When looking to bring the hues of the ‘Deep South’ to its first restaurant in the West Midlands, Hickory’s, the American style smokehouse and BBQ restaurant chain, looked to luxury vinyl flooring specialist Karndean Designflooring for its authentic design.
Interestingly, the space at Wall Heath, just outside Wolverhampton, was once home to some of the entertainment world’s biggest names, including the Beatles, as the iconic Kingswinford Club. Transforming the building, Gary Carter, project director at Hickory’s called on its main contractor, Lingar Group, to suggest an authentic alternative to natural timber in a bid to deliver within budget.
In order to bring the warm, rustic and deep tones of the south indoors, Lingar Group opted for the traditional mid-brown tones of Art Select Santina Cherry, with its sophisticated undertones of red, in its main bar and restaurant area. Looking to separate an exclusive private dining area, Art Select Russet Oak Parquet has been used in a pre-formed shaker style block pattern.
Tapping into the trend for reclaimed and repurposed materials, the group also added the distinctive weathered look of Van Gogh Vintage Pine with its versatile mid brown tones and distressed patches in a cooler grey, as a decorative wall installation.
“Having always previously specified real wood, we were impressed with the overall look and finish of Karndean Designflooring,” explains Gary. “Importantly, it meant we were able to stay in budget and maintain our signature, authentic look of the deep south.
“As our largest and first flagship restaurant, we can be confident our Karndean flooring will withstand the high traffic expected, and be even easier to maintain and clean, than real timber.”
Matthew Speck, head of commercial sales at Karndean Designflooring, said: “It would have been a real shame for Hickory’s Smokehouse to lose the authentic look of real wood, especially as it complements the overall design concept and consistent feel across its UK restaurant chain.
“Lingar Group and Hickory’s in-house design team have successfully transformed the space and introduced a contemporary edge, whilst maintaining the traditional warm, ‘Deep South’ roots.”
Available with a recently extended 20 year commercial guarantee, Karndean’s Art Select Wood collection features 15 individual wood plank designs from its Handcrafted, Oak Royale and Oak Premier collections, as well as seven parquet options.
With a new Burton Green, Warwickshire restaurant due to open in 2016, Hickory’s Smokehouse will have five restaurants in the UK including Wall Heath, Chester, Wirral and North Wales.
