Trends in flooring

Looking Underfoot

An Abundance of materials can make the flooring selection seem almost overwhelming. Ceramic tile, porcelain tile, luxury vinyl tile, hardwood, laminate, engineered hardwood, bamboo floor, and carpet and all its variations are enough to give anyone pause to think about what they really want tread on day after day. Usually, the decision comes down to comfort, price and aesthetics.

Trends in flooring are similar to overreaching societal trends. These days everything is "Make it easy. Make it quick. Make it convenient". Those in the industry see those trends occurring in flooring. People want flooring that is easy to maintain, easy to clean, yet at the same time is stylistic and durable.
There is a note of sophistication, sleekness and versatility as driving forces. It's not just about traditional stone looks anymore. With advanced design and technology, companies are able to create subtle dealing, linear looks and a range of colors unlike ever before. They also have the capabilities to play with sizes, from large format to mosaics and everything in between. With the range of modern looks, the trend is seeing tile being installed more frequently in places beyond the kitchen and bath. It's an exciting time for tile!

Karndean Designflooring, which manufactures luxury vinyl tiles, has built a business around making its LVT flooring resemble natural products such as tile and wood. The physical result of the manufacture vinyl tile is made possibly by a print film that's incorporated into the manufacturing of the tile or plank. One of the advantages of LVT is that it is much more durable than the natural materials; a can of tomatoes could be dropped on an LVT floor and it won't crack. A polyurethane wear layer manufactured into the substrate also makes it resistant to scratches and scuffs. Simulated grout strips made from the same vinyl material help the floor look more realistic.

Vinyl flooring made to look like ceramic tile, but softer and warmer to the feet

Technology and color

Technological advancements make tile a much more versatile material than in the past. Today, manufacturers are able to effectively replicate look of other materials in tile thanks to advanced design and production capabilities. Technology is the tool kit that is empowering the develop of fresh new looks that you are seeing in tile. High-resolution images, roller print technology, advanced glazes and textures are being used to create the style of today.

Colorful mosaics become the focal point in this walk-in shower

There is also a resurgence in color. In 2013 several manufacturers are showing the expanding color story that they use. There is an anticipation for color to return to designs. It's a sign of hopefulness and positivity, and a possible indicator of the sophistication of those who are making tile selections. There's no doubt more neutral colors will win out, but there is an increased use of decorative accents, mosaics and patterns  Homeowners who may have tried a more artistic installation on a kitchen back splash in the past are now being more adventurous on shower walls or on the entryway floor. 

Sizing Styles

The other trend that will continue is the planks in particular. We do a demand for larger planks and larger tiles increasing. The 3 x 36 and 4 x 36 planks will never go away completely, but there is an increasing demand for planks that are 7,8 or 9-inch wide as opposed to 3 or 4. Whereas the size of tiles 10 or 15 years ago was trending 12 by 12 it eventually became 16 by 16 and now there is a demand for larger tiles than that: 18 by 18, 18 by 24 and even 18 by 36.

Larger formats are beyond a trend, and more of a staple at this point. Over the years the industry has seen sizes grow from the standard 12 by 12 to 18 by 18 and now its common to see 24 by 24. Design sensibility has evolved to welcome large-format tiles even in smaller spaces and contractors have developed their skills to create beautiful installations that function well and look beautiful. 

Porcelain tile in a "wood" style plank

Part of the trend to larger sizes goes back to installation convenience. When you're installing a       3 x 36 plank, obviously you need more individual planks to fill up the square footage. That's going to take longer than it would to take to fill up that same amount of square footage when you deal with larger pieces. That ties back to what was mentioned earlier: Make it easy; make it fast; be in and out and be done. Larger pieces allow you to do that.

Although the popularity of larger pieces appear to have originated int he commercial sector, it has been migrating to the residential side. Typically people take input from three different places: Whatever they see on TV, what they see advertised in national magazines and what they see when they're out- they're out to dinner or attend an event and see a floor they like and this it would look good in their living room. By virtue of the larger sized being installed commercially that is eventually going to transpose over to the residential side. People subliminally see that as being visually appealing. People also know what technology can do and they're wanting to become more creative with what they can do in their home and business. Sizing and creativity are becoming much more modern than they historically have been.