Harmony, attention to detail and functionality: these are the key words to bear in mind when choosing the floor for your home.
To accommodate personal taste and the final outcome desired, be it modern, simple and tactile or sophisticated and cutting-edge, there are many different kinds of versatile flooring on the market, suitable for all kinds of dwelling.
But how to choose the most suitable floor for each environment? What is the best floor for a city dwelling? What surface suits a beach home or a country cottage best?
Each of the following coatings could suit any environment; the choice depends on the atmosphere required and personal preferences including finishes, textures and colours.
Ideal Work designed its solutions thoroughly, focusing on functionality; its versatile surfaces accommodate many different interior styles.
Floors for city dwellings
City homes, whether large or small, are the places where most people spend the vast majority of their time. For this reason, to best enjoy the time spent there, they should be comfortable, practical and beautiful.
Inside a home, apart from the furniture and the organisation of the rooms – kitchen, bedrooms, living room and bathroom – surfaces play an essential role in the perception of the environment. The choice of the most apt surfaces for the home therefore depends on the style and atmosphere the occupants want to create.
Microtopping®
Microtopping® is a visually impactful solution for the interior. With a thickness of just 3 mm, it provides the opportunity to obtain uniform, seamless surfaces for beautiful, harmonious environments. In fact, through specific techniques and appropriate preparation of the surface, it is even possible to apply Microtopping® directly over the existing floor.
Microtopping® is not only for floors: it can also be applied on other surfaces and structural elements such as walls, columns, arches, table tops and much more.
With an almost infinite range of combination of colours – bright or neutral – and textures – smooth or tactile – microcement ensures practicality and great custom possibilities.
Acid-stained floor
A custom-made surface for all kinds of property, from modern to rustic, acid-stained floor is created through metallic salt compounds which chemically and permanently change concrete’s natural colour. The result is a completely unique and customised colour. The range of colours it is possible to create spans from natural earth tones to brighter and livelier shades.
This kind of floor is particularly suitable for those who seek a sophisticated and modern atmosphere without compromising on practicality and easy maintenance. Acid-stained floor requires a few simple treatments to maintain its original beauty unaltered over time. Its thickness, finish and texture can be chosen according to specific needs and preferences.
Lixio®
With a more classic and refined design, Lixio® is the perfect floor for city dwellings and those who want to recreate a terrazzo floor effect with a modern look.
In just a few millimetres thickness, this solution provides a uniform surface created by a mix of concrete and different types of Italian, high-quality marble aggregates. Ensuring both aesthetic appeal and high practical performance, this floor is particularly resistant to foot traffic and heavy weights. Some reinforcing treatments can also be added to reduce and simplify its maintenance over time. The final result recalls terrazzo floor’s Venetian tradition but enhances it with a modern, sophisticated design able to enhance ancient as well as contemporary environments.
Colour, aggregates and finish are interchangeable and can be combined with other elements already present in the space, like wood, metal and stone.
Floors for country residences
The countryside is a place of rest where it is possible to enjoy nature, away from the city’s traffic, noise and stress.
Country homes epitomise tranquillity; a suitable floor should therefore enhance such a peaceful atmosphere whilst also adding a beautiful touch to the entire environment. For the internal floor, the driveway or the garden, the perfect surface has to be carefully chosen, as it has to empathise with the design and colours of the structure.
Some particularly suitable coatings for country dwellings are:
Sassoitalia®
Sassoitalia® is an aesthetically impactful external paving solution. It can completely transform the aesthetic look of a country house by adding a modern touch to its typical rustic atmosphere.
Particularly suitable for driveways, car parks, squares and paths, this solution’s design and colours can be customised through geometric decorations and original colour combinations. It works perfectly alongside other materials such as bricks, marble and natural stone, with which it creates a harmonious contrast.
Several types of aggregates (washed, crushed and different sizes, locally sourced or supplied by Ideal Work,) are combined with a concrete base available in 5 colours. Through a thickness of just 3 millimetresand a proprietary application technique, Sassoitalia® provides extreme versatility, flexibility and durability over time. By treating the surface with recommended protective resins, the surface can also become dust-repellent and absorption-resistant, making maintenance even quicker and easier.
Stamped concrete
Perfect for the pastoral atmosphere of life in contact with nature, stamped concrete is a modern process particularly suitable for a country residence. In this solution, concrete’s durability and practicality are combined with the elegance and beauty of the available decorative finishes and textures.
Stamped concrete is suitable for streets, paths, driveways, squares, car parks and ramps, in fact any horizontal surface where a durable but also aesthetically pleasing surface is needed. With a wide range of colours, textures and designs, Stamped Concrete provides a uniform seamless coating. Its monolithic nature avoids gaps, joints and unevenness that encourage weed growth that would require repair over time, reducing maintenance to the minimum.
This solution’s main feature is the possibility to create completely customised decorative features such as Greek keys and rosettes or compasses, where the added use of coloured acids give the surface unique shades. Aesthetics, however, don’t compromise practicality: Stamped Concrete stands out for its resistance to heavy loads and foot traffic which is achieved through the application of a specified coloured hardener before the stamping process takes place.
Through the skilful application of a stamped concrete floor, any country dwelling can become a rustic, yet refined oasis of relaxation.
Floors for beach properties
A home by the sea is another getaway place for relaxation. The green colour that dominates the country is replaced by sand shades and the sea’s intense blue. A beach dwelling is a real shelter from the city’s frenzy and frantic pace, an opportunity to enjoy a few days of rest. For this reason, the property’s environment has to be welcoming, comfortable and peaceful, without compromising on the touch of cheerfulness that is typical of a holiday home.
Many options are suitable for beach properties, but two kinds of floor dominate the choice:
Stenciltop Floor
Through its impactful aesthetic appearance and its outstanding resistance to water, abrasion, climatic conditions and UV rays, Stenciltop is an excellent solution for covering the floor of a beach home.
Custom finishes are available through a wide range of colours (over 29 available shades) and decorative elements (geometric, floral and more), Stenciltop Floor provides a safe surface through its slip and fall-resistant texture. By use of the stencil technique, Ideal Work professionals are able to create a wide selection of textures that recall the appearance of bricks, natural stone, cobblestones etc. Stenciltop in a light shade and slightly rough texture is the perfect solution for a beach property, making it distinctive, yet in harmony with with the beach itself and the sea’s charming colours.
Rasico®
Designed for driveways and external areas such as patios, walkways and pool decks, Rasico® will enliven every surface, providing a great aesthetic impact.
With a thickness of just 3-4 mm, Rasico® is made of a cement base featuring high standards of resistance(to foot traffic, weather conditions, UV rays) and safety (through its fall and slip-resistance). Importantly, it can be applied on both new and already existing surfaces.
Composed of quartz and water-based polymer, Ideal Work professionals apply this coating by trowel; to complete the application, the surface is then sanded in order to finish and perfect its original texture. Rasico® is available in over 29 colours, a wide selection that allows for great customised possibilities always guaranteeing a unique outcome. Whether in neutral or bright shades, this solution will provide any beach home with a modern and chic design.
Each of the coatings described above can be applied in different types of environments, whether they be city, beach or country.
Their versatility and easy application make them beautiful and durable solutions that can be customised according to the individual’s personal taste and desired outcome.
Ideal Work professionals can recommend the most suitable solution for your needs and desires!