Fake it until you make it
Find right alternative for the job
KEEPING it real takes on a whole new meaning when you’re talking about material choices.
More of us are choosing practical materials over natural ones such as timber, concrete and even grass. While cost is often a consideration, practicality and durability are also important.
Pet owners know only too well the damage their cat or dog can do to furnishings and flooring, particularly timber.
Carpet Court has released a hybrid timber-look flooring range called Pinnacle that is designed to look like timber, but can resist scratching from an 80kg Great Dane.
Brett Talbot, Carpet Court national merchandise manager, says the new flooring is made up of a stone and plastic composite that looks like the real deal.
“This material can be used anywhere, including the bedrooms, bathroom and kitchen,” Brett says.
“Timbers don’t naturally work well with water, but this product is more water resilient.”
While tiles need to be laid over a perfectly straight concrete slab, this timber-look product doesn’t need perfect sub-floor preparation.
“This is a more flexible product so it doesn’t matter if the floor is slightly uneven,” Brett says.
“Usually, if the sub-floor moves slightly the tile can crack.”
It’s this sort of convenience that is chalking up runs on the board for timber and tile-look flooring, and benchtop supplier Caesarstone has also tapped into the look-alike market.
Senior brand manager, Linda Hannah says while marble is a premium material, the downside is it’s supple and stains easily.
Concrete is another material that is on-trend, but can be porous and chip easily.
Caesarstone has had huge success in the market, mimicking the look of both these products on vanities, splashbacks and benchtops.
“The benefit of getting a marble or concrete-look Caesarstone is that it is virtually non-porous,” Linda says.
“The other products require sealing or you need to wipe down the stone really, really fast. With Caesarstone you can spill something like red wine, and easily wipe it off.
“The benefit is that you don’t have to worry about this material, and it’s also resistant to mildew and mould. People love the look of natural stone and concrete, but they don’t love the hassle of maintaining them.”
Faux bricks have long been a trend in wallpaper, but Greenway Systems is catering to those who want the look and feel of natural brick in more vibrant colours for the interior.
“We have look-alike products made of a concrete composite that are smaller than the standard brick measuring about 10mm thick, which is great if someone wants to save a bit of space in the home,” says spokesman, Ben Hanna.
“Unlike common bricks, these ones have a clay coating which gives them more colour and variation.”
Synthetic turf is another product gaining traction as a safe and resilient product.
It eliminates the use of potentially harmful pesticides and fertilisers while decreasing maintenance costs. Another plus in times of water restrictions — there is no need for watering.
More: caesarstone.com.au; carpet court.com.au; greenwaysystemscom.au; ozturf.com.au