How can winter matting be designed to serve its function with style?

Winter matting is not only important to help keep the common areas in a building looking clean, but also to preserve the flooring and reduce the slipping hazards of water on tile. What’s more, it helps stop occupants from tracking dirt, soot, salt, water and other debris into the building from the ground floor or parking level entries.

Winter matting should be designed to cover the most heavily trafficked areas of a building, while also taking into account what a condominium’s tile pattern looks like. The two should flow together. If the tile design is intricate, a condominium board won’t want it to be covered up, as winter matting can be in place for up to six months of the year.

One way to make the winter matting flow with the design of the tile is to incorporate its borders and logos into the layout. The decision to include a border depends on the layout of a condominium’s tile. If it currently has a tile border, a condominium can choose to hide the border with winter matting in one colour, add a border in winter matting in a similar colour to the tile to reflect the pattern, or simply stop the winter matting where the tile border starts in order to show it off all year round.

If a condominium chooses to cover up the tile border, it should be sure to cover its entirety. Likewise, if a condominium chooses to leave the tile border exposed, it should leave all of it exposed. This will create a harmonious, finished look. Logos can be used in the vestibule area or in the entrance to the building from the parking garage, as it gives a welcoming feel while defining the entry.

Colour is an important part to the design and overall look of a building. The colour should blend with the condominium’s tile and complement it rather than contrast it. A multi-colour weave will hide dirt and stains better than a solid colour. Solid colours should be used for the borders and logos, as they give more definition and make the pattern stand out.

Super nop-grade, permanent tape-down-style matting is recommended, as it has a pleasing aesthetic while being extremely functional in preventing occupants from tracking dirt from into a building. The reason for taping the matting down is because it will be in place for an extended period and it tends to look sloppy if it is constantly shifting — it can even be a tripping hazard. A rubber edge will add more traction, which is beneficial for locations where matting is more common, like a building’s entrance or its parking lobbies.

Winter matting will protect a building and extend the life of its flooring. By customizing it to a condominium, it can be made to look like a design element and not an eyesore.

Anita Wiklém is the creative director and founding partner at Wiklém Design Inc. She has extensive experience and expertise in condominium refurbishment design.