Auckland’s Home Ideas Centre has been a source of design inspiration for architects, designers and homeowners since 1987. A recent upgrade of the showroom has seen worn carpet tiles swapped out for striking polished flooring, creating a modern industrial look.

“The whole look and feel of the showroom was very outdated. I really wanted to transform it into a build and design space for the industry, so it had to look and feel the part,” explains Hugh McKellar, Owner and Managing Director, Auckland Home Ideas Centre. “The flooring was one of the most critical factors as it is one of people’s first experiences of the building. We knew it would underpin the complete refresh and give us a good base to build and design everything else.”

A broad range of flooring options were considered — everything except the dated grey carpet tiles previously furnishing the space — before Hugh decided on polished concrete. “We asked ourselves what's going to have the greatest impact and what makes sense for the building,“ says Hugh. “Concrete was the original structural flooring. It would look the part for a build and design centre, it’s low maintenance and very hard-wearing for high foot traffic.”

Hugh ultimately opted for Megafloor — a leading polished concrete system that is available nationwide and backed by a quality assurance system to manage expectations, delivery and quality. Hugh had seen Megafloor’s product in other buildings so knew they could achieve a high-quality finish, but to be certain they were the best polished concrete option, he also asked his industry contacts about their experiences with the company. “The info that came back really said Megafloor were the guys everyone trusted and they were really reliable,” he says.

With the Auckland Home Ideas Centre open 7 days a week, Megafloor worked with Hugh to minimise disruption as much as possible. “It's a working building, so we were a little concerned about disruption, noise and dust,” he says. “We went into it in detail and Megafloor had all the answers.”

The flooring upgrade was undertaken in multiple stages, with Megafloor completing the work overnight and with extra care around dust protection. To date, over 400m² of flooring in Megafloor’s Urban Premium High Gloss Finish has been installed — with more to come as different spaces in the centre are renovated.

The choice of the Urban High Gloss finish — which involves removal of 2-3mm of the concrete laitance to reveal the underlying aggregates — has added detail to the flooring, while ensuring the durability and low maintenance inherent in concrete.

“The polished floors have got that artisanal beauty about them,” says Hugh. “Architects and designers see it as something that is beautiful and authentic. And the industrial look fits the history of the building.”

Megafloor have left Hugh impressed with their professionalism and ability to accommodate the centre’s requirements. “They have been brilliant at servicing us as a client, and have really worked as a partner to achieve what we were going for. I can’t recommend them highly enough.”

The Megafloor polished concrete flooring has rejuvenated the centre, adding a modern industrial flair fitting for the Home Ideas Centre’s role as a showroom for architectural products. “We’ve been absolutely thrilled with it,” says Hugh. “The evidence is that we continue to roll through the entire 3,000m² with the same look and same company.”