Flooring Focus: David Conlon of En Masse Bespoke
David Conlon of En Masse Bespoke Interiors on the flooring that makes a project truly unique
Words by Toby Maxwell
What has been your favourite recent flooring project and why?
A resin floor in a trowelled finish, which was self-levelled by the installer in light grey. It works on so many levels, but the fact that you can run it throughout large spaces – with no thresholds, and it works well with underfloor heating, which means no unsightly radiators – is a huge plus. It’s also highly durable and very hard-wearing and, subject to the type of finish you’ve chosen, you can maintain and re-finish it. The seamless look is the main appeal to me.
How integral to the success of a project is the flooring?
Massively. Thresholds are a huge influence on flooring, and seamless flooring throughout gives you a consistent space and feel for the whole house. You can zone areas out but the flooring allows everything to belong.
What types of flooring do you specify most often?
Timber, concrete and resin are currently most requested and the options I would always choose to fit. All these offer a cohesive flow and are highly durable. Tiles are always an option, but they tend to separate a room from the rest of the house and I prefer one look and feel to create a flow.
What innovative or creative flooring products have you seen or specified recently?
Resin floors. They work really well on floors and you can form the same resin over staircases and also on walls! Even doors and fixtures can be used with resin. It’s highly functional but the colours and finishes you can create can make a hard material feel softer.
Engineered wooden floors are also lovely, including herringbone, parquet and plank, which all create a great lived-in feeling but in a very modern way. The choice of colours and finishes of engineered wooden floors is also a high point. The Scandi-coloured engineered wooden floors in large planks, which run the entire depth of a home, will instantly make it look bigger.
What types of flooring would be top of your wish list?
Polished concrete. If you’re building or adding an extension, nine times out of 10 you’ll end up with a concrete floor. Using this as your main flooring utilises the base, and creates a modern industrial feel.
Underfloor heating is a must in a home and a polished concrete floor allows for this to work brilliantly within the whole of the downstairs of your home and creates a cohesive flow. You’ll also never need to replace it so the initial outlay is worth it. You’ll be able to refinish it over time, or the tiny flaws or scratches can only add to the feel of the floor.
The grade of concrete you use is imperative in creating a beautiful, polished concrete floor. Soft furnishings and rugs can be used to soften it, but the unifying ability of one flooring throughout really appeals to me.
