We are thrilled to introduce you to the latest addition to our website, the DesignLabs Color Tool from TerraMai. This online tool will help you create and visualize the perfect wood slat wall or ceiling for your next architectural or interior design project.

Click here to try DesignLabs now.

Enhance Your Designs with TerraMai + Terra

This innovative tool allows you to mix and match our modular wood panels in a variety of species (including Acacia, Doug fir, Lost Coast Redwood, Mission Oak, and more) with Sherwin-Williams® Terra paint colors, creating striking and one-of-a-kind combinations. You can choose from a stunning array of 40 different colors, ranging from sophisticated neutrals like Kestral White and Shitake Grey to bold and vibrant shades like Carnelian and Indigo, creating combinations that are as unique as your imagination.

Whether you prefer a natural and organic look with earthy tones or desire to make a bold statement with bright hues, the DesignLabs Color Tool empowers you to curate spaces that reflect your unique style and vision. With just a few clicks, you can experiment  and find the perfect combination for your design. Then you can easily request a sample.

Click here to experiment in DesignLabs.

Inspiring Design Ideas using TerraMai’s Modular Slat Panels:

From warm minimalism to bold contrasts and monochromatic elegance, the DesignLabs Color Tool allows you to infuse your designs with your unique style and vision. Embrace the potential of contemporary interior design with Terramai and create spaces that leave a lasting impression.

Here are just a few ideas to get you started:

1. Warm Minimalism: Embrace the warmth of nature by combining wood species like Acacia or Mission Oak with soft neutrals like Kestral White or Toile Red. Achieve a harmonious balance between warmth and simplicity, creating a serene and inviting ambiance.
   
   
2. Bold Contrasts: Make a statement by juxtaposing the bold tones of Rock walnut or Angelique paneling with bright colors like Gold Finch or Peppery. This striking contrast creates a visually captivating environment that exudes confidence and cheer.
   
   
3. Monochromatic Elegance: Opt for a monochromatic color scheme by selecting our wood Doug Fir – Faux Sugi Ban or Doug Fir – Polar and combine with black, grays, or whites such as Black Magic, Pediment, or Wallflower. This understated elegance adds depth and sophistication to contemporary interiors.

DesignLabs Color Tool Results:

TerraMai Modular Panels: Versatile, sustainable, and gorgeous

In case you aren’t familiar with Terramai’s modular panels, they are crafted from reclaimed and sustainable wood on FSC-certified plywood backers, provide a perfect balance of aesthetic appeal and environmental consciousness. They provide numerous benefits to your architectural project including improved ambiance, enhanced acoustics, and visual interest.

When it comes to designing commercial and residential buildings, modular wood slat panels have a significant impact.. You can incorporate them into either walls or ceilings (or both), replacing traditional materials with the warmth and natural beauty of wood. The result is a visually striking contrast that enhances the appeal of the space for occupants and visitors.

In addition, TerraMai’s slat and mini slat panels are modular, reducing installation time and speeding up project completion. Their versatile design allows for various applications, adding depth and visual interest to the building’s interior in endless ways. By utilizing modular wood slat panels, designers can achieve stunning results in less time, without compromising on quality or aesthetics.

Try the DesignLabs Color Tool today!

The DesignLabs Color Tool adds a new dimension to slat wall design, allowing you to infuse your spaces with a captivating fusion of textures, colors, and materials. Click below to explore the endless possibilities of creating stunning contemporary interiors with Terramai’s wood wall paneling.

We can’t wait to see the stunning spaces you’ll create!

If you have any questions or need assistance, our team is here to help.

Reclaimed wood flooring is a unique, organic, and natural design element. Choose wisely and wood floors are a highly sustainable and durable flooring option even in high traffic commercial settings. Asking and answering key questions at the beginning of your project will ensure your floor not only looks great at installation but in the months and years to follow. When choosing reclaimed wood, a few more questions get added to the mix.

Here are key tips to finding the perfect type of reclaimed wood flooring for your next project.

Start with the end in mind

The floor has to look great. That’s a given. Asking pertinent questions upfront can ensure your selection will not only look great at installation, but 60 days later as well as 5 and 10 years later. Start with the end in mind when selecting wood flooring. Achieving the Wow Factor at installation is a nice rush but no designer wants a phone call 60 days later from a distressed and angry customer because the flooring has been compromised. You’ll go from hero to zero. In order to look great, the flooring must be durable so as to withstand the intended occupant usage and it must be able to meet required cleaning standards.

Key Questions:

• How will the space be used?
• How much traffic is expected?
• What kind of traffic?
• Where do you land on the aesthetic scale, highly rustic or super clean?
• Is some patina or character acceptable?
• How must the floor be cleaned and how often?
• Are there required cleaning processes?

An office with 20 occupants and the occasional visitor has far fewer flooring concerns than that of a reception lobby in which 100’s of occupants wearing hard soled shoes (many of which are high heeled) will traverse a specific path on any given day. The care and maintenance for a lobby will vary from that of a restaurant. Some spaces may require the movement of furniture or have the need to slide equipment from place to place. Understanding how the space will be used will guard against a flooring selection that will fail in short order.

From TerraMai: CBRE chose Teak Engineered Kukui for a refined rustic look that will work with any imperfections that might arise along the way while still maintaining a crisp, clean space.

Enter Durability Standards – Janka

Industry wide, the test used to evaluate flooring hardness and wear is the Janka hardness test. It measures the force required to embed an 11.28 millimeters diameter steel ball halfway into a sample of wood. The industry median for hardness is red oak (northern) at 1290 lbf.

Photo from Wikipedia.

Although Janka is a good starting place, don’t discount species that fall below red oak on the hardness scale. There are other factors to consider when determining whether a species is suitable for your flooring project. Use the questions above to reflect on desired aesthetic and how the space will be used. Walnut, which falls below red oak on the Janka scale, may not be suitable for a high traffic elevator lobby as it may dimple and dent under the pressure of high heeled shoes. If you’ve fallen in love with walnut for a high traffic area, staining a harder wood so that it resembles walnut is an option that will deliver a similar look. If some dimpling is acceptable, using an oil finish on the walnut will help diminish any indentations whereas a polyurethane finish can magnify them. In a low traffic environment like a residential home, walnut flooring is perfectly appropriate.

From TerraMai: MC Walnut Engineered Flooring in a reception area.

Doug fir, which also falls below red oak on the scale, has been used for flooring for centuries. Just like walnut, situations of high wear and tear may result in scratches and indentations. Some installations may embrace these “imperfections”. If one embodies character and has intentionally selected a reclaimed wood with a naturally distressed face or one with nail holes and circle sawn markings, then any new “imperfections” will further add to and enhance the floor’s appearance.

From TerraMai: The Doug fir flooring in the Breslin Bar and Dining Room in NYC looks as good today as it did when it was installed in 2009.

One of the best things about the large variety of reclaimed woods available is the range of unique characteristics you can find. When most people think of reclaimed wood, they think of a rustic aesthetic. However, reclaimed wood isn’t limited to the typical rustic appearance associated with it. When opting for a cleaner more pristine design look, woods higher up on the Janka scale will ensure your design intention is maintained.

From TerraMai: The Perkins+Will Chicago office selected MC White Oak Pale Ale for their expansive, uncluttered space

Choose a Wood That Enhances the Experience

Today, experience design is an important concept in Architecture & Design. Designers are striving to create built environments that not only look great but also feel great. The goal is to provide occupants with a wonderful, engaging experience. That means facilitating interaction with the built environment, developing a unified design aesthetic, and designing for occupant well-being.

From TerraMai: This REI location in Seattle uses Dirty Face flooring to add to the outdoorsy environment

When choosing reclaimed wood flooring, considering its role in the experience will help to select the right wood. Is the wood a backdrop that frames and allows other design elements to shine or is it a major statement maker? For example, using a bold yet clean, eye-catching wood like Acacia Metro or Teak Metro in a minimalist environment will draw people’s attention toward the flooring while creating a sense of energy in the space.

From TerraMai: Agave’s striking, ethnically inspired atmosphere is bolstered by Teak Metro flooring

One important aspect of experience design is the presence of an emotional connection. Flooring can actually help achieve this by thematically uniting the design as a whole and providing various visual textures for occupants to feel connected to nature to enhance overall well-being.

Sam Edelman’s Palm Beach location does this by using reclaimed Mission Oak White flooring in conjunction with an abundance of reclaimed oak throughout the store. This results in feelings of calmness and tranquility that help shoppers focus on the experience without being distracted. The wood also helps to tie in and fortify the store’s brand, as the reclaimed wood reinforces the culture of heritage and craft.

From TerraMai: Sam Edelman’s use of wood fosters a strong emotional connection in shoppers

Which wood is the best to maintain?

This is a bit of a trick question. The wood is not being maintained; the finish is. Maintain the finish and the wood is protected.

If heavy traffic will result in wear patterns, oil is likely the best finish option. Surface scratches, dents, and stains can be spot treated by rubbing a small amount of oil into the area and buffing it with a cotton cloth until the affected area blends with the surrounding floor. The same is true for spot recoating larger areas of wear. Floors with extreme traffic may require a complete recoat every several months but floor areas of light traffic may not need a complete recoat for many years and can be managed with touch ups. At any rate, when the wood looks dry or starved, it is time to recoat. Always recoat an oil finish before it wears through completely exposing raw wood. This is especially true in layered finishes in which a stain has been used then an oil topcoat. Stain is a colarant and offers no protection. It is difficult to restain a small area and have it blend well. Maintaining the oil topcoat will eliminate concern with wearing through the stain layer.

An oil finish penetrates the wood. Polyurethane finishes coat the wood. If the wood flooring is finished with polyurethane, occupants are walking on the finish. A polyurethane finish is more damage resistant but comes with some drawbacks. Damage on a poly finish is more noticeable and cannot be spot repaired. To repair wear and tear, the entire floor needs to be sanded and refinished.

Cleaning standards and expectations must be well understood. If the installation requires routine wet mopping, an option other than wood floors may be best. Floors with a polyurethane should be dry mopped or vacuumed while oil finished floors can be damp mopped using the cleaner recommended by the oil manufacturer. Nothing will ruin a floor faster than improper cleaning and maintenance.

Conclusion

Flooring is a critical aspect of any built environment, so it’s important that it unifies the design and creates an unforgettable experience. No matter what type of project you’re working on, there’s a great reclaimed wood flooring option for you. With these tips, you’ll be able to select the right wood species and finish to create and maintain the look you want.
Contact us for free reclaimed wood samples and while you’re at it, check out our new collection of wide plank flooring.

Designing Modern Libraries for the Digital Age

Library design is evolving immensely with the addition of the Internet and digital media. Throughout, most of their history, libraries were quiet, austere places filled with books. No longer confined to hushed sanctuaries for book lovers, modern libraries have transformed into vibrant and bustling centers of activity and community. They have lots of windows to let in natural light with meeting rooms and seating areas that are ideal for a variety of events.

The library has always been an important social hub in many communities. But now, they are buzz with activity. From lively community events to multimedia resources like recording studios and game development labs, modern libraries now thrive as cultural hubs that foster creativity and innovation. This evolution embodies a fundamental role of libraries—remaining a local hub that remains inclusive and makes resources accessible to all, irrespective of social standing or income.

As our community needs evolve, the art of designing these public spaces is undergoing a transformative shift. Architects and designers are embracing the challenge, reinventing library buildings to meet the new requirements of society and the digital age. Modern libraries are flexible, multi-purpose buildings that can be adjusted to meet changing patron needs. These new spaces that are ambitious in size and programs, with expansive areas for research, learning, playing games, presenting, meeting, and socializing.

Greener Libraries: Embracing the Sustainable Beauty of Wood

In an era where making environmentally-friendly choices has also become a critical consideration, the art of designing public spaces is undergoing a transformative shift. Architects and designers, tasked with crafting libraries and other buildings with lower carbon footprints, are embracing a material that perfectly aligns with these values—wood. As one of the most eco-conscious materials, reclaimed and sustainable wood has emerged as the perfect choice for library design, weaving together aesthetics and numerous environmental benefits.

Traditionally, wood has been an important material for libraries. It’s contributed largely to the aesthetic of library design in the collective conscious as a studious, intellectual space, as wood is often associated with refinement and elegance. It also serves multiple design functions. Its natural acoustic properties make it a good natural noise dampener, which is ideal for libraries, and it also fosters a feeling of comfort.

In modern library design, wood’s versatility extends far beyond its visual appeal; it offers a plethora of advantages that elevate the overall library experience. Whether used as a structural element or a finishing material, wood significantly enhances indoor air quality, acoustics, thermal comfort, and energy efficiency. However, its impact reaches far beyond the practical aspects; wood carries with it a biophilic connection—the innate sense of wellness humans experience in the presence of nature, reinforcing the role of the library as a communal space and ensuring that patrons get the most out of the space.

Modern Library Design and the Emotional Benefits of Wood

When natural materials like real wood cladding and flooring are incorporated into the built environment, they create a welcoming sanctuary for library-goers. Spending time in such spaces has been proven to reduce blood pressure, heart rates, and stress levels while fostering improved well-being, creativity, cognitive abilities, and cleaner air to breathe. These benefits align perfectly with the mission of libraries as community havens for learning, growth, and relaxation.

Wood can have a positive effect even before patrons walk inside the library itself. Wood exteriors are great for setting the tone for what people will experience within and has been shown to make a building seem more inviting. Kenmore Library in Washington is an example of a library with an open and inviting exterior. Clad with reclaimed teak siding, the building presents a timeless look with lots of character. The golden-brown warmth of teak nicely complements the building’s other materials of glass, cement and metal providing a biophilic, natural element to the building’s contemporary aesthetic.

For the interior design, the library takes a similarly biophilic approach. Panoramic windows allow natural light to pour in and give ample views of the surrounding nature. These feelings of openness and a connection to nature haven’t always been found in libraries, but they’re becoming more and more common. Minimal furnishings, brightly colored bookshelves, and thoughtful lighting add to the atmosphere, making the library ideal for all sorts of events.

The Kenmore Library is a far cry from the stuffy libraries of the 20th century. It’s open, bright, and, in many ways, modular, allowing patrons to modify the layout to meet their needs. While there’s lots of technology present, the Kenmore Library is still dominated by print books, and there are plenty of spaces to sit down and read. All in all, it’s inspiring and refreshing. Libraries like Kenmore are paving the way for a new generation of libraries to not only stay relevant but also continue to serve the community in new and evolving ways.

Biophilic Design and Wood in Modern Libraries

A library provides a great number of services while also symbolically representing the community. For architects and designers, these special projects present an opportunity to tap into their creative talents and deliver incredible experiences to patrons.

Well-designed modern library spaces cater to digital, analog, group, and individual interactions. They seamlessly blend indoors with the outdoors, basking in ample natural light, and offering both fun and serious areas. The design goal is inclusivity, reflecting the urban community, its culture, and natural surroundings.

Biophilic design invites our visitors to embrace and connect with nature within the modern library’s interior. By incorporating natural light, wood, stone, and forms inspired by nature, we create spaces that foster relaxation and calmness, essential for well-being and quality of life. This library design philosophy cultivates a positive and sustained relationship between the natural environment and the library’s visitors and staff alike.

The gentle curves and flowing contours of wood evoke a sense of tranquility, inviting visitors to immerse themselves and linger. Biophilic shapes serve as a soothing contrast to the bustling outside world, encouraging both community gatherings and solo contemplation.

Walls, floors, ceilings, and stairs serve as the canvas for our biophilic designs. Among the array of materials available, wood stands out as a natural choice, a versatile medium for creating harmonious shapes that connect with the environment. The inherent warmth and beauty of wood captivate visitors and create an environment that fosters a sense of balance and u

Designing Libraries for Modern Needs: Versatility & Community Engagement

To meet the dynamic needs of the digital era while staying true to their timeless purpose, modern libraries are embracing flexible, multi-purpose designs. And at the heart of this transformation, reclaimed wood stands as a key element that weaves harmony and versatility into library spaces.

Reclaimed wood’s inherent warmth and natural beauty create welcoming atmospheres that beckon visitors to explore, learn, and find solace in the midst of bustling activity. Beyond aesthetics, reclaimed wood’s adaptability proves essential in crafting spaces that accommodate ever-changing demands. From elegant shelving to cozy reading nooks and functional study areas, reclaimed wood gracefully adapts to various roles.

The allure of reclaimed wood goes beyond its functional aspects—it establishes a connection with nature, promoting tranquility and well-being amidst the fast-paced digital world. This biophilic benefit aligns perfectly with libraries’ goals to create environments that nurture the human spirit.

Moreover, by embracing reclaimed wood, modern libraries reinforce their commitment to sustainability and responsible design. As guardians of knowledge and community spaces, libraries are increasingly striving to set an example of environmental consciousness. The use of reclaimed wood in their architecture serves as a meaningful step towards achieving these noble aspirations, reducing waste and celebrating the beauty of repurposed materials.

As libraries embrace the possibilities of the digital age, they stand as cultural epicenters, inspiring a sense of belonging and inclusivity. With reclaimed wood as a bridge between tradition and innovation, these spaces continue to adapt and evolve, connecting generations under one roof.

In the ongoing pursuit of contemporary library design, the timeless allure of reclaimed wood remains ever-relevant—a natural harmony that enriches spaces, elevates experiences, and reflects the profound beauty of sustainable design.