How to Make a Statement in PRS/BTR
Floored It Blog Series
February 2020
In today’s competitive economic environment, the private rental/build to rent sector (PRS/BtR) should be looking for ways to stand out from the crowd, in order to attract and retain tenants. There are many ways to create unique interiors and one of the easiest options is to make it personal. In this blog Julie Haake, our Key Account Manager for the PRS & BTR sector takes a look at how the recent advancements in digital printing technologies will enable designers to push the boundaries and create bespoke rental flooring schemes for their clients.
With over 25 years experience in the flooring industry, Julie has a wide experience of dealing with large scale flooring projects across a variety of applications, working with Architects and Designers through to the Contractors and ultimately the End User. As the Forbo Key Account Manager for the Private Rental and Build to Rent sector, Julie is closely involved with major national clients, helping them to find the right flooring solutions for every aspect of their building.
The floor is a crucial element of any interior and bespoke design options open up a world of creative possibilities that puts clients in control of the whole process. Whether your client wants to make a lasting impact in entrance areas or add a touch of personality to communal living spaces, the scope for customisation is now achievable across a wide variety of floor finishes. There are virtually no limits to what can be achieved in terms of aesthetic design, colour and intricate detailing.
That all important first impression starts at the front door so entrance areas can set the tone and express the ‘feel’ of the building. From company logos and crests to quirky images or messages, the use of an entrance flooring system such as our Coral Logo not only delivers a stand-out feature, but it also provides a first-class line of defence against dirt and moisture being brought into the building. Depending on the colours and designs required, it is possible to choose a printed mat or a mat with a cut inset logo.
Durable and easy to clean and maintain, vinyl floor coverings are perfect for withstanding heavy traffic demands.
.webp "Forbo Eternal Digital Print ® david machet")
Taking safety flooring into a new design dimension, the innovative technology used to produce our Surestep Digital Print allows custom designs to be digitally printed on to the surface, without compromising on slip resistance. This is perfect for creating feature floors in areas where slips and trips may be common.
For a more striking design, the Eternal general purpose vinyl collection can be customised on request. Our playful signature designs can inject a burst of colour into any private rental accommodation or our Eternal bespoke tailored flooring service allows the creation of unique designs from as little as 12m2. Whether it is a graphic, print or photographic image, the end result is a floor covering that performs as well as any Eternal product, but carefully crafted just for your PRS/BtR project.
Image copyright David Machet
Meanwhile, for some application areas like gyms and socialising areas, a flooring solution that combines the hardwearing and durable characteristics of a resilient floor with the warmth and comfort of a textile covering will be more suitable. In these instances, Flotex is the ideal blank canvas to create flooring concepts with the ‘wow’ factor. With Flotex Vision, designers can choose from a collection of over 500 digitally printed designs that can be recoloured or create their own custom design for a truly individual solution from just 60m2.
Finally, to add a designer’s touch, Forbo has also been very privileged to team up with world renowned designers including the likes of Philippe Starck, HemingwayDesign and Tibor Reich to develop an array of exclusive designer collections. Many have found inspiration from our advanced production techniques, which allow high definition digital printing, enabling the exact translation of a designer’s vision on to the floor covering.
In order to make a private rental or build to rent accommodation stand out, being creative and incorporating bespoke designs will not only provide a personal touch, but it will also give landlords a competitive edge when it comes to attracting tenants. And adding a touch of personality to PRS/BtR projects has never been easier thanks to the wide range of bespoke flooring design and print options that are now available.