The Rise of Laminate Surfaces in the Projects Sector

Wilsonart: The rise of laminate surfaces in the projects sector


With the latest advancements in design, texture and thinness, laminate and compact laminate products are getting harder and harder to tell apart from real materials such as stone and timber. Their like-for-like designs along with the advantage of easy maintenance properties that can’t be replicated with real materials are making them a strong contender for the projects market.

Alongside their durability and vast design options, laminate surfaces offer an onsite fit with no specialist or costly tools required, significantly cutting the installation period from weeks to days.

With completion time reduced, and cost of fitting creating savings of hundreds if not thousands of pounds, architects and designers are turning to laminate worktops, upstands and splashbacks in kitchen projects as a cost-effective yet aspirational surface solution.

Nick Jones, Sales Leader at Wilsonart UK, shares his thoughts.

 

Hygiene

The rise of awareness in hygiene and virus control has incited a very strong need for reassurance in work surface protection, which is understandable given the multiple opportunities for direct contact  with surfaces we have on a daily basis. Not only will designers be seeking a product that is easy to clean and resistant to staining and scratching, but also a worksurface that can reduce the spread of harmful bacteria.

Within the Wilsonart brand portfolio, we’ve developed both laminate and compact laminate surfaces containing antimicrobial properties that offer anti-bacterial protection which is food safe and destroys 99.9% of bacteria within 24 hours.

Whilst anti-bacterial protection is a relatively new and advanced technology for surfaces, this new and highly desirable benefit puts laminates in the spotlight over some natural materials that do not offer the same properties.

Laminates can also prevent the growth of mould and bacteria whilst being resistant to heat, water damage and scratches and scuffs. Laminates are hard-working surfaces that are able to meet the growing demands placed upon designers and specifiers, and a result, will become increasingly specified in projects now that hygiene has become of even greater importance.

Post-pandemic spaces

Before Covid, there was a growth within residential interiors for the trend of disconnecting from the outside world and surrounding oneself in meaningful things that bring joy, as a way of escapism from our hyper-connected daily lives. People have also become aware that more material items do not equate to more happiness and inspired the sentiment for the beauty of simplicity.

Looking ahead to post-pandemic interiors, there will be a shift towards creating areas of tranquility and peace away from technology in both residential properties, offices and other public buildings.

The demand for these spaces will become a need rather than a want, especially in the home where living and work lifestyles have merged into one and all take place in a singular space.

This trend, along with the ongoing desire for open- and broken- plan living will see neutral tones of beige, grey and white to project calmness and clarity into our spaces.

The design of our work surfaces will also change, becoming thinner and more discreet. We are seeing the likes of our 12.5mm compact laminate worksurfaces, Zenith, dominating the higher end of onsite fit worksurfaces. It not only creates a super sleek design but in residential homes allows the kitchen to blend into the living space rather than be a standalone space.

New terrain
Laminate surfaces have always played a key role in the specification of the housebuilder and social housing market due to their durability, affordability, breath of design choices and accessibility.

Now the versatility and advancements in the laminates industry is seeing the material enter new areas of the projects sector. One area where laminates, in particularly compact laminate solutions, are growing is in Student Accommodation properties.

Compact laminates, renowned for their durability and tough performance as well as providing a surface that looks and feels like stone without the complexity, are making significant cut through as they can withstand the tough environment students can offer put their kitchens through!

The FF&E sector is also an area where laminate is becoming increasingly important. Favoured for its extensive selection of designs and flexibility of application, laminate is providing an ideal solution for kitting out offices and public and private buildings where both design and affordability are key.

Discover the Wilsonart laminate and Zenith ranges.

 

See the original version published on Designerati in February 2021 here.

Published at: 02-15-2021