First Impressions

Enjoy a warm welcome with natural wood floors

When you first enter a building you make an immediate decision whether you like the feel of a space or not. Entrances, hallways, lobbies, foyers and anterooms all play an important part in a building's overall identity and ambience. First impressions are incredibly important both in residential interiors and in commercial or business environments and getting the appearance of an entrance right takes consideration and planning.

Combining materials that are hardworking whilst also attractive and in-keeping with a building's architectural style can be a challenge and entrances and hallways are often overlooked when it comes to design.

By specifying natural materials you instantly give a space a sense of 'softness' that also feels welcoming and comfortable. One vital aspect of a hallway, lobby or entrance is the flooring. Of course, flooring needs to be hardwearing and long lasting yet also look good and be easy to maintain and keep clean. Wood flooring makes the perfect choice for hallways, as it is incredibly forgiving, durable and hardwearing. Natural wood such as oak looks attractive in a variety of settings and works well in both contemporary and period properties.

When choosing a wood floor for your entrance or hall select a timber that masks daily use such as the Ecora's Hampstead Grey Oak. A wood floor that copes well with high footfall, Hampstead Grey has a surface planed finish that disguises marks and scratches far better than a smooth surface.

Sales Director of Ecora, Jeandre du Toit explains further "I always recommend going for a distressed product for use in areas of high usage such as Classic English Oak or Oak Hazel both of which have robust hard-wax oiled finishes. These wood floors also work well in commercial environments such as restaurants, hotels and galleries as well is in residential interiors. We also suggest finishing your wood floor with an additional coat of flooring oil for areas of high traffic.

For a more dramatic impact wood flooring can be used in patterned form such as parquet or block flooring which looks impressive when used within a hall or lobby. A traditional method of adding instant style to an entrance, patterned wood floors are incredibly popular and look particularly effective within historic properties.

               Oak Hampstead Grey, Oak Orchard distressed, Oak Lyndhurst Chevrons, Oak Hazel

Whatever the style or size of your property, it is well worth spending a little time and consideration on the design and style of your entrance, particularly if you are looking to sell in the future. A well though-out and beautifully decorated hallway will undoubtedly add appeal and value to your property making it a worthy investment.