Belgian flooring companies 2tec2 and Limited Edition collaborate with interior architect Sophie Green to create an exhibit of Surreal Uniqueness for the Flooring Spaces Area at DOMOTEX. In this interview, we talk to marketing manager, Jean-Philippe Delberghe, and designer Sophie Green to find out more about the installation and their imaginative interpretation of UNIQUE YOUNIVERSE .

Sophie Green, as an interior architect, what drives your passion for design?

Sophie Green: "In our society we spend up to 90% of our time indoors. That's why good interior design is so essential to our personal wellbeing. Interior architecture works on a psychological, technical, and cultural level. Materials and colors have the power to affect a person's emotion – it’s really complex! And no two projects are the same."

Your design for the Framing Trends exhibit at DOMOTEX almost looks like an optical illusion. Can you tell us more about “Surreal Uniqueness”? What was your inspiration?

Sophie Green: "The title UNIQUE YOUNIVERSE was something that, as an interior architect, I had to chew on for a while! [laughs] I decided it would be cool to create some kind of tableau vivant, an artwork you could go into and become part of. The materials themselves were also a huge part of the inspiration. On the one hand you have this very architectural, rational flooring and on the other, more cozy and vibrant tufted carpets. The two are almost contradictory and bringing them together is so strange that it all becomes a bit surreal. That’s why in the end, we called it Surreal Uniqueness."

UNIQUE YOUNIVERSE is a concept based on the idea of individualization. How have you seen individualization change the flooring industry? What do you think companies are now looking for when they hire an interior architect?

Jean-Philippe Delberghe: "95% of the time a designer made a proposal to clients in retail or business, they would choose colors such as beige or grey. But companies are now incorporating brighter, bolder colors and designs– perhaps those found in the logo or corporate identity of the company. They come to us with very specific ideas. Companies of all sizes, no longer just big businesses, are individualizing to make an impression through flooring and interior design."

"It's like you have a big white canvas in front of you; the possibilities are endless."

Do you think 2tec2 and Limited Edition are successfully adapting to customer needs?

Jean-Philippe Delberghe: "Individualization is in our DNA. 2tec2 specialize in vinyl flooring which is easy to cut and adapt to different patterns. For the tufted carpets, I think the name 'Limited Edition' really says it all – we accommodate a customer’s individual needs in terms of color, size, and shape. We've launched an exciting project called 2tec2 Play where different shaped vinyl tiles can be used to create any pattern. People love this! We want to show floor designers that they can do much more than traditional checkerboard designs. It’s like you have a big white canvas in front of you; the possibilities really are endless."

What made 2tec2 want to attend DOMOTEX 2018?

Jean-Philippe Delberghe: "We are not the kind of manufacturer churning out thousands of square meters of flooring– we want to inspire and be inspired. The UNIQUE YOUNIVERSE is an appealing concept, and we think that DOMOTEX visitors are exactly the kind of people that we enjoy working with. We are looking forward to meeting people that are open to unique and artistic projects."

2tec2 and Limited Edition are brands founded in Belgium. Having previously worked for an interior lighting company, Jean-Philippe Delberghe is now marketing manager at 2tec2. You can see what 2tec2 have been up to on their Facebook , Pinterest and Instagram pages.

German American, Sophie Green, is an interior architect working out of both her home town Munich and Brussels. She has had her own interior design studio for 4 years, working on projects of all sizes for private and public clients. See her news on Facebook .

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