It is interesting how design trends are quickly mirrored across the world. A few years’ ago, for example, lifestyle and interior design magazines were all about plain white walls, hard surfaces and minimal furniture. Today, heavier materials are being revitalised and darker colours are being used in more and more projects. This movement has been explored in detail by Troldtekt in its latest Theme which can be read here.
The theme explores how this trend has permeated through every aspect of architecture and design. Included in the theme is an interview with Danish designer and trend researcher Rikke Skytte. She comments, “Following the financial crisis, we are beginning to look to warmer climes for inspiration and we’ve started to use dark, burned colours indoors such as black, dark red-brown and dusty grey. You know that when people start investing in dark sofas, ceilings and kitchens – i.e. elements which are seldom replaced – then it’s a clear sign that the trend has taken hold.”
In a short space of time, Troldtekt has seen a steep rise in the specification of its wood wool acoustic panels in dark greys and black. From residential houses in Denmark, hotel and resorts in Macau, music venues in the Netherlands to London’s new iconic Design Museum, black acoustic ceilings have been used to add to the ambience and enhance atmospheric design.
In the Design Museum, John Pawson and Dutch architects OMA have extensively used darker colours for the wood wool panelling culminating in black at Parabola, the stunning restaurant at the top of the Museum. These high-performance panels absorb the sounds of noisy dining and chatter together with the echoes and reverberations caused by the hard surfaces and large glazed areas. Furnished with blue stained ash tables and chairs, the restaurant offers views of Holland Park and into the central atrium topped by the dramatic exposed roof structure.
Troldtekt natural wood wool acoustic panels are widely specified throughout the UK and Europe. Available in various sizes and in four grades from extreme fine to coarse, they can be left untreated or painted in virtually any RAL colour. They offer high sound absorption, durability and natural breathability coupled with sustainability as documented by Cradle to Cradle certification at silver level.