On the Surface
Coatings, coverings and sound-absorbing systems for walls and ceilings
coatings, panels and soundabsorbing systems for walls and ceilings
ACOUSTIC CONTROL
1 FELT PATTERNS The ARO collection of wool felt patterns, designed for Filzfelt by Architecture Research Office, includes options for both walls and ceilings. The modular ARO Block, for example, is made of colourful three-millimetre-thick felt mounted on a PET substrate. filzfelt.com
2 NATURAL SELECTION Inspired by bricklaying and parquet patterns, Baux’s Plank retains its natural colour, allowing the segments to be easily cut to size. The material, made of wood wool, cement and water, also regulates moisture and heat. baux.se
3 RECYCLED PLASTIC Part of Kirei’s Echopanel line, Vee Tiles are made of recycled PET plastic. Available in 13 colours – with custom options on the way – the 12-millimetre-thick tiles absorb up to 36 per cent of ambient noise. kireiusa.com
4 FLOATING DECOR Made of interlocking blades of polyester felt, Baresque’s Zintra Acoustic Clouds system can be affixed directly to the ceiling or hung as pendants. The units come in four shapes and are approximately one metre in diameter. baresque.us
PAINT AND PAPER
1 RETRO APPEAL Farrow & Ball is introducing three block-printed wallpapers inspired by 1940s motifs. The geometric Enigma, for example, is named for the encoding machine used during the Second World War. It comes in seven colourways. farrow-ball.com
2 WATERCOLOUR COVERINGS A Mylar alternative to metal panelling, Calico’s Cirrus gets its patinaed look from layering hand-painted watercolours on top of lustrous metallic bases. The six colourways (Vapor is shown) include grey and white tones as well as earthy neutrals. calicowallpaper.com
3 METALLIC LOOK Part of Dulux’s Effect Finishes collection, Liquid Metal comes in 32 hues. Applied with a sprayer, it creates a shimmering and shiny surface; when applied with a sponge, the result has more texture. dulux.ca
4 PROTECTIVE COATINGS Wolf-gordon’s Performance Upholstery 01 wallcoverings collection offers a range of durable coatings – such as Pfoa-free Teflon, Greenshield and Crypton – to protect against stains, dirt and bacteria. wolfgordon.com
WALL PANELS
1 METAL ELEMENTS Custom metal fabricator Moz Designs is expanding its Blendz Patina collection of recycled aluminum surfacing with new options that evoke wood, water, copper and earth. The material can be specified in a range of sizes. mozdesigns.com
2 EYE-POPPING ILLUSION Swedish studio Front collaborated with wood veneer manufacturer Alpi to introduce Drapery Wood and Grid Wood. The latter uses four different hues in a traditional inlay pattern; the variety of finishes creates the illusion of a 3-D surface. alpiwood.com
3 LAYERED TRANSPARENCY The Vivistrata collection of etched glass from Forms+surfaces includes Layers, which frames multiple patterns between two sheets. It comes with an invisible coating that repels dirt. forms-surfaces.com
4 HIDDEN SEAMS The mosaic-like Chip pattern is new to Modulararts’ Interlockingrock collection of three dimensional gypsum panels. Fortified filler allows for seamless installation on walls of any size. modulararts.com
CEILING SYSTEMS
1 EASY INSTALLATION Made with 70 per cent pre-consumer recycled content, Certainteed’s sound-blocking Sereno Fine Fissured Ceiling tiles are non-directional and easy to cut for extra-quick installation with minimal dust. certainteed.com
2 CARVED BAMBOO Plyboo Ceilings by Smith & Fong has launched with a selection of 40 textured panels made from Fsc-certified bamboo. The modules, including Linear Sound (shown), fit standard ceiling grids; custom sizes up to 4 by 10 feet can also be ordered. plyboo.com
3 SUSPENDED SHAPES 3Form’s Shapes line comprises three types of resin modules – Flag (shown), Parasol and Crimp – that, suspended via a cable system or an angled mounting pole, seem to float below the ceiling. 3-form.com
4 SOUND SYSTEM Part of Armstrong’s Total Acoustics line, Calla provides sound absorption and blocking for high-traffic spaces. The textured mineral fibre panels can be specified in 14 standard hues or custom ordered in Sherwin-williams paint colours. armstrong.com