Get the natural feel of wood
Latest Interiors offers you a guide to affordable, ethical and sustainable flooring that is completely au naturel
With green issues and sustainable living rising ever higher on the domestic agenda, it makes sense to consider natural flooring for your home. The only question, with a fast-expanding selection of finishes, is which to choose… This week, Latest Interiors gets the low-down on all forms of natural flooring.
Engineered wooden flooring, from £32 per square metre www.next.co.uk
Why go natural?
Natural floor finishes such as sisal, coir, wood or wool look great, and can be a greener, more sustainable choice. A natural product needn’t be expensive: If FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified hardwood flooring is a touch pricey for your budget, there are plenty of affordable, hard-wearing alternatives. The textures and weaves of different products bring light and character to a room, and can be quite sensuous underfoot – they tickle the toes nicely.
Single strip oak flooring, £poa www.johnlewis.com
The grass is greener…
A number of natural floor finishes are made from grass or plant fibres. Sisal (traditionally used in rope making), for example, is extracted from the Agave sisalana plant and farmed in the sub-tropical regions of Mexico, Brazil and East Africa. Well-suited to heavy domestic use in hallways and living areas, it can be also dyed for different colour finishes. Coir is manufactured from the fibres of coconut husks (usually in Southern India) and has been used as a hardwearing, inexpensive floor covering for years.
The best quality coir has been handpicked, softened in sea water, and then pounded with stones to remove any remaining shell. Another good all-rounder, it can take the wear and tear of a hallway or living area, whilst maintaining its natural beauty.
Seagrass and jute are both finer in texture, and better suited for medium to light use. In all cases, check that the product you’re buying has been made from sustainably produced materials, and that workers have been paid a fair price.
City Wood Floors Ltd. 5, Longley Ind Estate, New England Street, Brighton East Sussex BN1 4GY
Tel: 01273 680068
Fax: 01273 680069
www.citywoodfloors.co.uk
Wonderful wood
Of course, wood is probably the most popular natural floor finish, and for good reason. Hardwearing, warm underfoot and very beautiful, a good quality wooden floor could last as long as your home. French oak, maple and cherry are among the most popular finishes, although darker woods like walnut are becoming fashionable once more. Reclaimed floorboards, or wood harvested from well-managed FSC approved forests, are the greenest options here.
City Wood Floors Ltd
Rubber up
Often overlooked, rubber flooring and linoleum are also natural products. Both are inexpensive and hardwearing, and come in a vast range of colours, textures and finishes. In fact, lino has had something of a renaissance of late, and can be seen gracing some of London’s more stylish design boutiques. Some types of rubber flooring are suitable for outdoor use too – as a colourful, child-friendly alternative to decking.
Everything else…
Paper can be also be transformed into a surprisingly hard-wearing floor product, with a clean, crisp definition and texture. If you don’t fancy that, what about bamboo (good looking, very sustainable and great value), wool (of course) or even rush floor matting? With such a huge choice of natural, stylish products, there’s no excuse for any floor that isn’t green…
