Floor and wall coverings: Ecology, esthetics and acoustics offer three reasons for a comeback

Until relatively recently, PVC wall coverings had lost the favor of hoteliers. The economy segment preferred paint or fiberglass; upscale properties favored textile. These wall coverings continue to compete fiercely with PVC products, but they have regained their position among the options available to hoteliers and interior designers when it comes to the conception of a room’s decoration. Compared with basic paint, PVC – like any textile wall covering – is multipurpose, combining relief with the motif and color. This is one reason why many hotel groups such as Hilton and Marriott that want quality and value are more willingly adopting this solution today.Available in an abundance of motifs and colors, carpeting is available for all different kinds of interior decoration. “At classic hotels, the décor remains floral. But at contemporary hotels, particularly in Spain and Italy, we are seeing solids, white with dominant black,” observes Lionel Pitot-Belin. Very graphic designs and colors such as taupe, anthracite, prune, chocolate are fashionable. But beyond a certain volume, suppliers can propose any decoration to the hotelier. Balsan distributes Best Design products or the more accessible Design Concept alongside its upscale High Tech line made of Antron Excel polyamide which is crush resistant and is particularly appropriate for high traffic areas. Alongside its woven Axminster and Wilton products, Desso also has carpet squares. “In the upscale, carpeting by the meter continues to predominate. But for this type of product, there are a lot of scraps. Today we produce carpet tiles that no longer pro-duce a checkerboard effect. It is impossible to see the difference,” remarks Lionel Pitot-Belin. The latest trend bringing us full circle takes an HEQ approach, and is shared by all the covering specialists, Desso and Balsan, whose products benefit from the German brand Gut.But the Trojan horse justifying this renewed...