By John Riha<\/p>\n
The economy may be keeping a lid on spending, but when it comes to flooring, it\u2019s driving trends. That\u2019s because today\u2019s cost-conscious consumer is more demanding of value than ever.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s definitely been a shift from spending to savings, \u201c says Chris Davis, the president and CEO of the World Floor Covering Association. \u201cBut that doesn\u2019t mean consumers aren\u2019t buying flooring: it means they\u2019re looking for value and comfort. They might not be moving up right now, but they\u2019re still into feathering the nest.\u201d<\/p>\n
Flooring manufacturers are getting the message. As a result, they\u2019re keen on providing more bang for the buck \u2014 reining in high-end marketing and concentrating on products that are sensible, low-maintenance and easy on the budget.<\/p>\n
That means bringing more innovation and variety to the perennial low-cost champs: resilient vinyl and carpeting.<\/p>\n
Vinyl in demand
\nChoices for resilient vinyl flooring include a spectrum of styles, colors, textures and patterns. Add in vinyl\u2019s easy-to-clean characteristics, comfort under foot and family-friendly stain-resistance, and the result is increasing popularity with value-hungry shoppers.<\/p>\n
Vinyl mimics the look of natural wood, from Armstrong Flooring.The demand continues for the \u201cluxury vinyl\u201d segment — top-quality resilient flooring with lookalike qualities that are increasingly difficult to distinguish from stone, wood plank and ceramic tile. At $4 to $5 per square foot, luxury vinyl products sit at the middle of the flooring price range. Nevertheless, the ability of these products to mimic traditional high-end materials, such as tumbled marble and exotic hardwoods, puts extraordinary good looks at the feet of ordinary homeowners at a fraction of the cost.<\/p>\n
Carpet leads the way
\nCarpet remains the market-share leader, accounting for more than 60 percent of retail flooring sales. Manufacturers\u2019 response to the stagnant home market has been to provide more fashion-oriented options at all prices.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe variety of carpets these days is nothing short of amazing,\u201d says Davis. \u201cPattern, design, colors, interesting cuts, the whole feel of the material. There\u2019re more wow-factor choices than ever.\u201d<\/p>\n
Growing with green
\nIf there\u2019s a growth category in flooring, it\u2019s the green market. Although the notion of green flooring has been au courant for years, demand for commercial flooring that complies with LEED standards has helped lower prices for green residential flooring as well. That translates into more new products and more consumer acceptance.<\/p>\n
Most flooring manufacturers are jumping on the green bandwagon, adding lines that boast high recycled content and raw materials obtained from sustainable sources<\/p>\n
http:\/\/www.hgtv.com\/home-improvement\/flooring-trends\/index.html<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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