Tasteful interiors

26 of June '23

Solid Wood Linear, Norblin Factory, Warsaw

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Tasteful interiors
From the series „Facade and wall materials – trends 2023”

Nowadays, we can increasingly delight in interiors in office and public buildings. The right atmosphere is built already at the entrance, in the lobby and even in the corridors. Waiting for a while in such an environment, we usually look around and admire pleasant finishes and additional decor such as greenery. The ceilings and walls are a key element that builds the right atmosphere and creates a cohesive whole.

Solid Wood Grid, Alliantie Insurance office, Amersfoort, the Netherlands

Interior makes an impression

People want to be in places that exude tranquility, elegance, are acoustically comfortable, and softly diffuse light. All these elements are influenced by walls and ceilings, which have long gained importance in terms of building interior aesthetics.

Any interior, including one in which we spend a short time, such as a hall in an office, immediately at the entrance evokes the right attitude in us and makes us feel more or less comfortable. Walls and ceilings have become a very important architectural and aesthetic element in the design of buildings. Their importance increases with the amount of time people spend in a given facility, such as an office or a shopping center — says Jacek Szeląg, General Manager at Hunter Douglas Polska.

Wall not equal to wall

In offices and other public facilities, relics in the form of a plain painted wall with snotty reproductions hanging on it are rarely seen anymore. Today's wall finishes and systems are so sophisticated and complete that they require no additions. Examples of investments that have chosen to use non-trivial walls include Wrocław Business Garden and the offices of Alliantie Insurance in Amersfoort, the Netherlands. Solid Wood Grid wall cladding from Hunter Douglas was used in the common areas of these facilities. They created natural walls that give the interiors an interesting look.

Solid Wood Grid, Alliantie Insurance office, Amersfoort, the Netherlands

Architects are keen on using sustainable solutions and timeless materials such as oak wood, which with its color warms up the neutral color palette of office spaces. The Wrocław Business Garden building uses a single type of material, Solid Wood Grid, for the walls and ceilings, while the building in Amersfoort combines a vertical and horizontal system of wood slats.

The versatility of the Solid Wood Grid system allowed it to be used both as wall cladding to improve room acoustics and as openwork partitions to separate individual zones in common spaces. Solid Wood Grid from Hunter Douglas is a solution that is easy to install and can be used in all types of buildings. Solid Wood Grid wall systems are made to measure, making it very easy to fit the components together.

Solid Wood Grid, Alliantie Insurance office, Amersfoort, the Netherlands

Noticeable ceiling

The Norblin Factory, formerly the Factory of the Joint Stock Company of Norblin Metal Factories, Buch Brothers and T. Werner, was built in 1820, and nearly 200 years later, it has undergone a revitalization in 2019-2021. The restoration and new arrangements of the Norblin Factory were a major architectural challenge, as it was necessary to preserve the historic elements of the former factory while incorporating a modern interior design style.

Solid Wood Linear, Norblin Factory, Warsaw, Poland.

Designers from PRC Architekci, used a special ceiling system from Hunter Douglas above the circulation paths. Solid Wood Linear ceilings, based on wood in its natural form, gave the usable space the character of a "place with soul". The Solid Wood Linear ceiling system is easy to install and remove for access to the technical space. The specially designed support structure includes hooks connected to support rails, so that light fixtures, ventilation grilles and speakers can be easily attached. In addition, these ceilings meet green building requirements.

Solid Wood Linear, Norblin Factory, Warsaw, Poland.

The impressively finished Józef Piłsudski Museum in Sulejówek, near Warsaw, uses the HeartFelt® Linear ceiling system. It adorns exhibition halls, offices, corridors and stairwells. HeartFelt® Linear is a modular felt ceiling available in rounded and rectangular panels that can be easily attached to specially designed support rails. Its important advantage is that it provides great acoustic comfort, which affects our well-being.

HeartFelt® Linear, Józef Piłsudski Museum in Sulejówek

With HeartFelt® panels, it is possible to achieve a sound absorption coefficient (αw) of 0.45 (module 100) to 0.70 (module 50). What's more, five shades of gray and a palette of five earth tones are available to create a warm atmosphere in a room. HeartFelt® Linear is also an environmentally safe product, as it is 100 percent recyclable or easily reused.

The way we live, work and entertain, as well as consumer habits and expectations, are evolving rapidly. Modern interiors have to keep up with them, and even slightly ahead of them. Both the overall impression and the details matter. Quality and high aesthetics of finishes are appreciated. For reasons of cost and environmental responsibility, the flexibility and durability of the solutions used count, as well as their functionality and recyclability. Hunter Douglas ensures that all these parameters are maintained at a high level, as evidenced by the choices of recognized architectural firms — adds Jacek Szeląg.