Russell Sage

For me, the design process is quite focused on the floor. Especially in new spaces, the type of floor sets the precedent for how the rest of the room goes. Think about the floor like a wall; people care about what’s on their walls and they should care about what’s on their floor just the same.

As much as I like breaking the rules, I actually like respecting the rules of historic buildings.

I’m working on a 1970s building, which originally had cork flooring, and I can’t think of a better way of doing it, so we’re adding in cork tiles, and it just feels right.

The floor will always have movement, so it’s important to allow for movement joints. It takes a while for a building to settle down, and it only needs to move a couple of millimetres for the tiles to crack.

When choosing a flooring material in a home you need to consider the acoustics. If you want

Russell redesigned The Goring Hotel’s reception, keeping its original marble floor a quiet space then use carpet to help absorb sound, rather than an echo-inducing stone floor.

Laying direction is important as it can change the sense of size in the space.

For example, in a hall, I’d lay floorboards vertically, going away from me, just as with a rug in front of a fireplace, you wouldn’t lay it with the narrow end at the hearth, you’d lay it crossways because that makes the room feel larger.

With all floor finishes, think about what it’s going to look like in a couple of years’ time,

because nothing ever stays pristine no matter how much the intention is to keep it that way. Therefore, you need to consider the durability of the surface.

I like to think about the threshold of rooms,

the point at which you switch from one room to the next. Rather than having a wood floor running up to a door, then switching to carpet, try adding a strip of marble or coloured timber – it really helps finish the look.

Considering the lighting of a room can affect the flooring choices.

If it’s a space with lots of light, you know you’re going to get a wonderful band of light across a wooden floor, so you wouldn’t want to lose that by adding a rug. Likewise, in darker rooms, a light carpet and low-level lighting can help bounce what light there is back up into the rest of the space.

Be wary of following flooring trends too closely

– it’s a big commitment to change. I’m happy sticking with classical finishes, knowing they will be enduring and allow for other schemes down the line. Rugs are a great way of keeping up with fashions.

That said, don’t be scared!

exciting opportunities to use some unusual combinations, which while remaining classic