With dramatic pattern, geometric combinations and monochromatic mixes, we showcase 16 key ways to create excitement underfoot.
COLOUR
1. Vinyl Tiles
Photograph: Justin Bernhaut
This traditional entrance hall is brought to life with a fun take on a black-and-white checkerboard theme, demonstrating the revival of vinyl tiles. Customise your
own vinyl flooring with a range of options from Floorworx.
2. Traditional Cement Tiles
Photograph: Lucas Allen
A bold, colourful design is the ideal welcome statement in an entrance that is otherwise understated. Colourful, patterned tiles work well at injecting charm into small areas, but keep the scale in proportion with the overall space to avoid overpowering the general composition. Casa Tiles stocks a beautiful range of patterned encaustic tiles, imported from Morocco.
3. Contemporary Cement Tiles
Photograph: Laure Joliet
Inspired by her travels around the world, US designer Tracey Reinberg has created a series of geometric, Moroccan cement tiles for indoor and outdoor use. The ‘Kismet’ tile puts a modern spin on the traditional encaustic tile with a hexagonal shape, allowing the tiles to fit snugly together and create an end result that is nothing short of mesmerising.
4. Triangular Mosaics
Photograph: Richard Powers
A seemingly haphazard arrangement of triangles in black and periwinkle blue leads the eye through this passageway, encouraging movement through the space and ultimately creating a dynamic effect en masse.
5. Striped Rug
Photograph: Anthony Allen
A custom-made striped rug brings warmth into this contemporary concrete space, designed by Cori Quinton Interiors. With a pattern that mimics the shape and direction of the cantilevered stairs, this interior is rooted in rhythm and regularity, with the rug as the central focal point. Try Rugalia Designer Rugs for a selection in similar styles.
6. Diagonal Checkerboard
Photograph: Thom Rigney
A kitchen space with an otherwise muted colour palette is given an eclectic aesthetic with this display of green, black and white. By placing the pattern on the diagonal, Hecker Guthrie Interior Designers has created the illusion that the space is bigger than it is. When introducing colour into muted interiors, choose one colour and carry it all the way through — on walls for example — for a simple, fuss-free look.
7. Layered Rugs
Photograph: Manolo Yllera
Create instant interest by mixing and matching different rugs on top of and next to one another. Make one the focal point by using neutral, muted colours and designs underneath. Sisal is a good starting option for warmer interiors, and toned-down metallics can also be effective. Play with the colour palette, highlighting and complementing elements used in furniture and accessories, to tie the room together. But be careful to limit the patterned pieces to just one or two to prevent the space from becoming too busy. Contact Rowley & Hughes for the basics and Veronica Lidchi Fine Rugs & Interiors for selected classics.
NEUTRALS
8. Animal Hide
Photograph: Elsa Young
For an updated take on neutral flooring, try something in woven animal hide. In this interior by Jacket Interiors, the weaving of two textures creates a rhythmic, unifying floor surface for bold, oversized furniture. The pattern adds an interesting textural dimension without being the main focus. Try African Gameskin for a selection of animal-hide rugs.
9. Honeycomb Hexagons
Photograph: Anna Positano
Neutral flooring need not be boring. Hexagonal tiles — a classic staple since the early 1900s — have been given a fresh new look in this reinvented, oversized honeycomb design, by Italian Architects Grooppo.org. While this geometric pattern is right on trend, its impact requires minimal decor to ensure it is not overshadowed.
10. Slate Tiles
Photograph: Zinon Razutdinov
Square, small slate tiles in varying shades of greys, browns and charcoals are an effective neutral base for a simple monochromatic interior, by Russian architect Peter Kostelov. The uniformity of equal sizes produces a subtle rhythm, while the slightly rough tile surface introduces an element of texture to this basic lounge area. Try Tile Africa for a similar look.
11. Timber Planks
Photograph: Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen
In this Danish home by Norm Architects, whitewashed timber, with the natural grain of the wood exposed, makes for a beautiful, organic look in an interior. Both Oggie Hardwood Flooring and Forest Flooring have a selection of simple, timber flooring.
12. Natural Fibres
Photograph: Matt Lowden
For an easy way to add interest to a space, use coir or sisal carpeting, as shown in this Gregory Mellor interior. Rowley & Hughes’ range of simple, geometric patterns in earthy neutrals combines pattern and texture for extra depth. Apart from providing an attractive aesthetic, natural-fibre carpeting is practical — being both dust-proof and durable.
BLACK AND WHITE
13. Classic Checkerboard
Photograph: Elsa Young
The classic black-and-white tiled floor in Cécile & Boyd’s Cape Town showroom is the epitome of old-world glamour. This simple yet striking combination creates structure and consistency. To recreate this look, visit Tile Africa or Albert Carpets for a vinyl option.
14. Painted Stripes
Photograph: Todd Eberley
The lobby at the Mark Hotel in New York clearly demonstrates how wide, glossy black-and-white stripes are an ideal way to bring drama and intensity into a space. Since the stripes outline the shape of the room, it is given
a strong graphic base, against which furniture and accessories add colour and contrast. The sheen of the black-and-white marble adds extra glamour. World of Marble and Granite stocks a large range.
15. Graphic Rug
Photograph: Lisa Cohen
This SoHo-inspired interior is given elegant appeal with a vivid graphic rug. The soft, simple design combines elements of femininity and contemporary flair that effectively update the classic period furniture. Try Paco
Rugsfor similar options.
16. Paint Patterns
Photograph: Meissen
European luxury lifestyle brand Meissen opened its eye-catching showroom in Milan in 2012. A striking effect has been created with a pattern that mimics the wrought-iron gate on an exaggerated scale, as if casting a shadow. The linearity of the design adds extra length and depth to the space, reinforced by the stripes lining the passage walls that draw the eye towards the door as the focal point. While this design is created from marble, a similar effect could be achieved with paint. Consult a Plascon specialist for advice.
