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Sound design at Boseis part of a unique

shopping experience

At Bose, theyre known for sound

ideas that challenge the status quo.

So, when the world-renowned

manufacturer and marketer ofconsumer electronics wanted to

create an inspirational space at their

new store in Houston, Texas,designers felt free to orchestrateinnovative concepts for showcasing

the companys products. The result

is an entertaining retail space with adesign theme that plays on Boses

famous Waveguide technology.

ArmstrongTM provided the flooring

solution with PERSPECTIVES andNATURAL OPTIONS. The resilient

flooring delivers superior

performance and pleasing

aesthetics, not unlike the Boseproducts themselves!

When customers walk off the streetand into the new Bose store, located

in a premier fashion retail shopping

center, they enter a unique shopping

environment. The space is dividedinto multiple themed areas, each

dedicated to a specific product

grouping. The front window space

features popular and promotionalproducts. The first venue showcases

current technology products. Home

audio and audio video systems are

featured in other areas. Finally, thetheater is devoted to a

sophisticated home entertainment

SolutionSpotlight

COMMERCIAL FLOORING

[ Between us, ideas become reality.]

Making waves

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1 877 ARMSTRONG

www.armstrong.com/flooring

system. The interior design

challenge for Ali Van Horn of

Ali B Designs was, in her words,three-fold. She says, First, we

wanted to have non-geometric,

freeform patterns and spaces that

defined the venue areas. Second,we wanted finishes that combined

the richness and warmth of home

comfort, but that also communicated

a contemporary, leading-edgetechnology feeling. And, third, for the

front and theater entries, we wanted

to draw attention to those spaces

with unique design, but use finishesthat wouldnt dominate or compete

with the store. Bose project

manager Bill DeVries adds, We

asked Ali to design a floor patternthat would help create focal points

and interest. Within that context, the

flooring had to fit within our budget,

and be easy to maintain.

Van Horns design uses undulatingsound waves, evocative of Bosesmilestone Wave System acoustic

technology. The patterns appear in

the stores graphics, which in turn

influence the floor configuration. Shesays, We selected Armstrong vinyl

flooring because of a combination of

qualities, not the least of which is the

ability for intricate patterns to bepre-cut and installed easily. Other

vinyl floor attributes that appeal to

the designer and to Bose include the

range of visuals and colors,maintainability and cost. Van Horn

explains, We chose PERSPECTIVES

for its interesting visual. It has a

natural feel without trying to replicatethe actual, real material. It also

provides a neat, techno-difference.

NATURAL OPTIONS Wood gives

us a warm, rich, home-like feelingwith easy maintenance. DeVries

adds, The Armstrong flooring is able

to tie to the general theme of

acoustic waves in our architectural

and graphics elements with colorsthat reinforce our existing palette.

Three colors in PERSPECTIVES

24 by 24 tile: Antiqued Metal,

Oxidized Red and Painted Bronze;

and one color in NATURALOPTIONS Wood 36 by 3 plank:

Medium Maple; were custom cut by

WaterJet Works in Dallas.The precision cut curves and shapes

simplified installation in the

puzzle-like flooring configuration.

Asked how this installation comparedto other stores, DeVries comments,

We were able to tweak the pattern

easily, which we needed to do to

accommodate the differentdepartments. The basic design can

be adapted on an individual basis, sowe can recreate this concept in other

stores on a custom basis.

Since opening in July 2004, the

store dcor has attracted a lot ofinterest from neighboring retailers

and consumers. DeVries and Van

Horn confirm, We have had a lot ofcomments about the floor. People

want to know what it is and how they

can get it. Van Horns company has

been providing design support andexpertise to Bose and other retailers

for years, and this is one of many

positive experiences theyve had with

ArmstrongTM flooring. Van Horn

concludes, This project was a lot of

fun. Its nice to be able to use aproduct creatively, and Armstrongvinyl flooring allows us to do that.

The Bose Challenge: Inspirational design that fits with the stores philosophy, products and budget Design a space that integrates different focal points and areas Select finishes that work with the companys graphics

The Armstrong Solution:

PERSPECTIVES and NATURAL OPTIONS have unique visuals that work withBoses graphics and color standards

Products can be used together to create design and color-coordinated spaces Custom-cut pieces support the stores design theme, graphics and install easily

Product Specs: PERSPECTIVES features abstract visuals in sheet and tile forms that are easy

to install and are dimensionally stable NATURAL OPTIONS is reminiscent of natural wood with the cost and

performance benefits of vinyl flooring Products are constructed and designed especially for retail spaces

QuickFacts

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