THE RISE OF INTE
The market is awash with flooring materials, but designers and specifiers searching for durabilit Louisa Eyles, Commercial Ma
Visitors to commercial buildings are unlikely to contemplate the type of flooring they are walking on. After all, for many, it is simply a functional product. However, flooring fulfils an incredibly important role, whether in an office, healthcare facility, school, student accommodation, the private rented sector or private housing. In all these applications, it not only needs to provide a durable surface but also deliver on a design level, complementing interior schemes while balancing practicality with flexibility.
Integrated design generally sees different products combined together to create floors with a distinctive aesthetic. Lately, the concept of integrated design has extended beyond this and products are being designed to complement one another on a practical, as well as visual, level. For instance, the first few steps people take into any building are critical to the performance of the flooring. This is because there is a tendency for people to instinctively wipe their feet before stepping onto the floor when entering a building, whether it’s a hotel reception or a lobby for a new office complex. That’s where entrance matting can enhance both the aesthetics and practicality of commercial flooring.
Entrance matting is designed to offer hardworking functionality and understated style. It has a tough and resilient barrier, protecting the surrounding floor by trapping excess dirt and moisture at the door. Not only does this safeguard the aesthetics, it also plays a critical role in terms of safety and helping to reduce slips and trips. Amtico’s range of entrance matting, Entryway, is an attractive yet highly practical carpet collection that has been designed to balance aesthetics and functionality while simultaneously complementing any adjacent flooring. The carpet features reinforced scraper fibres which remove excess grit and moisture from shoes as visitors enter a building, protecting the adjoining flooring from potentially damaging particulate matter.
Beyond the entrance, luxury vinyl tiles (LVT) lead the way, offering a solution that is available in a variety of colour options. Designers have the ability to mix and match LVT flooring to create a bespoke look; however, schemes that use multiple products don’t have to appear chaotic and unbalanced. Two or more designs can meet in a traditional linear fashion to form a visual divide between zones, signalling to pedestrians that they are entering a new area. An open-plan hotel, for instance, may use carpet matting at its entrance with a welcoming wood design LVT paving the way to its reception, which is then contrasted by vibrant LVT in a unique laying pattern.
For a more cohesive floor design that is suitable for all conditions, specifiers can opt for the wood LVT throughout the reception area in both standard and safety floor finishes. This combination will help achieve a seamless look that flows from one area to the next while providing enhanced slip resistance and antimicrobial properties.
28 | MODULAR FLOORING
Pushing the boundaries of this new style of thinking, there are some established flooring companies leading the way with integrated solutions that provide both hardworking functionality and design features. Amtico, for example, has a wide range of flooring products which have been specifically designed to work in harmony with one another, allowing designers extraordinary creative freedom. These include social distancing and wayfinding designs that can be easily slotted into existing LVT flooring, or even incorporated as part of a new scheme. As lockdown eases and social distancing looks set to become part of ‘normal’ UK life, it’s imperative that designers and specifiers look to establish permanent wayfinding schemes that define movement – for example, in offices, retail or healthcare – while also promoting responsible behaviours in the environment.
Consequently, with the evolution of integrated design solutions, different zones should no longer be thought of in isolation. Designers should consider adjoining products (for example, entrance matting, LVT, and safety LVT such as Amtico’s Signature 36+) and study the positive impact each product can have on a space’s visual appeal and performance. Doing so will allow flooring schemes to be elevated from the ordinary to the extraordinary.
www.amtico.com/commercial
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