Has the doormat been missing from your home for some time? Nothing abnormal about that, the explanation is even self-evident in many respects, you will see.
It’s a little ritual that we thought would be immutable. When you come home after a long day, you mechanically wipe your feet on this rectangle of fibers, often decorated with a warm “Welcome” or a trendy pattern. The doormat is the symbolic boundary between the exterior tumult and the intimacy of the home. But if you take a look around the hallways of your building or your friends’ houses lately, you’ll notice a striking change: the landings are becoming bare.
For decades, the doormat has been the most accessible decorative accessory to express your personality right from the hallway. Whether made of natural coconut fiber or recycled materials, it was an integral part of the condominium landscape. But today, the trend is reversing. What once passed for an oversight or an unfinished move becomes a chosen, even imposed, norm. Is this a new aesthetic minimalism? A desire to modernize the common areas? Not only that.
The reality is less aesthetic than pragmatic. Many trustees and owners are now asking for the systematic removal of these mats for safety reasons, because they can hinder evacuation in the event of a fire or increase the risk of flames spreading.
This rule also simplifies the maintenance of common areas. Often, welcome mats are made from synthetic fibers which can accelerate the spread of flames and hinder emergency evacuation. Blocking the passage, even by a few centimeters, can prove fatal in the panic of a smoke evacuation.
So, should we say goodbye to cleanliness? Rest assured, the solution simply moves inside. To keep an impeccable interior without defying safety rules, we now rely on fine, designer entrance mats, placed just behind the door. This is the opportunity to rethink your interior decoration with more noble materials, while guaranteeing the serenity of the entire floor.
