Grounded Beauty

Contemporary Flooring Is Stylish, But Its Heart Also Beats For The Environment

- Aruna Rathod

Flooring is an important aspect of an interior scheme – indeed, it is the base on which the drama unfolds. Like every other aspect connected to lifestyle, interior design, too, is driven by trends. For the next decade, it will be all about integrating natural tones and organic materials into spatial experiences. With an increasing focus on sustainability, manufacturers and designers are looking to incorporate the essence of the outdoors within the cosiness of a home, be it for walls, flooring and other aspects of interiors. And though carpets remain a popular choice for less-traffic spaces and zones like bedrooms and in board rooms of corporate offices, many homeowners are opting for hard flooring, either wood or tiles, throughout the house.

Commercial spaces and offices are also making a statement with floors by introducing colours, textures and accents. Most designers balance unique and traditional elements in their design choices. For example, time-tested patterns such as plaid, stripes, and gingham are still evident – however bold and bright colours add a fun, unique twist to these classic motifs. Bright accent rugs with quirky patterns are also seeing increased usage, as are abstract patterns inspired by nature.

With today’s advanced technology and digital graphics, porcelain tiles can be digitally printed to mimic marble, stone, and wood to infuse office spaces with ‘natural’ beauty combined with the durability and low-maintenance qualities of porcelain. This is a convenient and common cost-saving strategy.