Tuesday 9 February 2010

Tues 9th Feb: Return to the DARKROOM








After a few previous posts regarding new concept store DARKROOM, I just wanted to add another entry to illustrate the attention to detail with the planning..........and in particular the incredible floor which jumps straight out at you when you enter the checkerboard themed space.  I know that the owners have a background in both Interior and Graphic design, so it seems that the worlds have perfectly collided in this ingenious and covetable artwork for under the feet!  I asked Rhonda to explain exactly how they went about covering their floor with TLC...........and the concept behind the concept store.........

"We had the 750mm/sq tiles laser cut from 5mm thick Beech ply for spot-on accuracy. The tiles were then individually prepared – 2 layers of handpainted black pattern and 4 layers of varnish, which took about a week. The floor was levelled using a self levelling compound and the tiles were glued using a contact floor adhesive.

We wanted a floor design that was based on a grid for the shop-fit because it formed a base and structure for our modular display stands that can be moved around into different formations giving flexibility to our merchandising. We already knew that our walls would be a strong but neutral black, so the floor needed to be quite striking to hold the space together and create an interesting environment. The materials/colour palette – pale wood and black, were chosen as they have good contrast but are neutral enough not to clash with our stock. 

The pattern is intended to hold constructivist, industrial and geometric qualities that make the space feel contemporary and timeless in a modernist way."

Photos c/o Rhonda Drakeford