Tip of the Week: Removing Wine Stains from Carpet

It's Christmas, you know it's inevitable... you'll have the folks round, or a bunch of friends for a party and someone will spill red wine all over your carpet. Never fear, here's a handy tip on how to get red wine out of a carpet. If you know any other good crpet stain removal tips, leave a comment. We thought you'd also appreciate a nice young woman doing the red wine stain removal, rather than an old man.

Sustainable Retail: How can The Flooring Industry Play its Part?

In a future where consumers will demand ever more clarity on a company’s sustainability commitments, the flooring industry can and will play a major role in ensuring the Retail Sector lives up to the green lifestyle it promotes.


The current trend for sustainability is only going to get bigger as consumers become choosier, better informed and more willing to favour sustainable products, or make sustainable lifestyle choices. Housing aside, there is perhaps no area where will this have more impact than in retail, from home furnishings to fashion to food and drink.
Last year’s Ipsos MORI research paper on sustainability in the Retail Sector shows clearly that consumers are asking more and more questions with regard to the products they buy and want to trust that the companies they buy from are committed to the “green” way-of-life extolled on the labels and PR campaigns of the products they sell.
The message that I find key to how this sustainable trend will pan out in the future points out that consumers will soon look beyond the products on the shelves themselves to a commitment to sustainability from the retail space itself.
“A holistic approach and incorporation of sustainable practice into all aspects of the business… will be essential to long term survival”. The retail space will be as important to the customer making green, ethical choices as the products he is buying.
The research also suggests consumers strongly believe that a company that has an overall commitment to sustainability at all levels of business can be trusted to deliver “safe, reliable, good quality products.”
So what does this all mean for the flooring industry?
If retail spaces are going to have to physically reflect the ethos of the company or brand that inhabit them, specifiers working on refurbishment or initial design will have to choose sustainable flooring solutions which satisfy rigorous criteria and help a company demonstrate to consumers that they are prepared to “live and work” the lifestyle they promote.
Not that consumers are currently walking into Topshop and demanding to know where the wood flooring in the changing room is sourced from, but one day, they may well be. A brief glimpse through design magazines, architectural journals and government reports on future builds drive this message of consumer awareness home. Products featured on their pages are no longer simply listed for what they are, but where they are sourced, what certifications they carry that guarantee their manufacturer’s commitments to greener practices, and their recyclability. I predict a not-too-distant future where product branding encompasses the WHOLE package; from the space a product is seen and sold in to the lifestyles of the staff and management teams behind that product or store.

The flooring industry has long championed sustainability. As Contract Floors reported when it went to meet Ray Anderson of InterfaceFLOR, many in the floor manufacturing business predicted the current market trend for sustainable products as far as twenty years ago and changed not only their products accordingly, but also their manufacturing processes, waste management systems, company best practice policies and CSR (corporate social responsibility) targets.
I receive more emails in my inbox informing me of new green developments in flooring or a company recently being awarded a “sustainability award’ of come kind than any other topic. Most of all, I read about retail spaces choosing flooring on the basis of its sustainability, on the basis of its ability to reflect the direction and eco-targets the company has set itself. Consumer flooring brochures now feature a company’s “green” commitments on the first couple of pages, rather than as an afterthought at the back.
The flooring industry can play a major role in a retailer’s sustainability agenda, a role that benefits both the retail sector and itself, and we can all agree that right now, in these two arenas, and in the fight for more sustainable living, every little helps.

(l-r) TopShop flooring by Amtico, and Amtico again in Primark Stores.

And to answer the burning question about that Topshop flooring… It is supplied by Amtico.
"Amtico International works closely with the Arcadia Group and has provided flooring for a number of its Topshop stores." says Sian Lewis, Amtico International's UK marketing manager. I spoke to David Wright, Marketing Director at design consultants Dalziel and Pow UK who recently worked with Topshop and also on a new flagship Primark store in Bristol –pictured- which also features elegant Amtico flooring: “The walkways are laid in a
brick bond format as a point of difference to sales areas. Most departments are a combination of the Limestone Calico tile and tiles from the Microspec range. The lingerie dept uses a tile from the new Back to Black range laid in a quarter turn format.”



Amtico's Back To Black Range


Over the past decade a new seamless flooring solution has been nesting quietly in the development stages waiting for the right moment to present itself as the most desirable, futuristic, concept inspired design to hit the interior design and architectural industry, introducing Galaxy by SEC UK.


Galaxy by South East Coatings UK, in a shoe shop in Weybridge. Zingy!

The latest trend for refurbishment and individuality has broadened the appeal for designer resin flooring in retail, leisure and domestic properties seeking artistic, individual designs or floors in specific colours. Galaxy creates functional and spectacular statements reflecting individuality. The creativity of the design is only limited by your imagination.

From subtle pearl tones to dynamic fashion design, no two projects are alike, as the process is a result of chemical interaction which means each is an interpretation of the chosen colour within the application process, base or background colour and top coats create unique finishes that differ on every application.

Our latest twist in designer flooring pushes the technology of resins in a different direction. This new system incorporates metallic and/or pearlescent pigments. Each floor, each mix and every finish is as individual as the people who choose it. The chemistry that makes this possible means that no two finishes are alike, creating spectacular floors with a “wow” factor that can be as subtle or as bold as you like.

Premier manufacturer of commercial flooring systems, ARDEX UK, and flooring contractors, Hull Flooring Limited, joined forces to provide the ideal flooring solution for a large new toy store in Birmingham.


Ardex at Smyths Toy Store in Birmingham

Smyths Toys Superstores is a leading provider of children's entertainment products with 12 stores throughout Great Britain. To commence the 1200m2 installation, ARDEX K 11 Levelling and Smoothing Compound was applied to provide a smooth and flat surface. Developed for use from 1.5 and 10mm thickness, ARDEX K 11 is a cost effective solution for levelling and smoothing sub-floors such as cement/sand screeds, gypsum screeds and concrete. Fast track projects benefit from ARDEX K 11 as it is hard enough to walk on only 2½ hours after application and final floorcoverings such as vinyl, linoleum, carpet etc., can normally be applied the next day at 20°C. In addition, it can also be used with underfloor heating systems and is fully compatible with the comprehensive range of screeds, repair mortars, DPM’s and floorcovering adhesives from ARDEX.

To conclude, ARDEX AF 100 Pressure Sensitive Acrylic Flooring Adhesive was used to fix Polyflor Mystique PUR vinyl sheet throughout the retail areas, with Polyflor Polyflex Plus vinyl tiles installed to ‘back of house’. With built-in benefits including its solvent free formulation, very low odour and high yield, ARDEX AF 100 has an outstanding reputation for impressive on-site performance, and as a result, has become the flooring industry’s preferred pressure sensitive adhesive.

The team at creative interior designers, Forster Inc, challenged innovative carpet tile company, Burmatex, to create a high impact floor for its Shoreditch showroom to prove once and for all that carpet tiles have shed their former reputation and are now accepted by the A&D community as a design-centric tool for adding personality and dimension to any commercial interior scheme.


Burmatex at Forster's in Shoreditch, quirky, funky designs

Working with Burmatex’s design consultant, Alastair Scott, Forster Inc chose colours to match its brand identity and products to provide a memorable welcome for visitors. Taking the carpet tiles out of their comfort zone, the stunning scheme even has Burmatex’s award winning product, Lateral, running up the showroom’s wall in striking orange tone, Mandarin Duck, and spilling out on to the streets of Shoreditch.

Burmatex’s brand manager, Becky Peters, continues: “We have a natural synergy with design led companies such as Forster Inc, which, like us, believes that good things are not only those that have aesthetic beauty, but are designed to work. Carpet tiles are a durable and flexible flooring product that can really reflect the personality of the people that use a space. As well as being BRE A-rated, Burmatex carpet tiles all have a ten year wear guarantee so fit the bill perfectly.”

Domotex By Train! Go Green in 2010!

I decided to make the commitment in 2010 not to travel by plane. As someone who travels a lot for my work I thought this would be not only a great challenge, but also a serious commitment to reducing my carbon footprint. Instead of flying to Domotex 2010, which involves somehow getting from Surrey to Stansted airport for a 6.05 a.m flight (about two hours on a train), I decided to get the train the whole way. With the ICE bullet train in Germany and the Eurostar connecting London and western Europe, the whole journey time ends up being no longer than 7 hours, in which I can curl up with tons of leg room and a good book, instead of being packed like a sardine into an easyjet or ryanair tin can. Plus I avoid shuttling to and from airports as Hannover Hauptbahnhof is about 20 mins from the exhibition grounds and there's a free shuttle bus.
Plus, I save burning up up tons and tons of CO2!!!

As the train journy does cost a bit more, I am reducing my overall travel costs by staying at the International Youth hostel instead of a hotel, which offers a bed and breakfast for 32 euros a night. Businessmen may not like the hostel set up, but as a single girl travelling alone, it suits me just fine.

It can be done, so if your boss insists on you flying, take a stand!

Structural Efficiencies: Carpet Trends 2010

Vorwerk Scale


As if they sensed it was time to stick two fingers up at the recession and fight back with boldness and positivity, this year’s carpet collections oozed colour, wow factor and bright, jazzy prints. What were once safe, muted stripes and block colour carpets were updated with warmer colours, rich dark shades and the occasional burst of fuschia pink, ruby red and even panther black. Designers such as Ryalux encouraged experimentation by allowing consumers to “build their own design” laying stripes and block colours side by side, choosing the combination of stripe colours to match any element in a room and create a variety of moods. Flor by HEUGA had zingy oranges and olive greens, Brintons offered a range of contract carpet designs with intricate Japanese patterns and large, sketched floral patterns in hues of gold, purple and lime green. Designers were invited to talk to visitors at the stands, bringing the design element to the fore and furthering the notion that over the last few years the floor coverings trade has pushed to market flooring as an integral part of an interior design, something durable and of quality but also the element that pulls a room together and is vital in creating the perfect mood for a commercial space, as much a decorative element as a lamp, wallpaper or curtains. For 2010, this move towards increasingly design-led and “fashion conscious” carpets goes a step further, with many manufacturers adding architectural themes or structures into the design and colourings of their collections.


Desso Carpetecture

Desso even went as far as to name their collection “Carpetecture” consolidating the idea that a floor and the building it houses blend seamlessly, the creations beneath a person’s feet emphasising the lines, shapes and textures of urban landscapes. The basis of Desso’s new Carpetecture® collection, Core Structures, comes from the very essence of a building. Pillars, wall surfaces, roofs and beams become concepts for the design and creation of these carpets which draw inspiration from the repetitive forms and individual complexities of architecture. Core Structures consists of seven products providing a choice of carpet tiles and broadloom carpet. Verso offers a delicate, repeat pattern of contoured facets creating an elegant finish in neutral colourways emulating the look of a hard surface due to the flat nature of its structure. With its strong replication of rhythmic pattern, Verso Grid offers a powerful, distinct look as its lattice format provides added depth and dimension of an almost three dimensional quality. Whilst the neutral brown and grey weaves of Verso Bars present a striking finish of durable quality. Pure is a modern office carpet tile, its precise yet subtly textured rib and mosaic effect add depth and dimension for a warmer, natural look. The neutral palette of grey, yellow and brown hues makes it easy to combine with other interior products in any environment. Wilton Profile, Wilton Metallic and Wilton in Ribs are inspired woven broadloom carpet designs with highly textured surfaces and geometric inspired patterns. The natural tones of Wilton Profile conjure up images of light filtering through a framework. Wilton in Ribs takes inspiration from the simple repetition found in walls and windows emulating the look of wire framework. Its durability and timeless quality is perfect for the commercial environment. The black palette of Wilton Metallic is a contemporary option at the cutting edge of design and at the heart of this striking collection. Texture is also a major factor of Desso’s current design philosophy. Texture is an inspired finish of choice providing an array of high quality, visually stimulating options. Patterns and textures, for example, provide an extra dimension and sense of movement.


Vorwerk Scale

A couple of issues back we previewed Scale, the new collection by Vorwerk designed by Iranian-born architect Hadi Teherani. This visionary designer worked with Vorwerk to create a modular carpet range which could take on almost any form, creating dramatic patterns and shapes. As Vorwerk themselves put it “Modular carpet has become architecture in itself.” From pattern and texture to colour and form, carpet tiles can be explored in a new way to create defining floor spaces.

The brainchild of German architectural powerhouse, Hadi Teherani and Vorwerk Carpets, SCALE is more than a labelled collection of regular carpet tiles. It is a collaborative effort at every level, from the creation of different sizes and shapes to the GreySCALE and ColorSCALE colourbooks, the input of award-winning architectural thinking is plain to see. Each element of SCALE is designed as a distinct entity, yet with the intent of linking in a harmonised space creating a floor that becomes part of the architecture. In six defined textures, five defined formats, five defined patterns and seven defined colour groups comes a carpet tile collection that breaks new ground. All works within the collection, including the right angle omitting FreeSCALE, utilise Vorwerk Carpets advanced TEXtiles® backing technology. Completely bitumen and PVC free, made from 60% recycled materials and completely recyclable, TEXtiles® is flexible and light, yet dimensionally stable enough to meet the demands of commercial locations. With both tufted and woven faces in high performance INVISTA Antron® carpet fibre, the entire SCALE collection achieves CE, GUT and TÜV certification. As suitable for the hallway as it is for the workspace or the boardroom, SCALE a TEXtiles® collection by Hadi Teherani begins a new era in carpet tiles.


Interface FLOR

InterfaceFLOR, a worldwide leader in the design and manufacture of modular flooring has launched a new flooring concept: The VersaflexTM System from InterfaceFLOR. The patent-pending system enables hard and soft surfaces to be combined in a single installation for the first time and reflects InterfaceFLOR’s strength in innovation and sustainability on every level – from its The VersaflexTM System has been developed with complete versatility and portability in mind, making it ideal for fast-changing retail and office environments. It is six times quicker to install than a conventional ceramic or porcelain floor and can be walked on immediately after it is laid, resulting in minimum downtime and disruption to business. Also, it is installed in such a way, using a unique grid system with flexible grout and without damaging the sub floor, that it can be easily replaced or re-used. Customers can create a whole new look, change layouts or repair any damage simply by removing and replacing individual tiles. It is even possible to take up the entire system, so that if you move offices or premises your floor can move with you.


Antron Elemental Spectrum

INVISTA’s Antron® carpet fibre forms a fundamental part of Elemental Spectrum, a carpet tile that draws inspiration from the ‘building blocks of everyday life’ by Mannington Commercial, part of the Victoria Carpets Contracts Division. Designed in conjunction with Tom Pelsoi of HOK Chicago, Elemental Spectrum was developed to provide a solution for tighter budgets. Each style is influenced by the readings of elements such as carbon, zinc and iron when placed under a visual spectrograph, giving a linear appearance that can either be strong or subtle. Antron / www.antron.net InterfaceFLOR / www.interfaceflor.co.uk Desso / www.desso.com Vorwerk / www.vorwerkcarpets.co.uk

Rush Flooring

Felicity Irons of Rush Matting specialises in medieval matting sometimes known as apple matting. She uses bulrush harvested in the UK from the Great Ouse river in Bedfordshire, the Nene river in Northamptonshire and the Avon river in Warwickshire. She harvests these rushes using traditional tools, perpetuating a British tradition than spans centuries and demonstrates a great craftsman’s skill. Where finer rush stems are used to make baskets or chairs, the flatter, thicker stems are used for floor matting. The resulting rush matting flooring is a sturdy, hardwearing and naturally beautiful product, as well as being “British born and bred” so to speak. It is woven by hand using a “nine end flat weave” into strips three inches wide then sewn together by hand using jute twine. Felicity can make floors to customer specifications and for those who desire a real authentic medieval touch she can weave herbs into the matting to enhance the warm scent of the rushes and truly enhance a period home.



Rush Matters / www.rushmatters.co.uk

Interview with Axel Griesinger, Education Director for the Society of British Interior Design

The traditional view from the construction industry pitches Interior Designers as haughty artists concerned purely with aesthetics and the “feel” and “look” of a space, whereas construction workers, floor fitters or electricians, being manual labourers, are generally perceived as the ones who actually “get their hands dirty”. In reality the interior design profession demands a thorough knowledge of architectural structures, specifications, materials and the practicalities of plumbing, electrics and brickwork. Interior Design and construction go hand in hand and pretending that Interior Designers can call themselves professionals and experts without an intimate knowledge of the shell that they work in is a fault that is sadly reflected in many Interior Design courses offered in the UK.
Axel was born and educated in Germany, back in the days when apprenticeships were commonly offered to students of design and architecture (he studied the latter). He himself trained as a bricklayer and learnt carpentry, often working on building sites, something he found very helpful later on in his career saying it “improved his communication skills” no doubt implying that being able to banter with construction workers is an invaluable skill for a designer. This apprenticeship practice is disappearing due to EU regulations aiming to standardise qualifications offered across the European Union countries. Axel hopes to introduce his university students to apprenticeships, internships and training schemes within the construction and flooring industries and hopes for a free exchange between the two worlds to encourage interior design students to look beyond the parameters of their courses but also enable manufacturers to market schemes to the interior design industry.



“I always want to know how students can get involved”, says Axel, “either with design professionals or manufacturers who can approach the students, like Dalsouple have done, organising student competitions. The head of Dalsouple came to the ID Department of AIU London and gave a very interesting lecture to our students. He talked about rubber flooring and its various qualities such as it being a natural product and therefore supporting sustainable design. This was extremely helpful for students to understand and appreciate the different aspects of flooring materials and their appropriate use. They also appreciated the complex processes which are involved to create high spec flooring materials.
We have great interest in the flooring industry; “I’d like to give the manufacturers a chance to inspire the students to better understand specifics, like floor fitting, floor laying, and types of flooring. The same applies to construction and electrics, etc”.
Bemoaning the loss of the apprenticeship scheme, Axel added, “Now we’re moving towards a standard European BA model, so there won’t be a one-year apprenticeship offered anymore. It’s a shame. I think we should use the possibilities of internships / apprenticeships to get students back into on site learning, get them practically involved either within the university programme or outside. The more diverse knowledge the students can acquire, the more employable they will be in the ID profession. This is one of the reasons why the ID department at AIU London has established a SBID student chapter to establish strong links with manufacturers.
Breanna Wucinich is one of the Interior Design department’s SBID student representatives at AIU. Breanna has had a lot of experience as student liaison at her previous university in the US with the IIDA (International Interior Design Association). She arrived in London last year just in time to be elected to represent the ID department of AIU London in the newly established Society of British Interior Design (SBID). She feels that this involvement will bring a fresh outlook and establish useful links to the manufacturing industries. It all started when Vanessa Brady, president of SBID, approached Axel with her education-driven ideal and he was named Director of Education. Their fresh approach was to ensure a high-standard entry level for SBID student membership, to guarantee students a certain standard of quality at networking meetings and student events. SBID will only welcome student chapters from universities that offer a BA.
“Each student chapter will publish its own newsletter and we want to be able to meet, organise events and student networks, first nationally and internationally, especially in America” (Axel is a member of IDEC, the Interior Design Educators Council).
“We want to make sure that academic standards in education are high but we also feel the need for industry based learning experiences. It’s important for us to talk to the trade press, like Contract Floors magazine, for us to get into apprenticeships, get students involved with the flooring trades. We are looking to achieve very high standards.”



“SBID’s student chapters are also great for recent graduates. When they first go out in the world to make a career for themselves they already have a fully-fledged network behind them, a support system of excellent, high-standard contacts. We also offer CPD’s (Continuous Professional Development Units). This brings the designers to the University, our students can come for free and we always have drinks and nibbles afterwards to give students opportunities to network and ask the participating professionals questions in a relaxed atmosphere.
“In times of recession, the more skills you have, the more employable you are when you graduate. If you have a possibility as an interior designer to get involved in an area of industry, such as flooring, and you have some experience in that area, you may be able to design specifically for it. Remember the Bauhaus in Germany, which was very hands on - students developed certain projects within the construction and building industry and that is what we need to work on developing more here”.
The American Intercontinental University offers design students opportunities that many of the better-known design colleges or universities don’t. For starters, graduates here are equipped with a degree recognised both in the US and Europe, because they gain accreditation through an US academic accrediting body and London South Bank University. This opens doors to those who will travel abroad for work, or return to the US after their London experience.
For designers living, working or studying in London, Axel believes they experience the best design environment in the world. To readers familiar with British flooring designers, from rugs and carpet-makers to ground-breaking floor coverings in rubber, vinyl and bold colour-rich designs, this statement may come as no surprise. Axel also believes the recession will not hamper interior design, rather inject some necessary creativity, something he believes the Brits have in bucketloads, thriving in moments where thriftiness and quirk are required.
“Good designers are educated here, then go to Paris or Milan. Paris and New York are very interesting, but London has no rival. English is now the most important business language, which is reflected, in the cosmopolitan mix of different nationalities and their talent in London. There’s money here, a bit less at the moment, but we still invest. Thrift and thriftiness are excellent qualities to have as a designer. I asked Breanna from a student’s perspective what she saw as being interior design student’s major concerns today.
“I always try to tell students what to do to be a better designer. This is actually my second career, I come from a customer service background and what I tell students is this: Don’t forget about that. Get out there, network, talk to people. Design students can get wrapped up in their little worlds and can be very shy. They forget that you have to sell yourself. You have to get involved and build relationships, learn how to communicate.
And it’s not just about the talking, but listening to feedback, and other people’s opinions. Learning to listen as well as be outgoing.
Axel agrees, “Yes, it’s dangerous if you feel that you don’t have to listen any more. Always be curious and always listen.”
If you are interested in promoting apprenticeships or internships to the SBID student chapter contact Axel Griesinger:
Axel@sbid.org
American Intercontinental University:
agriesinger @aiulondon.ac.uk,
www.aiulondon.ac.uk

Interview with Vanessa Brady, Founder of Society of British Interior Design

Interior Designer Vanessa Brady, whose award-winning creations have appeared in everything from national papers to Homes and Gardens and idFX is the Chairman of the Society of British Interior Design, an internationally reaching organisation aimed at promoting excellence in design and extending professional accreditation to designers to protect the profession of Interior Design in Britain. As she prepared for the SBID official launch event in October, she spoke to Retail Floors about her vision for the future of Interior Design in the UK, the importance of education within the design profession and her vision on future flooring trends.

“SBID is not a trade association but rather was established to promote the profession and to protect the interests of the public by providing a one-stop destination for sourcing fully-qualified interior designers and support services for the industry. We can look after the interests of suppliers and that makes us hugely important as we embrace manufactures and suppliers of quality and in doing so further protect our profession from cheap duplication. Our business model is protected so we can’t be replicated. Our membership (672 so far!) is predominantly interior design and larger architectural practices followed by manufacturers and suppliers. We have a few affiliates at present and the student chapter for Universities, but we do not recognize design schools as promoting the profession at adequate practice level. The Society of British Interior Design was conceived at Christmas 2008 after Vanessa heeded the call to found an organisation that would set a national standard and represent the industry. Vanessa knew from the start that education would be the key to SBID because it formed the “absolute basis” of what she wanted to achieve. To this end she enlisted the help of designer Simon Cavelle who has extensive knowledge and experience of design education and an international reputation for championing the profession in the UK.

Vanessa with designer Mark Wilkinson at the MACEF press conference in London, July 2009.

“I knew together we could create a much awaited change to the landscape of design in Britain. I know business and how to amortise a company, industry or product within the property and interior design sector. Simon has been proactive in Britain as a promoter of the profession and best practice for many years and it is he who is responsible for the partnerships of the most highly respected international bodies that exist in Britain today.”

The pair agree that many design schools currently are not adequately preparing students for the challenges and demands of the interior design market. So strong is the focus on actual design that little attention is paid to finance, business skills or specification training. Vanessa cites an example of a graduate intern who, when asked to source a bed for a client, did little more than Google a list of six beds then declared the work done. “I explained that the client can do that on his own but as a professional charging a fee for a service we need to deliver much more than a sourcing service - that’s not design that’s shopping. We have to give clients options. It’s not just about budget - although that is very important, but there are so many other concerns that as a recent graduate, she possessed zero knowledge of. I found that shocking. Besides deliveries, there are logistical issues: How will the couch get up the stairs? Will it turn round the staircase? Are there any weight impact issues, traffic areas, regulations and codes, etc? If you don’t consider these things you could end up with a lot of furniture sitting in the streets which you are responsible for.

Interior Design by IDS, Vanessa Brady's Interior Design Service.

“If you work in a company or for a business, you have to understand costs because budget is everything. Graduates also don’t seem to have a very good understanding of installation in terms of the product. If they don’t understand the facilities and the use of a product, then they’ll specify the wrong product. Beauty in my view is the final consideration as a professional. The first is function, then performance and cost. From that array of product choice you create the correct specification. If you hold yourself out as an expert you also have to understand the mechanics of a building: electrical, plumbing and water - they affect everything else in the design. As for surfaces, a designer should know and fully understand issues such as floor levels and unevenness, dampness, traffic areas, sustainability and budget as well as transportation, originality of source and manufacture techniques etc. This is the true meaning of a designer.” From years of positive and high-quality experience using interns from certain American universities, Vanessa wants to see the standard of internship schemes raised in the UK where, she says, “many interns are simply used as cheap labour: cleaning cupboards, making coffee, faxing, etc. instead of learning as much as possible about the job.” “The US has a very different level of measuring to qualify as a professional. There’s an inspection of the projects contained within a CV, a professional must have a minimum requirement of a degree to be a professional designer. This is measured by an independent exam, health and safety monitoring and enforced practice regulations. Clear guidelines on measuring knowledge and ability exist and students complete feedback forms, it’s very much more structured and professional.

Interior Design by IDS, Vanessa Brady's Interior Design Service.

This is something we want to achieve with SBID and we want to address how graduate degree courses are preparing students for their career.” SBID is also reaching out to Europe and beyond to become an organization that will “incorporate the European Standards of qualification for an interior designer, which are the highest measured levels for the profession, making SBID the industry bearer in Britain. The benefit for the consumer is huge, as those who look for an ECIA (European Council of Interior Architects) represented country will get the same standard measure across the board.” Already SBID has links to 17 European countries and the USA. No other British organization has previously been a member of the ECIA, which has left Britain so far disadvantaged in competition as well as opportunity. “It’s good for competition, enthuses Vanessa, those countries’ residents get the benefit of the standard here in the UK, and when our members go to Europe they automatically get equal opportunity. We intend to further promote our industry standard and apply to the Government to protect the title of a Designer and therefore the profession and its value to Britain.” This move is yet another step SBID are taking towards combating “cowboy elements” within the design world. Interior Designers in the UK do not yet have the protection of governing or accrediting bodies which protect both professionals and consumers in other construction-related trades. SBID aside, I couldn’t sit with such a talented designer and not get her views on flooring trends. Vanessa sees a return to what she calls the “Shepherd’s Pie era”, a return to comforting, homely items brought on by the recession.

Interior Design by IDS, Private Members Club, Mayfair.

“Perhaps we have moved on from the era of “show” to that of comfort. You come home to a comfy sofa to crawl onto, luxury floorings, soft carpet underfoot as well as warm textured wood flooring. These textures add a layer of comfort as well as being practical for cleaning and easy sweeping. There’s a lot of country furniture, cosiness and warmth, the security that came with yesterday. In terms of flooring we’re moving back to carpet. I think we’d moved away because of heat. I like wood flooring but I love to have rugs and insets, there’s nothing like getting out of bed and putting your feet into a squishy rug or carpet in Britain we are still cold in the morning with the still too frequent gray skies, I love tiles as well in all the communal areas. Ground floor interiors are good for wood and sisals. “ Our clients nowadays are driven by source as much as by price and longevity as well as sustainability. Reflecting over the last ten years, people used to ask “How long is this wood flooring guaranteed?”. Now it’s also “Where is it from?”, “How is it manufactured? It’s a very important sales point from our perspective. We always need a certificate for wood flooring. Dampness and leaks are major issues in the UK because we have so many historic buildings, crooked floors etc. We’ve just used this woven vinyl in an old shed conversion that led into a house and the levels were different. We didn’t want a ridge so we used the vinyl flooring and floated it into the next room where it met the 10mm tile and it worked wonderfully.”

SBID /
www.thesocietyofbritishinteriordesign.org/

(Photography courtesy of IDS Interior Design Services.)

Retail Therapy: www.beautifulflooring.co.uk

Beautiful Flooring online launched just a few months ago and is already popular with visitors with encouraging site monitoring stats to prove it.
The website is the brainchild of Paul Phillips and his team. Paul, who aside from overseeing his own shop, Sunniva Carpeting, in Tunbridge Wells which he opened in 1990, is Managing Director of Bond Retail Marketing Ltd. a sales, marketing and design consultancy serving the carpet and rug industry.

The first thing that strikes me as I log onto the website is how clean and unfussy it is. There are no pop-ups, no overabundance of information, just good quality photography, bold links and a clear interface. The style is reminiscent of a Homes & Gardens-type magazine, probably most appealing to a female client. This, of course, is a stroke of genius. A recent report on women’s online shopping habits, specific to the flooring industry, published in US trade mag National Floor Trends reveals that women are the predominant users of the Internet for domestic purchases. They are better at navigating sites and the majority choose the floor coverings they want to buy before even setting foot in a store, preferring to research and make a choice based on the information found online. In order to do this, they require strong visuals, the possibility of viewing a carpet in-situ, no “hidden cost” prices and inspiration. More than 50% of women visit a retailer’s website before heading to the store and tend only to visit the retailer whose website they find pleasing in terms of “look and content”. Looking good and giving relevant but simple information is key to tapping in to this huge emerging market of shoppers.
www.beautifulflooring.co.uk is designed to inspire above all, to allow the customer to save his/her choices for future reference, and it directs customers to the store, encouraging the consumer to communicate with the retailer for advice and the handling of the purchase.
This is not to say that the website would only appeal to female consumers, it offers such a simple, effective online ordering service and clear instructions that any consumer, male or female, even with a limited understanding of online shopping would be able to successfully purchase their desired floor covering using this website. Visuals and focus on design gives the feeling of buying into an entire lifestyle, rather than just a carpet or a rug, a complete online experience to match those offered by clothing retailers or interior design services.
Users can browse through three main sections: Rugs, Carpet and Other Flooring (vinyl, laminate, etc.), where they can make choices based on brand, colour or style. Again, good interior photography draws the customer in, encouraging them to linger on the site. The My Flooring option allows users to save their choices in a “wishlist” for future reference if they can’t decide on a particular floor. If you have made a choice, you can input the square meterage you require (for carpet), or choose from a variety of sizes and shapes (for rugs), receive an instant price quote before heading to checkout. Customers buying rugs automatically have underlay added to their shopping basket with the option of removing it before paying.

The Beautiful Flooring website becomes personalised to the client based on postcode input and a short message appears before heading to the checkout reminding customers that their local retailer can help with measuring and advice on underlays, runners, stairrods etc. subsequently driving customers into the retailer’s store and adding a human dimension to an otherwise complete online service.
The slide out Imagine Zone is designed to open up clients to new ideas and to showcase interesting designs under different “themes”. Like a mood board of sorts, I initially wasn’t sure I liked it, or understood what its purpose was, until I realised that the appeal of the Imagine Zone is precisely that: it incites curiosity and keeps you on the site.
Statistics reveal that visitors clearly love the look of the site and enjoy browsing, both the bounce rate and average page views beat the industry average. As time goes by, Paul will monitor statistics and gather data on search criteria by visitor to adapt and grow the appeal.
Beautiful Flooring /
www.beautifulflooring.co.uk

New Rug Designs 2010

RIMO Volume 1 Collection design 120-01

Although Britain is primarily a carpet-loving country, there is a growing trend for laminate and engineered wood floors. Many of Britain’s listed buildings also have exposed solid wood floors. The coolness and minimalism of a wood or laminate floor means that rugs have come into play to offer both a touch of warmth and comfort underfoot and acting as the focal point in a room. Rugs boast many advantages from a design point of view. If they are small, they can be moved around easily when you feel like rearranging furniture or you need to empty a room to clean the floor. A strong coloured rug can highlight details in curtains or a painting lending an air of harmony to a living or bedroom space. Rugs can hide stains, chips or markings on a wood floor and can help to bring a luxurious feel to a room even if you have a small budget. Splashing out on a special rug as your one big spend can lighten up a space and there’s nothing like sinking your toes into a soft rug as you lie on the couch or when you get out of bed in the morning. Other advantages, for people who have small children, or work from home, is that a rug can cushion a slip or trip and a really plush rug is a great place to lie down and do work on your laptop if you don’t want to feel tied to your desk. In recent years, interior design trends have seen a resurgence of natural fibre rugs such as jute, sisal, coir and hemp that add a clean, organic feel to a room and have sound ecological properties, being made as they are of natural and biodegradable materials.


Sisal Rug 'Mahale Weave' by Natural Rug Company

Sisal in particular is flame-retardant, very durable and has good sound absorbing qualities. Made by twisting and weaving the fibres of the Agave sisilana plant, a native species from Mexico, sisal now comes to us primarily from Brazil and China. It is low-maintenance and resists wear and tear. Because the fibres absorb dye so easily, it can offer the largest range of colour options for homeowners and designers. Coir mats and rugs make effective doormats or entrance matting as they are great for cleaning dirt and grit off shoes. Made from coconut fibres, coir is one of the most durable fabrics around. Natural fibre rugs look great in rooms with modern design complementing a natural-themed design or homes with a marine or seaside theme. Natural fibre rugs are also making an appearance outside the house, on patios and decking and in garden outdoor dining areas. Wool, of course, is the most popular of all rug fabrics and Britain has an immense variety of wools and wool manufacturers.



Left: Grading British Wool

We also import wools from New Zealand which produces many sought after varieties such as prized Merino. Wool rugs are great insulators, providing real warmth in winter and helping to cut down on heating bills. They are luxurious underfoot and help absorb humidity, ideal in our rainy climate. Again, families with young children will appreciate the anti-static and dust-retaining properties of wool fibres, making it easy to vacuum, and the fact that a wool stain can be generally be cleaned using soap and water, rather than harsh chemicals. The U.S has a vast tradition of independent rug designers and small artisanal workshops, a trend which is picking up over in the UK too. Homestead Weavers is a small artisanal rug weavers located in idyllic Brown County, Indiana where there is a strong artisan community. Chris Gustin holds workshops and produces colourful and quirky designs using recycled, reclaimed materials such as old sock and clothing yarns and plastic shopping bags. Artisans and new designers bring ecological concerns into their work, helping further highlight the concerns of consumers and focus our attention on the origins of our products. Speaking of her work, Chris says, “Recycling was a relatively new concept in the 1970s when I started weaving rugs. Looking for inexpensive sources of material, I used old clothing, sock toe-clips, denim and fabric roll cuts and anything else that would provide an affordable supply of fabric for my rugs. Reusing satisfied the environmentalist in me and helped me spread the concept of recycling. The idea to use plastic grocery bags (HDPE #2 in the U.S.) came from the disgust of seeing bags hanging in trees along the highways near where we lived. I was challenged to find a way to recycle the used bags to put them on the floor and get them out of the trees. I am still finding new sources of material for my "Recycled Rugs" from industry waste, although some of the sources have left the U.S. I feel that recycling is phenomenally important for the world. We need to reuse what we can and save something for the next generations.”

Left and Below: Rusts home with Chris Gustin's designed recycled rugs.














Jane Exley is The Woolly Rug Co.'s designer-maker of bespoke and commission hand-tufted Herdwick floor rugs. Jane is based in Ambleside, the English Lake District where she creates unique pieces from her living/work premises located by the river Stock. Inspiration is drawn from the immediate and uniquely beautiful landscape from the slate strata, colourful flora to the ever-changing colours and immutable forms of the skies then finally being translated into exclusive semi-abstract artworks for the floor. Her work recently featured at a Royal College of Arts exhibition, the rugs were commissioned by Littoral Arts to reproduce two of Kurt Schwitters' sketchbook ideas for his Merz barn in Elterwater, Ambleside. Moorland Rugs offers a bespoke service for the contract market although interior designers will also find everything here to suit all their client’s requirements. You can visit their combined retail shop and studio in Stanhope, Co Durham or make an appointment with their designer, Brian Sales, for a more detailed discussion on your requirements. Alternatively visit their website at www.moorland-rugs.co.uk which features many of their exciting ranges. The Moorland Rug Company offer stock and bespoke ranges to suit all budgets. Many stock items can be custom sized to your requirements. They offer 2 hand knotted qualities, featuring handspun Tibetan Highland Sheep yarn, that are both soft and durable. Alternatively they can supply handtufted wool qualities with your bespoke design incorporated into the overall effect. Existing designs can be recoloured or your own design can be adapted by their in-house designer to suit your scheme – almost any shape and size can be created. Brian has designed carpets and rugs for over 30 years and is well respected within the industry. Brian has an extensive design library containing 1000s of designs that can be used as a starting point for your rug and over 5000 colours in tuft form to match to. Working closely with your client, Brian will first produce printouts to show the design effect and where necessary he can then supply small trials showing how colours work together. Only when you and your client are completely happy will we then go into production. If you have ever hankered after a unique designer rug, or can rarely find quite what you are looking for off-the-peg, or simply prefer to express your own creativity …look no further than FLOR by heuga. With the exciting new Tonal Trends concept from the experts in stylish, versatile and ultra-practical soft flooring, you can design - and create - the rug that’s ideal for you.



Left: FLOR by Heuga 'Inspiration'

By selecting tile by tile from a carefully researched collection of on-trend colours and in either a neat cut pile texture (Puzzle Pieces/2) or a comfy high pile (Lazy Lounge/2), the possibilities are almost limitless. What’s more, it’s as easy to put together as it is to imagine using nothing more than our TacTile connectors, a sharp knife and a straight metal edge. And if you decide to change your mind you can just as easily change the design. Destined to be a well-loved creation that can be adapted to any home, your one-of-a-kind, bespoke FLOR by heuga rug could become the talking point of the room. When it comes to harmonising colours, the hard work has already been done for you. FLOR by heuga have worked closely with designer and colour expert Cenk to devise the Tonal Trends palette of warms, bolds, darks and neutrals that work beautifully with each other. The system is also great for solving tricky design challenges, especially when it comes to awkward shapes and sizes, as the dimensions and configuration of your rug are entirely up to you.

Interview with Rugmark UK

Emma Jamieson interviews Susan Towle, Director of Rugmark UK.
Rugs are an item of comfort, luxury, design and warmth. They are the result of talented weavers, creative designers and, in too many cases, child labour. For many countries in South Asia, rug manufacturing is an important and major industry. One such country is Nepal, one of the poorest countries in the world, a fact few people are aware of as it is featured in exotic tourism brochures and is renowned for its stunning beauty and rich culture. The rug trade is vital to the Nepalese economy and many factories “employ” children, some of them as young as five, in the making of these stunning creations.

Rugmark is a not-for-profit organisation which began in India in 1992 to tackle the problem of child labour in the rug industry, educate consumers and retailers and take steps to give independent appraisal and certification for the ethical qualities of rugs being exported to foreign markets.

Since 2001 it has had a UK branch, which is currently headed by Director Samantha Towle. Under her direction, Rugmark is relaunching its brand and label as GoodWeave, to reflect increasing standards within the organisation and changing consumer expectations and values. She took time out to talk to Retail Floors about the GoodWeave brand, the aims and activities of the organisation and explains how rug importers, retailers and interior designers can get involved.

EJ: Rugmark started in India, when did it open in the UK?

ST: The UK branch opened in 2001; there are also well established branches in Germany and the USA, which is a very big market. I’ve been the Director here for almost three years now and I hold regular discussions with the other branches. We host a telephone conference once a week to stay up to date with each other’s activities and brainstorm ideas. With the GoodWeave label about to be launched it’s important we all talk regularly.

RF: What are RugMark’s key objectives?

ST: There is a large child labour problem in many South Asian countries. Sometimes it is a case of children reaching the age of ten and then the families, already working on a rug-making factory, will then ask the factory director if their child can start work too. Unfortunately, in some cases children are separated from their families and sold into slave labour. Neither of these situations is positive as children who start work that young miss out on education, remain illiterate and devoid of many chances in later life. The key aim of Rugmark is to remove children from the work cycle and place them in education, in so doing increasing their opportunities in the future. An education provides them with work opportunities as an adult, informs them about their rights and how to negotiate a proper wage and contract; and helps them in the raising of their own children, when the time comes.

RF: Since its inception, what improvements have you seen in terms of reducing child labour and improving awareness of the issue?

ST: Well, broadly speaking, about a million children used to be employed in the rug industry in Southern Asia; this number is now around 300,000. There’s still a long way to go, but this is a big improvement. We have taken many children out of the work cycle and put them into education, which we subsidise, and we’ve reunited many children with their families. Where possible, we try and reunite a child with its family; we can also house them in a rehabilitation centre and we give them educational support. For those that show real promise we arrange for them to enter high school. Those who are not geared towards that can enter vocational schemes. The important thing is that they do not work as children and that they receive care and education.

The incidence of child labour has drastically reduced. This is due to a combination of increased awareness through the Rugmark programme and cultural shifts, as well as local government, in India, Nepal and Pakistan, coming under more and more pressure from markets, such as the UK, to bring about change.

RT: Tell us more about GoodWeave and what it means as a brand.

ST: For a long time, consumers were only aware of the child labour problem. However, with time, concerns have also emerged about the adults working in the industry, whether they too receive fair treatment and wages and the environmental impact of the industry. The environment is a bigger issue nowadays - people want to know about the ecological impact of their product, its origin etc. This is why we are introducing the GoodWeave label.

The GoodWeave label therefore reflects the broadening of the organisation’s outlook, our increasing standards, and is creating a fresh, new impetus.

We have already set up a pilot programme in Nepal for adults working in rug manufacture, providing adult literacy courses, free health checks and nurseries for mothers with children, to avoid having children growing up in a factory environment.

The GoodWeave brand will also allow us to broaden our labelling scheme to cover other woven floor textiles, such as coir/jute products and doormats. Rugmark as a brand was very rug oriented, whereas GoodWeave is a name which can encompass other products.


RF: You recently held a rug design competition for design students (see News section) to raise awareness amongst young people. Is this something you intend to do more of as an organisation in the UK?

ST: I would love to do more, absolutely. The design competition garnered a lot of interest, got students involved and really brought the issue into the realm of young designers.

As an organisation, we target individual rug importers and manufacturers and then inform retailers and consumers which brand names and products bear our label. In the high street we work with retailers such as Laura Ashley, B&Q plus many independents but I would like to increasingly target interior designers too as they are trend-setters with wide ranging contacts and have an enormous influence over a key sector of the market.

In the USA Rugmark attends trade shows and many designers, operating at the top end of the market, are very supportive and active [on the Rugmark International website www.rugmark.org.com you can view stunning images of installations of Rugmark rugs in high-end locations such as the set of The Apprentice TV show in New York]. The market in the USA is different and much bigger, but the interior design sector is one I’d like to encourage to become more involved, here in the UK. I therefore feel it’s important to communicate with the designers of tomorrow, and the competition is an excellent way to do that.

The USA also organizes a travelling photo exhibition, which takes a look at the rug weaving industry: the designs, the children who have been helped by Rugmark, where they go to school and the improved environment in which they now live. That’s a fantastic way to get a message across to the general public. We’d love to do it in the UK in due course.


RF: how does a manufacturer or retailer get involved with Rugmark, what is the application process?

ST: We license rug importers. To get a license, you simply contact me and apply. Each company pays a license fee, which then goes to fund our initiatives in South Asia including inspections, education, and welfare and rehabilitation projects. Rugs bearing the GoodWeave label are individually numbered, to avoid counterfeiting, and to enable easy tracing of the loom’s origin.

Through our organisation retailers can find out which importers and export manufacturers are licensed and where they can buy GoodWeave labelled rugs – importers are listed on our website or they can speak to me. We encourage retailers to become one of our Marketing Partners; this gives them excellent promotional opportunities, including a comprehensive profile on our website, which is visited by thousands of consumers each month looking for a GoodWeave retailer in their area or on-line.

So far 6 million rugs have been exported from South Asia bearing our label. To read more about our initiatives and how you can help, check out the UK website
www.rugmark.org.uk/.

Left: Florence Broadhurst Floral Trail from Knots Rugs