It accompanies us through the day, gives us support, shows us the way and touches our senses. This may sound like the description of your perfect partner, but in this case, we are talking about the ground beneath our feet. Day after day, year after year, we come into daily contact with it, though it generally melts into the background, is taken for granted and overlooked. So it's time to give it some deserved attention. There is, after all, far more beneath its surface than meets the eye.
Architects and interior designers know the effect that the right floor can have on a space, as well as our well-being. They are also aware, depending on the project, of the level of demand placed on it. This makes the choice all the more complex, especially when it comes to increased demands on design and functionality, as in hotels, restaurants, medical areas, offices or retail spaces. While one should walk through hotel corridors on silent soles, in other places, qualities of robustness, hygienic properties or subtle zoning can be required. The different functions of floors are as individual as the rooms themselves.
The all-rounder floor
While multitasking remains a cognitive challenge for many humans, LVT floor coverings find it much easier. For around 60 years, British manufacturer Amtico has been developing Luxury Vinyl Tiles that resemble wood, marble or stone down to the smallest detail and also combine a wide variety of functions. From robust and non-slip, flame-retardant and anti-bacterial to acoustically damped and ecologically conscious. And with its new Signature Collection, Amtico brings together a pool of shapes, colors, textures and properties that invites users to mix, match and create.
167 products and 13 standard formats comprise the new flexible collection, which gets to the heart of our times, with virtually no limits in terms of design ideas and desires. With the three palettes –Wood, Stone and Color & Abstract– Amtico provides three categories that are subdivided into countless color nuances and structures. Anyone looking for an authentic and more resilient alternative to wood or stone can find inspiration here from Aged Oak to Worn Concrete and find the right floor for their design concept – whether warm with Wood, minimalist with Stone or more striking with Color & Abstract.
New ways of doing things
With its exclusive finish, the Marble range represents a particular highlight, offering luxurious elegance in the hospitality or retail sector and a more economical alternative to the quarries of Carrara. Also new are the literally lilting curves of the new Lune and Arc laying patterns, and a perfect example of Amtico's fine sense of innovation.
To keep its finger on the pulse, the in-house design team continuously analyses global trends and implements them on the basis of feedback and experience. With its Designers' Choice, the Amtico design team has created and curated more than 100 different product combinations and 23 installation patterns, making it easier to choose when needed.
Making a statement
The Endless Possibilities option goes one design step further, as all installation patterns can also act as the basis for a design, to be combined as desired with the user's favorites from the Signature Collection, from original geometries to large, decorative shapes and special color combinations. Anyone hitherto regarding the floor only as nothing more than a necessary foundation is likely to have their mind changed, and persuaded that a floor should rather be considered the basis for creating a unique statement piece within a space.
In short: everything is possible. This may not make the choice any easier, but at least more creative and exciting. What all products, installation patterns and design proposals have in common is their natural look with a depth effect, in combination with all the advantages of LVT, which have been optimized once again for the entire collection. From the particularly durable wear layer to antimicrobial properties and acoustic options that put the sound of footfall quietly in its place.
Sustainable thinking
And those who want to help shape the future and reduce their ecological footprint also have something to sing about, because every product can also be converted into Amtico Bio. This option incorporates sustainable resources into the production process according to the principle of mass balance. So, the new Signature collection is not only about offering freedom in design and planning, but also a declaration of love for our underfoot companion – as well as the planet.
