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  • Vibrant Public Space Design: Selecting The Best Carpet For Public Spaces

When designing for public spaces choosing a vibrant design can provide an instant impact and play into the aesthetics of the space. 

Carpet installations in large commercial interiors require a lot of thought. That’s because while aesthetics and ambience are essential requisites, you’ve also got to weigh in crucial aspects like resilience, durability and maintenance. What's more, different kinds of spaces have different needs.

For instance, carpets in public spaces get soiled quickly. So, how do you choose a carpet that remains unfazed in the face of dirt and grime? Then again… what is the most effective solution for high traffic zones? And how do you work around issues of regular wear and tear, to help your client avoid the risk of frequent and expensive replacements? 

If any of these and other similar questions have ever crossed your mind, this guide might just be the answer to your queries. Read on for the latest tips and ideas on choosing the most suitable carpeting solutions for public spaces.
 

Things to Consider

Think Patterns:
If you’re designing an open plan space, like a convention centre, patterned carpets will inject tons of personality, contemporary flair and elevate the interior design of that space. But, it’s not just about creativity. Patterns can be highly functional as well. Adding arrows or strips of colours to direct traffic through specific areas and guide people along the way.  The beauty of patterns within public spaces is the added ability to better hide soiling and general wear and tear over time. 

When in Doubt, Select a Darker Colour Palette: 
Public spaces often have to endure high volumes of foot traffic, especially from shoes that have been outside and everywhere. This causing potential for a lot of dust and dirt being tracked across the floor. A dark colour palette can work wonders in such situations to mask the mess without ruining the carpet’s visual appeal. 

Public Space Products

Tiles or Broadloom

Factor in the Heavy-Duty Rating: 
For longevity and to do away with the hassle of regular replacement, look for carpet products that are rated extra-heavy duty. The Carpet Institute of Australia independently tests and evaluates carpets for durability and strength. A number of our commercial product offerings are rated extra heavy duty which provide resilience to high traffic areas, perfect for busy public spaces. 

For Ease of Replacement, Consider Carpet Tiles: 
Large spills, while inevitable and damaging, do not always warrant the need for a replacement.  When only sections of a carpet are affected by spills, carpet tiles are the answer to making a cost-effective change. Which means, in case of damage, all your client has to do is replace the worn-out section with a brand-new tile/s.

Go Broadloom: 
Broadloom carpets favour seamless finishing and large-scale patterns, thus making for a striking choice in public space projects, particularly if your client’s preference veers towards large designs.  Our Designer Jet® allows for the benefits of a broadloom carpet without limitation on the impactful design and colour required to meet a project brief.  

Public Space Projects

Additional Features

Safety is Critical: 
Creating safe public spaces is essential for users as well as meeting relevant building codes that are unique to each space. Here at GH Commercial we offer a range of Declare® LBC Red List Free products. Predicated on creating a healthier built environment, the Declare® program delivers clear, unambiguous information about building material specifications. Participating manufacturers are required to disclose a Product’s entire constituent chemical composition to a threshold of 100-parts-per-million; essentially creating a ‘nutrition’ label of ingredients. LBC Red List Free products offer a complete ingredient disclosure revealing zero Red List chemicals. 

Acoustic Performance:
Since public spaces attract crowds in large numbers, it can get really noisy. To control noise and sound-proof the area, what better solution than carpets? And, you could take it a notch above with our cushion backing options. Look for our Enviro Bac Plus® and Enviro Bac Lite® cushion backed carpet tiles or the Quick Comfort® range in broadloom designs.

Resources and Accreditations
Authored date: 13/12/2023

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