Our take on "EDIB: What does beyond bare minimum look like?" Roundtable event from Material Source Studio

Date

10 February 2026

Author

Parkside

EDIB: What does beyond bare minimum look like?

At Parkside, we think deeply about what it means to go beyond the bare minimum, not just in the tiles and surfaces we supply, but in the environments they help create.

When EDIB (Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging) is talked about, the conversation could stop at compliance or box-ticking. But as the roundtable illustrated, the majority of designers are dedicated to ensuring true inclusivity through shaping spaces that genuinely serve all people, physically, emotionally and functionally. And now clients are seemingly more onboard than ever too.

/ What resonated with us the most:

The importance of listening to people, not just following standards.

Standards set a baseline- safety, accessibility, durability- but they don’t tell you how people interact with materials, light, texture, sound or even colour. At Parkside we see specification as a conversation: engaging with designers, architects and end-users to understand diverse needs from the very start.

Tiles aren’t neutral backdrop elements; they influence wayfinding, comfort, acoustics and the emotional feel of a place. Thoughtful surface design can reduce glare for neurodiverse users, enhance legibility in public spaces, and support hygienic, safe places for everyone. For us, materiality is a key factor in evoking the feeling of belonging.

The roundtable highlighted that designers today are asking better questions and integrating user feedback more meaningfully. At Parkside, we’ve seen this reflected in more thoughtful briefs from architects who are no longer satisfied with generic solutions but want products and finishes that meaningfully contribute to people’s experience of a space.

The event showed that designers, psychologists, sustainability experts and specification partners like us all bring a piece of the puzzle. True inclusivity comes from collaboration, listening and iteration- not assumptions.

In summary, to us going beyond the bare minimum means partnering on design processes that centre lived experience, challenge the status quo of specification, and elevate material decisions from “acceptable” to deliberate, inclusive and enriching. It’s about shaping spaces where everyone feels seen, supported and comfortable. In every tile choice we make.

Thank you to Material Source for hosting - David Smalley, Chair & Director, Material Source Studio

Our very own: Rob Lynch, Specification Sales Manager

Discussion guests:

Leanne Wookey- Interiors Director @ tp bennett, Kimberley Corrall- Associate @ Buttress Architects, Victoria Bryant- Head of DEI @ Cundall, Becky Turner- Workplace Psychologist @ Claremont, Theodor Bratosin- Senior Sustainability and Building Physics Engineer @ Cundall, Susanna Smith- Interior Designer & Environmental Psychologist @ Abodiology, Natalie Bowker- Building Regulations Principal Designer @ Laing O'Rourke, Richard Bailey- Architectural and Design Consultant @ Crown Paints.

Photography credit: Victoria Middleton