Commercial Flooring Trends Summary
Whether you’re looking at flooring for a hotel, retail premises or an office space, there is a lot to consider when looking at what flooring is best for your commercial premises whilst still creating a modern and stylish environment.
One upcoming flooring trend that is likely to increase further in popularity throughout 2019 is incorporating a hint of warmth and comfort into a commercial setting. It’s always important for any visitor to feel welcomed and invited into any space and your flooring choice can easily accomplish this. This trend of bringing a more welcoming feel to your workplace is becoming so popular, it’s even been coined “resimercial”. Below are some ideas to get you started on your commercial renovations for the year ahead.
Add Colour
Commercial premises don’t need to be plain and boring in appearance. Pops of colour alongside neutrals can make a trendy statement in any space whilst still keeping a sophisticated and personal feel. Incorporating colours will not only brighten the area, but can also help define particular spaces. For example, different colours can highlight walkways, and distinguish different areas in the building.
Popular colour choices currently include hot pink, electric blue, teal and many other bright variants. It can also be a good idea to include colours that mimic your company’s branding in order to leave a memorable and long lasting impression on your clientele and immediately capture their attention.
Many different commercial flooring materials are now available in a vast amount of colours which means you no longer have to compromise on safety and slip resistance whilst bringing in a contemporary feel.
Patterns and Shapes
Likewise, encompassing patterns and shapes into flooring designs is a fast upcoming trend in commercial settings. Similar to adding colour variants in your flooring, including diverse patterns and shapes will make your space look fresh and reinvented. Not only that, abstract patterns and shapes can add dimension to any area and in turn can actually give off the illusion of a bigger space.
Traditional square tiles are being replaced with rectangle and hexagonal tiles for that unique look. Nature inspired patterns are also becoming highly sought after not only in the workplace but also as an interior design trend in homes. Don’t be afraid to mix and match different flooring materials within the same space too. Again, this will give off a modern, contemporary feel whilst making a big statement.
Materials
When selecting your new contemporary flooring there are many materials you may consider using for your commercial premises. Although appearance is important, practicality is too - you should contemplate factors such as foot traffic, slip resistance, maintenance, durability, cost and more.
Carpet
arpet has the obvious properties of being a soft surface so comfortable to walk on and noise absorbing, as well as giving that all important “resimercial” atmosphere. There are many modern colours and pattern options to choose from to satisfy any needs however it's worth keeping in mind that carpets can be harder to maintain than other surfaces. Opting for carpet tiles is a cost effective solution meaning if damage does occur, you only have to replace a tile at a time.
In terms of slip resistance carpet tiles aren't always the most practical for certain commercial settings, be sure to seek advice and have your selected carpet tiles tested before laying.
Luxury vinyl
Softer textures such as luxury vinyl flooring can help achieve a contemporary look for 2019 as it has a soft brushed look. This has become a popular choice for businesses as it’s resilient and sustainable so it perfect for premises with heavy footfall. It’s also easy to maintain and often offers great slip resistant properties.
Making an emergence in recent times, is the use of luxury vinyl to create accent walls to coordinate your floors and walls as one. There's also a huge range of designs and colours to choose from - you can have the high end look of wood or stone, without incurring a huge cost or compromising on safety.
Rubber
Rubber has very similar properties to vinyl flooring in that it is sustainable and offers easy maintenance. Opting for a rubber flooring material is great for high traffic areas due to its durability as well as offering good slip resistance.
Rubber also has the additional benefit of being extremely sound absorbent so if your company is prone to lots of noise, this could be perfect for you. Rubber surfaces, if chosen correctly, is another great fabric that can give more of an inviting appearance.
Porcelain/ Ceramic
Porcelain and ceramic tiles can now have digital graphics printed onto them with today's advanced technology so this would be a good material if you want to incorporate different patterns as we’ve discussed. It can also mimic other materials such as marble and stone, but remains fairly low cost.
Porcelain and ceramic flooring can give a natural and clean look to the environment, whilst possessing durability and low maintenance qualities. The use of tiles comes with the added bonus that if damage occurs, you only need to replace the tiles affected, instead of the whole flooring.
When opting for ceramic tiles ensure these are made with slip resistance in mind, especially if the flooring is likely to be prone to spills or wet environments.
Hardwood
Hardwood can be an extremely attractive option for flooring, but the cost will also reflect this. It is a popular choice adding warmth and comfort to an area, with a classic appearance. Reclaimed wood such as wine barrels is also making a comeback to incorporate a vintage look. Real wood flooring can be expensive, however searching for cheaper reclaimed wood could eliminate that issue.
Wooden flooring is easy to clean and has great strength to withhold footfall. However, as this is a natural, living material, it can expand and fluctuate in warmer temperatures so may not be convenient if it doesn't meet latest health and safety standards for your premises.
Flooring Considerations
All of the options mentioned can have varying levels of slip resistance and safety standards which is why it is imperative to carry out a risk assessment before laying the flooring. Any commercial setting should have safety for their visitors at the forefront of their decision making.
For help and guidance when laying a new commercial floor speak to a professional regarding anti slip flooring properties and to find out if the chosen flooring satisfies HSE standards.
In some cases anti slip coatings can also be applied - some coatings leave a shiny appearance to your flooring, however it is up to you if you want the treatment to alter the appearance in this way or not. If you chose to add an anti slip coating, it is important to maintain this over time by hiring a professional to measure the resistance regularly by carrying out a pendulum slip test.
Our specialists at National Testing can assist you in ensuring the floor safety within any commercial setting adheres to government anti-slip standards. You are guaranteed a first class UKAS accredited service that will guide you every step of the way.