THE BRIEF
When we heard that BBC’s renowned DIY SOS team were taking on a new project to help a fully inclusive performing arts school in Wallsend, North Tyneside, we couldn’t wait to get involved by donating flooring.
True Colours Theatre is an award winning charity that teaches dance and theatre to children and young adults, many of whom have additional needs. Having outgrown its existing centre the charity had been given a larger venue which had plenty of potential but was in a poor state of repair.
The DIY SOS team selected the centre as its ‘Big Build’ for 2023 and partnered with stars from Strictly Come Dancing to ensure that the project offered all the facilities a dance school could need and more, from wheelchair friendly access to that all important showbiz atmosphere.
Client: True Colours Theatre
Designer: Gabrielle Blackman for DIY SOS: The Big Build
Flooring: Korlok Regent Primrose Oak herringbone
Area: 200m2
Promorse Oak herringbone from our Korlok Regent collection.
THE CONCEPT
In addition to a large performance space, formerly a sports hall, the centre also includes a café where family members can relax as well as a sensory room for those dealing with anxiety. By using the same flooring and soft pastel colour palette throughout these areas, the building has been given a bright yet calming feel that seamlessly flows.
Fleur Carson, managing director of Karndean Designflooring, explained: “Getting the flooring right was key. The DIY SOS team had just six days to complete the entire build and needed to preserve the original parquet flooring, so we recommended a rigid core format. Having used Karndean flooring for previous DIY SOS projects, Gabrielle Blackman, the interior designer working on the project knew that this would offer the durability needed to stand up to heavy daily use.
“When Gabrielle and the team discovered that the new Korlok Regent range included a herringbone design they knew that this would give them the authentic look of a wood floor in an interesting pattern and the speedy installation they needed to meet the challenging build schedule.”
THE LOOK
In the main performance space, Primrose Oak brings a warm and serene natural wood look in harmonious shades of soft beige that perfectly complements the white walls and soft pastel accents. Its highly realistic oak look and unique grain emboss provides a classic wood floor effect with a luxurious finish that is easy to maintain.
By opting for a herringbone pattern, the floor introduces a sense of movement and flow to the large open plan space. Taking the same flooring through to the adjacent café, with its soft green tiles and pale blue seats, visually unites the two different spaces and helps family members feel connected to their children while they relax and find support from others with similar experiences.
True Colours Theatre founder Alisar-Jane Taylor said: “These children are an inspiration and it’s amazing to be able to give them the space they need to express themselves and feel safe and accepted. This project has been a life changing transformation and the building is now a calm space where people can live their true lives. The flooring has an unbelievably realistic look and feel of wood and many people have said to me that they can’t believe it’s not the real thing.”
Watch the full interview with Alisar-Jane Taylor below.
Explore our Korlok Regent collection.