TWENTY CANDLES FOR
AS MANY YEARS OF CHALLENGES, PROJECTS AND SUCCESSES

Ideal Work celebrates its first 20 years! Two decades of innovative choices that have seen the company establish itself internationally and become the European leader in decorative concrete systems. By reconsidering concrete for use as a decorative material, this revolutionary firm, Ideal Work, has been able to build its history out of quality, craftsmanship and innovation. The challenge has been rewarded by acceptance across 80 countries, with distinguished clients and results that can be seen by everyone. In short, this is a birthday party everyone can enjoy!

On the cake, along with 20 candles, are projects of great charm and resonance, such as the floor coatings on both the Italy and Iran Pavilions at EXPO 2015, the Benetton store in Vienna and the Nike Stores in London, Prague, Budapest and Bucharest. These high profile projects are in addition to collaborations culminating in major cultural projects, all of which have raised the company’s prestige and reputation.

Distinguished architects and institutions have found Ideal Work to be the ideal partner for shaping and enhancing their own visions. Not least of which are gems at the Teseum of Tongeren museum in Belgium, as well as the Auditorium in Ravello, designed by Niemeyer, the Teatrino di Palazzo Grassi, created by the genius of Tadao Ando, ​​the Museo del Vetro in Murano and Fondazione Prada. The design and aesthetic options and contributions provided by Ideal Work systems have been praised for the quality of their construction and installation, implemented with a craftsman’s care and attention, to generate real added value for the company.

Ideal Work has generated a curriculum of excellence that is enriched every day by experiences and stories from the famous and less well-known, with numerous private projects, all created through the customer’s taste, interest and passion for incorporating Ideal Work solutions.

There is a history yet to be written for a company that looks forward with anticipation and excitement to the challenges of tomorrow.

THE STORY OF A WOMAN WHO
CHOSE TO FOLLOW HER
PASSION FOR CREATIVITY

It is no longer a secret that Microtopping is able to transform and enrich all environments and surfaces, but what is really surprising is that it can revolutionise an entire life. The story is that of Anna Van Hirtum who at 38 years of age chose to abandon a thriving career as a pharmacist to express all her creativity as an interior designer and Microtopping applicator..

There are passions that cannot be contained. Those who are artists at heart but are forced to make do with work that is not exactly stimulating know this only too well.
The story of Anna tells us just this.

Despite having an excellent job as a pharmacist Anna never in fact felt completely fulfilled, because her creative spirit could find no way of expressing itself.

Her passion was born ten years earlier, while on holiday in Africa. Here Anna had discovered the tadelakt, a Moroccan lime plaster from the Atlas mountain chain. Her interest in this very special material inspired the pharmacist to learn everything about applying it and, once back in Europe, to set herself up as an applicator. Unfortunately the different climatic conditions and the higher European standards of finish wrecked the project.

However, Anna never gave up, continuing to search for a material that would inspire her and provide her with the impetus she needed. Finally, the inspiration was there, almost like falling in love: Microtopping! Our decorative finish that with just 3 mm covers floors, walls and any other hard surface, giving continuity, material effect and warmth to the space. A unique material with the potential to inspire new and creative solutions.

MICROTOPPING IS THE BEST THING FOR A COSY HOME ON ALL OCCASIONS

Microtopping is able to create a space with a minimalistic style that is, at the same time, both warm and welcoming. With Marta, each element assumes a specific function in the environment and fits harmoniously into the overall context, especially during the holidays, when you are host to the whole family!

Not long to go before 25 December, and Marta has been preparing for the big event for days. This year she has decided to invite all her relatives to her home and there will be many people, but it’s worth it. In the end, it’s one of the few occasions when distant relatives gather to spend a day together.

In addition to thousands of recipes Marta has in mind (which she is afraid of forgetting), her biggest concern is not being able to make her guests feel at ease. But never fear! With Microtopping the home environment is modern and minimalist yet creates a warm and welcoming atmosphere, able to create a unique and enveloping harmony.

FROM OLD BUS TO COCKTAIL BAR:
CREATIVE RE-USE
WITH MICROTOPPING

The unique properties of Microtopping allow a variety of special applications. The most significant advantages of the material include the ability to apply it seamlessly internally, externally, vertically, horizontally and to any hard surface or object. Anyone who loves the concrete effect can let his or her creativity really run wild with Microtopping.

This story is a perfect illustration of “creative re-use” and innovative application. When we use the word ‘re-use’, we generally think of small items to be recycled or of old furniture from home to be reused. But what if the item is an old, decaying and unused bus?That is what a young Dutch couple, Andrew and Lisa did.
For a long time, they had dreamt of opening a cocktail bar. Even though Andrew spent years training to run and manage a cocktail bar, it is often more difficult than you think to run a bar as the very nature of the work means that it will leave no time for any private life. In addition, the two were not ready to give up their passion for travelling.
One day Lisa came across an old bus which was just waiting to be scrapped and the idea suddenly came to her. “What if we were to use this bus as our bar?”
No sooner said than done!
Andrew and his wife considered a number of restoration proposals and finally decided to cover the bus with Microtopping and in so doing transformed it into an original and trendy street-cocktail bar on four wheels.

MICROCONCRETE IN THE KITCHEN: MINIMALISM AND MODERNITY

Microconcrete in the kitchen is an intriguing choice, especially for those who can’t do without aesthetics and design, even when they have a highly functional space at hand. You will know that in Italy, we are all poets, we are all national team coaches… and, in case of need, we are all chefs. But there are those who use the kitchen for quite other purposes, and would appreciate Microtopping even if they are completely unaware of all its properties that make it an ideal coating for household surfaces. Well, this is the story of little Giovanni, who decided to transform the kitchen with microconcrete in his personal artist’s “studio”.

School is over, and now what do the children do?
Luca – even if he would never admit it – harboured the fear that his son Giovanni would spend his days watching television, playing with a PlayStation or on his tablet … but in the evening, when he comes home, he will always find him in the kitchen lying on the drawing table.

And when he asks: “What did you do today, Joey?” he will answer, “I designed, pop.”

Of course, if he sometimes went out to peel his knees on the football field behind the house, that would not be bad, but for a designer there is no greater satisfaction than hearing those three words uttered every day by his son. Giovanni turned the kitchen covered with Microtopping into his personal studio: sheets and crayons have taken the place of dishes and cutlery. The smooth, fresh and continuous surface satisfies us very much, to the point that when the zeal befalls Giovanni, he will even colour the table itself. When Luca notices that, he will take a damp cloth and clean everything, with a wink toward Giovanni. A harmless coalition of father and son against Elena – mother and wife – and her justifiable mania for order and cleanliness.

OUR BEST PROJECTS IN A SINGLE NEW CATALOGUE

We believe the photos of our best creations speak louder than a thousand words; telling the story of the world of Ideal Work’s innovative surfaces and expressing the infinite application options for our products.

This is why we have chosen to bring together our finest, most interesting and original projects in a single catalogue. And to tell their story using large images with strong visual and creative impact and suggestive details.

Discover first-hand the beauty of decorative concrete worked in different ways and used in diverse contexts: on its own or combined with other materials. We hope our projects will be inspiration for new projects…

You can browse the catalogue here.

You can also contact us to request the hardcopy.

NEW BUCKETS, IN LINE WITH THE STYLE OF THE PRODUCT ITSELF

Since the launch of Ideal Work’s innovative material Microtopping, demand and interest has reached such a level that we have decided to create a stand-alone brand for this with its own dedicated website.

New and customised identity and communication strategies outside of the website have been developed including social network areas and sample cases. In this way we believe that the true aesthetic and other unique features of this product are best portrayed.

Looks matter and we are stubbornly meticulous in attention to detail. For this reason, at the beginning of 2016, we have decided to restyle the Microtopping packaging, more in line with the design of the product itself.

Well, here are new buckets signed Microtopping!

Microtopping is the 3mm decorative concrete finish solution that can be applied on virtually any surface. Microtopping is just one of the many unique products and systems for the decorative concrete industry from Ideal Work, the European leader in concrete floors and decorative plasters.

MICROTOPPING, ALWAYS
AT YOUR HAND

Microtopping sample catalogue is now available. It’s a unique handmade object, packed by artisans in a limited edition. Inside you will find real samples of Microtopping, the material having been applied with care by skilled Ideal Work technicians, cut and printed. It is available in all colors, intensities, finishes and protective treatments.
We intend this to meet the needs of our customers – architects, designers, specifiers, contractors – by being a valuable tool, easy to consult, but mostly able to support them during their job every day.
Microtopping sample catalogue was designed by Otium communication agency and produced by Grafiche Antiga; it is divided into three sections that provide a general overview of the product and its quality.

• Be inspired: discover the endless applications of Microtopping
• Feel it: touch and feel the quality of this material
• Get ready: discover all its technical features

BE INSPIRED
FEEL IT
GET READY

Be inspired: imagine an environment, design it to be as you prefer and then cover it with Microtopping to allow the pleasure of furnishing it as you would like. Be inspired by the possible applications, both for domestic use (bathroom, kitchen, living) and commercial areas (showrooms, restaurants, museums).

Feel it: choose from a wide range of colours, effects, textures and even finishing: natural, matte or gloss. Here you have not just simple prints, but real samples of product to touch and experience the feeling of a real Microtopping surface.

Get ready: discover all the features of this innovative material: from the idea to the application method. Microtopping transforms the space that surrounds you with just 3 mm of thickness by handmade, artisan application. The result is a continuous surface with original and contemporary aesthetics. Its unique technical characteristics are proven and certified by numerous tests.