Deep colors, pattern-on-pattern and lots of texture are this year's big flooring story. According to a story in Paint & Decorating Retailer, the magazine of the Paint & Decorating Retailers Association, manufacturers are offering a variety of interesting flooring options to a public that seems ready to embrace them.
Patterned sisal carpets and cut piles, vinyl floors that reproduce marble, stone and other natural elements, and multi-fabric area rugs are current best-sellers. Also big are combinations of these flooring types, creating more pattern yet.
In the past, patterned carpets have been the domain of commercial applications. But the products are inching their way into homes as well.
Manufacturers are showing plaids, geometrics, ribbons, floral and leaf patterns, and other interesting configurations this year. Some of the styles are richly colored; others feature only one color but are heavily texturized.
Resilient flooring, meanwhile, is reproducing Mother Nature with deeply veined marble, granite and stone looks, "plank-wood" flooring and other natural-appearing styles. Within these styles, deep greens, navies and even black colorations are popular.
The product also is being used with carpet, area rugs, ceramic tile, brick and stone, creating more pattern on pattern.
And what about area rugs? Many current styles feature a blending of fabrics to create interesting styles. Braided rugs are a prime example. Rather than using solid-color yarns, many modern braided rugs employ a variety of different fabrics from wools to cottons and blends. And they come in patterns and colors to coordinate with any decor.
What's next? Expect more pattern as printing and fabricating processes improve, says PDRA, and consumers become more accepting.
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