Laura Robbe, marketing manager at Woodstoxx, frames this not as a trend, but as a cyclical movement. "Wood always comes back, each time in a different way. First on ceilings and as wall panelling. Then came the parquet floors. Now we see a shift towards wall, floor and ceiling combined."
Online gepubliceerd in samenwerking met Houtconnect.
Hout verbindt twee cabins, van gevel tot interieur
In Puurs staan twee cabins aan de rand van een vijver, omringd door groen. Samen vormen ze een vakantiewoning naar een ontwerp van Unicus. De ene cabin brengt de leefruimtes samen, de andere herbergt de slaapkamer, dressing en badkamer. Hun gedeelde geometrie en het consequente gebruik van hout verbinden de afzonderlijke volumes.
Voor Woodstoxx draaide het project om de vertaling van die geometrie naar de houten afwerkingen. In nauwe samenwerking met onze zusterbedrijven binnen Highway Group adviseerden we over de materialen en verzorgden we de plaatsing van de gevelbekleding en het terras. Daarbij ging bijzondere aandacht naar de belijning en aansluitingen die de verschillende oppervlakken met elkaar verbinden.
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Wood always comes back, each time in a different way."
After a long period of minimalist interiors, the desire for warmth and texture is growing. Floors, walls and ceilings are once again being generously clad in wood. With wood drenching — where wood continues across multiple surfaces — architects create harmonious and tactile living spaces.
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One chain
For many architects, the greatest challenge lies not in the design but in flawless execution. Concepts start from a clear material vision, but during realisation they collide with fragmentation and technical constraints. Floors, walls and ceilings are often developed separately, each with their own logic, timeline and contractor. What forms one coherent whole on paper proves far from straightforward in practice, due to a lack of cohesion between the various parties involved.
It is precisely in that tension that Woodstoxx positions itself as a partner. By thinking along from the very start and keeping development, production and execution in-house, the experienced project team safeguards the translation from design to reality. That vertical integration makes it possible to approach wood as one cohesive system, across floor, wall and ceiling.
"The projects that stand out for us are those where every specialised segment of our company is intensely involved from the concept stage. We have had the privilege of working on remarkable projects for some of Belgium's leading architects and developers: villas and residential buildings with parquet, façade cladding and terraces in Belgium, the Netherlands, the south of France and Switzerland, but also office buildings, hotels and even football stadiums," says Tim Santy, commercial director at Woodstoxx.
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A creative material with character
Tim also notices a clear shift in material choices. "Wood where you can immediately see it's the real thing. Very natural, earthy, with warmer tones."
Wood brings nature indoors and contributes to the spatial calm and sense of domestic comfort that so many people are looking for. But to truly achieve that enveloping effect, aesthetics and technique must be aligned seamlessly. Surfaces behave differently depending on their position and use. That is where detail, finish and finesse make the difference.
"For walls, ceilings and custom furniture cladding, it's usually veneer wood, while parquet floors and stair cladding are generally made from sawn wood — often from a different origin," Tim adds. "Cladding all surfaces perfectly and making them connect beautifully is an art. Each surface also requires a specific treatment. A floor is used intensively. A wall catches more light than a ceiling. We align all colours, effects and finishes in our own production department."
Occasionally they also get to search for XXL planks: up to ten metres long and around fifty centimetres wide. Unique pieces, in impressive wood species, for exceptionally exclusive projects.
Creativity is in the company's DNA, says Laura. "Architects and interior enthusiasts are constantly searching for the extraordinary. Innovation is therefore a continuous process for us. By experimenting in our Belgiqa laboratory with acids, bases and pigments, we sometimes arrive at remarkably original results in terms of structure and tone. A sample like that does the rounds of the entire company and it still genuinely excites us."