Noah Wall

Born with spina bifida and hydrocephalus, seven-year old Noah Wall from Cumbria, has continued to defy the odds and confound the medical experts. As his needs have changed over time, the family required a new floor covering for their home and therefore opted for Forbo Flooring Systems’ Flotex Wood flocked flooring, to provide the warmth and comfort required to help with Noah’s development.

Noah’s mum, Shelly Wall, said: “The most important requirement when it comes to designing spaces for Noah is that the areas need to be suitable for wheelchair use, providing a 1500mm clear turning circle. Just as a child would run around the house, Noah wants to go fast in his wheelchair, so when it comes to flooring, it was essential that the material allowed him to move freely. If Noah was left to sit in his wheelchair all day, he could end up with pressure sores, which is why floor time is really important to allow him to stretch and to help him with his digestion. We needed a floor covering that was warm, comfortable, soft and pleasant for him to lay down and play on.

“While we were searching for new bathroom tiles, a former Forbo Business Area Manager visited our house and noticed that the existing floor was very cold, and therefore recommended that we looked into Flotex. As such, we contacted Forbo to learn more about the product and a large sample of Flotex, from the HemingwayDesign collection, was sent to us, which we trialled in the kitchen for 12 months. I know to most people it’s just a flooring but to us, it’s not just a flooring; it needed to be the right decision for Noah. We noticed a real difference straight away in the kitchen; it was warmer, softer and quieter and when we had visitors round, we found that they would want to stand on the Flotex rather than on the original floor! After the trial, we knew that the flocked floor covering would be the perfect solution for our home.”

Looking to create a contemporary home, the unique Flotex Wood range was selected as it brings the allure of a modern wood floor, while dampening sound and providing comfort underfoot. The Reclaimed Pine colourway, which was chosen by Noah, was installed in the sensory room. The touch of colour adds a sense of character to the space where Noah spends a lot of his time, playing, relaxing and learning.