ART4D BROUGHT YOU TO THE SHOWROOM OF FORMICA, A LEADING INNOVATOR IN THE LAMINATE AND FINISHING MATERIAL. THAT’S ITH TRANSFORMED THE OLD STORAGE SPACE INTO A CONTEMPORARY SHOWROOM FEATURING ACTUAL PRODUCTS IN USE

TEXT: KITA THAPANAPHANNITIKUL
PHOTO: KETSIREE WONGWAN

(For Thai, press here)

For designers and the nature of their creative-driven practice, imagination plays, expectedly and understandably, a crucial role. However, what is even more challenging is transforming imagination into reality. Unquestionably, material samples or rendered 3D images are helpful in providing users with a visual representation of the final product. Nevertheless, Formica, a leading innovator in the laminate and finishing material industry, embraces a more forward-thinking approach. Formica’s new showroom in Bangkok opens its door for those who are interested in seeing real-life appearances and applications of the brand’s extensive product collections. The showroom includes a co-working space where designers and their clients can discuss their ideas while experiencing firsthand the physical properties of Formica’s laminates with their own eyes and touch, learning the tactility and how each product interacts with light, shadow, perspectives, and even the mood and tone of a space.

The Formica showroom in Bangkok is located inside the 400-square-meter renovated old warehouse in A Square, a commercial development on Soi Sukhumvit 26, Bangkok. That’s ITH, the studio tasked with the renovation, transforms the space with contemporary design and functions for the comprehensive presentation of an extensive range of Formica products. The sleek black façade with curtain walls enclosing the entire first floor is visible from the outside, promoting spatial interaction between the interior space and its surroundings.

Visitors are greeted by a large open space upon entering the showroom. The three enormous down-lights catch the eye and can be altered into desired colors and brightness to fit various functions, such as product launch events. The multipurpose area in the center has been designed as a co-working place for designers and their clients. The seemingly random placement of white, clean, loose furniture illustrates the space’s flexibility and multi-functionality. Other zones surround the area, each designed to exhibit the actual products and their applications. The staged mock-up zones feature the Formica corner, which stands out due to its bright white partition. Meanwhile, the INCANTO Collection zone showcases a decoration that highlights the use of stone-patterned wood laminates that draw inspiration from Italy’s breathtaking natural landscapes. Meanwhile, DecoMetal®, the metal laminate collection from Germany, occupies a corner of the showroom. Built-in shelves on the other side of the area are designed to store and display samples and catalogs, acting as a large-scale mood board of the surrounding design elements with the intention of inspiring users’ imagination.

Examining the space closely reveals that the white partition in the center and the DecoMetal zone both have built-in walls for exhibiting the laminates’ life-sized samples (1,220 x 2,440 mm). The walls can be pulled out for clients to inspect and feel the patterns and textural details of the laminates from the collections. The installation details are similar to those of a window, allowing clients to turn a sample and look at how it interacts with light and appears from various angles. Lamps with warm white and cool white light installed on the walls provide clients with a visual representation of how the products would be in different moods and tones for different kinds of environments.

Two more prominent zones located on the first floor feature products from the FENIX® line. The green tone of the FENIX NTM® VERDE COMODORO is utilized on both the walls and the furnishings of the meeting room at the front. The curved ceiling is adorned with the same color, X-KIN by FENIX®. The pull-out partition is intended to show the laminates in their actual sizes, much like the ones displayed outside. Over at the FENIX® kitchen, FENIX NTM® Rosso Jaipur is used for the kitchen countertop, cabinet doors, and storage shelves, alongside the FENIX integrated sink. The space is intended for potential users and designers to have a closer look at the four distinct properties of FENIX NTM® Rosso Jaipur, from its  low light reflectivity, extremely matt surface, soft touch, antifingerprint  and  thermal healing of superficial micro -scratches 

Additionally, on the showroom’s mezzanine floor, visitors will be able to see more mock-up rooms whose decorations feature Formica’s laminates to showcase their actual applications in different settings and decors, from a bedroom, a dressing room, to a living room, as well as an office space. On the same floor, samples of the Formica Cora™ collection items are presented at the stair landing, illustrating the styles and formats of the products’ inner core colors that distinguish them from other collections.

Another interesting aspect of the project is that this is the first and only Formica showroom in Thailand at the moment (rather surprising given the brand’s 110-year history). So, whether you’re a designer or a user interested in Formica’s impressively extensive product lines, go check out their beautifully and creatively curated showroom for yourself.

The Formica Bangkok Showroom is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 am – 6:00 pm, and Saturday, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm. To schedule an appointment ahead of time, go to https://bit.ly/3sPIhm6

formica.com