Q. Flooring plays an important role in the overall look of a space. How can new age technology define and create an impressive ‘WoW’ factor of the space?
Flooring is vital when it comes to creating ambiance, the colour & texture of a floor- it is what brings life to a room. It also adds warmth and forms a natural backdrop to the overall space. As manufacturing technologies have kept evolving, tiles are increasing their efforts to include the look & feel like natural materials. So, Marble-like tiles are so much more environment friendly than quarrying for Marbles or wooden planks that look & have the same texture as wood.
Tiles also make spaces safer & more comfortable. New age tiles like Orientbell’s anti-static conductive tiles, or antiviral & germ-free tiles make data centres, hospitals & commercial spaces safer. Cool tiles are increasingly being used to the reduce energy consumption for cooling and actually showcases how Tiles are evolving way beyond simple floor coverings.
Q. Tell us about the flooring trends changes throughout the years acquiring new tastes and improvement in technology and industrial practices?
The flooring industry has also seen a lot of innovation on the product front. Tiles have over the years become larger & larger in size keeping in mind the preference of the consumers for marble-like looks and the versatility of application.
Another aspect is the changing color preference. While earlier Beiges & whites were popular, we are seeing an increasing preference for Grey Marble. Infact, grey is also the ‘Pantone Colour of the Year’. Grey is versatile enough to be combined with a lavender yellow for a brighter interior or with a wooden furniture for a more sober interior.
However, the way tiles are being sold has remained the same for the last few decades. With the advent of technology, the way you select & buy tiles must be made simpler & more convenient. Today with our digital tools, customers can:
- Find a similar-looking tile by just uploading a picture from Instagram or a photo (orientbell.com/samelook )
- play with the tiles being considered in pre-defined ambiences & visualise laying patterns, calculate wastage in a few seconds (Quicklook)
- Or even upload a photo of the actual sample flat to virtually try as many floor tiles from our range as you want to! (orientbell.com/Trialook)
Q. Tell us about the variety of flooring designs made available for residential and industrial projects?
One has to choose different products depending upon the need. For example, in a data centre or any space handling sensitive electronic equipment or inflammable liquids, Orientbell’s anti-static conductive tiles must be used to avoid electric sparks and currents. On the other hand, floors which take a lot of heavy load and are subject to wear and tear (think of automobile garages, warehouses) Full Body Vitrified tiles will provide the strength that is required.
Forever tiles are scratch resistant tiles (and also germ free) and can be used in floors to avoid scratches. These tiles are specifically designed to withstand the harshest scratches and most ordinary everyday used materials like screwdrivers, stainless steel chairs will not scratch them.
Further talking about the commercial spaces, these places see a huge traffic of people which makes it difficult for round the clock sanitisation and cleaning process. To reduce the dependency, Anti-Viral tiles make it easier to maintain hygiene. These tiles kill 99% of viruses in 2 hours (as shown in external lab test results). Corporate canteens, hospitals, restrooms will all benefit from one more frontier to fight the battle against microbes.
Q. What are the flooring trends that will change the scenario of the flooring and tiles?
With the onset of the pandemic, the focus for consumers have increased around cleanliness and the sanitization process. With that said, the antiviral tiles are the only tiles that restrict the spread of viruses on surfaces and kill more than 99% of the viruses in 2 hours. These tiles ensure the floors & walls remain safe and germfree even between cleaning cycles and have applications in hospitals, corporate restrooms, or restaurants.
Another trend in the tiles industry is around colors. The ‘Pantone Color of the Year’ is grey which has been a hit with the consumers, not just for flooring but amongst the wall tiles section as well. The grey colour tiles are versatile enough to be used across residential & commercial spaces.
With the time constraints on hand, consumers now look for tiles that are elegant as well as save time in the application process. Keeping this in mind, the preference towards the large tiles has increased. These tiles are not only easy to install but also help in making the room/ space look bigger, especially if one chooses a light color.
Q. With the advent of technology how can one acquire porcelain tiles which mimic the expensive, chic and classic marble look that never goes out of style.
Its now as simple (sic) as visiting our website! We have made a variety of filters allowing you to choose by colors or size. You can even upload a photo of a marble you like to find a tile that looks most similar to it. (www.orientbell.com/samelook)
We regularly follow the global trends in marbles. And our Inspire range has some of the most exotic marbles be it soap stones from Australia, or Breccia. One of our best-sellers is a statuario whose veins stretch across 4 tiles giving you a replica of a natural marble slab!
Q. With an increasing focus on sustainability, share with us the trends to incorporate the hues of the outdoors into the interiors, the trend of natural colours, simplicity and coziness of the natural hues that will create the soothing luxury?
We see customers are increasingly preferring large (600X1200mm) marble-like tiles even in smaller spaces like bathrooms. They can communicate a sense of luxury & provide indulgence for those precious ten-minutes of me-time you enjoy.
Planks (195x1200mm) which look & feel like wood, while made from ceramics are also increasingly being used in bedrooms. It makes bedrooms even more the cozier place you would like to retreat after a long day at work.
Q. Which reforms or points that government missed out in the current budget for the industry that would have brought a reprise or sense of relief?
The current GST rate of 18% for tiles and sanitaryware is way more than the desired 12% – a request which the government should have considered. The government also should have considered including Natural Gas under the tax regime, which at this point, is not considered for inclusion. Natural gas is approximately 18–20% of the total cost and is one of the cleanest sources of fuels.
Q. What is the projected outlook for the industry? Which are your target sectors or industries?
The industry should see growth of 8-10% driven primarily by exports. Residential housing continues to be a basic need, and the PMAY initiatives underline the government commitment to address the gap.
We see demand for data centres & warehouses increasing. And our Anti-static conductive tiles and Sahara Full Body Vitrified tiles address them respectively.
We also see an increased sensitivity to designing structures with minimal energy consumption or following GRIHA norms/LEEDS certification. Cool Tiles that reduce