The concept of green building cropping up in the city, where the architecture is energy and water efficient and environmentally friendly materials are used in construction. However, more often than not, it is seen that though the building is green, the house décor is not. But now there is an easy way top decorate your house in an eco-friendly manner.

Square Foot has come out with wall cladding that is made up of natural materials that would otherwise be discarded. These hand-made claddings are made by cutting coconut shells into small, perfectly-sized squares which are then made into tiles using water-based, low-emulsion glues.

Wall cladding isn’t the only thing Square Foot is into. They also provide flooring solutions and their latest range comprise parquet wooden flooring. It is made of wooden blocks, arranged in a geometric fashion that creates unique patterns.

Square Foot is a retail brand of Classic Flooring Interiors that offers floor coverings and had recently launched wooden wall cladding. The best aspect of wooden claddings is that it is light weight and easy to care. Just put up these claddings on the wall in any pattern you desire and give your room an exotic look.

Lay them horizontally or vertically or only on a part of the wall, these tiles give you complete control on the look that you want for your room. Another benefit of wooden cladding is that it is a great way to sound proof the room. Many studio owners and musicians also say that covering the walls with coconut shell is a great way of sound proofing.

According to Gaurav Saraf, Joint Managing Director, Square Foot, “Wooden wall is a great way to create acoustical wall panels. Whether you are building or remodeling a full-scale recording environment or just want to improve the sound of your home theatre system natural wood works great with sound waves.”

If you think that sound proofing is the only thing these tiles are good at, then think again. Though a little costlier than wall papers, these tiles are better as wall paper tends to come off the walls due to dampness and looks very tacky. Wooden wall claddings, on the other hand, do not pose such a problem. In India, dampness is one of the most common issues, especially so in Chennai since it’s so close to the sea. A wall cladding that does not get affected by dampness or rains, is a perfect solution of the problem. Plus, the added benefit of not changing it every time saves a lot of money too. Saraf further adds, “Wooden walls remain unaffected as such. This product is also very well used in hospitality projects and feature walls in commercial applications. The product has won many green awards for being made from bamboo and coconut shells.”

Starting at Rs 485 per square feet, wooden cladding has excellent thermal and sound insulation properties and it is one of the products that have the least carbon footprint. It requires less energy to produce this than any other construction material. These stylized claddings are available at Chennai, Kolkata, Goa, Kochi Hyderabad and Pune. In Chennai, Square Foot is located at Wellingdon Estate, Ethirajsalai.

You can decorate your bedroom, living room, dining room, bathroom or even your kitchen with these eco-friendly wall claddings; let your creativity flow. One of the creative ways of using it is in your furniture. You can put it up on your almirah doors or on your chest of drawers. With various styles to choose from, you can decorate any area however you feel, be it office or home.

By 

Virendra Sharma