A number of key aesthetic trends in hardware timber flooring are emerging including making a feature of the floor as an architectural design element rather than a low profile floor covering as details and patterns start to replace the minimalist timber floor.
Exotic species from Africa, Asia and South America are becoming popular due to their unique appearances. It is interesting to note that in Europe and North America, Australian species of hardwood timber are considered to be exotic due to their rarity in those parts of the world. In Australia we have the luxury of an abundant supply of many native species of hardwood timber for flooring, structural members and decorative architectural features.
High grade timbers such as Boral Timbe r’s Natural Grade include both natural and machine features on the surface of the timber that add a romantic and rustic character to the floor. High feature grades are being specified in warehouse renovations, retail outlets and commercial offices for their rough appeal.
Further to this, hand-distressed flooring which has been carefully scraped, beaten, gouged, dyed, over-stained and ‘steel-wooled’ is also becoming fashionable again. Hand distressing originated in Europe during the Renaissance era and is used to to create a surface where each board is unique. For design professionals who wish to specify distressed timber flooring, Boral has released a new hardwood flooring product from the US.
Boral’s hand distressed flooring has been scraped, beaten and gouged then finished with a patina in either ‘espresso’ which is a translucent black, or ‘bay’ which is a hickory colour. These processes bring an aged look to the floor in contrast to the industrial, new, minimalist look of the past decade and are ideal for commercial applications and domestic architecture on a grand scale. The 204mm boards are prefinished and ready to install directly over a solid timber subfloor such as plywood sheeting or particleboard.
Patterned floors are emerging as another trend with parquetry, inlaid borders, a mix of contrasting species and feature panels contributing to a richly textured interior.
Source: Building Products News.
