An impactful entranceway can set the tone and create the right buzz for your property.Thanks to the varied flooring options available today, designers have the freedom of choice.
So what’s the first thing you think someone notices when they enter a space, especially in the hospitality industry? Besides, the warmth of course! Like with most things, first impressions can make or break a business.
Hence it’s extremely important that a patron walks away from the facility, content of having money and time well-spent. So, besides having an impacting entrance way, it’s also imperative to pay attention to the finish and materials used.
The kind of flooring used as well as how it is maintained, can dictate the overall impression one gets of the space.
If the floors are stained and smudged, it is likely to be assumed that the rest of the hotel too, lacks maintenance. On the other hand, a high-gloss shine, gives an impression that the remainder of the space has received a similar level of attention.
Marvellous Mosaics
While deciding on the type of flooring for a hotel, you need to bear in mind that it will vary, depending on geographical location, foot traffic, outdoor vegetation and weather, area to be covered, the image that the establishment is hoping to project whether that is classic, modern, rustic, edgy, bohemian, homely, etc and the level of service, the facility wishes to provide and communicate.
While it’s often been noted that hard floors are ideal, most opt for carpeting. Marble, terrazzo and mosaic flooring are exquisite and at times delicate warranting specialized services and expertise for maintenance. Who can resist the charm of the stunning glass mosaics from Sicis? They call themselves the Art Factory and their products are no less than artworks.
They work just as beautifully on the walls as they do on the floor. It’s truly amazing to see what technology can bring to design.
A specialised software allows designers to transform any type of image into mosaic format. It takes a digitised image and “pixelates” it into a mapping of mosaic tiles with specific sizes and a colour mapping, according to the dimensions specified. It is then custom-produced as per the requirements.
While it does require a certain level of skill and might not be ideal for an area that receives so much foot-traffic, there is no denying the fact that it is a sure-shot way to make your patrons go “wow.”
The iridescent quality of the mosaics adds a touch luxury and glam, like nothing else. In the past, expensive luxury hotels often had floors to match – such as marble and mosaic tiling – which is why many such places are now sightseeing destinations in themselves.
Think of the Hotel Danieli in Venice, for example. However, most modern hotels want more cost-effective options, particularly with the current trend for refurbishment every few years.
Tile style
For smaller establishments, ceramic tiles are a good bet. While this type of flooring has its benefits, it often provides a breeding ground for dust and grime in the grout between the tiles.
In most cases, this type of maintenance requires either a smaller scrubber, low-speed machine, or a worker who has the time to tend to the grout lines by hand. Some types of tile flooring, although easy to install and visually appealing, can require special cleaning procedures.
For instance, using some rotary floor scrubbers can put small scratches in vinyl tile, which will wear on the flooring and make a high-shine difficult to attain.Kajaria’s innovative range of tiles promises to add a special touch to interiors. And this is seen with their latest range of tiles, Eternity and Heavy Metal that has recently hit the markt.
Magic Carpet
Carpeting is hence an option that most chains opt for. While the dirt is less noticeable, it is difficult to remove a spot on carpeting than it would be on a hard floor.
When installing carpet, it is also important to consider the amount of foot-traffic that the area will receive, as excessive use will wear on carpet fibres and break down materials quicker.
However, one good thing is that with the new-age carpets that can be fixed or replaced in a fashion similar to that of tiles, this option is most widely used. Precisely why, the modular flooring solutions from Interface are a favourite.
Raj Menon, Country Manager, India, InterfaceFLOR, says, “These options provide compelling functional benefits that offer significant value to those seeking greater returns on their flooring investments. When compared with traditional broadloom products, competitive advantages like easy maintenance, less waste, selective replacement, antimicrobial protection, and most recently, sustainable raw materials, set modular products from Interface apart from the competition.”
Though modular flooring may be fairly new to many in the hospitality market, the broader concept of modular style is renowned for transforming commercial environments.
Specifically engineered to meet unique demands of the hotel environment, these products go on to prove that a hotel floor is not just a surface or a covered concrete slab, it is a powerful tool that can enhance and even dictate the overall decor and personality of the space – from busy lobbies, ballrooms and corridors to the more intimate settings of guest rooms, spas and small meeting rooms.
On the other hand, in bedrooms, especially, sound proofing is paramount. Cork, although insulating, comfortable and environmentally-friendly, does not quite give the same impression of quality and luxury as carpet, although it might be a good choice for an “eco-establishment”.
Our pick? Convert by InterfaceFLOR – inspired by the allure of vintage couture, it ranges from racy animal prints, novelty patterns to the graphic strength and energy of Gothic-inspired design, celebrating the iconic fabrics, textures and patterns that define the enduring and influential styles of yesteryear.
In the woods
But if it’s a patio or a deck that you’re considering then there’s no replacement for the charm of good, old wood. Wondered why the sun decks look so inviting? The warmth that a wooden floor brings to a space is undeniable. Given the advancement of modern technology, opting for a practical material does not necessarily mean sacrificing on aesthetics.
Laminates, for example, come in a range of wood simulations, which provide the same overall look as a hardwood floor without the cost or the high maintenance issues. Similarly, vinyl now comes in a huge variety of simulation designs, from marble to wood to cobblestones – and a range of textures as well.
Another option would be to use epoxy flooring, which is essentially a polyurethane finish, which gives higher abrasion resistance to any surface. Plus, it is seamless and very easy to maintain.
Stoned
Traditionally, stone is known to be a hard material. However, some are really known to be brittle, and can suffer from cracks, crumbling and breakage. Slate is increasingly becoming a popular choice these days as one of the most durable and resilient natural stone materials available in the market. It is resistant to cracking, wear and tear and it works well in high traffic areas, such as lobbies and hallways.
Hotels flooring gets used, which means that it gets dirty. Whether it is from dust coming off guests’ feet, or a spill from room service, or just normal grime from time itself, you know that the floor will occasionally get messy. We asked, Subodh Shah, Director Classic Marble if there is an acceptance and usage of natural marble as a flooring material.
He says, “All premium brands of hotels prefer to use natural marble but off-late engineered marble is slowly gaining popularity due to various advantages associated with it.”
He also added, “Customisation in terms of size is possible to a certain extent but when it comes shades and designs it is difficult as it is a natural material extracted from quarries.
However the possibilities are immense in case of engineered marble, where one can virtually have a marble of any colour and design as per choice.”
Further to this, Kamlesh Patel Chairman, Asian Granito adds, “Compaction by vibration under vacuum” gives the product outstanding and decorative characteristics. Also technologically recomposing it allows one to create new materials with aesthetic attributes that nature cannot offer, thereby offering a seamless, cutting-edge design.”
Once that is established, you also know that it next to impossible to refrain from using artistic flooring. Now, no one wants to visit a place, which scores high on service and safety and nets a zero when it comes to style.
Perhaps why, you now see a whole new gamut of finishes and technologies entering the market. Innovative materials and technologies combine to create artistic floors and decorated coatings for an infinite variety of spaces and situations.
It involves water-based resins being applied on the floor to achieve seamless floor coverings. So now you’ve floors decorated with metallic powders and earth colours, floors in gold or silver leaf, with clouded effects using powders and glitters and also with glass effects to trap flowers, stones, sand, glass and fiber optics.
What’s more is that it can be applied over existing floors such as wood, parquet, tiles, ceramic, marble and stone.
All you need is an extra fibre mesh laid over the existing support and strengthened with quartz and primer. And you’ve your own Picasso on the floor.
