE FACILITIES | 31
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