THE BRIEF
In a semi-rural location on the outskirts of Blackburn, Taylor Wimpey Manchester is building a community of 225 homes. The Riven Stones development has been designed with sustainability in mind, with each home including PV solar panels and EV car charging stations.
Client: Taylor Wimpey Manchester
Interior Designer: Hayley Holland, Kitch & Co
Flooring: Knight Tile Grey Washed Oak
Sam Evans, sales and marketing director at Taylor Wimpey Manchester, told us: “Buyers of our 3 bedroom homes are typically young couples who want a modern style even in the country. It was important for us to create a showhome that is memorable with a fresh, bright and welcoming feel.
“This is an audience that is just developing their own tastes and very inspired by social media so our goal was to show how a bold floor can give their new build home a bespoke look that reflects their individuality.”
THE CONCEPT
The Braxton showhome demonstrates how easy it is to create this aspirational contemporary look, full of interest and character. With a monochrome colour palette, clean lines and geometric shapes, the showhome is modern yet highly practical and adaptable.
Grey Washed Oak chevron from our Knight Tile collection.
Having partnered with Karndean on many Taylor Wimpey developments over the past 20 years, Sam and interior designer Hayley Holland of Kitch & Co knew that taking the same flooring through the hallway, kitchen and downstairs cloakroom would give the showhome a sense of cohesion and flow.
Sam explained: “The versatility of Karndean has allowed us to be brave by introducing chevron flooring in the Braxton showhome. This is our first showroom to feature a chevron floor but having access to Karndean’s staggered chevron pattern in a full plank format gave us the opportunity to show our customers how impactful an imaginative floor can be.”
THE LOOK
In the open plan kitchen diner white gloss kitchen units contrast with black appliances and furnishings, softened by a pale grey worksurface and velvet curtains. With its varying mixture of cloudy grey hues and silver undertones, Grey Washed Oak chevron planks from the Knight Tile range introduce warming natural greige shades and an interesting pattern that adds depth and a sense of movement.
The same flooring continues through the hallway and into the cloakroom, where a statement wallpaper features an oversized random geometric pattern.
Sam said: “Sometimes it feels like showhomes can all look the same so it’s been wonderful to take a bit of a risk with a floor that stands out from the crowd. The beauty of this design for us is that, as a full-sized plank, it’s quick to install and maintenance is easier than small planks. Even in new builds, rooms are never completely square but the larger plank means that the pattern is less likely to get out of kilter.
“The showhome is massively influential so we’re pleased to be able to show how LVT can offer an on-trend style and still be practical. Karndean is a product with such longevity compared to other options. It’s a floor you can put in and 10 years later it’ll still be going strong. We’ve had great feedback. All our customers love the chevron floor as it’s something that’s rarely seen.”
Explore our Knight Tile dual-format range.