Island Life Magazine Ltd August/September 2007 | Page 128
life
LOCAL BUSINESS
Blowing the
recruitment myths
out of the water
The perfect
flooring solution
“Hardwood flooring isn’t
just for contemporary,
modern spaces. It is just
as at home in traditional
classic settings,”
says Nigel Harrison of
Goldman Harrison.
Thanks to a new showroom,
justice is at last being done
to the beauty of a range
of hardwood flooring.
“Our floors are fitted properly,
with secret nailing and adhesive
techniques,” Nigel says. “I
developed this business from
boat-building, so anyone
buying a floor from me can be
assured of real workmanship.”
As well as fitting new
hardwood floors, Goldman
Harrison specialises in restoring
old parquet and timber
flooring. The company has just
completed work at Rookley
Manor, restoring the parquet
flooring using a box pattern
in oak, with walnut centre
pieces. “Traditional patterns
are very complex,” Nigel says.
“The pattern we designed in
this case was based on what
it was thought to have been
like. The original floor had long
since been ripped up and
replaced with chipboard and
the ubiquitous swirly carpet!”
Restoration work has also
been done at Osborne
House, where the company
was also responsible for the
contemporary look of the
flooring for the Visitor’s Centre.
So plastic laminated flooring
plays no part in Goldman
Harrison’s flooring. All the
timber is from renewable
sources, which is important
to many customers.
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“Unfortunately in the UK
we haven’t managed our
woodland well, but prices of
hardwood have come down
because of the supplies coming
from countries formerly of
the Eastern Bloc. There are
huge stocks of hardwood
– light oak and character
oak – from eastern Europe.”
This is just as well: the
trend towards wooden
floors is unlikely to go away.
“The idea of going back
to carpets, with all the dirt
they harbour, is abhorrent to
many people,” says Nigel.
As well as being beautiful,
timber flooring is very flexible.
It can now be installed with
underfloor heating, making
it an even more luxurious
addition to the home.
And Goldman Harrison stock
some wonderful bamboo
flooring. “Bamboo is very
hard wearing,” Nigel explains.