Project Spotlights

Simple, Natural Beauty at Caravan Manchester

A bespoke variation of our Nude Oak flooring is the foundation of Caravan, Manchester, a welcoming, adaptable space inspired by the laid-back charm of New Zealand’s famous coffee shop culture.

Broadleaf oak plank flooring in a large open plan restaurant. Caravan Manchester.

THE BRIEF

The inspiration for this project from award-winning interior design studio Other Side was taken from New Zealand trail huts and wool sheds. The flooring needed to follow this and create a natural foundation for the rustic aesthetic and complement the planned timber structures, textured hemp wall panelling and exposed services.

Plank and parquet floors are both beautiful, but if you like both and don’t know which to choose, the following might help you.

Plank floors are quicker and easier to install than parquet, which means that they will be less expensive to install. They are also a simpler DIY option. That said, parquet floors have an undeniable wow factor, and create a feature all on their own. This is one of the reasons that they are such a popular choice for hallways, which can often be difficult to furnish due to their size and the need to be able to move through them freely.

Herringbone parquet is also a great solution for unusually shaped rooms such as L shapes or those entered from more than one direction, as the pattern works both ways, whereas plank floors tend to look better in one direction or another.

Plank and parquet floors are both beautiful, but if you like both and don’t know which to choose, the following might help you.

Plank floors are quicker and easier to install than parquet, which means that they will be less expensive to install. They are also a simpler DIY option. That said, parquet floors have an undeniable wow factor, and create a feature all on their own. This is one of the reasons that they are such a popular choice for hallways, which can often be difficult to furnish due to their size and the need to be able to move through them freely.

Herringbone parquet is also a great solution for unusually shaped rooms such as L shapes or those entered from more than one direction, as the pattern works both ways, whereas plank floors tend to look better in one direction or another.

THE SOLUTION

Our Nude Oak, with its untouched raw timber look and subtle texture, was a natural fit. However, given the high traffic expected in this day and night venue, we enhanced its already high performance finish to minimise maintenance and optimise lifespan.

A single width plank was chosen to align with the simple rustic aesthetic, in one of our narrower dimensions to make the generous space feel more intimate. The flooring connects each space, at the same time adding natural warmth and character and creating a relaxed flow from one area to another that invites the customers in.

All Oak Engineered

The Nude Oak planks used for this project were in our award winning Strata format, which had several practical advantages. Strata is engineered from 3 layers of Oak, which not only make it dimensionally super stable (as each layer is made from the same material so any movement is inherently equal and opposite) but also make it even more sustainable. The smaller elements of Oak used to create the core of our Strata boards are recycled from the saw milling process where they would otherwise be disposed of or burned due to their size, so using them in production reduces biogenic carbon emissions and environmental impact. Last but not least, the high density of the all Oak Strata boards helps to absorb sound and create great acoustics, a crucial objective in hospitality spaces like Caravan where ambience is key.

 

Client: Other Side and Caravan Manchester

Photography: Marriell Lind Hanson

NEWSLETTER sign up

Keep up to date with all the new products and trends at Broadleaf