Floors are the unsung heroes of a room. They set the stage for everything that happens above them. In our designs, we often think of flooring as the canvas on which we paint with colour, pattern and texture. The right choice underfoot can transform a space from ordinary to extraordinary. Here are some of the flooring types we love to use, each with their own distinct character and charm.
Natural Wood
Wooden floors never go out of style. Their warmth and organic patterns bring a timeless quality to a room. We love using wide oak boards in soft, natural finishes, creating a look that feels modern yet deeply rooted in tradition. The gentle patina that wood develops over time only adds to its beauty. In our hotels, we often soften the look with a playful rug layered over the boards, adding colour and comfort. We have done exactly this in the entrance lobby at Crosby Street Hotel.
Patterned Tiles
Tiles are a wonderful way to introduce pattern in unexpected places. In bathrooms, we often use geometric tiles to create rhythm and movement. For our moonlit bathroom designed for C P Hart, we inset delicate stars and moons into marble tiles, subtly under-lit to create a soft, celestial glow.
Wool Carpets
There is nothing quite like the feel of a pure wool carpet underfoot. Soft, sustainable and naturally insulating, it offers both comfort and practicality in equal measure. We love incorporating patterned rugs and carpets throughout our hotel corridors, where they add warmth and character while subtly guiding guests through the space and towards their rooms.
In bedrooms, a carpet brings calm and comfort, softening the acoustics and making it a joy to step out of bed onto something warm and inviting.
Stone Floors
Limestone and marble offer natural elegance and are perfect for kitchens and garden rooms, seamlessly linking indoors with outdoors. At Ham Yard Hotel’s Orangery, a pebble mosaic floor creates a hand-drawn effect in stone. Its mix of dark and light pebbles forms an organic scrolling motif that softens the architecture while gently guiding the eye through the space, blending nature with exquisite craftsmanship.
Rugs
Rugs are our secret ingredient. They have the power to transform a plain floor into a stage for furniture and art. We love handwoven sisal for its natural texture, or richly patterned kilims for their artisanal charm. A well-placed rug brings colour, texture and definition, helping to create distinct zones within an open-plan room while adding depth and warmth.
Whether it is the natural grain of wood, the cool elegance of stone, or the joyful pattern of a woven rug, what lies beneath our feet sets the rhythm for everything above. Floors are never just floors; they are the foundation of comfort and character, the starting point for every story a room has to tell.