"The aim was give diners the feeling that they’re spending the evening somewhere in the Mediterranean region," explained Erdmann. The result is both a new culinary destination and a portal to world of Mediterranean charm, where guests can dine in a piazza setting beneath an olive tree canopy. With its loving attention to detail, the design of the restaurant is reminiscent both of southern Italy’s Apulia region and Portugal – the two locations that have most influenced Ferrantino’s Mediterranean cuisine. For the interior, Erdmann used outdoor flooring to enhance the al fresco feel that is fundamental to the restaurant’s design. The "Biancone" natural-stone outdoor tiles have been specially treated so that they are equal to all the demands and requirements of indoor use. As in Apulia, where the chef is from, the tiles have been laid with wide joints and rough edges.

Used indoors, outdoor flooring is a highly effective way of creating a unique atmosphere, Erdmann believes. "With the right setting and composition, they really do create the feeling – both conscious and subconscious – of being outside." Even the restrooms have a distinctly Mediterranean feel and feature outdoor materials. Anyone who has been to Barcelona will know the Gaudi relief-pattern cement tiles on the city’s pavements. Erdmann used the same type of tiling for the design of the restrooms. For her, creating office spaces, restaurants and hotel lobbies that make users feel close to nature and maximize their sense of wellbeing is no mere passing trend. A key part of her approach lies in intelligently creating connections and transitions between indoor and outdoor spaces – hence the great importance she attaches to using flooring products that work well on both sides of the indoor-outdoor transition. In terms of the current market offering, Erdmann notes that "there is still ample scope for innovative materials."

The latest developments in outdoor flooring will be on show at DOMOTEX, which runs from 10 to 13 January 2020. Here, innovative manufacturers will showcase a richly diverse range of flooring solutions inspired by the keynote theme ATMYSPHERE .

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