Exclusive made-to-measure floors: not for everyone, but possible at NTU

An exclusive floor begins where the standard collection ends

Not every customer is looking for the same thing.

Some people mainly want a beautiful, practical floor at a good price.

Others are looking for something different.

A floor that truly becomes part of the interior.

A floor that isn't laid identically in dozens of homes.

A floor where material, colour, pattern and finish are matched precisely to one another.

For that last group there are many more possibilities than you see in a standard showroom.

At NTU Vloeren we call that bespoke work.

And it is important to be clear straight away:

this is not for everyone.

Anyone mainly looking for the lowest price per square metre will probably find other solutions that suit better.

But anyone looking for something special and willing to look beyond a standard collection can go much further.

What makes a floor exclusive?

An exclusive floor doesn't have to be showy or excessively luxurious.

In fact: some of the most beautiful floors are precisely the calm ones.

The difference often lies in the details.

Think, for example, of:

• special wood selections;
• non-standard plank widths;
• extra-long planks;
• bespoke colours;
• special oil or lacquer finishes;
• aged or brushed textures;
• herringbone;
• Hungarian point;
• special borders and inlay strips;
• combinations of different sizes;
• specially selected materials.

The result doesn't have to shout.

It has to be right.

Not choosing from a rack, but composing something

With a standard floor the process often starts with a collection.

You choose a colour, size and version.

With bespoke work it is different.

Then we prefer to start with questions such as:

What kind of home is it?

What atmosphere do you want to create?

Which other materials will be used?

How large are the rooms?

How does the daylight fall in?

Should the floor be calm or give character?

Only after that does the floor come into being.

That is a very different process from simply choosing a product number.

Not everything is in our showroom

We think it is important to say that clearly.

Our showroom shows many materials, styles and possibilities.

But the most special floors are not all ready as standard samples.

They don't need to be.

Exclusive bespoke work often arises precisely outside the standard collection.

Based on your wishes we can search for specific suppliers, materials, wood selections and finishes.

Sometimes such a process starts with a single reference photo.

Or with a colour from a kitchen.

A wooden table.

An interior design.

Or a floor you once saw somewhere.

From there we investigate what is technically and practically possible.

Special wood selections

With wooden floors, exclusivity often starts with the selection of the wood.

Not every plank looks the same.

Some customers are specifically looking for plenty of natural knots and colour variation.

Other customers want a much calmer look.

The width and length of the planks also have an enormous influence on the look.

A wide, long plank can, for example, look beautiful in a large living room or villa.

But then the proportions must suit the space.

An exclusive floor is therefore not only about material.

It is also about scale.

Bespoke colour

The same wooden floor can look completely different with a different finish.

Warm natural.

Lightly smoked.

Greyed.

Almost untreated.

Deep brown.

Or a colour that has to match exactly with other materials in the interior.

With bespoke work, colour can therefore become an important part of the process.

Instead of choosing from three standard colours, we can search for a specific look.

That takes more time.

But it is precisely that difference that makes a floor personal.

Herringbone and Hungarian point can go much further

Herringbone is seen in many places these days.

But even within herringbone the possibilities are enormous.

Think, for example, of:

• size of the pieces;
• width;
• length;
• wood selection;
• colour;
• edge finish;
• pattern direction;
• combination with borders or inlay strips.

The same goes for Hungarian point.

A few degrees' difference in angle, a different plank size or a different colour can completely change the overall picture.

That is why a popular pattern doesn't have to be standard at all.

Borders, inlay strips and special details

It is precisely the details that make a bespoke floor special.

A border along the edge of a room can, for example, make a floor much more architectural.

A contrasting inlay strip can add a classic element.

Or be executed very subtly.

In large rooms such details can help strengthen proportions.

But they also demand precision.

The design and the execution must match.

Exclusive also means: well executed

Buying a special material is one thing.

Processing it well is another.

The more complex the design, the more important craftsmanship becomes.

A bespoke floor can, for example, call for:

• precise setting out of a pattern;
• special sawing work;
• preparation of the subfloor;
• bespoke work at doors and walls;
• connection to stairs;
• coordination with kitchen or bespoke furniture;
• special finishing after installation.

That is why we don't only look at the product.

We look at the complete end result.

Not for every home

That too is part of honest advice.

An exclusive floor is not automatically suitable for every room.

A very wide plank can, for example, be beautiful in a large open space, but work less well in a small room.

A bold pattern can give character to a calm home, but become too much in a busy interior.

That is why we sometimes also advise not doing something.

An exclusive floor must make the home stronger.

Not just be special because it can.

Who is this for?

This way of working suits especially people who:

• pay a lot of attention to their interior;
• are looking for something other than a standard floor;
• find quality more important than just the lowest price;
• are willing to spend time on materials and details;
• are thoroughly renovating or refurnishing a home;
• work with an interior architect or designer;
• want to make a floor a real part of the overall design.

Don't recognise yourself in that?

That is perfectly fine.

NTU also has many beautiful regular floors.

But anyone who is looking for something exceptional doesn't have to limit themselves to what is standard in the showroom.

How does such a process start?

Actually very simply.

Not with a quote.

But with a conversation.

Bring, for example:

• photos of the home;
• a floor plan;
• interior images;
• material samples;
• photos of floors you like;
• examples of colours and finishes.

With that we can look much more specifically at what is possible.

We can then investigate which suppliers, materials and versions suit it.

Exclusive doesn't automatically mean eye-catching

That is perhaps the most important point.

An exclusive floor doesn't have to be immediately recognisable as “expensive” or “special”.

The most beautiful solution can be a floor of which visitors only think:

This just feels right.

The right plank size.

The right colour.

The right calm.

The right connection to the space.

For us that is often more valuable than a floor that only tries to stand out.

A floor not everyone has?

Looking for something that goes beyond the standard collection?

Then visit NTU Vloeren in Utrecht.

Not all exclusive possibilities are physically in our showroom.

But that is exactly where bespoke work begins.

We discuss what you are looking for, look at the home and then investigate which materials, suppliers and finishes suit it.

Not for everyone. But for those who want something special.

Visit NTU Vloeren at the home-furnishing boulevard in Utrecht, next to IKEA, and discuss the possibilities for your floor.

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