Biophilic inspired carpets bring nature indoors

Biophilic design brings nature into indoor spaces, often achieved through numerous house plants that mimic the outdoor environment.

This design approach has gained popularity for its ability to create a sense of tranquillity and connection to the natural world within interior settings. Biophilia is a Greek word that means ‘For the love of nature and living things.'

Inspired by biophilic design principles, carpet manufacturers have started to incorporate natural materials like wool, jute and silk into their products. These carpets are left undyed to maintain a natural colour palette, reflecting the raw materials' beauty. Not only do these carpets enhance the aesthetic appeal of a space, but they also contribute to reducing environmental impact due to their sustainable production methods.

To further enhance the biophilic environment, homeowners can try adding solid wood furniture and an abundance of house plants. Plant shelves can be attached to walls to display greenery, while plants can even be integrated into pendant lamp shades for a unique touch. For a striking visual impact, create an indoor green wall that is completely covered in plants, transforming the space into a lush and vibrant oasis.

While biophilic-inspired carpets may not be widely available yet, there are plenty of alternative options offered by flooring services in Wrexham and North Wales. For those looking to add biophilic elements to their homes or business spaces, carpets made from natural sisal or seagrass can be a great starting point. To create a more inviting and luxurious atmosphere, it might make more sense opt for a pure wool carpet.

Tarkett relaunches IQ Optima range

Swedish vinyl flooring manufacturer Tarkett has refreshed and relaunched its best-selling range of IQ Optima vinyl flooring with new designs and an extended colour palette.

The IQ Optima moving nuances range is designed great design and technical performance, with colours and patterns inspired by soft watercolour washes. The collection has four distinct colour palettes, Argil, Basalt, Oxid and Lichen. A room or space can contain different coloured tiles to create harmonious areas that promote comfort and well-being. Flooring can be made dementia-friendly and can be installed in combination with Tarkett's anti-static and non-slip ranges that help protect the vulnerable.

IQ flooring is very hard wearing, typically lasting around 30 years. The tiles are suitable for dry buffing, which is a hygienic, no-detergent process that uses mechanical friction to smooth flooring and remove wear patterns, making tiles look their best for longer. IQ Optima vinyl flooring is ideal for heavy foot traffic spaces.

Tarkett has a circular economy approach to producing vinyl flooring by using around 25% recycled materials and manufacturing flooring using 100% renewable energy. Tarkett's take back program recycles offcuts from installations and recycles worn tiles. IQ Optima tiles are made from materials that have extremely low volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to improve indoor air quality. The tiles are suitable for residential use or commercial buildings and in construction or renovation projects that want to decrease their carbon footprint.

Tarkett luxury vinyl tiles are made in Sweden but available from flooring services in North Wales.

Sofa Carpet Specialist ceases carpet sales

Retailer ScS, whose initials stand for Sofa Carpet Specialist, has stopped selling carpets online and in its shops.

Flooring accounted for only 8% of the retailer's group revenue and this has not grown during the last few years. Poltronesofà, the new ScS owner, made the decision to stop selling carpets. ScS will continue to specialise in selling sofas.

This news came after Carpetright, a major competitor of ScS, recently announced its intention to appoint administrators, which could mean the closure of all its stores unless a buyer can be found.

Though carpets may no longer be available from ScS and Carpetright, this does not mean there is little demand for carpets or a shortage of carpets available. Carpet sales have declined slightly over the past few years as hard flooring has become more popular. However, the UK carpet industry revenue in 2024 is estimated to be at a healthy figure of £2.3 billion.

Independent retailers of carpets in the Chester and North Wales region report that there is still a high demand for quality carpets with consumers particularly liking luxury wool carpets.

The government has a target of 300,000 new homes each year to address the housing shortage. This will positively impact demand for floor coverings including carpets. While companies such as ScS may be turning away from carpet sales, other independent providers are more than capable of meeting the demands of homeowners up and down the country, as these homes are built.

Shopping expert reveals advantages of carpets

According to research by Dyson, three-quarters of UK homes have hard floors. However, this means that there are still many households that still have carpet floors. In a recent article by Abha Shah, The Standard's Deputy Shopping Editor, she says that carpet floors have several advantages.

Firstly, carpets make homes quieter by muffling noise from the television, footsteps and other sources.

Carpets also have insulating properties that help keep rooms warm and saves on energy bills. Thick-pile carpets feel soft and are good for bedrooms for a cosy start to the day when getting out of bed in bare feet.

The main advantage of hard floors compared to most carpets is that they are more hard-wearing in high-traffic areas such as halls and stairs. However, choosing carpets made from durable sisal that are flat woven and easily cleaned can have the same effect. To add luxurious softness to hard floors, add thick pile rugs.

While hard floors are water resistant, making them better for bathrooms, utility rooms and kitchens, carpets are more ideal for living rooms and bedrooms. Quality carpets made from good materials like wool are hard wearing and will last a long time. Wool is a natural sustainable material that is soft and a joy to walk on barefoot.

In large family homes where spills are part of daily life, consider fitting anti-stain synthetic carpets. Vacuuming keeps them looking good.

Carpets are tricky to fit, so you may choose to use a flooring company in Wrexham that includes professional fitting services in the cost of their carpets.

How suntanned carpets are made

When you buy carpets from a carpet retailer in Chester, you expect them to be new, clean and with colours that will not fade.

Modern carpets are made in factories, ensuring they are delivered in an excellent pristine condition. Turkish handmade carpets, however, are treated differently. After they are made, they are left out in fields during the summer where the sun turns their bright colours into pastel shades. Once heat and moisture from the air have faded, the colours are fixed and should not fade further during the carpet's lifetime.

The carpets are softened by the morning dew that evaporates during the noon heat, which acts as a natural cleansing process that removes all germs. If rain is forecast, the carpets have to be quickly lifted indoors before they get soaked.

It is estimated that 15,000 carpets will be left outside in Turkish fields throughout 2024. During the winter when all the carpets have been removed, wheat is grown in the fields so that they remain productive.

These so-called suntanned carpets are made with natural fibres and dyed using root dyes. Nearly all - 99% - are sold outside of Turkey, with a high demand for the carpets in the USA and Europe.

Weaving carpets by hand, then cleaning them and leaving them out in the sun for a while takes time, which explains why Turkish carpets are very expensive. For people who want luxury sustainable carpets made from natural materials at more affordable prices, they may consider pure wool carpets as an alternative.