Hot 2021 Flooring Trends for Fall and Winter

While crisp golden and crimson leaves cover the ground outdoors, 2021 fall and winter flooring trends make an impression indoors. Here are a few popular products coming to stores this season.

As always, hardwood flooring tops the list. At least, anything that looks like hardwood flooring, that is. Faux wood products are more practical than real wood, so the happy middle ground is engineered hardwood. With a variety of colors and dimensions, it is beautiful, durable, and offers a wide range of style options. The ones what are water-resistant, can be used in virtually any room, which is always attractive. Bedrooms, bathrooms, living rooms, hallways, and more are still a welcome arena for engineered wood in 2021.

As an accent piece, tile provides a splash of color in entryways, mudrooms, kitchens, and outdoor spaces, particularly in the south. In addition, ceramic tile designs of natural and untreated wood will be popular in 2021. The look of wood can evoke feelings of calmness found in nature. It goes to show that the wood look is popular, even if it is on tile.

Luxury vinyl tile (LVT) is not new, but it is continuing. Gaining popularity from year to year, it continues to rank high with DIY homeowners, with grey being the overriding color choice. The easy-to-install process of glue down, self-adhesive, or snap-together tiles and planks makes it an attractive option for do-it-yourselfers. It is created with a digital photograph of wood or stone, and the top layer is covered with a protective urethane coating. Best of all, LVT is soft to walk on, waterproof, beautiful, and easy to maintain.   

A specific type of luxury vinyl tile is the high-quality embossed-in-register (EIR). This is the top-of-the-line luxury vinyl tile. It creates the appearance and texture of natural wood and stone with three-dimensional wood grain surfaces. The words ’embossed in registration’ mean the texturing follows the patterns in the image. As the laminates are heated, a metal plate that contains a pattern pressed into the surface material creates convex and concave ridges in the laminate, giving it a deeper color and more natural look. The texture perfectly lines up with and matches the wood portrayed in the top image’s layer.

In a different arena, electrostatic dissipative flooring (ESD) removes static from people that build up over the day from clothes, floors, or carpeting. Used mainly in the electronics industry to keep workers safe, ESD can prevent shocks ranging in severity from mildly annoying to catastrophic. As part of a complex flooring system, ESD works in conjunction with footwear, garments, and grounding straps to minimize and control proper grounded discharge. Primarily used in commercial complexes, homeowners interested in protecting their devices may benefit from ESD as well.

Almost like shag and similar to Berber, frieze carpet has a fun texture. It is made with tight twists, which is cleaner and more durable than other carpets, and its slightly long, curly fibers hide seams, footprints, and messes. The informal appearance can be a welcome change from sleek, formal hard-surfaced floors. Although hard-surfaced floors are generally preferred for high traffic areas, there is still a place for carpet in casual rooms with high traffic, such as hallways, family rooms, and bedrooms. So, if you are looking for a not-so-fancy carpet option, frieze is a popular flooring alternative this year.

Flooring Communication

As a flooring retailer, it’s always important to stay aware of trends as they tend to change from season to season. It’s also important to make sure you’re communicating often with your suppliers to be informed of inventory, pricing and more. With VendorPriceBook.com, communication–including up-to-date pricebooks–is easier than ever. Check out our platform to learn more: VendorPriceBook.com.

Flooring: Tips and Strategies for Upselling

Upselling. According to Shopify, the definition is “Upselling is a sales technique used to get a customer to spend more by buying an upgraded or premium version of what’s being purchased.” If you were buying a new sports car, you might get “upsold” into buying the newest model or one with more features. If you were ordering a hamburger at your favorite fast-food restaurant, the server may suggest you try their dinner special that includes not just a hamburger, but also a drink and two sides.

Floor sales are no different. Providing customers with the best flooring options for their budget can be rewarding. They might benefit from additional items? Maybe you could interest them in different features? It is possible there are higher quality selections you could sell to them within their price range? Here are some simple tips and strategies for upselling flooring.

First Step: Listen and Discover

Salespeople looking to recommend the proper hardwood flooring product, for example, need to ask a series of fact-finding questions first. Really, this fact-finding first step is something all sales people need to do when approaching a client. Examples of such questions might include where the floors will be installed, is it in a high or low traffic area, and what styles they are interested in.

Next, after discussing the project and getting to know your clientele, recommend a specific flooring product. This timing makes a big difference in the sale. At this point, discussing the differences between solid wood and laminate veneer lumbar (LVM) which is more pliable and sustains wear better than traditional lumbar, would be ideal. Afterward, suggest and demonstrate an eco-friendly floor cleaning spray made to be highly effective with the particular type of flooring they have selected.

Tradition vs. Digital

Traditionally, the practice of listening to the customer in a face-to-face store experience has meant getting to know your customer personally. It has been about learning their needs and fashion tastes and suggesting items they can appreciate. It has involved discussing finances confidentially. It has been about building a relationship.

Many places still function like this, but they are becoming rarer. A change is happening with traditional vs. digital marketing. While the older generation will continue to want a personal connection for their flooring needs, the younger generation would just as soon read all they need to know and handle the transaction online using visualization tools.

Technology has changed the flooring business. Digital Marketing has allowed customers to browse without person-to-person sales. Now, as a sales associate, studying demographics is paramount. Market analysis is the name of the game. For example, running ads in specific zip codes for items that pertain to that area allows you to compete well. Unlike flooring giants such as Home Depot, which maintain a wide variety of items available to a broad audience, a targeted online approach lends itself to meeting specific people’s specific needs. These days upselling is dependent on digital target marketing. Since Google can identify who is looking for flooring, personal attention presents relevant ads based on the customers’ search criteria.

A hybrid approach of in-home shopping and face-to-face service is also realistic. In-home measures and construction still have to happen, and automatic ads will continue to show on Facebook feeds. Upselling in person is within a sales associate’s skill set. Upselling online is definitely within a digital marketer’s skill set.

Flooring companies that find a way to incorporate strategies from both approaches have a bright future with upselling in the world of e-commerce.

History of Ceramic and Stone Tiles

As flooring retailers, we are always surrounded by beautiful tiles. It’s easy to lose sight or perhaps not even be aware of the journey tile making has undergone through the ages. The history of ceramic and stone flooring is long and interesting. With so many setbacks, it’s truly a wonder that we have such a vibrant industry today. 

Flooring Through the Ages

Egypt was among the first to succeed in stone construction, which dates back 5000 years. In ancient Greece remnants of this tradition have been uncovered as well. Ceramic flooring has been traced back to the 4th century BC . The Romans expanded on the ceramic industry and made great gains. Some Roman structures even had heated floors. As they occupied Western Europe, tile making became more and more popular. With the fall of the Roman empire, tile production ceased to be commonplace. However, this introduction of ceramic tiles would have a far greater impact on the architecture from Europe to North America than anyone could have predicted. 

In the 12th century, Cistercian monks began producing patterned floor tiles to place in cathedrals and churches. During the Reformation, tile making suffered another setback in the 16th century. The tradition was carried on in Turkey and the Middle East with wall tiles still being produced for decor and Delft tiles developed in Holland in the 17th century, inspired by the Chinese porcelain tiles.

The Palace at Westminster

Flooring Revolution and Revival

While tile making might have continued on this way, a continuous cycle of resurgences and roadblocks, the flooring industry, as did many other industries, saw a huge breakthrough during the Industrial Revolution. With the introduction of machines, tiles were no longer produced using the arduous processes required by hand, and Britain led the way, along with Germany, France,  and Belgium. 

In 1843, England’s Herbert Minton brought back encaustic tile-making. His tiles were more popular due to his range of color use and the help of a brilliant Gothic artist, named Augustus Pugin who designed the tiles. During this time dust-pressing became the standard for making the tiles, which allowed for more efficient production. These tiles were placed in some of England’s most prestigious structures, such as the Palace at Westminster in London, and Queen Victoria’s Royal Residence on the Isle of Wight. 

For thousands of years, stone and ceramic tile has been a sought after flooring, due to its beauty and durability. You can visit some of the oldest and most breathtaking structures in the world to see early examples of stone and ceramic tile. At one time, only the ultra wealthy could afford stunning tiles for their floors. But thanks to modern technology, that is no longer the case. Stone and ceramic flooring is an affordable and lasting choice for a variety of budgets.

Now that you know a bit of flooring history, you might want to use it when selling to your flooring customers!

Networking Tips for the Flooring Retailer and Flooring Vendor

When it comes to flooring, there’s not a one-size-fits-all for each customer. There are various options available to suit each customer’s taste, style, needs, and budget. 

Think outside the box and expand your flooring business by reaching out to new customers (consider different types you may have never thought of such as business owners) to increase sales and create a reliable brand people trust.

There are many ways to reach potential customers. Through online marketing, direct mail, and cold calling — you can grow your flooring business as quickly as you want. 

Networking with those in the construction or design industry can lead to multiple jobs and enhance your reputation for creating quality flooring for residential and business customers.

Think about it, homes, businesses, schools, and pretty much every building, new or old, need flooring. The options for networking are endless! Other traditional, potential networking partners for a flooring company include:

• Interior designers
• Building owners
• Home contractors

Flooring vendors can find several networking opportunities by contacts with various retail stores. Big box stores can be lucrative but don’t forget about local stores and local contracting companies either! 

Whether you are a flooring retailer or flooring vendor, here are some tips to help promote your business and products!

1. Build a website for your flooring business that includes business contact information, description of flooring services and installation procedures, types of flooring, customer testimonials, and before and after pictures of recent jobs. 

2. SEO Search engine optimization is a great way to improve your website’s search engine rankings and drive more traffic to your homepage. However, SEO is not an exact science and it’s definitely not a quick process. Many factors influence these rankings. Try writing original content (blogs, articles, etc.) about your products or craft, and post them on your website. Make sure to include keywords that mention flooring or flooring terms in each post. Think of this as a long-term tactic.

3. Take high-quality photographs of your work. Show potential and current customers precisely what you can do with professional-quality images of each job. Show before and after pictures and pictures of different products showcasing different types of flooring and projects. 

3. Utilize LinkedIn. Use your actual photo, complete all the details of your profile, and of course, link to your company page. 

4. Join flooring, contracting, residential, and commercial building associations. Attend networking events that you know home contractors or related organizations may be present. Don’t expect to get a sale–this is a time to get to know others and introduce yourself!

5. Ask for referrals. Satisfied customers can and will provide you with solid leads. Offer them a discount on future jobs, or thank you gift to encourage referrals. 

By successfully networking, you can lay a solid foundation for your flooring business! And while you’re at it, check out VendorPriceBook.com — the ultimate tool for looking up flooring pricing and inventory from your preferred flooring supplier.

Carbon Neutral Flooring

According to the Global Status Report, building and construction accounts for 39% of global carbon emissions. With climate change a global issue in the forefront of everyone’s minds, many top companies are making changes to reduce their carbon footprint, and the flooring sector is no exception. In recent years, flooring manufacturers have questioned how they can make further changes towards a positive impact on our planet, and carbon neutral flooring seems to be the answer. 

If you are not familiar with this concept, you may be asking— what exactly is carbon neutral flooring? A carbon neutral product is made with net-zero carbon emissions. This is achieved through absorbing any emissions released by making production changes to reduce emissions, while supporting outside endeavors to reduce harmful greenhouse gases in our environment. Are you looking to provide your flooring customers with carbon neutral flooring options?

Top Carbon Neutral Manufacturer in Flooring 

Several flooring manufacturers have successfully produced carbon neutral flooring. However, if you Google carbon neutral flooring, you will quickly find one company consistently headlining the efforts. Interface was one of the first companies to pioneer the carbon neutral flooring sector and has continued to lead the way.

In 1994, they began with a mission to achieve carbon neutrality and have since achieved 74% reduction in carbon emissions. When you compare this number with the decreased emissions of Mohawk, one of the largest flooring manufacturers at just 20.08% since 2010 according to their 2019 Sustainability Report, it’s easy to see the magnitude of Interface’s accomplishment. However, the company isn’t just stopping at carbon neutrality. It has launched a new effort called, Climate Take Back™, seeking to make positive steps toward reversing global warming.

They currently offer an extensive portfolio of flooring options, including carpet tile, luxury vinyl tile, and nora® by Interface, which is floor covering made of rubber. 

While Interface is a leader in the carbon neutral flooring sector, it is by no means the only flooring manufacturer striving for carbon neutrality. There are numerous others who have achieved whole and partial carbon reduction. Some of them are listed below. 

• Tarkett offers carbon neutral luxury vinyl tiles, planks, and sheets, as well as rubber flooring options. 
• Shaw Contract produces completely carbon neutral commercial carpets. 
• Forbo Flooring Systems reached carbon neutrality with the production of Marmoleum, a linoleum made from natural raw materials.  

The companies above have met their goals, but continue to strive forward in an effort to reduce global warming and increase sustainability. Through utilizing recyclable materials and renewable resources, decreasing the amount of energy used during the manufacturing process, as well as supporting outside projects aimed at reducing carbon emissions, these companies have achieved great feats in the flooring manufacturing industry. With small changes, we can all do our part and take the steps necessary to preserve our planet for future generations. 

Reach out to your flooring vendor or supplier to learn more about carbon neutral floor covering options, from carpet to linoleum.

Going Green with your Flooring Pricebooks

If you are wondering how you can further help with the green movement in flooring, look to going paperless with your pricebooks! With VendorPriceBook, no longer do you need to rely on paper pricebooks, or even PDFs! Try us out and see the difference. In our web application, you can easily chat with flooring vendors and suppliers as well as look up inventory and pricebooks (confidential).

Sourcing for Flooring Retailers: What You Can Do

COVID-19 had a significant impact on the flooring industry in unexpected ways. On the one hand, it was affected adversely by transitioning with appointment-only showroom visits, reduced staff, stricter sanitation, masks, and social distancing, which caused a decrease in walk-in clientele. On the other hand, business increased with the “Shelter in Place” mandate causing people to look at their homes more closely as long as they had to be there, many deciding to make upgrades. With digital formats, customers ordered materials and found ways to move forward with remodeling projects through shop-at-home options, especially for home offices. Thanks to virtual meetings and video chats, the flooring business did continue, although at a slower rate.

Although many flooring companies stayed open with adequate inventory, their product offerings were basic. Custom projects would have to wait since sourcing materials started to become a challenge.

The root problem with retail flooring sources involved major supply companies. Many were forced to reduce non-critical expenses, including capital spending. The primary flooring supplier, Shaw, announced they were temporarily suspending many of their operations in North America during the pandemic. Armstrong remained in operation remotely for outsourced products. Tarkett announced customers might experience lead time increases. Mohawk experienced massive hits stemming from Europe’s impact. All of these companies and more suffered through slowed manufacturer production. While this made meeting supply and demand difficult, do-it-yourself big-box store businesses increased. It was safer to order a boxed kit and do it yourself, although not as professional.

Depending on outside resources proved detrimental to the American hardwood flooring businesses amid pandemic concerns, forcing them to change the way they acquired solid and manufactured hardwood floors. In addition, supply chain concerns remained low for distributors sourcing wood locally.

Maintaining flooring supply inventory is vital to survival in the flooring industry. Since many businesses do not have enough key products right now, custom orders are put on hold. Stock is dwindling, and while sourcing agents are being reevaluated, it’s important to keep any available materials and use them sparingly.

The pandemic will end eventually, and the economy will improve. Until that time, flooring retailers need to remain ready for anything in these uncertain times. Presenting a flexible and adaptable attitude to the public is important.

Communication with Retailers and Vendors

One thing that is in your control is how you streamline your workflow. Communicating between vendor and retailer is an important aspect that occurs on a daily basis! Time is limited as we all know. Being efficient means doing things that work well and in a timely manner–that includes how long and in what way you do that when talking to vendors and retailers in flooring. With VendorPriceBook, you simply need an internet connection and you can login to a system where you can share confidential pricing information to your retailers, including inventory levels, too! Retailers can create purchases right in the same portal! Our web solution is here to help you save time and money!

LinkedIn to Grow your B2B Flooring Leads

Growing B2B leads is about making connections with people, one at a time. With the pandemic and many things turning (at least temporarily) to the virtual world, it’s important to learn how to network online.

An easy, free way to find potential leads with Linkedin without bots or automation is to study a business’s website in the flooring industry. Read their overview and then search their list of employees. This will allow you to target people according to a job title. Next, use filters for various job titles as many titles are worded differently. The filter will produce many results, which you can contact with an email.

Another approach is called Outbound Lead Generation. This cost-effective strategy involves optimizing your profile with a professional picture and headline. Then, create a list in LinkedIn’s Sales Navigator titled “Connection Request Sent”. Send this request without a message to people active on LinkedIn’s platform within the past 30 days. This ensures you are reaching out to viable contacts. Save the “Responded” list. After this, under “Follow Up List” use “saved searches” to create a targeted list. At this point, using industry filters such as “Flooring” and then title filters such as “Flooring Retailers” will generate results for you to contact before sending a message of authentic everyday language to all on this list. Sending out 50 connection requests a day can result in 400-600 new connections a month. Keep in mind that Sales Navigator is a paid-for service. You can try it out during a trial period for free to test run the system and see if it’s worth it for you.

Installing Google Chrome extensions from the Google Chrome web store is another way to generate B2B leads on LinkedIn. Linked Helper will generate free leads on LinkedIn, however, overall account activity of any kind is limited to 150 actions per 24 hours so limiting actions to these numbers is wise.

In addition, a free account on LinkedIn will allow you to use Boolean, a logic program used to find specific hyper-targeted leads. Utilizing quotation marks or not using quotation marks and utilizing the words “and” “or” and “not” in particular ways dramatically affects the search results. This system is valuable to producing precise searches for locating high-quality B2B leads on LinkedIn. Once a connection has been established, asking for a Zoom meeting, offering a free e-book, or sending them to a landing page using direct, concise language can help increase business leads. You can share with them your catalog of flooring and related products.

Connect with others in the flooring industry on LinkedIn

Since LinkedIn is the world’s largest database with more than 450 million people listed, engaging with people by commenting on their posts is a great way to establish interest and, ultimately, a business relationship. Commenting is also a way to determine if you want to move forward and connect on Linkedin with a prospective lead or not. If your decision is to build trust, then leaving positive comments and tagging them in relevant posts is a non-stressful, authentic mode of building B2B connections, one valuable person at a time.

Feel free to follow VendorPriceBook on LinkedIn! We are another tool to help you streamline communication between flooring vendor and supplier. Check us out at VendorPriceBook.com.

8 Things You Need to Fix Now On Your Flooring Website

In today’s world, it’s more important than ever for flooring businesses to have a website. Think about it— Where is the first place you go to search for a business? Your answer was likely Google. One study found that 91% of adults use search engines as means of gathering information, and 83% of those users choose Google. Without an internet presence, customers are not able to find you, which essentially means you do not exist.

However, you don’t want just any old website. Your site needs to reflect well on your business, while attracting as many customers as possible. Below are seven things you can fix now to improve your flooring website by leaps and bounds.

Curb Appeal

As the saying goes, first impressions are lasting, and they can make or break you. Design is one of the most important factors to consider when building your flooring website.

Simplicity is key. Steer away from dark backgrounds, or bright colors. Also, try to avoid distracting ads and pop ups. You want your website to be inviting, not overwhelming. If you’re unsure what a well-designed flooring website looks like, invest in a reputable designer. You will see the returns on your investment.

Ease of Use

94% of respondents say easy navigation is the most vital website feature. Think of how frustrating it is when you go to a website looking for information and you can’t find what you need. Your website should be well organized, allowing your customers to find information quickly and efficiently.

Relevant Content

You want your website to be useful to your customers. Consider common flooring issues your customers may face, or questions they may have when searching for the perfect flooring for their home. If your customer was standing in front of you, what would their questions or concerns be?

Having relevant content not only meets your customer’s unique needs, but also boosts your credibility with the customer and your ranking on Google. So, another great investment is hiring a content writer. Many businesses are amazed at the leads they generate from a single blog post.

Mobile Site

85% of users say a company’s mobile site should be just as good or better than the desktop version. More often than not users are using phones and tablets to do a quick search. Make sure your mobile site is optimized. Doing so is easy and can help you gain customers and keep existing ones.

Make your flooring site mobile friendly so content easily fits across tablets, laptops and phones

Trust Building

A website research group, Nielsen Norman Group (NNG), created a pyramid highlighting the hierarchy of users’ trust for websites. In order to achieve the highest levels of trust with customers, consider what you would need to feel confident in a website. Some things to consider are:

• Increasing your authority in the flooring industry by providing informative guides
• Including a section for customer reviews
• Make sure your website is HTTPS secure

Feedback

Allow your customer to give you feedback. Customers like to be heard, and some of their feedback can help improve your website.

Call to Action

You want your calls to action to be specific. Study your customers’ behavior on your site. Don’t be afraid to try new CTAs. A focused CTA provides 400% more engagement than a generic one.

Unique Story

Share what makes your flooring business unique. There are a million other flooring websites. However, you can stand out in the minds of customers and create an empathetic connection by giving customers insight into why you love what you do.

Bonus Tip: Pro Service

When you do get customers in your door, follow best practices for optimizing the guest experience! Make sure you also have the proper tools to quickly and efficiently quote pricing and availability of flooring. You can use a tool like VendorPriceBook.com to streamline these processes.

VendorPriceBook.com

Five Ways to Improve Customer Service at your Flooring Business

There’s an old saying in the business world: the customer is always right. Now, we all know that isn’t actually true (especially in specialized industries like flooring), but the idea has become accepted by both businesses and customers across the globe.

The truth of the matter is this: the customer isn’t always right, but your customer service should make them FEEL like they are. Here are a few tips to help you improve your customer service in your flooring showroom.

Give Your Customers Information

There is nothing more irritating to a customer than a sales associate who hovers and follows them around the showroom. Similarly, there is nothing more irritating to an employee than customers who bombard them with a million questions. One way to give everyone the space they need (and avoid terse interactions that make everyone uncomfortable) is to give your customers the important info up front.

Post signs around your store with information about pricing. Fill your website with helpful blogs and easy to find FAQs (these can also boost your ranking on search engines). If your customers can find key info themselves, they’ll feel like that have more power over their sales experience — and that is always a positive.

Set The Mood

When customers don’t feel comfortable with a shopping experience (as they usually don’t when making big purchases like flooring), they tend to want to keep the experience short and sweet. Of course, we know that finding the right flooring takes time — so it’s up to us to make the process as pleasant as possible.

Choose pleasant overhead music to play in your store. Use aromatherapy to create a comfortable and calming environment. These little tricks can ease the stress of shopping and help your customers enjoy the experience a little bit more.

Use Associates Appropriately

A great sales associate is like seasoning in a recipe: they amplify everything that’s great about the experience and take it to the next level. However, it is possible to “over-season” a customer shopping experience, and that can leave a bad taste in their mouth.

Make sure your sales associates are well trained, knowledgeable, and friendly — but also, make sure they know when to let a customer have some space. Remember that good customer service is about giving the customer what they want (not securing a sale), so make sure your sales team knows how to read the situation and respond appropriately.

Get Social

In today’s world, social media is an invaluable form of marketing. The right viral tweet or five-star Yelp review can really help your business — and a one-star review can do incredible damage.

Make sure you are active on your business’s social media pages. This might mean posting about sales or new floor that’s arrived in the store, or it might mean responding to reviewers who gave you poor reviews (however, when you respond to those reviewers ALWAYS remain professional). If you are engaging with your audience online, you will have a clearer idea of what they want and expect from your business.

Ask for Feedback

Finally, let’s go back to our old adage, “The customer is always right.” One great way to provide customer service is to lean into that belief and simply ask your customers for their feedback. Ask them to take a survey about your store online. Make it easy for them to contact you with questions or comments, and respond to these messages promptly. Simply giving your customers a voice will make them feel like you care — and that’s something everyone appreciates.

Ultimately, the customer service experience is about making your customers feel valuable. If you prove that you value their time, their personal space, and their opinions, they are sure to value your product all the more.

Bonus Tip: Expedite the Process

The VendorPriceBook Mobile app is coming soon and purchase ordering is now available!

The system you know and love is getting an upgrade. Now with VendorPriceBook, you will be able to use our mobile app right on the showroom floor. No more running around, leafing through pages or searching spreadsheets for (potentially outdated) pricing and inventory levels. NO MORE MAKING YOUR CUSTOMERS WAIT LONGER THAN THEY SHOULD. Stay tuned for news on our upcoming mobile app release.

Office Flooring Trends

Workplaces are evolving in many ways, from technology and culture to how they look. As a flooring retailer, it’s essential to be up-to-date with current flooring trends.

Workplaces Are Constantly Evolving

As technology expands, we see how things are becoming smaller and thinner. Monitors are becoming slimmer; laptops are easily transportable, works stations are increasingly sharable.

In terms of flooring, many businesses are looking towards durability combined with aesthetics. For example, vinyl flooring or cement can look like wood flooring, but with benefits like being easier to clean and maintain and less costly to install.

Carpets combine intricate weaves to add an element of luxury. However, many office spaces may decide on throw rugs for color and texture.

While budgets need to be considered, it’s clear that beauty, symmetry, and easy maintenance are high on the priority list.

Durable and Attractive Flooring

Many office and workspaces are turning towards textured, patterned, and luxurious designs due to expanding upcoming products and brands.

Exposed concrete coupled with rugs is a significant trend to watch. Customers can choose from polished or stained for attractive and efficient flooring.

An attractive rug can really liven up an office

Typically, workplace installations include ceramic, vinyl, broadloom, carpet tiles, and stone to create the proper look. A significant consideration for your clients should consist of the installation process, maintenance, and projected lifetime. Identifying client needs and providing these pertinent pieces of information for them to consider makes their shopping experience easy and stress-free.

For example, suggesting stain-repellent carpets for high-traffic areas or lighter carpets can be a life-saver for customers who haven’t considered the impact of spilled coffee over time.

A Trend Towards Hominess

Flooring retailers may notice that clients might veer towards anti-carpet. Instead, they might decide on open office spaces, open ceilings, and many area rugs to mitigate acoustics and add texture and colors to create a homey atmosphere. An example might be painted concrete that utilizes color schemes to indicate special rooms or to increase productivity.

Don’t be surprised if you see a growing trend towards concrete for beautiful floors. Clients may choose the most economical option, like carpeting over existing concrete. However, it can be expensive to refinish existing concrete.

As collaborative culture grows, businesses might gear towards combining beauty with comfort. The current trend seems to be layering textures and area rugs coupled with warm and cozy designs. The role of flooring in these spaces appeals to clients and employees alike.

Shared workspaces or desk sharing allow employees to quickly connect or disconnect, carry their laptops or iPads, and communicate openly. Office spaces should reflect this open and clutter-free work zone. If people spend long hours at work, they should have a few comforts from home and an environment that allows them to feel comfortable.