A trusted supplier of luxury vinyl flooring, Karndean Commercial has partnered with Oxford Brookes University to build a vibrant and sustainable student community in harmony with its woodland setting.
The new Clive Booth Student Village, set close to the university’s Headington Campus, replaces outdated student accommodation built in the 1970s with a complex of accommodation blocks that sit sensitively within the established wooded landscape and conform to Passivhaus and BREEAM design principles.
Appointing MICA Architects and Karndean Commercial alongside a multi-disciplinary team, including landscape architects, ecology and arboricultural consultants as well as transport and heritage consultants, Oxford Brookes University is constructing 12 environmentally friendly blocks containing over one thousand spacious and airy study bedrooms within contemporary shared apartments.
Richard Allen, sales director at Karndean Commercial said: “In an urban area with extreme pressure on rental housing like Oxford, having purpose built accommodation for students is a boon for the university and the wider community. We are proud to be involved with a project that is increasing the availability of much needed student accommodation whilst protecting the established woodland setting, retaining prize specimens and planting new trees to enhance the landscape.
“Our designs are all inspired by the wonderous beauty of nature and the precious woods and stones we source from around the world so we understand the benefits of connecting our living spaces to the healing power of the natural world and the need to minimise our impact on the environment.”
Named after Professor Sir Clive Booth, a former Vice-Chancellor of Oxford Brookes University, the new student village offers convenient contemporary accommodation with light filled study bedrooms and spacious communal kitchen and living spaces.
Jessie Turnbull, senior associate at MICA Architects, said: “The university was keen to construct high quality, low impact accommodation that would be a calm and secure place to live, offering students a living space where they can relax and bring their best selves to their studies.
“The site is positioned adjacent to Headington Hill Hall, a listed historic manor house, and positioned within the Hall’s arboretum so it was important that the new accommodation blocks would integrate into this landscape to create a woodland village. To enhance this feeling of connection with nature, each building has been named in honour of native trees.”
Self-contained apartments include between six and 11 study bedrooms, each with a compact ensuite, and a generously sized shared kitchen dining living room. Wider and shallower than frequently found for student accommodation and fitted with large windows that open for plenty of natural ventilation, the study bedrooms benefit from daylight that penetrates all the way to the back of the room, connecting the interior with its woodland surroundings.
The interior boasts a contemporary biophilic style that has been developed around the project’s key priorities of sustainability, practicality and wellbeing. Alongside a natural colour palette and furniture made from recycled materials, oak design flooring from Karndean Commercial’s Knight Tile range creates a warm and welcoming environment.
Jessie explained: “The university was very keen to use LVT throughout the accommodation as this would be easier to clean and would provide a modern vibe that appeals to both domestic and international students. Carpeted bedrooms are very much a British choice while hard floors are more usual in homes across Europe, Asia and the United States. Following consultation with a group of student ambassadors, we opted for the warm natural tones of Lime Washed Oak in the bedrooms and Rose Washed Oak with its slightly greyer hues in each living space to complement the duck egg blue kitchen units. The concrete frame construction called for a rigid core format, with its enhanced acoustic benefits and easier installation.
“The feedback we've had from students has been absolutely fantastic and, although it’s early days, the flooring is holding up really well.”
With sustainability a key consideration for the project, Morgan Sindall Construction’s CarboniCa tool was used to evaluate the construction’s holistic life cycle, collating embodied carbon and life cycle costing from each material’s Environmental Product Declaration (EPD). With a durable construction that ensures longevity, Karndean flooring contributes a lower overall life cycle carbon cost than other flooring options, as evidenced in its third party verified EPDs.
Karndean’s Knight Tile rigid core flooring, part of the Karndean Living collection, features a host of practical benefits including a waterproof, hygienic surface that’s easy to maintain, a durable 0.3mm wear layer and R10 slip resistance, while an integrated acoustic layer reduces impact noise transfer to rooms below by 19dB. With a click-locking mechanism, Knight Tile is easy to install over most hard subfloors and is suitable for any residential setting or light to moderate commercial use. Each floor comes with a lifetime residential or ten year commercial guarantee.
About Karndean Designflooring
Karndean is a global supplier of commercial and residential luxury vinyl tile flooring. We’re an industry leader in flooring design, offering a wide range of colours, textures and finishes, helping you create unique looks that are both stylish and practical; guaranteed to last. We see flooring differently. We travel the world in our quest to bring you exceptional floors that inspire and delight. From the ancient forests of Europe, to the remote Australian outback, we seek out expressive and intriguing forms in the natural world to influence our unique floor designs. By combining original features with cutting edge design, we create beautiful floors that bring your vision to life and take our clients on an endless journey of design discovery.
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Karndean Designflooring, the UK’s leading supplier of luxury vinyl flooring, is forging ahead with its Karndean Evolve® sustainability strategy after receiving approval of its near-term targets from the Science Based Targets initiative.
The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), a corporate climate action organisation that is developing standards, tools and guidance to help businesses set appropriate targets, has announced that it has independently assessed and approved Karndean’s near-term science-based emissions reduction targets.
Fleur Carson, managing director at Karndean Designflooring, said: “Karndean was founded on innovation, bold action and a pioneering spirit and we are still guided by these ideals today because the future demands change. Tackling key environmental challenges and protecting the natural world have become major considerations for the construction industry so we are proud to be taking a leading role in the building of a greener future.
“Our Karndean Evolve® strategy explains how we will reduce our environmental impact through continual improvement and outlines how we are integrating the principles of sustainability across our global operations. We have taken a science-based approach to setting ambitious yet achievable targets to reduce our carbon emissions and it is highly gratifying to receive validation of our approach from the SBTi.”
Having set out its 2022 baseline for greenhouse emissions from all sources in its Karndean Evolve® Sustainability Report 2023, including those controlled directly, indirectly and via third parties, Karndean Designflooring has committed to reduce absolute greenhouse emissions controlled directly and indirectly by 42% by 2030 and from end of life treatment of its sold products by 51.6% by 2030. In addition, it will aim for 62% of its suppliers to commit to science-based targets by 2028.
Jamie Shaw, global head of sustainability at Karndean Designflooring, said: “Joining the SBTi is a key step toward the success of our Karndean Evolve® strategy as it ensures that our planned climate action is in line with the latest science. With this knowledge we can be confident that our goals are in line with the 1.5C trajectory confirmed necessary by the 2015 Paris Agreement. Achieving this third party endorsement demonstrates our commitment not only to taking bold action but also to being open and transparent as we make progress.”
The ® strategy outlines how the business is reducing its environmental impact and sets out its future plans in six key focus areas: confronting climate change, individual health and wellbeing, sustainable resource use, inclusion and diversity, supply chain transparency and education.
To confront climate change through increased energy efficiency and renewable energy, Karndean has developed a plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from sources it controls directly, indirectly, and through third parties (known as scopes 1, 2, and 3, respectively). This plan includes further investment in solar power across its property portfolio, constructing new buildings to achieve BREEAM Excellent accreditation, transitioning to lower-emission fleet vehicles, and increasing recycling opportunities to support a circular economy.
For further information on the Karndean Evolve® Strategy and Sustainability Report 2023 or to book a free Specifying Sustainability CPD, visit www.karndean.com/karndeanevolve.
Karndean Commercial elevates flooring to an artform with an ultra-realistic collection of statement stone and wood designs.
Next month sees the introduction of 39 brand new designs to it’s premium Art Select range, raising the bar for sumptuous interiors. Two years in development, its latest Art Select collection builds on our offering of timeless classic styles with a contemporary twist, including designs that are rarely available as flooring in their natural state.
Inspired by some of the most exclusive materials from around the world, including beautiful European oak and English ash and opulent stones such as marble, onyx, Ceppo di Gré and quartzite, this curated collection is Karndean’s largest ever launch and an expression of its commitment to the craft of creating beautiful flooring that also meets the stringent technical requirements of today’s built environment.
Preview the new Art Select collection at Karndean’s showroom 20 Clerkenwell Green during Clerkenwell Design Week 21–23 May 2024.
- Join us for Churros and Coffee, each day from 10.00am - Network with us at Midlands Meet Up, Wednesday 3.00 – 5.00pm - Learn about The Future of Moodboarding with MattoBoard, each day 2.00 - 2.45pm
Find out what’s on at Karndean Commercial - Clerkenwell Design Week 2024.
Karndean’s designers have travelled extensively to find the rarest and most exclusive woods and stones. Sourcing samples that exhibit the most beautiful features of each natural material, from the interesting wood knots and grains of Spanish holm oak to the iconic veining of Italian and Greek marbles and the pearlescence of Persian onyx, each design has been reimagined, painstakingly coloured to complement modern interiors and finished with a unique embossed surface and bevel detailing.
The result is a highly authentic, versatile collection suitable for a wide range of settings, from workplace and retail to hospitality and co-living. Whether using a single colourway in different laying patterns for room to room continuity, seamlessly blending areas in different materials to highlight activity zones or creating bespoke designs with unique colour combinations and hand-cut shapes, the new Art Select collection offers unsurpassed flexibility to conceive bespoke floors that stand out from the crowd.
From the high contrast design of English ash, available in four colourways as 48” x 4.5” stripwood planks, to a selection of characterful limed, washed artisan oak designs in a choice of large 56” x 9” and herringbone 18” x 3” planks, 20 brand new wood designs offer a unique opportunity to create expressive interiors with warm natural beauty and long-lasting elegance.
Featuring either a handscraped emboss which gives the bevelled edge a distressed, undulating appearance or an authentic registered emboss with pin sharp definition that traces the wood grain precisely, each design combines an exquisite aesthetic with the practicality of cutting edge flooring technology.
Exploring the historic Basque region of Spain, Karndean’s designers were inspired by a sample of ancient 400-year-old holm oak that we were lucky to acquire following necessary woodland management. A symbolic feature in the landscape, the acorns of the holm oak are a traditional feed for Black Iberian pigs, the source of the area’s famed jamón ibérico. Back in the design studio, the characteristic dark knots of holm oak were muted with a milky wash and the distinctive grain emphasised with a lightly scraped and brushed effect. Available in three neutral colourways in a larger 56” x 9” plank and a new 28” x 4.5” herringbone size, Basque Oak, Bellota Oak and Serrano Oak will introduce a richly distinctive style to any interior.
Making Italian chic an accessible and practical option, the new Art Select statement stone collection includes materials taking centre stage in the very latest luxurious interior trends. From the expressive veining of Greek marble and the exclusive beauty of Calacatta marble to the rustic terrazzo style of Ceppo di Gré, 19 new stone designs offer the opportunity to create immersive spaces that either soothe in cool white and light grey or introduce a touch of drama with charcoal and black.
A semi-precious gemstone in the quartz family often used for decorative panels and accessories, Persian onyx has a delicate patterning and translucent quality. Not suitable for flooring in its natural form due to its fragility and porosity, we have captured its pearlescent character and transformed it into a convenient format for designers looking to develop an ethereal and romantic ambience.
Available in a larger 36” x 18” tile with a smooth matte finish that minimizes reflection and a rounded bevel to allow the character of each design to shine, Black Onyx, Pearl Onyx and Rose Onyx are floors that will command attention in any room and perfectly balance decorative elements and bold furnishings.
In addition to 39 brand new wood and stone designs, Karndean’s Art Select range will incorporate existing Da Vinci designs in compatible formats, giving designers even more styling possibilities.
Designed for reliable performance in high traffic environments, the Art Select gluedown range features a 0.7mm wear layer and 3.0mm thickness and comes with all the practical benefits of Karndean flooring, an Environmental Product Declaration and the reassurance of a 20 year guarantee for commercial settings and a lifetime guarantee in residential settings.
Discover more at karndeancommercial.com or follow Karndean Commercial on Instagram and LinkedIn.
Karndean is a global supplier of commercial and residential luxury vinyl tile flooring. We’re an industry leader in flooring design, offering a wide range of colours, textures and finishes, helping you create unique looks that are both stylish and practical; guaranteed to last.
Karndean Designflooring, the UK’s leading supplier of luxury vinyl flooring, has signed up to The AntiGreenwash Charter, demonstrating its commitment to the development of a greener built environment. Its Karndean EvolveTM strategy and Sustainability Report 2023 outlines how it is working to create a better future with a promise to think differently, act decisively, and create real change.
Fleur Carson, managing director at Karndean Designflooring, said: “Fifty years ago, Karndean was founded on innovation, bold action and a pioneering spirit. Today we are still guided by these ideals because the future demands change. Tackling key environmental challenges has become a major consideration in the construction industry over recent years. But as we come to understand the difficult transition we need to make towards a more sustainable future, transparency is key to maintaining the trust our customers have in our business.
“So we are proud to be the first flooring manufacturer to sign up to The Anti-Greenwash Charter. As a signatory, we are clearly stating our intention to keep our marketing fair with product claims that have been independently substantiated. We know that great things can be achieved when we take a collaborative approach so we are calling on others in the flooring industry to join us and stand together as part of this Charter, to provide transparency and confidence to specifiers.”
Established in 2023 to promote responsible marketing practices, The Anti-Greenwash Charter emphasises the need for accountability and fairness in all aspects of marketing.
Charlie Martin, co-founder and CEO of The Anti-Greenwash Charter, said: “Through this Charter, we are creating a framework that enables the truth of an organisation’s claims to be made visible, and to enable customers to see which organisations are open about their claims so they can be confident that they are supporting those who share their vision for a more sustainable future. By signing up to the Charter, Karndean is pledging to ensure its marketing practices are robust, honest and verifiable.”
Fleur added: “We are inspired by the beauty of nature and believe it is the duty of us all to ensure that the natural world is protected for future generations, which is why we are committed to taking real and meaningful steps towards cutting our environmental impact. Today we have released our first Karndean EvolveTM sustainability report which establishes a 2022 baseline for our greenhouse gas emissions and sets out our ambitious plan to reduce these by at least 50% by 2030. This will be evidenced by science-based targets, established in line with the Business Ambition for 1.5°C campaign.”
The Karndean EvolveTM Strategy highlights the work the business is currently undertaking to reduce its environmental impact and sets out how the principles of sustainability are being integrated across its global operations. Embedding the notion of continual improvement, the strategy looks at progress and future actions in six key focus areas: confronting climate change, individual health and wellbeing, sustainable resource use, inclusion and diversity, supply chain transparency and education.
Confronting climate change through increased energy efficiency and renewable energy, Karndean sets out its action plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from sources it controls directly, indirect sources and third party sources. The plan includes a commitment to invest further in solar power across its property portfolio, while a new UK warehouse currently in construction is expected to meet requirements for BREEAM Excellent accreditation.
Taking steps towards a more sustainable use of resources and a circular economy, Karndean reports that up to 300 tonnes of unused product offcuts each year is recycled into street furniture such as traffic cones, while the backing layer of its products contains up to 50% recycled material from production waste.
Through a philosophy of openness, inclusion and engagement, Karndean is proving that established businesses can become future pioneers to lead the way towards a more transparent and sustainable flooring industry.
For further information on the Karndean EvolveTM Strategy and Sustainability Report 2023, click here.
The UK’s market leader in luxury vinyl flooring, Karndean Designflooring, is expanding its collection of contemporary herringbone designs, offering even more versatility to create intriguing interiors that ooze understated sophistication.
From January 2024, six oak designs from its popular Van Gogh range will be available in an additional herringbone format. The new 18” x 4.5” plank size expands design possibilities when used alongside matching full-size planks or in bespoke colour combinations.
Fleur Carson, managing director at Karndean Designflooring, said: “With design creativity high on the agenda, we are responding to the wellbeing trend for quiet luxury, soothing warm neutrals and nature inspired interiors with authentic oak designs in new styling options. Our designers have selected six beautiful designs from our Van Gogh range, all currently offered in a full-size plank, and expanded their design potential with a herringbone format.
“The smaller plank accentuates the realistic grain features and organic colours of these timeless designs. Curated to complement each other in any colour combination, this new collection brings outstanding potential for bespoke interiors that invoke the healing power of biophilic design.”
Whether used in isolation in a traditional herringbone pattern or in conjunction with the matching full-size plank for an elegant continuous flow, for example highlighting activity zones or creating directional wayfinding, Karndean’s new designs are guaranteed to introduce effortless elegance to any interior, from residential and hospitality to retail and workplaces.
Alternatively, the new herringbones offer a contemporary twist on classic style with eight different laying pattern variations to explore, from a double herringbone in a single colourway to a two-tone double herringbone and diagonal double herringbone in three contrasting colours with a coordinating border.
The new herringbone collection includes four highly desirable designs from Karndean’s Highland Oak collection; Croftmore Oak, Glenmore Oak, Hayfield Oak and Aviemore Oak. Inspired by samples of reclaimed timber found at an old railway station tucked away in the Highlands of Scotland, these designs feature well-balanced grain markings, characterful signs of wear and a registered emboss for a highly authentic effect and subtle maturity that will bring any interior to life.
Two further existing designs extend the colour range and options for interesting combinations. Canadian Nude Oak, with its neutral blond tones and gentle straight grain patterning, and the authentically replicated historic markings and tarnishing of Antique French Oak enhance the collection’s natural warmth and versatility to create a bespoke look.
Designed for reliable performance in high traffic environments, Karndean’s extensive Van Gogh collection offers specifiers unsurpassed versatility with a total of 70 wood and stone designs in a convenient choice of sizes and formats.
The Van Gogh range features a 0.55mm wear layer and 3.0mm thickness and comes with all the practical benefits of Karndean flooring, an Environmental Product Declaration and the reassurance of a 15 year guarantee for commercial settings and a lifetime guarantee in residential settings.
Designed With a commitment to developing a greener built environment, Karndean recognises the need for urgent action and is taking bold steps and a pioneering spirit to create a better tomorrow. This includes a commitment to set short and long-term company-wide emission reductions in line with science-based net-zero through the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).
To explore the Karndean’s new Van Gogh designs, click here.
The UK’s market leader in luxury vinyl flooring, Karndean Designflooring, is introducing its next generation of rigid core flooring.
The new Korlok Regent collection combines all the natural beauty and textural detail of oak flooring with the latest cutting edge luxury vinyl tile (LVT) technology. Featuring a highly authentic wood grain emboss, this premium rigid core collection introduces the most realistic alternative to real wood or engineered wood on the market.
This elegant collection of six decadent designs presents desirable neutral tones to suit contemporary interior trends, from cool greys and softly neutral beige tones to timeless warm chocolate browns. For the ultimate flexibility to create interest with a combination of laying patterns in a single colourway, each design is available in a choice of four formats: long plank, herringbone, chevron and large chevron.
Likely to find favour in premium commercial settings, from high-end residential and hospitality to flagship retail and co-working spaces, the Korlok Regent collection takes rigid core flooring to the next level with the perfect combination of form and function.
Fleur Carson, vice president of sales at Karndean Designflooring, said: "We’re proud to be the trusted market leader in rigid core LVT, known for bringing innovative products to the market. As the commercial market demand for authenticity increases, we are pleased to respond with our latest evolution in rigid core flooring."
"The Korlok Regent collection not only offers an enhanced look and feel of a real wood floor but also unrivalled durability to reduce overall environmental impact with no adhesive required and long product life cycle. We have curated a collection of neutral oak designs which will provide architects and interior designers with outstanding versatility to create spectacular contemporary interiors that will wow. We can’t wait to see the projects to come!"
The Korlok Regent range includes six beautifully crafted oak designs in 24 style variations. With an exquisite wood grain emboss that replicates the intricate details of oak and accentuates its natural beauty, a subtle micro bevel and sturdy construction, Karndean's new premium rigid core collection enables designers to achieve an effortless transformation with a luxurious sense of wellbeing and tranquillity.
Named in honour of London’s most iconic parks and gardens, which have delighted visitors for centuries with their inspirational serenity, this new collection is guaranteed to inject personality into any interior, from the calming cool greys and subtle pink hues of Stanmore Oak that will add textural depth to a monochrome interior, and the organic resimercial mood of Greenwich Oak with its softly neutral beige tones and blonde highlights, to the sophisticated earthy chocolate browns of Richmond Oak ideal for balancing bold colour palettes.
With a robust 8mm rigid core construction that’s durable enough to cope with the most demanding situations, a convenient click-locking installation, and fully waterproof, hygienic surface that’s easier to maintain than real wood, the Korlok Regent range boasts a winning combination of stunning finishes and outstanding whole lifetime value.
The new collection offers more than just authentic palettes with a 0.55 wear layer and EN33 classification for commercial heavy specification. Its enhanced acoustics also supports a tranquil and calm environment by reducing sound transfer to rooms below by 17dB.
The UK’s market leader in luxury vinyl flooring, Karndean Designflooring, has introduced a comfortable human scale experience to an uncompromisingly modern office building with a soft industrial style bespoke floor that compliments the large open plan space and reflects its iconic cityscape views.
With an unrivalled panorama across the city, Argyll’s Nova North offers a prestigious office environment in the heart of London’s Victoria. Looking to re-imagine part of the building to provide high end office and co-working spaces, Argyll opted for a clean minimalist look with a focus on acoustic benefits.
Karndean partnered with interior designer Emma Turner to create a high-end coworking space and lounge area in what was previously an underused bar area on the double height mezzanine 11th floor. Combining the practicality of Karndean LooseLay with the versatility of its Opus gluedown range, the bespoke floor balances the industrial nature of the building with timeless elegance and ensures that the updated interior is instantly understandable so customers can easily identify how to best use and navigate the space.
Fleur Carson, commercial sales director at Karndean Designflooring, said: "Karndean flooring is a perfect choice for busy workplaces. With an authentic look of stone flooring but without any of the downsides, Karndean offers a tough surface for high traffic areas that’s undemanding when it comes to maintenance. Its consistent thickness makes it eminently suitable for bespoke designs, either by blending complementary stone designs as at Nova North or even combining wood and stone designs alongside each other."
“As part of the project proposal, our design service graphically conceptualised the flooring within the interior, simulating every detail of the user experience so that the client could visualise the end result. By specifying a combination of gluedown and loose lay formats, we have been able to provide the triple benefits of a practical durable surface, bespoke design and superior acoustic benefits.”
With a paired back scheme in shades of warm grey and natural biophilic elements in tune with the building and its locality, the bespoke floor features a clean look of poured concrete alongside a statement 3D tile effect.
Emma Turner explained: “It was clear that the design of the 10th and 11th mezzanine floors had to start and finish with the spectacular views across central London. It was important that the interior should not distract from what lies outside the windows but feel at one with the skyline. This defined how the space was split into different activity zones, how we orientated seating and also set the colour palette.”
The multi-dimensional pattern of Cubix from Karndean’s Kaleidoscope range has been created with three shades of grey from the Opus range, Mico, Luna and Ombra. These striking geometric lines has brought the coworking area to life, introducing interest and depth to balance the clean angles of the bold contemporary building.
Sitting alongside this working zone, Quebec from the Karndean LooseLay range creates a restful seating area and walkway to the board room at the rear of the mezzanine. Opting for extra-large scale tiles (1000mm x 1000mm) in a block pattern has resulted in a seamless poured concrete effect that’s highly realistic.
With sustainability high on the agenda, many of the existing features were repurposed and upcycled within the new design. The large back bar has been remodelled as a kitchenette, painted in charcoal grey to harmonize with the black industrial staircase, while some of the lighting has been reused and other joinery reinvented within co-working stations.
The durability of Karndean flooring is integral to meeting the project’s sustainability targets. Using a loose lay format along the main walkway, where wear and tear is heaviest, is an effective strategy as each tile can be relifted and replaced if necessary, thus reducing waste over the lifespan of the interior.
Emma concluded: “The floor was the key element for the mezzanine level. We are delighted how the Cubix introduces a sense of fun and breaks up the huge floor space with an interesting pattern yet also links together all the elements of the colour palette without overpowering the overall effect. The mezzanine floor now feels comfortable despite being a large open area and the more time you spend there, the calmer and more positive you feel.”
Karndean Designflooring is a global supplier of commercial and residential luxury vinyl tile flooring. We’re an industry leader in flooring design, offering a wide range of colours, textures and finishes, helping you to create unique looks guaranteed to last.
London’s Carnaby Street is famous worldwide as home to Britain’s most iconic names in fashion and popular culture, so when progressive fashion brand RIXO paired up with Karndean Designflooring to design its latest store the result was always going to be effortlessly stylish and elegant.
One of the coolest destinations associated with 1960s London, Carnaby was, and still remains, the epicentre of culture and lifestyle, from ground-breaking fashion brands such as Mary Quant, Vivienne Westwood and Cranks vegetarian restaurant to underground music bars which hosted future stars including The Who and The Rolling Stones.
RIXO’s desirable vintage inspired one-off pieces pay homage to these trailblazing pioneers with a look that’s in vogue yet also a future classic. Designed to be easy-to-wear and inclusive, each item features a fusion of original hand-painted prints and flattering silhouettes to inspire confidence.
Following several pop-up stores in the area, RIXO’s new Carnaby Street store offers a welcoming environment and the tailored experience today’s discerning customers are looking for. Committed to sustainability and an ethical supply chain, RIXO opted to work with local design studio Cúpla and Karndean, a family run British brand now celebrating its 50th anniversary in the flooring industry.
Gemma Munday, retail growth manager at RIXO, said: “We like every store to be highly individual. As our clothing designs are inspired by vintage fashions, so all our stores have unique artwork and fixtures that tell its own story. The aim for our Carnaby Street store was to create a grown-up feel with an empowering interior that would reflect our vintage inspiration yet also allow the personality of our clothes to shine. We looked for luxury fixtures that would give us a high end finish and a bespoke yet understated look.”
The store beautifully captures the atmospheric glamour of the 1960s and 70s and combines this with contemporary trends and an eye for detail. A calming pared back palette of cool off-white is contrasted against rich deep blues and warm wood design panelling and flooring.
Pearl Oak from Karndean’s LooseLay Longboard range balances the boutique’s light and dark tones, reflecting both traditional timber flooring and the modern preference for light neutral tones. The extra-long planks have been laid at an angle for a sense of flow that can guide customers around the store.
The brand’s vintage inspiration is reflected in a bespoke circular statement chandelier, which sits above a white marble table and a rug in RIXO’s signature leopard print. Completing the sophisticated look are unobtrusive brass display rails which set off the colourful clothing to perfection.
Fleur Carson, commercial sales director at Karndean Designflooring, said: “Experience is of the upmost importance when it comes to retail, particularly at the high end of the market. In light of the disruption of the pandemic and today’s economic challenges, resilient brands are adapting to offer consumers a personalised service. A comfortable instore environment is key to encouraging customers back into the physical store, with a natural feel and durable materials that can cope with high traffic.
The timeless design and light organic tones of the Pearl Oak flooring creates a clean backdrop, allowing all attention to be focused on the clothing displays. Designed to authentically replicate the beauty of European oak, Pearl Oak features light pinky-beige tones, distressed grain details and a lightly brushed surface texture. The loose lay format is a highly practical choice for retail premises with a durable, quiet and scratch resistant surface. Should damage occur it’s quick and easy to make repairs by simply lifting and replacing individual planks as required.”
Gemma Munday added: “We had previously chosen Pearl Oak for our head office so we knew that this would be a great choice. It’s really hard wearing and the pre-attached acoustic layer significantly reduces noise. The floor is a beautiful addition to the fixtures and furnishings and pulls all the different elements together. We want everyone to feel welcome, even including dogs, so the fact that Karndean flooring is durable enough for pets was an extra attraction!”
Promoting independence and wellbeing in later life, the UK’s market leader in vinyl flooring, Karndean Designflooring, has partnered with retirement living specialist, Inspired Villages, to provide a high quality experience and the ideal solution for a healthy retirement.
Elderswell in Bedfordshire, the latest development in Inspired Villages’ portfolio which opened in November 2022 and will include 156 homes, demonstrates how an inclusive approach and a comfortable environment with a premium finish can transform the retirement experience.
Designed for independent living and following design principles for hospitality venues rather than more clinical settings, Elderswell’s new Village Centre delivers on the philosophy that quality of life should flourish as we get older with a focus on community and an active lifestyle.
Specifying Karndean flooring throughout the Village Centre as well as in the kitchens of each residential unit not only provides an authentic natural look and homely atmosphere but also meets all the technical specifications of a demanding commercial setting.
Fleur Carson, commercial sales director at Karndean Designflooring, said: “A concept that is still in its infancy here in the UK, retirement villages offer a home from home experience that focuses on lifestyle rather than care, where older people can enjoy the best years of their lives.
Materials that are attractive yet easy to maintain are key to providing desirable living spaces that are suitable for the needs of older residents. Each of our flooring designs has been inspired by samples of natural wood and stone from around the world. An authentic representation of each material is then combined with the latest technology to develop a high-quality luxury vinyl flooring with the versatility to create imaginative interiors."
Sonia Parol, design director at Inspired Villages, said: “Our objective is to build vibrant communities with the facilities that actively retired people want, such as restaurants, bars, wellbeing facilities such as gym, studio and swimming pool and hairdressers. These facilities are also open to the general public and this creates strong inclusive links to the local community. We understand the mental health benefits our residents gain from being involved and engaged in their community. This is why we design and deliver villages that offer our residents many opportunities for engagement in cultural and physical activities, ensuring the pursuit of their hobbies and passions."
Set in the scenic Bedfordshire countryside, Elderswell is a rural retreat with convenient access to the local towns. When it came to the interior, Manchester based design consultant SpaceInvader was inspired by the development’s natural locality to create a timelessly elegant space with an organic style and earthy colour palette.
True to its ethos of quality and practicality, Inspired Villages stipulates a consistent approach to interior design whereby 80% of its specifications are standardized and 20% contextual with furniture, art and other elements that reflect each unique locality.
Fleur Carson said: “In commercial projects such as these it is important that materials can meet requirements for standardization to support easy installation and help meet deadlines but also offer the versatility designers need to create spaces that are welcoming and inspiring. Our flooring ranges provide just this: a reliable quality and specification as well as a wide choice of authentic wood and stone designs that can be used to create bespoke interiors.”
In the Village Centre restaurant, a honey oak design flooring has been used to introduce natural textures and warm tones to the soft colour palette of grey, beige and green. Choosing Golden Brushed Oak herringbone from the Van Gogh dual format range, an attractive European oak design with a delicate balance of long straight grain and beautiful ‘flowery’ grain, has resulted in a floor that oozes authentic charm and adds interest with a sense of movement.
In the wellbeing facilities, Bleached Tasmanian Oak from the Karndean LooseLay Longboard range brings a clean contemporary feel appropriate to its active setting. The design’s loose lay format, which features an enhanced acoustic layer, comes with all the practical benefits of Karndean flooring but also serves to reduce noise transfer by 13dB. Held in place with a combination of weight and Karndean’s K-Wave grip backing, ongoing maintenance and repairs are straight forward as damaged planks can be simply lifted and replaced.
Sonia Parol said: “We use Karndean flooring across all our new villages. While each village has its own unique character and features different flooring designs, we know that Karndean will give us the variety of style and finish we are looking for alongside standardized technical specifications, durability and low maintenance.”
The UK’s market leader in luxury vinyl flooring, Karndean Designflooring, is introducing its biggest collection update yet with new designs inspired by moments of nature sourced throughout the world.
The updated Van Gogh collection features new designs in additional format and tile size choices, including on-trend herringbone and chevron. Having taken its Van Gogh range into dual format (gluedown and rigid core) territory in 2020, Karndean flooring is expanding the collection with 24 brand new designs, including its first stone designs, as well as bringing further format and size choices to a number of existing designs.
Inspired by the beauty of the natural world and materials sourced from around the world, Karndean’s refreshed range offers unrivalled versatility to create bespoke interiors that ooze elegance whilst also supporting health and wellbeing and contributing to a sustainable built environment.
Presenting a wide selection of contemporary wood and stone styles and colourways, from cool greys and calm neutrals to warm tones, the collection is expected to find favour in a variety of settings, from residential and community living to commercial spaces such as workplaces, higher education, retail and hospitality.
Fleur Carson, commercial sales director at Karndean Designflooring, said: "Van Gogh has long been our most popular range in co-living developments, and it has continued to see significant growth in commercial applications. We see design as an endless journey so we are always striving to improve our offering to meet the latest requirements of the interior design world and the evolving sustainability demands of our built environment."
“Now celebrating our 50th year in the industry, Karndean is trusted as a manufacturer of authentic flooring designs that meet both aesthetic and technical specifications of any project. Known for never resting on our laurels, this launch expands our Van Gogh range to a total of 70 wood and stone designs in a convenient choice of sizes and formats. This unsurpassed versatility offers specifiers a whole different level of creative freedom, from the ability to take the same design over different subfloor conditions to incorporating imaginative patterns and colour combinations.”
The Van Gogh range is introducing nine brand new wood designs, including four characterful Highland Oaks, two rustic Farmhouse Oaks and two warm American Cedars. Designers looking to conceive distinctive and playful interiors will also welcome the introduction of a chevron plank to three Brushed Oak colourways. The 28” x 7”chevron plank broadens the opportunities to incorporate different laying patterns for visual interest and a sense of movement.
Incorporating stone designs into the Van Gogh range for the first time has elevated its design potential, generating endless scope for bespoke flooring using a combination of wood and stone designs. Inspired by stones sourced from across Europe, 15 striking new designs feature the beauty and elegance of marble, slate and terracotta. The large tile size of these designs, including a new 18” x 36” tile, serves to accentuate and enhance the natural textures and variation found in the original samples.
Whether opting for a rigid core format over uneven or drying subfloors, or creating one-off designs with gluedown, specifiers will appreciate how this comprehensive Van Gogh range inspires and enables unique yet cohesive interiors with the durability to stand the test of time.
Offering enhanced acoustic benefits and easy to install with a click-locking mechanism, Karndean’s rigid core designs come with a colour matched scotia for a seamless finish. The Van Gogh range comes with an Environmental Product Declaration and the reassurance of a 15 year guarantee for commercial settings and a lifetime guarantee for residential settings.
Our design process begins with a meeting…with nature. We see flooring differently. Pushing the boundaries has to be an adventure of discovery. It’s why we travel the world for inspiration. From the ancient European woodlands to the Australian outback, we pack our bags and go there. Every time, we connect with something extraordinary that shapes our every step. It’s how we bring the unimaginable, inspired from the outdoors, indoors.
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