The Hindu Business Line : Floored by design

From couture to kitchen cabinets, from education courses to travel destinations... it's choices galore. While it makes you happy about having so much to choose from, it could sometimes put you in a predicament as well. Especially when it comes to interior design or décor, where there is a barrage of choices.

Selecting the right material for the right reason is sure to give you a headstart towards evolving beautiful spaces. Whether an opulent bungalow or a Spartan apartment, floor and wall finish go a long way in reflecting the taste and lifestyle of its inhabitants.

Let's first draw a line between need and taste, because that's the key to making choices that are judicious. Need is intrinsic, while taste could be attributed to extrinsic factors. It's important to get the needs listed out and communicated to the interior designer so that it translates well into a finished product that is just right for you.

With the floor and wall being two significant elements of interior design, it is necessary to get into their nitty-gritty. Why do we have to give importance to wall and floor finish? Is it only to create a visual balance with the other elements of interior? Or do they mean much more than that? Let's address these queries.

Floor finish

There's more to floor finish than meets the eye. Hassle-free maintenance in bathrooms, extra grip in wash areas, hygienic hospital spaces, dirt-free restaurants and anti-skid surfaces for places frequented by the elderly... each flooring has a specific function. To choose a suitable floor finish, one has to have an idea of the range that is broadly classified as:

Polished surface: Marble, granite, mosaic, Kotah, Shahabad, vitrified and the like.

Natural surface: Granolithic, slates, terracotta, red oxide, stone, mud, brick, etc.

Ceramic surface: Tile surface with smooth, textured or rugged finishes.

Special surface: Toughened glass, wood, laminated, vinyl metal, chemical-resistant, carpet, glass mosaic or flamed stone.

Vitrified and ceramic tiles are amazing innovations — in terms of versatility and colour/texture/design choices.

But wait. Before the options floor you, examine the distinct features that each variety has to offer. That would go a long way in helping you choose. Porosity, thickness, scratch-resistance, sizes, colours, patterns, fixing methods, labour time and cost... consider all these aspects before zeroing in on something. And all these besides taking into account fundamental aspects such as the purpose of the space, type of users, size and shape of the room, furniture arrangement, lighting conditions, basic theme, and style and concept of the interior. Only logical reasoning will result in an ideal flooring solution.

Wall finishes

Deciding upon the right wall finish can be a daunting creative challenge. Wall finishes can be divided into two segments — wall cladding and wall coating.

When the basic wall surface is clad with material such as wood panel, ply panel painting or lamination, veneer or combination of all, granite, marble, ceramic tiles, vitrified tiles, rectified tiles, glass mosaics etc., it is called "wall cladding." What are the materials in vogue? Is it the polished granite slab or is it the classical Italian marble or is it duco-painted ply panel? The in-things in interiors are veneers, ceramic tiles, glass mosaics and metal sheets.

From mahogany to red cedar, from maple to walnut... more than 40 varieties of veneer are available in the market. To get that sleek and rich finish in a plush restaurant, a cozy bedroom or a posh showroom, veneer offers good options. Be it a classic style or contemporary approach, veneer fits in nicely.

The flexibility offered by colourful ceramic tiles, both local and imported and available in myriad colours and sizes, is unique. No more dull, drab kitchens and bathrooms. The whole concept of space, including service and utility areas, has been refreshed with the introduction of classical and contemporary ceramic tiles. And when it comes to making small yet significant statements, small glass mosaic tiles are perfect. They bring in that dash of vibrancy as well.

Wall coatings are painted colour surfaces with cement paint, distemper, plastic emulsion and the like. All wall coatings are to be applied only with a coat of putty (ordinary putty or POP putty) to get the desired finish. POP putty offers considerable thickness to prevent undulation on the wall. Cement paint and distemper finishes are ideal for the budget-conscious. Otherwise, the ideal surface finish is plastic emulsion.

Nowadays, leading paint companies come up with thousands of colour options and even concoct colours to suit your taste!

Picture courtesy: Studio Infiniti, Chennai

(The author is the chief architect of M/s Vivek and Associates, architects and interior designers, Chennai)

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