Stop. Without looking tell me what is under your feet. If you are in your own home I'm guessing tis is an easy challenge but if you are out and about, sitting in a cafe or at work it might be a tougher question.
The thing with flooring is that when it is good, fit for purpose and in good condition you barely notice it. But a bad floor job can be annoying or downright dangerous.
Take my local pedestrianised high street for instance. Contractors spent months putting down what should have been a stylish, mixed media surface. However for reasons unknown to me they have created an off-road style trackway making wheelchair and pushchair use difficult with the added fun of wonky tiles or as I like to call them, trip hazards, waiting to topple anyone remotely unsteady on their feet or those (like me) who like to text and walk.
The flooring in the underground car park at the mall in my mum's town is lovely and smooth. So lovely and smooth in fact that when cars go in out of the rain the car park floor turns into an ice rink. The painted surface looks neat but is less impressive when viewed from a few centimetres from the floor after slipping over on it.
Workplace floors too must be carefully designed. Carpet is OK in an office but would be ridiculous in a factory setting. Sometimes practicality is tantamount so designers have to think about safety as well as aesthetics when it comes to creating a space which is suitable for workers and visitors alike.
Mention the work concrete and visions of the basic rough grey building material springs to mind. But polished concrete finishes can be spectacularly stylish and immensely practical. Never mind the factory floor, it would look amazing in a home with industrial design notes. Imagine being able to give up vacuuming forever! Sadly it wouldn't suit my 1950's rural home. It is however perfect for use in a variety of commercial settings.
Another practical finish useful for commercial environments is Ecofloor Resin Flooring which works for flooring and other surfaces. Anti static, sustainable, fast curing, weather and temperature resistant this flooring is amazing. You've probably walked across it at some point without even realising since it's used in airports, car parks, shops, offices, warehouses and car showrooms to name but a few.
Whenever I am in a big city or even an ancient market town I always urge my children to look up. It's amazing what architectural gems you can discover by gazing past the modern shop fronts.
Maybe in future I should encourage them to look down too and take more notice of what is below their feet.
Disclaimer: Collaborative post.
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| Photo by Yuki Ho on Unsplash |
The thing with flooring is that when it is good, fit for purpose and in good condition you barely notice it. But a bad floor job can be annoying or downright dangerous.
Take my local pedestrianised high street for instance. Contractors spent months putting down what should have been a stylish, mixed media surface. However for reasons unknown to me they have created an off-road style trackway making wheelchair and pushchair use difficult with the added fun of wonky tiles or as I like to call them, trip hazards, waiting to topple anyone remotely unsteady on their feet or those (like me) who like to text and walk.
The flooring in the underground car park at the mall in my mum's town is lovely and smooth. So lovely and smooth in fact that when cars go in out of the rain the car park floor turns into an ice rink. The painted surface looks neat but is less impressive when viewed from a few centimetres from the floor after slipping over on it.
Workplace floors too must be carefully designed. Carpet is OK in an office but would be ridiculous in a factory setting. Sometimes practicality is tantamount so designers have to think about safety as well as aesthetics when it comes to creating a space which is suitable for workers and visitors alike.
Mention the work concrete and visions of the basic rough grey building material springs to mind. But polished concrete finishes can be spectacularly stylish and immensely practical. Never mind the factory floor, it would look amazing in a home with industrial design notes. Imagine being able to give up vacuuming forever! Sadly it wouldn't suit my 1950's rural home. It is however perfect for use in a variety of commercial settings.
Another practical finish useful for commercial environments is Ecofloor Resin Flooring which works for flooring and other surfaces. Anti static, sustainable, fast curing, weather and temperature resistant this flooring is amazing. You've probably walked across it at some point without even realising since it's used in airports, car parks, shops, offices, warehouses and car showrooms to name but a few.
Whenever I am in a big city or even an ancient market town I always urge my children to look up. It's amazing what architectural gems you can discover by gazing past the modern shop fronts.
Maybe in future I should encourage them to look down too and take more notice of what is below their feet.
 |
| Photo by Neven Krcmarek on Unsplash |
Disclaimer: Collaborative post.