26 California Buildings News • Q1 2019
Surfaces Are a Matter of Styling, Care... And Workplace Design Value Most of the time we pay very little attention to what we’re walking on, unless we stumble or slip on it or if it deteriorates. But flooring actually has a lot more influence over our lives than we realize. Depending on its color and texture, it can create an entirely different mood: peaceful or bright and exciting or dull and depressing. The performance of surfaces can also become a value or an unwanted cost, depending on its reliability and endurance. Is it “pet-friendly” and can be cleaned easily? Support or detract from interior design styling? Architects and interior are very focused on such issues —as are facility managers who have to maintain surfaces. Lionakis Associate Principal Bret Harper says, “I always like to weigh the probability of the flooring material’s ‘trendduration’ against the flooring material’s ‘reasonableness of replacement.’ What this means is that while I have little compunction about installing a faux wood wide-plank vinyl floor in the very popular gray tones, it is because I know that the facilities will likely be refreshed in 10-12 years. However, using a trending faux wood porcelain tile may remain in a project for the Photo: Adobe Stock.
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