Trace by Storey
Made by Storey co-founders Theo Perdikis and Damir Dzuzdanovic visit two homes in Belgium to witness the meticulous installation of Trace, their new oak flooring range.
Across two unique projects – an Antwerp apartment and a countryside villa in Westerlo – Trace highlights how considered materials can completely shape the feeling of a space. “Watching these extra-large boards being carried into an Antwerp apartment is something else,” Perdikis says. “The sheer scale changes everything. Once they’re down, the whole room transforms wall to wall.”
Here, he captures exactly what makes Trace special. These aren’t just floorboards; at up to 15 metres long and 60 centimetres wide, they work as architectural elements that influence the proportion, mood and atmosphere of a room the moment they’re installed.
For Johan Schraunen, owner of sixth-generation atelier Nobel Flooring, the reward comes once every piece finally falls into place. “It’s always nice to see at the end when the flooring or stairs are installed that everything comes together in the house,” he explains. “It’s not only our product, but it’s a combination of the colours, the furniture and the complete building.”
The second project, a luxury villa, is set in the picturesque region of Westerlo. “The backdrop’s phenomenal,” Perdikis notes. “The grassland, the green area, the natural lake.” The residence is characterised by an incredible thatched roof and stunning reflective pond with a fully glazed pavilion. The interiors are minimal, celebrating craftsmanship and natural materials such as stone and steel with Trace timber flooring throughout.
In projects like this, longevity and stability are paramount – and this is where Trace delivers. Schraunen explains that “the middle of the board is made from birch plywood, the best quality that you can have,” combined with an oak layer on top and bottom that creates exceptional stability. “It stays so stable. There’s no better flooring than this.”
For Dzuzdanovic, these two projects are a reminder of their aspirations for Trace. “For us, the real reward has always been about seeing how our craft changes the space,” he says. “Watching these installations reminds us of why we created Trace. To bring this level of scale to Australia, it’s just so exciting.”
