Flooring: What's New Underfoot

Filed under: Your Home, Projects, Design, etc, News & Trends

Designers are hot for gray hardwoods, and carpet might just make a comeback.

Choosing flooring can be a daunting task: It's expensive, and it's not easy to change once you've committed to a style. Plus, looking at a few boards, tiles or squares of carpeting rarely gives you a good idea of how a particular material will look covering your entire floor. So when we heard that Shaw Floors, one of the biggest, if not the biggest flooring manufacturers, was hosting a panel on flooring, we decided to stop by and hear what they had to say.

Shaw called upon three experts, interior designer Alexa Hampton, president of Mark Hampton, LLC, interior designer Linda Woodrum of T.S. Hudson Interiors (she designs the HGTV Dream Home and is the HGTV Green Home Designer) and Victor Ermoli, dean of the School of Design at the Savannah College of Art & Design, to discuss current floor trends and preferences of flooring. We were thrilled to hear what they had to say, and we're even more thrilled to report that one of our favorite color trends has made its way into the flooring market! Here's what to expect underfoot:


Gray is the new blond.
While hardwood floors have been popular in recent years, the color choices have swayed from pale blonds to dark ebonies. The latest color trend is shades of gray, a hue that feels both contemporary and classic at the same time. Plus, it's more forgiving when it comes to wear and tear -- unlike darker floors, which can chip. Even Ermoli admits he wished he'd avoided this in his own kitchen.

Hardwood is still winning the war, but carpet is gaining interest.
The trend toward hardwood continues as fewer and fewer consumers opt for wall-to-wall carpeting. However, designers and homeowners are increasingly interested in carpet and other flooring options that really feel good under their toes. It's all about the tactile experience. Case in point: Shaw's Rhythm and Blues area rug, which elicited enthusiastic responses from the panelists. Plus, Woodrum notes, carpeting is still the go-to choice for bedrooms where comfort, temperature and acoustics are concerns.

Hampton noted that some of her favorite floor coverings are traditional flooring patterns re-interpreted as carpets; for example, a traditional tile pattern might be re-imagined as a rug. (Hampton has used this trick in her own line for Stark Carpet.)

Eco-friendly is everywhere.
Whether it's tile made from by-products of construction or carpet fabricated from recycled plastic bottles, the flooring industry -- and consumers -- are embracing ecological responsibility.

Green means eco-friendly, not eco-styled.
Hampton says that while she and other interior designers love to use green, sustainable materials in their designs, they don't want products that look "green." Instead of a late 90s eco-chic vibe, the new eco-friendly flooring options look just as sophisticated as their less earth-friendly counterparts.

Hardwood flooring comes off the floor.
Woodrum, who helps coordinate and design HGTV's show houses, notes that hardwood flooring isn't just being used on floors. When cookie-cutter homes are stuck with boring sheetrock, hardwood flooring is becoming an option for walls and ceilings to add character and warmth. Woodrum herself used this trick in a recent HGTV Green Home.

Neutrals reign.
It's not news that most people favor neutral flooring, but you can't ignore the trend. Ermoli notes that with people moving more often, they're more likely to select neutrals for their floors since it's the wiser choice for resale purposes.

Words of wisdom.
No matter what flooring type or style you choose, all three experts agreed on one point: Hire a professional to install it. Whether its tile, hardwood or laminate flooring or wall-to-wall carpet, professional installation is the way to go. Despite the seeming ease of installing carpet tiles and the flooring makeovers you may have seen on TV, some tasks are best left to the pros.

For more stories on flooring, check out:
-Painting Your Hardwood Floors White
-Dos and Don'ts of Cleaning Hardwood Floors
-Odd and Unusual Flooring Options

Think you have what it takes to install laminate floor? First check: How much will it cost?

 

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