School Flooring: Interior Design for Educational Facilities

Educational institutions can no longer rest on their academic laurels to attract the best and brightest students. Today's colleges and universities must also stay at the forefront of design and technical trends.

For instance, students—and their parents—expect to see sophisticated communal spaces that look bright, inviting and functional. From the classroom to the dorm room to the student union, flooring plays a big role in building prospective students' perception of the school. That's why so many colleges, universities and vocational schools take the time to research the form and function of the flooring in each room of a facility while also remaining acutely aware of student expectations.

Today, schools of all shapes and sizes have moved away from the vinyl composition tiles that were once the mainstay of academia. Rather, designers are incorporating sustainable materials like linoleum, bio-based and rubber flooring, and carpet tiles made with recycled content into academic institutions. Students are also interested in flooring that uses fewer natural resources to produce or clean, and many environmentally conscious students want floors made from low-emission materials.

When it comes to design, students also aren't looking for an instructional vibe. They want a comfortable yet functional space to study and live. To that end, many schools install anti-microbial flooring that's cleaner to sit on.

Read this Floor Trends magazine article to learn more about how flooring can engage students and alumni by effectively blending hard and soft surfaces to create fresh, welcoming spaces.