Fri 31 Oct 2008
Covering up
It's not just bold colours that have made a comeback - colours and textures can be found on an array of decorative wall coverings today. Roger Hunt reports."For some time now, designers have been turning their attention to walls within show houses to create that all important wow factor that will really help sell a certain lifestyle to the potential buyer," says Lesley Taylor, design director of Taylor's Etc. "Recognising that no longer will a simple coat of magnolia suffice, and it is in fact colour and texture many consumers want to experience, wallpapers have been used to create some beautiful interior schemes.
"However, trends have moved on and savvy designers are now experimenting with other ways to make walls more exciting. Textured tiles offer a wonderful alternative to smooth tiles. For a softer interior, alternative wall coverings such as leather effect tiles create a sumptuous ambiance and can be used in bedrooms, living spaces and even bathrooms."
Taylor's Etc has launched couture fabric backed vinyl that adheres to the wall using a special adhesive. Available in a choice of colours it has a luxurious leather effect finish which adds interest and texture to create a sumptuous interior.
The Diamanti Collection, inspired by vintage Cartier, is a new range of wall coverings from De Ferranti which includes colours such as rock crystal, boudoir pink, ruby red and gold. These jewel-bright 30cm x 30cm adhesive tiles consist of lots of sparkly, minute cut glass crystals and can be used to clad any concave or convex surface.
"There's no doubt about it, decorative walls are back in fashion, especially in our top end 'super houses'," says David Smith, Octagon's head of group marketing. "Be they 'perlato', a special paint finish that gives the appearance of polished plaster, rich, textured silk papers strewn with Swarovski crystals or crushed Murano glass, bespoke alcoves in the entrance hall or bevelled mirrored tiles and panels in milady's dressing room and bathroom, for a full-on Versailles experience.
"We have also started to use antiqued leather 'tiling' or even more exotic, Galuchat, which is a faux stingray skin, for wall covering in areas like the study or a man's dressing room. With the gradual disappearance of the wall radiator, now that all our homes have underfloor heating, feature walls are back in the spotlight."
Muraspec has added Lumicor decorative panels to its portfolio of interior decorative surfaces. Made from translucent resin they encapsulate a range of materials such as natural foliage, metals, textiles, paper, wood veneers, organic materials and glass. The material can be cut, formed and framed for use in a variety of applications.
When it comes to tiles, Kevin Grant, Original Style's contract sales manager, notes that high gloss finishes in porcelain and ceramics continue to be very popular as they reflect light and emulate polished marble. "The relentless march of porcelains means that both floor and wall can be treated to the same natural shades, and they are particularly striking when used in larger formats based off a modular of 600mm on the wall."
Original Style has re-launched its Earthworks range with new product additions to appeal to both traditional and modern tastes. Among them are polished granites which are available in intense colours including pearl white, emerald pearl, blue pearl, Taj Red, tan brown and black galaxy.
"Given the unpredictable economic climate it is important to choose tiles which will not date in style, such as lightly textured stone-look tiles in contrasting neutral tones, which will stand the test of time and have wide appeal across all age-groups," says Steve Whitehurst, marketing director Craven Dunnill.
Craven Dunnill's new Future range demonstrates the move away from simply emulating stone and introduces the concept of a patterned stone tile with a subtle repeat pattern superimposed on a stone-look background. The patterned all over tile has a ribbed texture and is available in beige and white while the co-ordinating plain tile has a natural satin finish. Both are 600 x 300mm.
"While the desire for natural finishes and muted tones is still extremely popular, demand is growing for a touch of difference, something to zing up an interior without taking over fully. Advancement in technology ensures a greater choice of materials and designs," says Rob Jull, managing director, RAK Ceramics.
The new Crystal range from RAK offers photographic feature tiles depicting colourful images inspired by nature. As well as 60cm x 30cm wall tiles, the collection features 7.4cm x 60cm strips for creating design statements. The plain tiles are porcelain and have a glass-like 3-D depth. New colours include light red, lime yellow and mid green while the photographic tiles come in four designs: leaf, rose, lily and bamboo.
Villeroy & Boch has introduced two new ranges of opulent tiles: Moonlight and Creative System New. Moonlight's large mosaic squares feature 144 small cubes made from a mixture of glass, stone and porcelain in contrasting shades of gold, bronze and beige, and may be used to create a shimmering bejewelled wall. The Creative System New tiles are available in either white with gold curvaceous detailing or gold with black detailing.
According to Natalie Flint, sales and marketing director for Rydon Homes, which includes REAL, Rydon's regeneration brand, the days of magnolia are over. "We are using a mix of decorative wall coverings to create accents within our homes. Tiles in the kitchens and bathrooms are much larger now, with more contrast and interest in colour. Buyers are looking for more of a statement, not a bland beige box.
"In the living areas and bedrooms, a mix of paints and wallpapers is proving popular, probably because buyers have been inspired by the use of wall coverings on TV design programmes.
"As part of REAL's commitment to eco design, at the recently launched Hillside Hub, a development of 59 one- and two-bedroom apartments in north-west London, we've used wall coverings that are a mixture of FSC certified wallpapers, printed using low impact, water-based dyes, and eco paint with no VOC content."When specifying paints as wallcoverings the level of VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) - chemical compounds that vaporize, exposing occupants through the air they breathe - is becoming an increasingly important consideration.
"The UK, in line with the European Paint Directive 2004/42/EC, is committed to reducing VOC emissions across all industries to 72 per cent of the 2000 levels by 2010," says Vernon Kinrade, sector support manager at Crown Paints.
"Reduced VOC levels offer valuable advantages to the housebuilding sector. On-site contractors, for instance, will benefit from a healthier working environment due to lower VOC content. Furthermore, as coatings contain fewer organic solvents, they also emit very little odour; this means housebuilders can provide access to properties shortly after painting."
Crown Trade Covermatt is a specially formulated, water-borne coating ideal for first time application as it is particularly suited for use on new plaster. With no added solvents, Covermatt contains 1g of VOC per litre, considerably below the 2010 target limit of 30g per litre.
Claypaints for walls and ceilings from earthBorn are totally VOC, acrylic and oil free. The high clay content is said to help destroy airborne odours and contaminants and also helps to balance out humidity levels in a room as it is moisture absorbing. EarthBorn is claimed to be the only UK paint brand to be licensed with the Eco Label awarded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
"Homeowners and developers are now much more conscious about reducing the number of harmful chemicals in their properties. Although it may only make a small difference in the great scheme of things, using an eco or natural paint is an important and affordable choice," says John Dison earthBorn Paints' managing director.
Neil May, managing director of Natural Building Technologies, points to the importance of specifying a breathable paint finish. "The breathability of paint can be a significant factor in controlling condensation and in allowing the building fabric to buffer moisture levels internally, thus ensuring a healthy internal atmosphere. The breathability of a structure can be severely jeopardised by applying conventional, vapour-closed paints, which effectively form a barrier, trapping moisture.
NBT Eco Trade Emulsion has a 'spray-able,' quick-drying formula and is claimed to achieve excellent coverage and be safer to handle because of its very low VOC content compared with other modern paints. When dry, the emulsion provides a finish that is easy to wipe clean.
Eco wallpapers are also making their mark. Helen Mudie, managing director of One Eco Home, which offers a range of FSC certified wallpapers printed with low impact dyes, advises the use of eco wallpaper paste "which will be free from chemicals fungicides, preservatives and synthetic resins".
Posted by Roger Hunt
in Craven Dunnill, Helen Mudie, John Dison, Kevin Grant, Lesley Taylor, Natalie Flint, Natural Building Technologies, Neil May, Original Style, Product Portfolio, RAK Ceramics, Rob Jull, Rydon Group, Steve Whitehurst, Taylor's Etc, Vernon Kinrade, Villeroy & Boch on Fri 31 Oct 2008
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