2019-06-01 Country Homes & Interiors

Feature

Tara King

Warmcork

Biodegradableandrecyclable,corkhas

amazingecocredentials.‘Warm,soundproof

andsuper-softunderfoot,corkfloorsare

surprisinglyhardwearing,’saysPaulorocha,

productanddevelopmentmanagerat

granorte.‘They’regreatforbusyhomes.’

WithmoreoFa Focuson‘green’living

thaneverbeFore,manycompaniesareimproving

theecocredentialsoftheirflooring,makingchanges

tothematerialsusedaswellastheirprovenance.The

gapinthemarketforeco-friendlyflooringis filling–

notwithanythingthatwehaven’tseenbefore,but

witha morevariedarrayofdesigns,sowecanmake

sustainablechoiceswithoutsacrificingonstyle.

Whatconstituteseco-FriendlyFlooring?

Theprimaryconsiderationis sustainability.inother

words,dothematerialscomefroma renewable

source?Forexample,a carpetthat’smadeentirelyof

woolis sustainable– sheepannuallyregrowtheirfluffy

coatswithzeroimpactontheenvironment,soit’sa

resourcethat’seasilyreplenished.

it'salsoimportanttoconsiderwhetherit

canberecycledattheendofitslifespanandthe

chemicaltreatmentsinvolvedinthemanufacturing

process– thefewerthebetter.Durabilityis alsoa

factor;short-livedflooringmightlooklovely,butin

a fewyearsit willbecontributingtolandfills.

thinkaboutWhat’sgoingtoWorkinboth

yourinteriorschemeandForday-to-day

living.if warmthis key,considernaturalheat

insulators,suchascorkorwool– you’llreduceyour

energycosts,andit’sbetterfortheenvironmentthan

underfloorheating.if youwantnaturalwood,whynot

lookintoreclaimedoptions?Orchoosecompanies

thatsporttheFSClogo,a guaranteethattheirtimber

comesfromsustainableforests.

Eco-flooring

Our expert says...

❝

Pair naTuraL FLOOring

WiTh WeaThereD WOOD anD

earThy TOneS FOr a COunTry-

STyLe Dining rOOM

tara King, content style editor❞

Amber cork flooring,

£55sq m, Granorte

Need to know...