Tech event uses 7,000 sq, sustainable carpet

At Olympia London's Innovation Zero tech event in May 2023, 7,000 square metres of fully sustainable carpet was installed. The 100% polypropylene carpet was fully recyclable, leaving behind no waste products. The pellets extracted from the carpet can be used to make a variety of new products.

Compared to traditional carpets, this carpet was produced using 55% less carbon emissions, 100% less water, and 85% less energy.

Exhibition carpets often suffer from wear and tear due to heavy foot traffic, and many are discarded after the event. However, the carpets used at Innovation Zero demonstrate that they can be recycled and their useful life extended.

Approximately 400,000 tonnes of waste carpets are generated every year, and many end up in landfills. 60,000 tonnes are reused or recycled, and 100,000 tonnes are used to generate energy. Households and businesses who dispose of carpets in North Wales and Chester can arrange for carpets to be recycled, and most local authorities in Wales have disposal points for carpets.

Polypropylene and other synthetic carpets can be shredded and used in other products. One popular application is creating surfaces for equestrian centres. Shredded carpets are mixed with sand to make cushioned flooring that lessens the impact on the legs of horses during training.

Wool from carpets is mixed with other materials to create sound and heat insulation products. Recycled wool can also be used in flooring underlays.

In commercial buildings, when replacing carpet tiles, some of the existing tiles may not be worn and can be reused.

What are the best carpets for basements?

Carpets can look great in a basement, but there are several factors to consider when choosing one, including water resistance, underlay, and pile height.

Since basements are below ground, they are prone to humidity that can damage carpets. Water can come from several sources, including nearby soil on wet days and melting snow in winter. Even on dry days, running washing machines and showers can increase humidity, and leaks from water pipes present another risk.

However, this doesn't mean that carpets are unsuitable for basements. Renovate the basement to make it more waterproof and use stain and water-resistant carpets. If water affects the carpet, dry and clean it quickly.

Low pile carpets are ideal for basements because they balance comfort with practicality. They are easy to keep clean, don't attract allergens, and are mildew resistant. Carpet tiles are also an excellent choice because any damaged ones can easily be replaced without having to install a whole new floor covering.

A good carpet underlay adds insulation against the cold and resists moisture. Many people use basements as home theatres or music rooms, so an underlay with acoustic properties reduces noise transmission to the rooms above it.

A quality carpet is a thermal barrier that retains warmth. It also adds aesthetic appeal and makes a below-ground space feel cosier.

Carpet retailers in Chester and North Wales have a wide range of carpets in a variety of colours and patterns, in both natural and synthetic fibres. Many options are perfectly suitable for basements provided precautions are taken.

What are the best carpet colours?

Carpets not only feel great and add insulation to the home, but also enhance the look of any room. Journalist Tim Butters, writing for House Digest, has picked his favourite carpet colours based on colour psychology.

His first colour choice is blue, which he describes as "the most soothing of colours". Blue is ideal for rooms used for relaxation as it is tranquil and can help focus the mind, making it perfect for a home office.

Dark blue carpets provide good contrast when combined with neutral colours, while light blues help maximize light in rooms that don't get much natural light.

Yellow is the warming colour of the sun, symbolizing energy and friendliness. However, bright sunflower yellow should be used with caution as it can feel overpowering. For a bold statement, mix yellow carpets with black furniture and walls, but for a more pleasing feel, use a pale or mustard carpet which adds lightness.

Green, associated with nature and tranquillity, adds life and a natural feeling to a room. It is a good colour for bedrooms. An alternative way to add a natural atmosphere is to use neutral earthy brown shades.

While not everyone likes grey, it can add a classic and timeless feel that is easy on the eye. Grey goes well with cream walls.

Visit a carpet retailer in North Wales to see their wide selection of carpet colours. If you are undecided on what colour to choose, go for a patterned carpet that mixes your favourite colours.

Better designed workspaces attract workers

Many workers prefer hybrid working, spending some time working from home and some in the office. However, some prefer to work from home rather than the company office. To make the office more appealing, companies are experimenting with ways to create workspaces that staff enjoy.

NBBJ, a design and architecture company, and the Eileen Fisher clothing company are among those experimenting with creating a workspace that staff will love. NBBJ designed a workspace in New York which is designed to be a mix between an office and a social club. Floors are covered in green carpets to evoke a sense of forest meadows and screens are mounted on high ceilings where art projects are displayed.

Budgie, a video game company, is also redesigning its working environment. Holly Barbacovi, the company’s head of human resources, said,

"We're never going to force people back into the office, but we feel a sense of responsibility to build an office space that is delightful."

According to Prithwiraj Choudhury, a Harvard Business School professor, some start-up companies allow employees to work remotely from anywhere and see the main purpose of the office as a place for staff to socialize and get to know one another.

Good interior design in offices starts with the floor. One way to add aesthetic appeal, as well as comfort, is through deep pile carpets. Chester and North Wales businesses know that well designed workspaces can attract new employees and encourage the retention of existing ones.

Four popular types of flooring for living rooms

The living room is one of the most important spaces in a home. As the name implies, it is where most of everyday life within the home will take place, so you need to be happy with every aspect of it.

When it comes to selecting flooring for a living room, there will be multiple requirements to consider. First of all, it needs to be hard wearing enough to be able to cope with a lot of footfall, sometimes including that of pets with claws. Second, it must be easy to maintain and clean, as it will inevitably get dirty more quickly than the floor in other rooms.

A living room floor should also be comfortable to walk on without shoes and add to the warmth of the room. Finally, you need to like what it looks like alongside your other living room furnishings.

Read on to find out what the most popular floor materials for living rooms are.

Carpet

Carpet is always a very popular selection for putting on the floor of a living room. For one thing, it provides people with a wide range of colours and patterns, so there is a good chance of being able to find a carpet that blends well with the walls and ceilings of your living room. That is not the only big benefit that opting for carpeting will give you though.

It also has a cushioning effect that makes it one of the softest flooring materials to walk on when you are not wearing shoes. Furthermore, it can act as an insulator, helping to keep warmth in the room. That is a real advantage if you live in an area in the north of the country, such as Chester, where the autumns and winters can be very cold. Choosing carpets can cut energy costs, as well as making walking in your living room pleasant.

However, they can also be vulnerable to damage from pet or heavy boots. Picking a carpet made of up to 80% wool will give you a more hard-wearing surface than a purely synthetic one.

Laminate

Laminate will be a great choice if you dream of something like a solid wood living room floor, but your budget won’t quite run to it. Laminate flooring can be manufactured to accurately replicate the look of wood, tiling or stone at a much lower cost. It is a floor material that has been improved a great deal over the past few years and is now much more popular in living rooms.

Putting down a laminate floor is also quite a simple procedure compared with some other surfaces and it can be wiped clean of stains or spillages very quickly. If you choose this surface for your living room, make sure to talk to experienced flooring professionals first though, so that you get laminate that is thick and hard wearing enough to cope with all of the traffic.

Luxury vinyl tile

This is a variant of vinyl flooring that is thicker and more durable than standard vinyl. Similarly to laminate, luxury vinyl tile (LVT) is a type of floor that can be made to resemble other, more expensive ones such as wood. Indeed, due to the way that it is manufactured, it can actually recreate the look of wooden planks more closely than virtually any other type of floor.

Alternatively, the vinyl tiles can be printed with patterns that suit the decor of your living room walls. Whether you want ornate designs or a simulated rustic look, it is possible with LVT floors. LVT is also a surface that is very low maintenance, as it can be wiped clean simply, and is resistance to water damage and scratching. All of this combined makes it a low cost, durable choice for living rooms that can be made to suit your specifications.

Porcelain or ceramic tile

Ceramic and porcelain tiles tend to be associated more with bathroom or kitchen floors, but they will be an effective choice for a living room too. Again, they are floors that can be wiped clean should they get mud or any other stains on them and they are both types of floor surface that should be able to withstand heavy levels of footfall.

If there is one reason why people do not fit ceramic or porcelain tiles in their living rooms as often as vinyl tiles, it is because they can be quite hard underfoot. However, it is easy to counteract the effect of that by putting some rugs down on the living room floor to soften the feel. These will also help in zoning the living room space.

Any of these four floor surfaces will make for a fine choice in a living room. It is simply a matter of deciding what your priorities are and speaking to a reputable professional for detailed guidance.